The Apple iPad

It's essentially "a big iPhone." Follow the NYT's live blog. Live video stream here. Gizmodo live blog here. Tons of photos and specs are here.

The tablet's screen measures in at around 10 inches, as per the rumors, meaning that it's got a significantly smaller footprint than the smallest MacBook, but a much larger screen than the iPhone. That's 10 inches diagonal, from screen corner to screen corner. The bezel is a little fat, but this thing is basically a clean slab of display. You can hold it two different ways, and the software will adapt to both. Portrait mode seems like the MAIN mode, while landscape mode—better for movies and perhaps magazine content—is a secondary mode. The Apple decal is oriented for portrait mode, for what it's worth. (A lot?) The screen's aspect ratio is closer to 4:3 than 16:9, meaning that it's not a widescreen like the iPhone or a MacBook, and more of a bi-directional tablet. Or, er, Pad.

UPDATE: The iPad is now on Apple's site, but no orders are being taken yet.