Apple has certainly had a busy year with the release of new electronic products in 2010. There was the inaugural release of the Apple iPad on the marketplace as well as the upgraded iPod Touch and the iPhone 4. Each of these products have met the marketplace with lots of buzz and glowing reviews, particularly from Mac lovers and devotees. If your loved one is a card-carrying member of the Apple Fan Club, you can rest assured that they will be infinitely pleased by receiving an iPad in a gift-wrapped box.

What exactly is an iPad?

Some have said it was Apple’s hope to create an entirely new category of mobile device with the iPad – it’s billed as a tablet, which is smaller than a laptop yet retains some of its functionalities (like the ability to send and receive emails and surf the Web). The iPad, in one sense, is Apple’s answer to the netbook – only there is no keyboard, it is completely operated via touch screen. In another sense, Mac lovers have described it as an oversized iPhone with a 9.7 inch wide screen.

Why the comparisons? It is essentially a mini-computer with many of the cool features that Mac lovers have become accustomed to. You can download apps, watch videos, and view and store photos. If you have the Kindle or Nook e-reader device on your gift wish list, you can scratch it out with broad strokes of a big black marker. The iPad allows you to read e-books directly from its brilliantly pixelated screen. Similar to iTunes, you can access the bookstore and download more reading material instantly via Wifi connection. Add to the e-reading capabilities the ability to read the latest issue of Time, Sports Illustrated, or Cosmopolitan – even the daily edition of the New York Times at the top of the morning – and you’ve got an incredibly multifunctional device on your hands.

Several companies have produced tablets to compete with the iPad at similar price points, such as the Dell Streak. User reviews have been mostly favorable, but of course, there are some drawbacks. The Safari web browser is not compatible with Flash. This is a huge negative if you frequently play games or watch videos online. Some reviews have reported eyestrain, but this might almost be expected, especially if you’re starting at a LCD-lit screen for multiple hours per day. Other complaints include lack of camera, no USB ports, and for some, they find the touch screen slightly annoying. People with these complaints would be much happier investing in a laptop computer.

The iPad tablet is really top of the line gift idea. Despite some minor drawbacks, reviews for the Apple iPad have been overwhelmingly positive. As an all-in-one kind of device, your loved one is sure to find tons of features to love about the concept tablet.

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