No doubt you would’ve heard a lot of hype about the iPad, especially in the past couple of weeks. With the US release date set for today, and the UK release in a couple of weeks, expect to hear a lot more.

Whether you’ll be running off to the stores to pick one up for yourself or maybe you’ll be standing outside the stores laughing in the faces of those that decide to waste their hard earned cash on it or maybe you’re just on the fence; I’ve complied for you, all in one place, a list of the opinions from around the web.

The roundup:

• BoingBoing offers up two contrasting reviews Apple’s iPad is a touch of genius and Why I won’t buy an iPad (and think you shouldn’t, either).
• Engadget’s iPad review
• The Wall Street Journal says Laptop Killer? Pretty Close
• Gizmodo offers up iPad’s first hands on, but perhaps more helpfully the iPad mega meta review (see image below for a round up)

Gizmodo's iPad review matrix

Lastly check out the very interesting article from Digital Inspiration, looking at the new inner circle of Steve Jobs.

Are you planning on buying an iPad? Let me know in the comments

The rumor mill has been churning out rumors of an Apple table for many years now, working especially hard since the latter half of 2009. Now the rumors have a physical form, yup that’s right, Apple has officially announced the iPad.

What’s the big deal, you ask? Read on to find out.

What I’m excited about?

All images from Apple.com/ipad

Though on first look it may not be very obvious, the iPad looks amazing. It’s got the slick, trendy and slim design we’re used to from the current range of Apple products. Here are some of the best features of the iPad.

• The form factor is perfect: The 9.7inch LED-backlit screen (with IPS technology – yeah I don’t know what this is either!) looks stunning, add to that a slim (0.5inch thickness) and a lightweight body (only 1.5 pounds, that 680g) and kickass product
• It runs ever so smoothly: from all the hands-on I’ve read and seen everyone has complemented how well the 1GHz Apple A4 processor performs. Websites render quickly, viewing/zooming in and out of pictures and videos is super snappy, and well basically there is no lag.
• There is no single orientation: as Jony Ive (Senior vice president, Design) puts it “I don’t have to change myself to fit the product, it fits me”. Want to show what the person opposite you what you’re looking at simply flip the device, and the iPad will modify the screen and orientation to suit.
• User friendliness: This is perhaps where Apple’s greatest strength lies. With millions of loyal fans and happy iPhone users, a lot of the target audience will already be familiar with devices’ UI before they even get their hand on it. For those that don’t the iPhone OS user interface is extremely easy to pick up and become efficient at. Did I mention that most of the 140,000 apps available [for the iPhone] will work on the iPad
• Price and portability: I have the say a $499 price tag is pretty appealing (we’ll have to wait and see how Apple will price the device in the UK and Europe), and of course it’s extremely portable. Of course the obvious question is “would you rather carry a netbook or the iPad?”

Does this mean the end of eBook readers?

I would think so, why buy a eBook reader (like the Amazon Kindle) when you can purchase something ten-times better (looks and functionality) for an extra $100 dollars. The problem Apple may encounter will probably be the same as Amazon – the availability of content.

It’s also important to note that although there is a Kindle app available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, this will likely not work on the iPad.

Does it mean the end of Netbooks

I think the iPad will change the notebook scene in the same way the Nexus one changed the smartphone scene – simply create a new category of unique devices. Will it replace the netbook? Quite simply, not anytime soon. There are still too many features missing, for example the ability to run more than one app at a time (see below).

Putting that aside, Apple has always had a very closed system and it will probably become more and more closed as time goes on. For those that want something a bit more open ended a Windows or Linux system will provide the answer.

What’s missing?

If I am to pick up an iPad to replace my trusty netbook then at the very least I want to be able to run more than one program at a time. The lack of multitasking has to be the biggest disappointment I have from the iPad. It’s not too farfetched to imagine the scenario where I’m working on a document and want to listen to music whilst I do so, and want to check my email. I should be able to do all those things at the same time! Come one Apple, this is pretty basic stuff.

To add to this there is no webcam, again this seems like a simple implementation Apple has overlooked. This isn’t really a big deal for me, but for those users who teleconference frequently this would certainly be a major issue. I can’t understand why Apple has overlooked this very basic feature!?

There is also a cloud of uncertainty that still surrounds the Apple tablet, hopefully these will be become clearer before the worldwide launch, a few of the highlights include:

• Will there be flash support? Whilst HTML 5 video is great it’s nowhere near as widespread as flash content; most sites still rely on flash for content and for revenue (via ads)
• How much for the extras? This is quite a real concern and for many this could become a deciding factor. A lot of accessories were demonstrated on release, but there is no word on the pricing for these. Personally I would really like to know how much the keyboard dock will cost?
• What’s the “real” battery life? It wouldn’t be the first time that phone manufactures exaggerate the battery life. Apple claims the iPad can run for 10hours or last up to one month in standby. I wonder if this is with the system running the absolute minimum or under some pressure.
• What’s the typing like? The onscreen keyboard looks great in the photos, but from the promotional video typing doesn’t come across as a comfortable experience (which would make the pricing of the keyboard dock even more critical).
• Which apps won’t work? During the event Steve Jobs mentioned that “almost all” of the iPhone apps will be supported on the iPad, it’ll be interesting to know which one’s won’t be supported. (Though I’m sure a replacement will pop-up soon for any popular app that is not supported).

[Aside: I don’t how rest of the tech community feels about the name, but I’m not particurlaly digging iPad. Putting aside the obvious jokes, I was hoping for Apple to rid of product name with “i” prefix. iPad just doesn’t sound right; maybe I’ll get used to it over time, but it just doesn’t sound natural]

Pricing and availabity

The iPad will be available in three different capacities:

• 16GB – $499
• 32GB – $599
• 64GB – $699

And two different flavors Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G (with the second option incurring extra per monthly chargers). You can find out more here. Again we’ll have to wait for the international pricing, hopefully to be released in a couple of weeks.

Wrapping up

As with Apple’s recent releases the iPad is highly polished, looks amazing and just captures you the first time you see it (and probably even more when you hold it in your hands).

I’m obviously a little biased in that all this techy stuff really excites me. Will your everyday Joe go out and buy the iPad? I think so, there are plenty of useful features offered to lend the tablet to become an everyday item.

Although it may not become as big a success as the iPod or the iPhone it will most certainly sell well. Then again I’ve been known to get these things wrong!

What do you think of the iPad? Will you be picking one up? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Additional resources:

• The official iPad site
• Engadget’s first hands-on
• Gizmodo’s first hands-on and visual guide to iPad’s interface

Facebook has over 350million users, and as a long time and heavy user of the service I’m always looking for ways to improve my experience.

It seems that my prayers have been answered, one of my favourite blogs – Mashable – has published a Facebook Guidebook full of tips, tricks and guide explaining how to do just about anything on facebook.

From managing information overload in your feed to finding worthy Facebook applications to best practices for brand-building, the Facebook Guide Book is chock full of tips and tricks to help improve your Facebook experience. We hope everyone from beginner to advanced users will find something of value in the resources we’ve collected; and we’ll continue to cultivate and maintain this space as Facebook itself continues to grow and change.

The guide is perfect for users of all experience level, and if you find it useful please pass on the link to someone might enjoy it as well.

You can access the guidebook here.

• Cloud computing will explode: Cloud computing is basically the process of doing what you do on your desktop, online. Whilst many services are already in place (Google Docs), it requires users to trust their data with 3rd Party companies. The benefit is obvious: you’re able to access the information anywhere, providing there is a internet connection. With release of Office 2010 later on the year, and Microsoft allowing free access to a lightweight online office suite, more people will be doing more things on the cloud.
• Facebook and twitter will take over the world: killing all other services in the process. And, and all th while people will keep publishing more and more personal information then complaining that others saw it.
• Netbooks will take a back seat to smartphones: netbooks are great, to many they provide a virtual home away from home, but in the end it’s a separate piece of equipment to carry. With the smartphones getting more powerful and more capable (I’m rooting Google Android), and of course more portable I think netbooks will have pretty stringent competition.
• Android will be accepted by the masses: I think maybe 2010 will be the year when people realize that the the platform matters a lot more than then number of apps available. Don’t get me wrong I’m not hoping for an iPhone killer but a harmonious world where the two can live happily together. Wishful thinking,
• Apple will breath new life into tablet PCs: If the rumours are correct, and lets hope that they are, then Apple will be releasing a tablet PC later this year rumoured to be called ‘iSlate’. Looking at Apple’s past success this could finally breath new life into tablet PCs. Additionally, as supposedly the iSlate is suppose to be an excellent eBook reader, this could mean some healthy competition to the Amazon Kindle and co.
• The web becomes even more influential: With the growth of twitter and facebook (see above) and the inclusion of real-time search results by Bing and Google, people will have instant access to each others opinions.
• Television grows up: with 3D movies becoming a common sight, it should help carry the 3D market to out living room with affordable 3DTV’s. Couple this with integrated internet and we have on-demand TV like never before.

Of course these are all what I’m hoping for to happen in 2010, but with technology and more so the tech companies being as spontaneous and unpredictable as they are, anything is possible.

With mainstream online social networking sites such as facebook and LinkedIn do you really need to join another? That’s what I thought until I came across Twitter. In this post I go through what twitter is all about and why you should join as well as some useful resources for beginners.

Although twitter was launched in 2006, I only joined towards the end of 2008 and it wasn’t until 2009 that I really understood and became interested in the service. By no means am I an expert, I am only sharing information that I found to be useful when starting out with twitter.

What is twitter?

Twitter is a microblogging platform centered around the question “What are you doing?”. It allows you to publish your messages and updates in 140 characters of less.

Herein lies twitters strength; combine this with the social element and you can see why twitter can be so powerful. You are able to befriend and follow (more on this later) thousands of people, and join in conversation with all of them or just an individual.

Why use it?
You can use twitter for a many different purposes, from just updating friends and family on what you’re doing to seeing what celebrities are doing. However, there are some real benefits and advantages of using twitter:

• Networking: There are millions of tweeters out there from all walks of life that you can befriend.
• Branding: Just like any other tool, you can use twitter to further solidify your brand
• Research: Have a burning question or problem, sometimes you will be able to find an answer on twitter faster than anywhere     else.
• Discovery: I’ve discovered a tonne of articles, blogs and sites through the people I follow on twitter that otherwise I would never     know existed
• Traffic (for bloggers): If you are a blogger, you can reach a real audience and let them know of updates to your blog.

There are no friends only followers

When you start using twitter you’ll quickly notice a followers and following counter. Think of followers as your friends.

What that can be confusing is getting used to @replies and direct messages (DM). Basically if you want to target what you say toward someone then you should start your message with @username. However, with this method everyone who is following will see your message.

DM are more discreet, they are only seen by the intended recipient. To send a direct message simply follow this follow this format: d username message.

How to grow your followers

This is what I have learned from observing successful tweeters (those that have a following of several thousands). They all have this in common in the way they tweet.

• They provide value: share links, quotes or any other valuable information and people will show an interest
• They tweet often: post often and regularly, but still provide value in some way (no one really wants to know that you’re making a cup of tea!)
• They ask and reply to questions – which in turn creates conversations

Resources

Here are some resources and reading that I found to be invaluable when I first stared out with twitter.

• Tweetdeck: a desktop client that will help you manage your tweets, replies and much more. Also check out this helpful tutorial,
• Mr. Tweet: Suggests followers, recommends you to others and gives usage stats
• Twitter search

Some helpful articles

• Twitip: Generally an excellent source of all things related to twitter – a must read for all twitter users. Try these to start.
• 17 ways you can use twitter: a guide for beginners marketers and business owners
• 5  stages of twitter metamorphosis

6 people you may want to follow when starting out

• @problogger: Blogger, Author, Social Media Participant. Get a peek behind the scenes with my Tweets
• @tferriss: The real Timothy Ferriss (not just blog RSS): author, vagabond, joker
• @guykawasaki: Online magazine editor
• @copyblogger: Copyblogger, Teaching Sells, DIY Themes, Lateral Action and sub-radar sites
• @TED2009: Breaking news and announcements from TED2009
• @nlptoolbox: wealth of easily understood techniques for positive change

You can also follow me on twitter @abhijat.

Have you any other resources, tips or people to follow for beginners. Share them with us in the comments.