Nokia Netbook....

Hmm… Netbook kini mula menjadi satu trend baru dalam dunia digital dan telekomunikasi.  Ia mula diperkenalkan oleh Asus dengan model EePc mereka.  Oleh kerana mendapat sambutan yang hangat daripada pengguna, syarikat-syarikat pengeluar komputer berlumba-lumba memperkenalkan model netbook mereka. Brand apa yang menjadi pilihan hati korang?.. Apa kata korang nantikan Netbook Nokia… Ya, Betul Nokia.

Nampaknya Nokia juga tidak mahu ketinggalan untuk memperkenalkan model netbook mereka. Sesuai dengan ciri-ciri netbook itu sendiri yang sering digunakan untuk melayari web Nokia memperkenalkan Nokia Booklet 3G.

Apa yang menariknya Nokia Booklet 3G ini berbanding dengan netbook2 yang sedia ada dipasaran?

Pertamanya designnya yang amat menarik dengan finishing aluminum.

 

Kemudian, sebagai pengeluar no 1 telefon selular dunia, sudah tentu netbook ini dilengkapi dengan 3G termasuk WIFI b,n,g dan Bluetooth. Ia juga dilengkapi dengan AGPS.

Yang amat menariknya tentang netbook ini, ianya hanya seberat 1.25kg dan baterinya boleh tahan sehingga 12jam … wow.

Pastinya harganya pon agak “menarik”nanti.

Cabaran Perbankan Internet..............

Cabaran Perbankan Internet

Perbankan internet masa kini dapt membantu kita didalam urusan seharian yang semakin sibuk. Tetapi kini pelbagai cara digunakan oleh perompak cyber ini untuk cuba untuk menipu pengguna perbankan internet. Antaranya adalah Phishing. Walaupun bunyinya hampir-hampir seperti fishing, tapi tiada kaitan pon dengan memancing. Phishing adalah satu laman web yang menyerupai seakan-akan laman web perbankan bank tertentu, untuk tujuan mengambil id dan password pengguna yang tertipu. Daripada wikipedia, phishing bermaksud :

In the field of computer security, phishing is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwordsand credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

Terdapat juga percubaan untuk menipu dengan menghantar emel kononnya daripada bank yang berkenaan mengenai masalah bank dan lain-lain.  Sebagai contoh, emel berikut diterima oleh rakan yang kononnya datang daripada Maybank:

Dear Maybank customer,

We are hereby notifying you that we’ve recently suffered a DDos-Attack on one of our’s Online Banking server. For security reasons you must complete the next steps to verify the integrity of your Maybank account. If you fail to complete the verification in the next 24 hours your account will be suspended.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Log in to Maybank online account (click here).

2. You must request for TAC via Maybank online banking – your TAC will be sent via SMS to the mobile phone number you registered.
( you can find the “Request a TAC” button in the Utilities menu of your account )

3. Logout from your account and close the browser.

4. When you have received the TAC (Transaction Authorization Code) on your mobile phone, go to our secured verification server and submit the requested information (Username, password and TAC). (click here) to go on our secured server.

5. Please allow 48 hours for processing.

Please comply and thanks for understanding.

© 2001-09 Maybank. All rights reserved.

***This is an automated message, please do not reply***

Jadi disini, aku ingin kongsi langkah-langkah berjaga-jaga yang perlu diambil untuk memastikan anda pengguna perbankan tidak terpedaya dan tertipu dengan penjenayah cyber yang cuba mengambil kesempatan atas kelalaian pengguna itu sendiri.

Ingat!! :

1) Jika anda menerima emel daripada Bank anda, tidak perlu membacanya terus delete sahaja kerana bank tidak akan menghantar emel mengenai hal-hal yang penting, bank akan terus menelefon anda atau akan menghantar surat, atau kepada anda. Bank juga tidak melakukan sebarang promosi melalui emel. Jadi ingat terus delete sahaja jika menerima emel daripada pihak bank (kononnya)

2) Update browser anda sekurang-kurangnya kepada Internet Explorer 7 atau Mozilla Firefox 3 kerana browser terkini dilengkapi dengan anti-phishing yang dapat mengesan bahawa laman web tersebut adalah laman web palsu.

3) Jangan tekan sebarang link yang berkaitan dengan login bank. Kerana mungkin link tersebut akan bawa anda pergi ke laman web palsu.  Contohnya seperi emel yang diterima daripada rakan aku tadi ada link kononnya secured server yang baru :

When you have received the TAC (Transaction Authorization Code) on your mobile phone, go to our secured verification server and submit the requested information (Username, password and TAC). (click here) to go on our secured server.

Hanya masuk melalui laman web rasmi bank anda dengan menaip pada browser yang baru dibuka. Cth : www.maybank2u.com.my utk Maybank dan www.cimbclicks.com.my utk CIMB.

4) Jangan menggunakan perbankan internet di cyber cafe atau komputer awam, kerana diragui dipasang alat keylogger atau software yang seumpamanya yang bertujuan utk mengetahui aktiviti anda.

5) Update antivirus anda untuk mengelak daripada backdoor atau keylogger dipasang pada pc anda yang dapat mengetahui aktiviti anda terutama perbankan internet.

Dengan tips ini diharapkan agar sang durjana akan tumbang untuk memperdaya pengguna perbankan internet di Malaysia. Untuk maklumat lanjut mengenai security cyber korang boleh cuba-cuba lihat laman web ini (CyberSecurity Malaysia) dan eSecurity Malaysia yang turut memuatkan video tips-tips menarik tentang security.

Windows x32 detect 4GB RAM?

Windows x32 detect 4GB RAM?

Jika belum tahu, Windows kini terdapat 2 versi iaitu 32bit dan 64bit. Ianya bermula dengan Windows XP 64bit semasa AMD mengeluarkan processor AMD64 mereka. Windows 32bit dikenali dengan x86 iaitu architecture PC dan Windows 64bit dikenali sebagai x64 iaitu architecture x86-64 (extension).

Apa perbezaannya?, actually banyak perbezaannya tetapi aku nak highlight satu je. Windows x64 atau 64bit mampu menggunakan lebih daripada 4GB RAM. Jika korang menggunakan Windows x86 (32bit), hanya 3.0GB / 3.5GB yang dapat digunakan. Tak kisah la korang tambah 8GB RAM pada komputer korang, tapi apabila bukak windows hanya 3.00GB Physical Memory sahaja yang dapat digunakan. Itu adalah limitation 32bit. Untuk menggunakan lebih 4gb of RAM, korang kenalah guna Windows x64. Walaupun x64 banyak kelebihannya terutama performance gain yang korang dapat jika menggunakan native 64bit application seperti Adobe Photoshop 64bit. Namun begitu, ramai yang masih memilih 32bit windows sebab-sebab seperti Drivers 64bit dan juga Application compatibility.

Yang peliknya, Windows Server 2003 dan 2008 walaupun menggunakan versi 32bit (x86) ia mampu menggunakan lebih 4GB kenapa tidak kepada Vista mahupun Windows 7? Mungkin Microsoft mempunyai sebab-sebab tertentu. Tu hak mereka.

Namun begitu kini terdapat cara untuk membenarkan Windows Vista, Windows 7 32bit korang dapat menggunakan lebih 4GB of RAM.  Kini terdapat Kernel Patch yang membenarkan ianya berlaku seperti itu. Mana nk dapat patch ni? hehe search je kat google.

Garmin vs Papago

Garmin vs Wayway Papago!

Sejak menggunakan GPS navigator ni, memang memudahkan aku untuk ke sesuatu tempat itu. Lagi-lagi musim perkahwinan ni, aku just set dalam garmin dan terus pergi ke tempat yang dituju dengan mudah, tak perlu lagi utk lihat2 peta dalam Google Earth atau Google Maps. Baru-baru ini wife aku pergi ke suatu tempat dan apabila dalam perjalanan pulang dia tersesat dan mengambil masa yang lama utk sampai ke rumah walhal kami dah berjanji untuk pergi ke suatu tempat selepas itu. Jadinya aku pon membeli satu GPS yang menggunakan software Papago! yang berjenama daripada taiwan iaitu Wayway. Dengan harga istimewa akhir tahun rm499 ia dilengkapi dengan map 3D, Lane Assist dan Junction View…. wow…

Jadi kali ini aku ingin buat review dan comparison antara brand terkenal Garmin dan brand taiwan Wayway ni.

Dari segi harga Garmin nuvi 255w yang aku beli berharga rm750 yang aku rembat dekat PCFair haritu dan Wayway Q4331 aku beli dekat M3Shoppe.com dengan harga istimewa rm499 sebab dorang distributor. Jadinya betul ke harga yang lebih mahal lebih berbaloi daripada harga yang murah?

Garmin nuvi 255w.

Garmin nuvi 255w mempunyai screen yang tajam dan jelas dengan saiz 4.3 inci amat memudahkan anda menggunakannya dan mempunyai sistem “touch screen” yang amat sensitif dan cepat. Dari segi design dan rekabentuk nampak kemas dan professional. Suction Duct untuk diletakkan pada cermin juga kemas dan tidak terlalu besar. Disebabkan Garmin nuvi tidak menggunakan Windows CE seperti kebanyakkan GPS daripada China dan Taiwan, sistem booting Garmin amat cepat dan menu-menu didalam software Garmin itu sendiri amat “user-friendly” dan amat mudah difahami walaupun baru kali pertama menggunakannya. Contohnya function Detour yang mencari jalan alternative amat memudahkan dan useful dalam keadaan laluan trafik yang sesak. POI yang banyak dan sistem gelintar yang cepat dan mudah. Vehicle dan juga Voice juga boleh dicustomized dengan mudah hanya muat turun daripada laman web Garmin. Terdapat banyak kenderaan yang boleh dipilih dan terlalu banyak sebenarnya. Satellite Locking juga amat pantas dalam beberapa saat sahaja, oleh sebab itu dalam keadaan jalan melalui terowong kita tidak perlu risau dan rerouting calculation juga cepat dalam keadaan kita terlepas jalan yang sepatutnya.

Sistem audio yang agak kuat dan bahasa yang disediakan adalah banyak iaitu Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Indonesia, Cina, Thailand, Jepun dan banyak lagi. Malah kita boleh download bahasa-bahasa yang lain dan masukkan ke dalam Garmin. Namun begitu aku buang sahaja bahasa-bahasa yang aku x fahami. Garmin nuvi 255w juga mempunyai sistem auido Text-to-Speech (TTS) yang akan menyebut nama jalan semasa navigasi di jalan raya. Agak menarik apabila memandu dan sistem audionya turut menyebut nama jalan. Namun begitu aku lebih suka menggunakan sistem audio yang biasa kerana arahan navigasinya lebih jelas berbanding TTS kerana ia banyak menggunakan masa menyebut nama jalan berbanding memberi arahan navigasi yang tepat. Dengan memuat turun Custom POI daripada MalfreeMaps, Garmin akan mampu memberi amaran Camera Traps, Plaza tol, Traffic Light Camera dan bermacam lagi dalam bentuk suara yang amat berguna sekali. Dari segi customization pon Garmin ok, kita boleh pilih mana-mana gambar dan masukkan ke dalam garmin dan jadikan ianya sebagai Splash Screen yang akan dipaparkan semasa menghidupkan Garmin. Seperti gambar yang diletakkan aku letakkan splash screen proton HeHe.

Dari segi maps nya pula pada asalnya Garmin telah siap dilengkapi dengan MalsingMaps dan TeleAtlas dan kita boleh tambah map daripada MalfreeMaps. Jadi kita boleh dapatkan update daripada MalsingMaps, MalfreeMaps dan TeleAtlas.  Map daripada MalsingMaps dan TeleAtlas boleh didapati terus daripada website Garmin. Garmin telah preloaded dan mempunyai lesen ke atas map daripada komuniti MalsingMaps. Namun begitu map daripada MalsingMaps dan TeleAtlas tidak kerap dikemaskini berbanding komuniti MalfreeMaps yang boleh didapati seminggu sekali setiap Isnin. Maps daripada MalfreeMaps juga lebih details dan dilengkapi sistem logo POI seperti Petronas dan sebagainya yang MalsingMaps hanya memaparkan logo Pump Minyak. Tetapi sedihnya map yang didapati daripada MalfreeMaps ini tidak dilengkapi dengan Lane Assist dan Junction View kerana tidak mempunyai hak daripada Garmin. Kadang-kadang boleh terlepas selekoh tanpa Junction View ini. Jika menggunakan map daripada MalsingMaps dan TeleAtlas aku dapati Junction View yang disediakan adalah terhad di bandar-bandar besar sahaja.

Setelah hampir sebulan menggunakan Garmin ini, kadang-kadang boleh terkeliru apabila menghadapi keadaan jalan yang bertingkat-tingkat kerana map yang digunakan dalam Garmin adalah bentuk 2D yang memaparkan jalan secara bertindih dan bukan dalam bentuk 3D. Namun begitu terdapat model Garmin yang dilengkapi dengan map 3D iaitu model nuvi 765 yang lebih mahal harganya tetapi hanya terhad kepada bangunan 3D bukannya jalan bentuk 3D.

Wayway Q4331

Dengan harga yang murah iaitu RM499, GPS daripada Taiwan ini walaupun brand dia tidaksefemes Garmin tetapi dilengkapi dengan fungsi yang menarik. Oleh kerana ia menggunakan Windows CE sebagai OS ia mampu memainkan mp3, video dan apps lain seperti games di dalamnya. Namun begitu untuk masuk ke dalam main system mengambil masa yang agak lama (booting kepada Windows CE). Bukan itu sahaja untuk run Papago! X3 Navigator software mengambil masa dalam beberapa saat selepas kita menekan ikon pada menu utama.

Antaramuka Papago! X3 adalah menarik ala2 Vista, tetapi menu-menu yang digunakan agak mengelirukan untuk buat kali pertama menggunakannya. Untuk memahami bagaimana untuk mencari jalan, membuat simulasi dan sebagainya perlu sedikit masa dan percubaan sebelum betul-betul faham.

Dari segi rekabentuk dan design ianya lebih slim dari Papago! walaupun nampak kurang professional namun lebih stylish dengan permukaan lebih grip yang disaluti dengan getah lembut.

Wayway Q4331 didatangkan dengan 2 maps iaitu Indonesia dan Malaysia. Map Malaysia diambil daripada MalfreeMaps. Oleh kerana MalfreeMaps telah diberi hak daripada Papago! maka map malfreemaps untuk papago! dilengkapi dengan Junction View dan Lane Assist yang banyak!… boleh dikatakan setiap selekoh akan dipaparkan dengan Junction View. Berbanding dengan Garmin Junction View hanya banyak didalam area Klang Valley dan bandar-bandar besar sahaja. Bukan itu sahaja, map didalam Papago adalah dalam bentuk 3D, iaitu terdapat landmark bangunan dalam bentuk 3D dan jalan pon dalam bentuk 3D yang memudahkan perjalanan dan mengurangkan kekeliruan jika melalui elevated intersections.

Jika menggunakan Garmin, kita terhad menambahkan map selain map asal dan perlu mengikut format file yang sepatutnya. Kita hanya boleh menambah 2 GMAPSUPP.img file iaitu pada device Garmin dan satu lagi pada SD Card. Papago boleh menerima banyak map dan kita hanya menambah folder pada folder Map dan masukkan map yang kita dapati daripada internet.

Sistem suara juga adalah jelas. Jika dibandingkan dengan suara Bahasa Melayu dalam Garmin, suara Bahasa Melayu dalam Papago X3 adalah amat baik sekali. Sungguh professional, jelas dan mudah difahami. Dalam Garmin, suaranya amat kelakar sekali dan tidak professional, macam tangkap muat org dalam office mereka sahaja.  Namun begitu suara Bahasa Inggeris dalam Papago adalah hampa sekali, sukar difahami dan rakaman bukanlah daripada bangsa Amerika ataupun British…tapi macam daripada Taiwan sahaja.

Kesimpulan Garmin vs Papago!

• Garmin interface simple, user friendly dan tersusun manakala Papago interface cantik tetapi kurang user friendly..
• Garmin kita boleh customize sound dan vehicle tetapi Papago tidak boleh.
• Map pada Papago lebih detail dan cantik, banyak Junction View dan Lane Assist daripada Garmin.
• Skrin Garmin lebih sensitif dan cepat daripada Wayway.
• Garmin cepat booting berbanding dengan Wayway. Perisian Papago didalam Wayway lambat locking satelit dan rerouting mengambil masa yang lama berbanding Garmin.
• Garmin brand terkenal dan ada warranty support yang proven dan dikatakan lebih tahan lama. Wayway brand Taiwan tidak pasti bagaimana warranty support yang akan diberikan.
• Dengan harga rm499 Wayway GPS adalah mampu dimilikki dan mempunyai ciri-ciri yang menarik dan memudahkan perjalanan manakala Garmin pada harga rm750 mempunyai ciri-ciri professional, skrin yang sensitif tetapi map pada Garmin kadangkala mengelirukan kerana tidak didalam bentuk 3D dan Junction View dan Lane Assist yang kurang..

Manasatu pilihan anda?…Anda yang menentukan 

How Does the IPad Compare to Netbooks?

In launching the new Apple iPad this week, CEO Steve Jobs took a stand against the popular netbook category, which he dismissed as a poor fit into the space between laptops and smartphones.

"Netbooks aren't better at anything. They are slow, they have low-quality displays and run... PC software," Jobs said. "[The iPad] is so much more intimate than a laptop, and so much more capable than a smartphone with this gorgeous large display."

Netbooks, he said, are just cheap laptops.

Apple has revolutionized product categories otherwise filled with mundane devices. The iPod bought excitement to media players, and the iPhone redefined smartphones. Now Apple is trying to convince users to drop netbooks, and go for the iPad. But do the two devices really compare?

I got a chance to play with the iPad for a few minutes at the launch event, and each device has its own merits. The iPad is a more expensive, albeit powerful device than netbooks for video, e-books and gaming. The netbook is not an entertainment device, but it provides ample hard drive storage and a full keyboard on which long documents can be typed.

The iPad has a 9.7-inch touch-screen display and uses an on-screen keyboard for when typing is necessary. It can be used for tasks like Web browsing, doing e-mail, reading e-books, playing movies and games.

The biggest draws to the iPad are superior battery life and multimedia capabilities with the ability to play 720p high-definition videos. An Apple representative said the device offers 10 hours of battery life on active usage, which compares to between four to eight hours on netbooks.

The iPad was able to play the recent Star Trek and animated Up movies in original and full screen mode, though images were grainier in full-screen mode. With the exception of a few, netbooks barely manage 720p video, and even if they do, it would drain battery life quickly. Apple hasn't yet revealed details of battery life when running video, which could be less than 10 hours.

The iPad's flaws slowly started becoming apparent. One big drawback is the iPad's on-screen keyboard. While typing into the iWork applications using the iPad's virtual keyboard, I needed to switch between the character and number keyboards. Call me a Luddite, but I'd prefer a proper keyboard to type. So if you are looking to write long documents, a netbook is a more practical option.

An external keyboard can be attached to the iPad, but the device remains mostly desk-bound after that. The iPads are otherwise more portable, measuring 0.5 inches at their thinnest point and weighing around 1.5 pounds (0.68 kilograms). Netbooks are slightly heavier and can be straight-down ugly at times.

The devices meet common ground on the Web surfing experience. The iPad's Safari browser fit pages beautifully into the screen and surfing seemed like a breeze. The keyboard and mouse input on netbooks seem ancient compared to the iPad's touch input.

However, it seemed like a stretch to keep multiple browser windows open in the iPad, something netbooks would be better at managing. The browsing experience on netbooks is more practical as it is easier to open and switch between browsers and tabs.

Then there are the subtle differences unique to each device. As a PC user, the netbook also gives me the option to run multiple Windows or Linux programs. But the iPad can function as an e-book reader, something netbooks can't do. The iPad's familiar iPhone interface seemed easier to adapt to than the traditional Windows interface on netbooks. Netbooks also have webcams for videoconferencing, a feature the iPad could gain in upcoming versions.

But iPad's advanced features come at a premium -- prices start at US$499 for 16GB of storage, reaching about $829 for 64GB of storage and a 3G connection. Netbooks can be acquired for close to half the price.

In the end, Jobs was making a false comparison. The iPad is a product for those relaxing on a chair to watch a video or read an e-book and also happens to have iWorks. The netbook is supposed to be a cheap laptop for those looking to do some real work, and for that it does it pretty well.

But Apple has a history of redefining product categories, and with the iPad, it may be doing the same.

Ipad Apple review..

0

From the moment Steve Jobs introduced Apple's iPad to the world, two narratives began taking shape among the techie powers-that-be: 1) iPad is a revolutionary device that will change the way we use computers and put us on on a path we cannot yet fully comprehend.  Total game-changer.  2) The iPad is a large iPod touch.  Sure, it's good for watching movies on planes, but if you don't need a large video player or a color eBook reader, why bother? I had hoped getting the iPad in my hands would immediately clarify which of these assessments was correct.  It did not. The iPad is a fantastic product.  It's the first tablet used by millions of consumers.  It is a blend of smartphone and computer, of iPhone and Mac.  But it's neither the ho-hum iPhone fatty, nor the mind-bending revolution pundits have proclaimed it to be. So, what exactly is iPad?  In this review, I'll try to answer that question for you - and for myself.  I'll point out the product's strengths, shortcomings and forehead-slapping omissions.  And I'll make recommendations for prospective adopters. Design If you've ever seen one of Apple's new LED Cinema Displays, you'll recognize the design inspiration for iPad.  It's a display housed in a curved, half-inch-thick aluminum shell. The look of the iPad is at once boring and beautiful; in other words, typical Apple industrial design.  The iPad has a thick, black bezel surrounding its multi-touch display.  This bezel has garnered criticism, but is absolutely necessary as a resting place for thumbs.  If the screen went to the edges (which would look very slick, I'll admit), you'd inadvertently touch the screen as you held it. This aspect of the iPad's design is its only aesthetic setback, but a necessary and functional one. The tablet's weight, on the other hand, is a minor utility setback.  1.5-pounds sounds feather light, but it's enough to have you unconsciously shifting your elbow toward a leg or sofa arm for support after several minutes. Considering its speed and utility, the engineering is impressive, but the weight is a bit much.  I hope to see lighter models in the future - and have no doubt we will. Hardware controls are few.  No surprise there.  Below the screen you'll find the ever-present Home button. Along the right side is a volume rocker and a handy screen lock switch.  On top is a 3.5mm headphone/headset jack and a hold/sleep switch.  The bottom edge houses the standard Dock Connector and a speaker. From a usability standpoint, the only limiting aspect of the tablet is keyboard input.  Because of the iPad's larger shape, you can't hold it with one hand a type with a thumb; but if you hold it with two hands, you're holding with fingers and stretch-typing with thumbs, which can at times feel dangerous (in a drop-to-the-floor-shatter-and-cry-like-a-baby sort of way).  The most reasonable typing position options are tablet in lap, fingers on touchscreen or hold with one hand, type with the other.  Neither are great.  Users who want to lasso the iPad into production service will need a hardware keyboard add-on. The Screen iPad's screen is a 1024x768 9.7-inch, capacitive, multi-touch IPS LCD display.  It's also LED backlit, like many late generation notebooks, which makes for a very vivid display.  If you've used a new MacBook Pro, you've seen the amazing screen quality. But also like the MacBook Pro, the screen is highly reflective.  When there's a dark area on the screen, or when it's off completely, it becomes a smoky mirror.  This can be distracting; watching movies, for example, often results in black bars across the top and bottom.  These bars reflect everything.  I wish the surface medium were more matte than gloss.    One thing that will matte things down a bit are the oils on your fingers.  Although coated with an "oleophobic" substance, the screen quickly becomes awash in fingerprints.  During a typical day's use, I'll clean the screen with a microfiber cloth at least once times.  Oleophobic coating or no, there's probably no way around this other than using capacitive gloves.  I don't hold this against Apple, but it is something to keep in mind. The Guts Apple describes the iPad as a "magical" device.  That came off as campy when I first read the ad copy, and while it is largely marketing hokum, there's unquestionably a sort of science-fictionesque awe inspired by Apple's tablet. Not in its software or minute-to-minute functions, but with respect to its being a relatively powerful computer in arelatively small, thin, cool and silent shell. There's no heat.  There are no fans.  There is no drive clicking away as you access data.  These aspects, along with the tablet's solidity, make it seem like nothing more than an aluminum slab running software.  The iPhone and iPod touch share these qualities, but the iPad's larger size and more computer-like user experience clarify how the ad folks came up with the "magical" description. But however magical it may seem, the iPad is a computer.  Inside is a 1GHz ARM processor (the Apple A4 SoC, touted as a breakthrough, but it's really more or less what's already used in high-end smartphones), 16, 32 or 64 gigabytes of flash memory for storage, 256MB of RAM, Bluetooth 2.1 and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, a 24.8Whr Li-Ion battery, and an array of sensors.  The Wi-Fi + 3G model also has a transceiver for mobile broadband data service from AT&T Mobility and built-in GPS. The Software The iPad runs a variant of the same iOS that powers the iPhone and iPod touch. If you've used either of these devices, you'll be instantly familiar with how to interact with the iPad. Sadly, iPad doesn't ship with all of the software titles included with the iPhone or the iPod touch. There is no voice memo, calculator, stocks, or weather app, though there are many third-party replacements for each in the App Store [iTunes Link]. Because the 9.7-inch iPad runs the same OS and apps as its 3.5-inch siblings, the majority of software you'll find in the App Store runs within a small window in the middle of the screen. You can enlarge this window through "pixel doubling," but this results in a fuzzy render.  There are also tens of thousands of iPad-specific apps which are written to work on the larger screen; in addition there are universal apps containing both the 3.5-inch and 9.7-inch versions of the software.  This is great if you have both an iPad and an iPhone or iPod touch, as purchasing the app once allows you to use it on multiple devices. The iPad is blazingly fast, which is immediately apparent when you begin using it.  Everything from browsing the Web to checking email to viewing videos is responsive, slick and without lag. File Management & Syncing iTunes, email attachment tricks or third-party apps are required if you want to get content you already have onto the iPad.  File management is one of the truly obvious setbacks of iPad's implementation. Music, podcasts, audiobooks and videos are synced via iTunes.  eBook files you may already have can also be transferred to the iPad using iTunes (iPad can view EPUB and PDF eBook files via the iBooks app).  But if you're thinking of copying documents or other file types to the iPad via drag-and-drop, think again.  Like the iPhone and iPod touch, there is no mass storage option, no file manager, no way to view the bare files stored on the device, or to easily open files with specified applications.  So, if you have, for example, a PDF you'd like to move to the device for viewing, you have to jump through several hoops to do so.  I understand why Apple wants to keep the iOS simple, but file management seems rather fundamental and is an absolute must for the iPad's notebook replacement possibilities, limited though they are. A couple of third-party file manager apps are worth noting here.  Air Sharing HD [iTunes Link] and GoodReader [iTunes Link] each provide interesting file transfer and file management solutions. There is still no wireless syncing with iTunes, you'll have to use the included USB cable.  Media: Music, Videos, & Books The iPod software on the iPad has been redesigned to take advantage of all the extra screen real estate, and generally speaking media consumption on the iPad is top notch. While some familiar features like Cover Flow are absent, the iPod interface is not a radical departure for Apple.  It is more like iTunes on a PC or Mac than the iPod app on the iPhone.  You can view content by songs, artists, albums or genres, and you can listen to podcasts and audiobooks.  Playlists can also be created on the iPad, which is great.  Genius is supported, too. Video is a separate app, and while the interface for videos is pretty bare bones, video files look amazing on the iPad's display.  Playback is smooth and beautiful.  A+ The exception to the iPad's media domination is its eBook reading utility.  Backlit screens just aren't great for reading for long periods at close range.  iBooks, the app that allows you to purchase, download and read eBooks on iPad, is a beautiful app with cool effects and fairly easy store navigation, but regardless of the interface, you're stuck with the screen.  Reading for short periods is much better, and magazines and news sites/apps look fantastic.  Battery Life (Updated) If you've seen a teardown of the iPad, you know the thing is mostly battery.  And that's a very, very good thing.  Apple rates the iPad's battery for ten hours of normal use.  In my testing, I got 10 hours and 7 minutes before the thing died.  Considering what the iPad can do, and the speed at which it does them, this is remarkable.  I expected far fewer than 10 hours - maybe 7 - so I was pleasantly surprised. Update 10/16/10: After six months of daily use, the iPad's battery has lost a bit of its longevity.  In a recent test, I got just under nine hours of use out of a single charge.  Laptop Replacement?  Not Really.  Netbook Replacement?  Maybe. The iPad really is a different type of device.  As has been stated more than once by many observers, its strength is content consumption, not creation.  There is an on screen keyboard, and I've managed to type emails and notes pretty quickly on it.  But it does not replace a hardware keyboard for substantial typing jobs, and is difficult to position for typing of any kind other than Twitter-length blurbs.  There is an optional Keyboard Dock, and you can use Bluetooth keyboards with iPad, but then you're carrying around more than the device itself, so why not have an all-in-one? Only laptop users who rarely type and don't produce much while on the go can be satisfied by the bare iPad as a full-time alternative.  The tablet is capable and powerful, but at this point lacks the versatility of a traditional mobile computer.  That said, casual netbook users will likely find the iPad a viable alternative; after all, typing on a netbook is no dream either, and the iPad's speed leaves netbooks in the dust. To 3G or Not to 3G You can choose an iPad with only a Wi-Fi connection, called the Wi-Fi model, or one with both Wi-Fi and 3G mobile broadband from AT&T, the Wi-Fi + 3G model.  So, who needs onboard 3G?  A minority of users, I think.  The iPad won't fit in a pocket, and you won't be whipping it out while shopping or in the car.  Users who always carry a bag and want the iPad to replace a laptop or netbook will likely enjoy always-on Internet connectivity, but most users will get by just fine without it, thank you.  There are plenty of apps that help you find free and paid hotspots, and most of these locations - airports, restaurants, hotels, coffee shops - are ideal iPad use venues.  Plus, if you have a smartphone, you're already paying for mobile data.  Pity iPhone tethering won't be made available for the iPad, at least from what we've been told. Unlimited data from AT&T is no longer an option for new iPad Wi-Fi + 3G adopters, though users who got in while it was still available can continue to pay for it.  Today, there are two tiers of AT&T data alotments for the iPad: 2GB ($25/month) and 250MB ($14.99/month).  No contract is required. What's Missing Apple's decision not to include expandable storage, while expected, is inexcusable.  The company could have released two 16GB iPad versions, one with 3G and one without, and provided a microSD card slot for storage expansion.  Rather than doing this, however, a tiered capacity model was adopted to force users with higher expansion needs to buy much more expensive models.  Other notable omissions include no voice control/dictation, lack of a front-facing camera (or any camera, for that matter), no user accounts and no support for flash video, which is used by much of the web.  Multitasking, something the iPad would benefit greatly from, isn't included, but will be added when iOS 4.2 is made available in the fall. Revolutionary? My most significant challenge during this long review has been to properly place the iPad on the revolutionary or evolutionary spectrum.  At times, it does seem like little more than a big iPod touch. But more often than not, I feel the iPad is best described as a preview of what's to come.  Is the iPad a revolution?  Only in that it is the first device to steer a new course, a proof of concept.  That concept isn't new - tablets have been around for years - but the implementation of iPad does change how we think about tablets and their utility.  This 1st generation iPad won't change computing as we know it, but it does hint at the major changes to come. Conclusion (Updated) Over the course of six months, the iPad has become a major part of my computing life; I use it daily to read the news, check and sort email, browse the web, read full-color ebooks and magazines, work crossword puzzles, edit documents, manage my DropBox, listed to Internet Radio and even cook.  The iPad doesn't really solve any new problems; it provides a better way to solve old ones. And there's undeniable value in that. I can't wait to see version 2.0.