Rumors are rife about new features the iPad 2 might have. Last week, MacRumors.com said that we can expect the iPad 2 to be out by April and equipped with goodies like a near-Retinal display. Since it’s impossible for the iPad to have the same true Retina Display as the iPhone 4 without a major processor upgrade, Apple is giving it the next best thing. The new iPad will also have dual cameras and what looks like a microSD slot (see photo). The device also marks Apple’s move from chipset maker Infineon to Qualcomm; you can expect the iPad 2 to have a dual GSM / CDMA chipset manufactured by the latter.

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It’s official – Globe is bringing the iPad with WiFi + 3G to the Philippines soon, and they’ll be offering dedicated data plans for the device. No details on the data plan have been revealed yet, nor has Globe announced when the iPads will be available. But I will keep everyone updated as soon as I hear official word!

For those who don’t know what the iPad is, this is a fully touchscreen device from Apple that allows users to browse the web, check their email, watch HD videos, play mindless games, and more. For more information, visit www.apple.com/ipad/.

The 250,000-some people who pre-ordered their iPad don’t have much longer to wait – the iPad has finally been released! At this writing, I’m sure all the iPads being sold at the Apple Store are all gone. Armed with over 150,000, the iPad is Apple’s response to the increasing popularity of ebook readers and netbooks. In fact, one of the iPad’s biggest selling point is the built-in eBook app. Users can purchase and download thousands of books, most of which are being sold for under $10. There are tens of thousands of free eBooks available as well. For those who don’t have time to sit down with a good eBook, the leading publications in the United States also created iPad-optimized versions of their issues. Amazon’s Kindle Store can be accessed via the iPad as well.

As for the other apps, the iPad uses the same firmware found in the iPod Touch and iPhone, which means that all 150,000 apps available on the App Store will work for the iPad. A number of other apps have also been developed just for this tablet computer.

No news as to when the iPad will hit the Philippines just yet, but I bet it’ll be overpriced and just as desirable as an iPhone. I wonder if Philippine users can take advantage of the iPad-enabled eBooks.

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The name iPad is the first sign that the much-anticipated, over-hyped Apple tablet was probably a better device in speculation than in reality. For one thing – iPad? Really? Apple couldn’t have picked a more difficult name. Did they ever consider how confusing it would be for countries where an imperfect grasp of American English causes people to mispronounce the iPod as “iPad”? I’m not even going to go into all the sanitary napkin jokes everyone is making.

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Oh wait, I just did.

So what exactly is the iPad? Basically, it’s a 9.7-inch LED-backlet touchscreen display that’s about .5 inch thing for easy portability. What it does is basically the same thing the iPhone does minus the ability to call and text. You can use it to surf the Internet, send e-mails, view pictures, you get the idea. But because of the larger screen, the device can easily double as an eBook without too much eyestrain on your part; the rich, high-res LED screen displays everything in bright crisp color so you can read comfortably under low light ocnditions. I think Apple is trying to make the iPad the new Kindle; they just launched a new app called iBooks, where you can read and buy books from the built-in iBookstore.

Other important details of note is that the iPad has 10 hours of battery life and built-in Bluetooth that allows you to use an optional wireless keyboard and an optional camera. That’s right, it doesn’t come with a camera.

Personally, I’m not impressed, but then again I’m hardly ever impressed with Apple products. Sure, they’re pretty and well-designed, but most of the time they’re just over-hyped and over-worshipped. Besides, in a world where there is no shortage of cheap netbooks, eBook readers, and smartphones, is there really a need for a device like the iPad?

The iPad comes in 16, 32, or 64GB versions. Price starts at $499 in the US, but I bet it’ll cost twice that much here and people will be stupid enough to buy it. WiFi models will be shipping in late March, and 3G models will arrive in April. Find out more at the Apple website.