10 things to know about the Apple iPad

6. Gaming game-changer?

We did think that gaming would be at the forefront of the iPad, It's not, but there is some pretty awesome gaming functionality.

Like the iPod on-board is an accelerometer so you can move things on the screen by moving the device and there's also a neat option that allows you to move an on-screen d-pad to where you want it.

Although all iPhone games are compatible with the iPad, the system does look a little like an upscaled version of the gaming fun you have on the iPhone and not a game-changer as some expected.

7. Size matters

The iPad is a beast of a handheld device. Although it doesn't quite stray into netbook territory, the screen does measure 9.7inches diagonally and it weighs 680 grammes.

Thickness-wise it's a reasonable 0.5 inches thick but, by the power of Grayskull – or decent designing by Jonathon Ive – the iPad feels slimmer on the edges where you hold the thing.

8. Death to books, long live ebooks

Apple has done something that the Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader and countless other e-reader have failed to do – make books sexy again.

The iBooks store is just like iTunes for books. This means it's accessible and easy to use. Not only that, Apple using the ePub format means it is not playing the proprietry game any more!

Price-wise, The Lovely Bones is on the store for $4.99, but expect to pay around $9.99 for most of the books in the store.

9. Screen queen

Apple has not gone for an OLED screen as some rumours led us to believe but instead opted for an LED-backlit screen, which has 1,024 x 768 resolution and is superbright.

Apple has opted to use something called In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology which is great for wide viewing angles – around 178-degrees Apple is boasting and much improved colour accuracy.

10 Accessorise me

The Tablet could well be a game-changer because of the accessories which will be released with the device. The most jaw-dropping of which is the detachable keyboard. Simple in its execution, the iPad slips into the keyboard so when you are not on the go, you can use it just like a computer.

This may well be the thing that sways those not yet happy with the idea of just buying a tablet.

Other accessories include a dock, so you can watch movies on the iPad easier and even use it as a (rather expensive) digital photo frame if you so wish.