Looking for the perfect iPad case that you can throw your Apple Wireless Keyboard and other accessories in when traveling? You’ve come to the right place as we take a look at the WaterField Designs iPad Travel Express, handmade in San Francisco. Find out more about this sleeve and shoulder bag after the break.

The iPad Travel Express can store your iPad or iPad 2 with all of its accessories in one sleek black ballistic nylon bag when on the go with pockets for your wireless keyboard, charger, dock connector cable, headphones and much more. You can either throw the Travel Express in your messenger bag or backpack or order it with a strap for $12-22 extra and sling it over your shoulder.

WaterField Designs gives you the option of six different colors for the stripe across the front of the bag which adds a nice modern touch to the already sleek bag. On the inside is an orange bordered sleeve for stowing your iPad or iPad 2.

The bag is great for those taking a quick weekend jaunt to the beach who want to stay connected or even catch up on the latest movie or TV show. It’s a perfect cross between a simple sleeve and a messenger bag.

Like the earlier WaterField Designs products we’ve reviewed, the iPad Travel Express is handmade in San Francisco and its construction certainly shows. The bag seems well worth the $69 price tag given the quality. With the shoulder strap and shipping however, the price could easily border $100, steering away budget-conscious shoppers but those looking for quality might be willing to pony up the extra cash.

The iPad Travel Express is available from SFBags.com starting at $69.

If you have a SlingBox in your house, you already know how convenient it is to be able to watch your home TV anywhere you are over the internet or local network with a web browser or iPhone. Now the SlingBox is coming to your iPad with the SlingPlayer Mobile for iPad app. How is the quality and is the app worth the cost? Find out after the break.

With the SlingPlayer Mobile for iPad app, you can watch your satellite or cable box (live or DVR) all on the iPad’s 10.1-inch display. The app isn’t just a scaled-up version of the iPhone app, but designed to take advantage of the extra screen real estate. If you have a 3G-capable iPad, you can even use the 3G connection to stream while Wi-Fi will allow for the best quality.

Setting up the app is simple–just enter in your existing Slingbox account information and the setup wizard should automatically detect your Slingbox. Both your favorite channels and full channel guide can be accessed based on your Slingbox setup. The app allows you to control your DirecTV box for example, just as if you were sitting on your living room couch. The same buttons on the remote control come up with a tap. Along the top are a row of five buttons that switch between the various controls from DVR transport (play/pause) controls to directional controls for navigating your device’s guide system.

We tested the app using the Slingbox PRO-HD, but it also works with the lower-end SOLO model. If you have an older Slingbox like the original, you can’t use the app. However, Slingbox will offer you a $50 rebate on a new model as part of their upgrade program. Video and audio quality were excellent when viewing over the local network on the high quality (HQ) setting and still fairly good when using the standard quality (SQ) setting. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on the speed of your internet connection. The Slingbox folks ask that you do have a download speed of at least 500 Kbps.

The app has a number of other controls including aspect ratio, which comes in handy if you want to crop a 16:9 signal to fit the 4:3 iPad screen. There are a few quirks we encountered when testing the player over our local network including an endlessly spinning wheel paired with a blue screen while the app was trying to receive a stable video signal. There is also no multi-tasking support either, so if you want to listen to the baseball game while checking email, you’re out of luck.

Overall, we found the SlingPlayer Mobile for iPad app to be a well-designed app that complements the SlingBox line of products well. You can find the app at the App Store for $29.99.

Like the Timbuk2 Kindle Plush Sleeve we reviewed in December, the Envelope Sleeve is a simple, yet protective sleeve for the iPad and iPad 2. It does have a few differences, and we have a further look at the product further after the break.

The Envelope Sleeve is made out of the same ballistic fabric and comes in four three-panel color combinations that may be familiar to those who already use Timbuk2 products. You have a choice of black/gunmetal/red (the one we received), gunmetal/white/robin (a light blue), black/gunmetal/limeaide, and village violet/barley. Like the Kindle Plush Sleeve, the Envelope Sleeve has a Velcro flap for securing your precious new iPad 2, but instead of the Plush Sleeve’s faux-fur lining, has a Tricot lining that is less…plush.

You don’t even have to take the Smart Cover off your iPad 2 as the Envelope Sleeve fits both the iPad (no Smart Cover, of course) and the iPad 2 with or without the cover. And you won’t even have to take out your iPad when you get to those pesky TSA agents at the airport since the sleeve is TSA approved. Take that Blogger Bob.

The Timbuk2 Envelope Sleeve for iPad or iPad 2 is available now at Timbuk2.com or Amazon.com for $30. Amazon even has a few other colors available if the ones we mentioned above aren’t good enough.

It’s been more than three months since the iPad was released in April 2010 and Apple has sold over 2 million units. Case manufacturers are working harder than ever at coming up with new products for the device. Today we’re taking a look at the Marware Eco-Vue, a leather portfolio-style case for the iPad.

Marware markets the case as a “3-in-1” solution for users, offering a folio case, two stand options, and a vertical hand strap. If you’re already wondering as I was before I received the review sample, the vertical hand strap allows you to grip the device while the cover is folded back, something unique to only this case. As for the two stand options, the Eco-Vue includes a low-angle table top stand that folds out, and the folio cover which folds back that’s perfect for viewing photos or videos.

The folio cover, which is made of padded fine leather, is also secured by a Moleskine-like elastic strap to protect the iPad while not in use. Inside the case is a suede finish and frame that wraps around the iPad itself, while also allowing access to the volume controls, screen rotation lock and dock connector. The iPad is secured by a tab at the top which tucks in to prevent it from falling out.

When using this case, it appeared to me that Marware really thought this case through, everything is well-made and sewn together, the hand strap is a unique feature, and the table top stand is perfect for typing. And if you’re wondering what the Eco prefix is all about, the eco-leather used in the case uses fewer toxins in the tanning process and remains RoHS compliant.

The only thing I see as missing from this case is a spot to hold a pen (or iPad stylus such as the Pogo Sketch).

The Marware Eco-Vue is available at the Marware website for $44.99 at press time.

Pros

• Environmentally friendly manufacturing process.
• A variety of stand options.
• Soft suede finish.
• Protects your device without adding too much bulk.

Cons

• No spot to store a pen or stylus.

If you’re looking for a simple iPad sleeve to tote around your new “magical” device, take a look at the WaterField Designs iPad Ultimate SleeveCase. It’s a simple nylon sleeve lined with neoprene and functions as both a standalone case and something that can be inserted into another bag. The front of the inside is also lined with Ultrasuede to prevent scratches.

When ordering the iPad Ultimate SleeveCase, you have multiple options to customize the case to your liking. You can pick from either a horizontal or veritcal orientation, trimmed in leather or fabric, and the ability to add a shoulder strap or a pouch. The shoulder strap costs an extra $7 or $15 depending on which one you decide on purchasing, and the PiggyBack pouch costs $25-27 depending on the trim. Your iPad is secured into the case with a simple velcro strap and you can even carry around your charger and dock connector cable with the pocket on the back.

I first thought that the Ultimate SleeveCase would add a bit of bulk to the iPad and make it a little heavier to carry around, but I was wrong when I finally received the case. It fits perfectly to the iPad’s dimensions and has a hefty construction that doesn’t feel cheaply made. The leather trim on the sample we received also adds a contemporary modern look to the case.

There isn’t much more to say on such a simple case, other than that WaterField Designs takes pride in the manufacturing and designs that goes into their bags. They’re designed and made in San Francisco, by people who love what they do.

Overall, the Ultimate SleeveCase is one of many great case options available for the iPad today. You can find the iPad Ultimate SleeveCase and other iPad cases by WaterField Designs at their website, SFBags.com.

Smule has really taken advantage of the multi-touch interface that the iPhone, iPod touch, and now iPad offers with apps like Ocarina, I Am T-Pain and Leaf Trombone. Their latest app, Magic Piano is a unique game designed specifically for the iPad. What exactly is it? Find out after the break.

Magic Piano is more of a toy than an actual piano application for the iPad. There are several different modes that the game offers including solo (the game automatically starts here), where a circular and traditional piano are available, duet, songbook and world. Duet finds a partner randomly from the internet to play with while “world” lets you listen to someone play as the notes are pinpointed on top of a globe. Songbook mode lets you play a variety of songs from “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star” to the classic “Fur Elise”. More songs are also constantly being added to the songbook and can be downloaded with a tap. Most songs take less than ten seconds to download.

Songbook mode is easily our favorite area of Magic Piano. Follow the notes down the beams of light and tap them as they disappear. It’s similar to Tap Tap Revenge, but you don’t miss notes and lose points, they stick on the screen until you play them. It isn’t made for learning how to play piano but is a great way to have fun.

It’s really hard to explain the game in words until you actually play it or see a video of it (we’ve embedded one above). It’s definitely worth the small $0.99 price tag.

Click here for more of our continuing iPad coverage.

Okay, now that the iPad has been out for nearly two weeks, it’s time to get to our app reviews. We’re kicking things off with a review of Articles for iPad. Articles is a Wikipedia browser designed for the iPad’s large screen. Now you may be wondering, why have Articles when you can browse Wikipedia using Safari for free? Find out why after the break.

While Articles does wrap Wikipedia articles in a nice, iPad-friendly format, it does offer many other features that let you discover new content. One of my favorite features is the ability to use location services to learn more about places nearby you that have entries on Wikipedia. Say you’re in San Francisco, open up Articles for iPad, and up come up a bunch of articles on the Golden Gate Bridge and the Financial District. You can also scroll the map around to learn about places in a particular area of your choice.

This app is a great way for anyone to learn about random people, places, or things using the “Surprise Me!” feature. Shake your iPad and a random entry pops up. The only thing I found in the app that didn’t work well was pinching to enlarge the text. The text either enlarged too much, or became too small to read. Having finer control over this would be an excellent addition.

Since the iPad you can purchase now (as of April 16th) only has Wi-Fi, Articles for iPad saves recently viewed articles to access when offline. Perfect for a research project while on the road. The app also has a wonderful paper-like design, but it does need some tweaking. There is no table of contents navigation, so you either have to double-tab and drag for the special index control, or flick continuously until you find what you want.

It’s on sale for $0.99 cents now until the developer is “totally happy” with the iPad version, so it won’t break the bank, but grab it before the price goes up!

Many folks are just calling the iPad a giant iPod touch, but those people are most likely saying that without using one. Apple isn’t kidding when they say it’s a magical device, and I’m not being paid to say that. I pre-ordered an iPad like everyone else and got it on Saturday. What do I think of the device? Is it an Amazon Kindle killer? Find out after the break.

The iPad is a tablet computer (or mobile device) with a 10-inch multi-touch glass screen that runs iPhone OS, the same operating system you’ll find on an iPhone and iPod touch. It doesn’t run the full Mac OS X operating system like on your iMac or MacBook, which is really not optimized for a touchscreen. It is available in three different memory capacities. The base 16GB model sells for $499, 32GB for $599, and 64GB for $699. These models only connect to Wi-Fi wireless networks (802.11a/b/g/n). If you want 3G connectivity, add $130 to those prices, plus the pay-as-you-go plans from AT&T.

I’ve used every iPhone since the original, and the first iPod touch, so the iPad felt very much at home for me. When you turn on the iPad, you see a simple “swipe to unlock” screen. Swipe the arrow and the icons for all your applications fly into place. The dock runs along the bottom and can hold up to 6 applications, while the 11 pages of apps (short for applications) hold 20 apps. Consider the dock a “quick launch bar” for your favorite apps.

The LED-backlit 10-inch screen is the biggest thing on the device (it also tends to be a huge fingerprint magnet), no keyboard or other buttons with the exception of the home button (we’ll get to this later). On the top is the sleep/wake (on/off) button, a headphone jack, and a microphone. On the bottom is the 30-pin Apple dock connector and a speaker. On the right side of the iPad is a screen rotation lock, and volume rocker. Since the iPad has an accelerometer just like an iPhone or iPod touch, the screen can be used in portrait or landscape modes. However, when you’re laying down in bed, the screen will rotate to landscape mode, making it difficult to read. The screen rotation lock fixes this by locking the orientation of the device.

I was surprised with how heavy it was after unboxing it on Saturday. The Amazon Kindle weighs in at 10.2 ounces while the iPad weighs 1.5 pounds, more than double. A peek at the iFixit teardown of the iPad shows that nearly the entire contents of the iPad is taken over by a large lithium-ion battery.

Now let’s get to the heart of the iPad, the iPhone OS. The simple design of the OS makes the iPad super easy and simple to use. Launch an application by tapping it, close it by hitting the home button at the bottom or side (depending on how you’re holding it) of the device. With this simplistic approach, the operating system doesn’t offer multitasking so you won’t be able to run more than one app at once. Want to run Pandora in the background while surfing the web? You can’t do it.

So if you’ve ever used an iPhone or iPod touch, you’ll find the applications you’re used to. Apple includes applications for calendar, contacts, notes, Google Maps, videos, YouTube, iTunes Store, the App Store, Safari, Mail, Photos, and iPod. More apps can be downloaded or purchased on the device through the aforementioned App Store, which offers over 150,000 iPhone apps and about 3,000 iPad-specific apps.

Those built-in applications have been entirely redesigned for the larger screen. The Mail application has a two-pane view for viewing email messages on the right side with your inbox along the left in landscape mode. This happens to work out great, your left hand scrolls through your inbox and your right hand can scroll through the message. The Contacts and Calendar also have a similar two-pane view available. The iPod application even resembles a mini version of iTunes.

The iPad can run most of the iPhone or iPod touch apps you might already own. If they haven’t yet been updated for the iPad (in a universal version compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad or just iPad-specific versions), you can run them in 1x or 2x mode. 1x runs them at the size of an iPhone screen on the iPad, and 2x pixel-doubles or scales them to fit the screen. It isn’t the best way to run your apps, but it will work for the time being as developers gear up for their new versions. Apps with iPad-sized graphics look a lot better on the device and take advantage of the extra screen real estate. There are a few great examples of the new apps below.

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We should warn you that iPad-specific apps are fairly expensive, sometimes double or triple the cost of their smaller counterparts. The OS also takes advantage of the Apple A4 1GHz processor inside every iPad. Apps launch quickly and intensive 3D games look amazing on the device. Browsing the web using Safari is fairly snappy. Pinching to zoom in is fast and seems very natural.

There is no Flash support. The vast majority of websites on the internet use Flash to display video and even entire websites. Hulu, for example, allows you to play TV shows and movies on your computer using Flash. Apple believes there is a better alternative called HTML5, which some, but not all sites are adopting. Playing back video and swiping through your favorite photos is really where the large screen shines. Due to the fairly wide viewing angle of the IPS (in-plane switching) display, it is also easy to see from the sides if multiple people are looking at it.

There is also no user-accessible file system for managing documents between apps. The only way you can get apps into Keynote, Pages, or iWork (sold separately) is to drag them into their respective categories in iTunes. It needs some sort of USB drive mode that developers can access to retrieve files.

I was skeptical about the on-screen virtual keyboard until I actually tried it. The key sizes in portrait mode are somewhat designed for two-finger typing, but in landscape mode are large enough to accurately type using both hands. The iPad also has the latest Bluetooth 2.1 spec for connecting to Bluetooth keyboards. Apple sells both a wireless keyboard and keyboard dock that are compatible with the iPad which we recommend if you’re planning on typing out long documents on the device. You can also use any Bluetooth wireless keyboard if you don’t want to shell out the cash for the Apple version.

As an e-reader, the iPad is a strong contender to the Amazon Kindle. Amazon even offers a free Kindle application compatible with the iPad in the App Store. Apple’s offering, iBooks, only offers around 60,000 titles at the moment, while Amazon’s store has over half a million. If you already own ePub-formatted books, you can drag them into iTunes (required to sync the device) and read them without any problems. If you have eBooks that aren’t in the ePub format, you can convert them using software like Calibre. We have tried both methods and they work without a hitch.

Reading on the iPad is a much different experience than on a Kindle, which uses an e-ink technology screen. Many readers praise the Kindle’s screen because it is easy to read outdoors, but you can’t read it in the dark without some form of lighting. While the iPad’s backlit screen may contribute to eyestrain for some, it does allow for reading in the dark and to an extent in the sunlight. In the iBooks app, you can conveniently adjust brightness and text font/size for this reason. Like the Kindle, the iPad can also read books aloud using VoiceOver, Apple’s text-to-speech technology. We tested this feature and it worked seamlessly on the copy of Winnie-the-Pooh included with iBooks.

We haven’t finished testing battery life, but Apple’s estimate of 10 hours seems to be fairly accurate. Despite that, it depends on if you’re playing intensive games or playing movies continuously. Even after using an iPad for a little over half a day, we still had about 50-percent battery life remaining. Audio quality through Bluetooth and wired headphones is excellent. It should be noted that for a $500 and up device, the iPad does not include a set of Apple earbuds.

I urge all of you reading this, including the skeptics, to go out and try an iPad yourself at an Apple Store. The larger screen changes the entire user experience and will only get better with more advanced applications. It won’t replace a full-fledged laptop yet, and while many were hoping for an integrated camera and some are disappointed by the lack of Adobe Flash support, I think we can expect a camera in version two and Flash support to either come in some form or a faster, widespread adoption of newer web technologies.

In conclusion, we believe that the iPad is for those who are interested in the prospects of the device and also for those who do very basic tasks on their computer, like web browsing, sending emails, and watching videos. The iPad also seems to be a strong contender to the netbook, with applications available like the iWork suite to type documents, create spreadsheets or presentations, content consumption applications from Netflix and ABC, and amazing games that take advantage of the touch experience.

The iPad is available in Apple retail and online stores today, and 3G-capable models will be available later this month.

Pros

• Bright 10-inch multi-touch screen.
• Long battery life.
• Fast performance with Apple A4 processor.
• Larger screen makes way for better applications.
• iBooks application supports open ePub format and text-to-speech.

Cons

• Somewhat heavy for an e-reader.
• No earbuds included.
• No multitasking, but that may change in OS 4.0.
• No file system for managing files.

If you didn’t already notice by now, the iPad was released yesterday to mild fanfare. It wasn’t as big as the original iPhone launch, but a lot of that may be due to the amount of online pre-orders put in by customers. We have a few photos plus a few notes after the break. We’ll have our full review of the iPad up later this week along with reviews of the latest apps and accessories. Stay tuned to our iPad topic page for the latest.

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The iPad screen is fairly bright, as seen here when only set at a little above half brightness. The tiny icon seen in the upper right next to the battery percentage indicates whether or not the screen orientation is locked. This can be done by flipping the switch on the right side of the device.

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a truly revolutionary device enter the computing world. Within the past decade, computers have grown in performance while shrinking in size. However, the way we interface with computers has remained unchanged. The first computer mouse was prototyped in 1963 and has been the de facto method of interfacing with computers ever since. Apple’s iPad attempts to change that.

Now, note that I refer to the iPad as a computer. Many skeptics make the iPad out to be only a “giant iPod Touch”. I can guarantee that is not the case. Not only is the A4 processor in the iPad significantly faster than its iPhone counterpart, the 1024×768 screen real estate makes the possibilities for this device infinitely greater than those of the iPhone.

The key to the iPad’s success lies in Apple’s App Store. Mobile application stores have been around for ages, but none have been remotely as successful as Apple’s iteration. By providing developers with a readily accessible SDK, the iPad App Store will have over 150,000 applications available the moment early iPad adapters get their hands on one. This is mainly due to the existing iPhone apps which can run on the iPad at a native or pixel-doubling resolution. However, hundreds of developers have already announced iPad native applications, some of which are simply excellent.

Because of the iPad’s increased screen size, many applications that would be infeasible to run on an iPhone will be available on the iPad. One great example is “Mixr” (seen above) which is a high-quality DJ app that will be launching on the iPad soon. Due to the sheer size needed for crossfading, equalizing, and effect controls, the iPad opens new possibilities unavailable to developers on the iPhone. This same increased size promises more productivity and unique experiences than ever before.

While I will agree that the iPad isn’t necessarily a very revolutionary technical device, I reject any claims of it not being revolutionary to the computing industry. The iPad will be the first device to take multitouch computing, put it in the hands of the masses, and do it properly. This is not another tablet running an existing OS where everything seems to be awkwardly modified to be touch-capable. This is a user interface that has been built from the ground up to be used solely with a multi-touch experience.

While I haven’t personally pre-ordered an iPad, I’m absolutely interested to try one out. As Walt Mossberg of the The New York Times states, “My verdict is that, while it has compromises and drawbacks, the iPad can indeed replace a laptop … a lot of the time.” While not for those who are doing heavy content creation, the iPad serves as a perfectly usable device for browsing the web, watching movies, and internet communication.

Providing that, in the first week alone, 190,000 iPads were pre-ordered, the technology will definitely be in enough hands to make for a new App Store gold rush. My verdict: don’t write the iPad off before you try one out. Chances have it, it might change the way we think about computer interfacing as a whole.

1. iBooks

Yes, iBooks is actually an app in the App Store since it doesn’t come pre-loaded on the device for some odd reason. Maybe so they can update the app without updating the entire OS? Nevertheless, iBooks is going to be a game-changer in the eBook industry. It’ll even come with a free copy of Winnie-the-Pooh for you to peruse and test out on your brand new ‘pad. Free in the App Store

2. Popular Science +

It looks like this could be the first magazine published for the iPad, though that could change in the matter of a few hours as Apple approves them. Popular Science has been a geek staple for since 1872, and browsing it in digital form makes it even better. The app costs $4.99, though there’s no word on how much each issue will cost. Flick left or right to navigate through an issue and tap to dive into an article. No search or bookmarking yet, but the developers say that will be added in a future version. Get a video sneak peek from the developers here. $4.99 in the App Store

3. Yahoo! Entertainment

Imagine your iPad sitting on the coffee table in your living room. Pick it up and you have your full TV guide in your hands. We can only hope that it’s better than navigating your slow DirecTV or Comcast menu system. The Yahoo! Entertainment app is more than that, however. It includes access to Yahoo! Video and the latest news on Yahoo’s website. Free in the App Store

4. Flight Control HD

Quite possibly the most addicting iPhone game is now available for the iPad. If you’re not familiar with the original Flight Control, your task is to land multiple planes safely by dragging them to their landing zones without colliding into each other. The new HD version brings more space to land planes on the larger maps, eight different airports, co-op and split-screen modes, and other improvements. $4.99 in the App Store

5. Epicurious Recipes & Shopping List

The neatly designed iPhone app has made it’s way to the iPad. This is where the larger screen shines. On the small 3.5-inch iPhone screen, you couldn’t have both your ingredients and recipe visible at once, but on the iPad you can. You can even bookmark steps as you cook by dragging the slider tab down the screen. Free in the App Store

6. Netflix

So the rumors were true, Netflix is now on the iPad (but not on the iPhone?). If you have an unlimited Netflix membership, you can watch streaming movies and TV shows and manage your Netflix queue all on the iPad. From what we’ve seen in the store, the app looks identical to the website, but there’s more than likely some code specifically for the iPad to play a QuickTime compatible movie. Free, requires a Netflix membership

7. NYT Editors’ Choice

We mentioned it yesterday as one of the first apps available in the App Store, and we’re mentioning it again because we think it’ll change the way we read a newspaper. While it doesn’t offer all of The New York Times content, it offers a limited selection that’s automatically updated. And when you don’t have a Wi-Fi hotspot near you, you’ll still be able to read your favorite articles thanks to the offline reading functionality. Free in the App Store

NYT Editor’s Choice:

Articles for iPad (Wikipedia client):

WeatherBug Elite:

A few others we’ve taken a look at are: Wall Street Journal, AP News, Yahoo! Entertainment, and Things for iPad. It is surprising to many how much these apps sell for. Some are selling for 2-3x as much as their smaller iPhone versions.

Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal (video review below)
A more lengthy review is available on All Things D.

The New York Times’ David Pogue, typically one of the first, does not have his video review up yet, but both of his text reviews (one for “techies” and one for “everyone else”) are up on The New York Times’ website.

Both of his reviews start with the following line:

The Apple iPad is basically a gigantic iPod Touch.

Ed Baig of the USA Today has posted his review, saying:

Apple has pretty much nailed it with this first iPad, though there’s certainly room for improvement. Nearly three years after making a splash with the iPhone, Apple has delivered another impressive product that largely lives up to the hype.

Xeni Jardin of Boing Boing also got her hands on one ahead of launch:

I like it a lot. But it’s the things I never knew it made possible — to be revealed or not in the coming months — that will determine whether I love it.

The great Stephen Fry also has an interview with Steve Jobs and other Apple executives which has been posted at Time.com.

Andy Ihnatko of the Chicago Sun-Times has his review and a video sneak peek courtesy of TWiT.tv.

PCMag.com’s Tim Gideon and his review, noting:

A difficult-to-pinpoint target customer and a few pesky omissions are overshadowed by the excellent overall experience you get with Apple’s iPad. And it sets the bar high for competing products in this nascent Internet tablet category.

Three ABC News programs have also featured some form of iPad coverage. Last night, two small segments on ABC World News and Nightline, and this morning on Good Morning America with Becky Worley. It should be noted that ABC News and ABC are owned by Disney and that Steve Jobs is the largest shareholder of the company.

If you couldn’t get enough of the iPad ahead of launch, Apple has posted a whole slew of guided tours on the different applications available on the iPad from Safari to iBooks and iWork. The guided tours even cover things like the “screen orientation lock”, seen in the iBooks tour and the iPad Camera Connection Kit (which just went on pre-order) in the Photos tour.

Sadly, there’s no tour of the Settings application for us geeks out there, but obviously a lot is going to be uncovered when the iPad officially launches this Saturday. We’ll be posting a hands-on article as soon as the FedEx (or UPS) guy gets their grabby hands off of ours.

The iPad finally went on sale Friday morning, and Apple unveiled some new details about its latest and greatest on the iPad webpage. We’ve got the details after the break including more on iBooks and day one sales.

First and foremost, an overview of how 3G services are purchased was added for those interested in pre-ordering a 3G-capable iPad which will ship in late April. Customers will choose from two data plans provided by AT&T: a 250MB plan for $14.99 a month and an unlimited plan for $29.99, both without a contract. Managing the data plan is all done on the iPad itself, not on the Apple or AT&T website.

Simply pick the plan you want and enter in your credit card number. The settings menu also shows you the current status of the plan, including how much data has been used and how much data is left for the remaining time.

Secondly, Apple has also provided a more in-depth look than before at its eReader application, iBooks and the iBookstore. iBooks will initially only be available in the United States, and only by downloading the application from the App Store. On the feature page, Apple confirms that iBooks uses the ePub open standard and will allow the import of any non-DRM ePub books into iTunes for syncing to the iPad.

Other features revealed include the ability to touch and hold words to look them up in the built-in dictionary or Wikipedia, or to search for the word in the book and on the web. iBooks also works with Apple’s screen reader, VoiceOver, but this feature may prove controversial.

Hardware has stayed the same, no last-minute camera or video chat functionality, but one thing has changed. The mute switch on the side of the iPad, has been changed to a “screen rotation lock” for locking the orientation of the display. This feature will especially come in handy for users often using the iPad while lying down on their sides.

The Apple 2.0 blog is estimating that on day one, nearly 120,000 iPads were sold with 69% of those orders being for the Wi-Fi only models.