Apple’s new iPad is the latest thing to take the technology industry by storm. Even Decode Studios’ Director has jumped on the bandwagon despite misgivings about Apple technology.

The iPad advertises itself as ‘A magical and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price’. The tablet style computer certainly looks impressive and professional. The 9.7-inch LED screen allows you to enjoy the features the iPad has to offer:

Web Browser

The widescreen makes viewing the web, through Apple’s browser Safari, easy and text readable, turning the screen rotates the web page before expanding it to fit the screen.

The touchscreen allows you to navigate around and the iPad has a thumbnail view to show you your open webpages.

It connects to high-speed 802.11n Wi-Fi and you can surf from just about anywhere with optional 3G networking.

The iPad lets you synch from your Mac or PC and you can create icons on the main screen for sites you access daily.

Mail

Holding your iPad in a landscape position splits your screen to display both open and unopened emails. Turning it to portrait focuses on the email you are reading to fit the screen.

To write a new message you are presented with a large touchscreen keyboard which automatically corrects your spelling and punctuation while suggesting alternative words.

Opening attachments is simple as you don’t have to open it with another app you can view it directly by tapping the screen.

The iPad converts URLs, phone numbers, email addresses, and street addresses to links opening the right app for your need.

Photos

Your photos appear as albums piled so you can pinch to preview. You can open the album to view photos closer, scroll through thumbnails or view fullscreen.

The screen displays your photos in high colour and with IPS technology it allows multiple people to view from different angles.

You can search your photos by event and date but also by the people in them. Simply tapping a face brings up an album with all the photos you have of them in.

Videos

Since iPad has no distracting keypad or buttons you can focus on what you are watching and carry on watching for up to 10 hours on its lithium-polymer battery.

You can buy or rent movies through the ITunes store including HD. It automatically sends it to your IPad library so that nothing delays your watching.

The iPad allows you to navigate through the chapters of the movie and alter your view from widescreen to fullscreen.

This makes the iPad an obvious option for travellers on planes.

Music

The large screen displays your music as CD albums and when you tap the screen to listen to a song, the album art stays onscreen while it plays. You can use your finger to shuffle, pause or change the track.

Store

Both the iTunes store and the app store can be accessed wirelessly anywhere with the iPad. You can search your way through the thousands of options and have them downloaded directly to you wherever you are. With over 200,000 apps and millions of songs and movies to choose from the iPad doesn’t lack variety.

Maps

The iPad offers you high-resolution satellite imagery , you can lift the corner of the map and switch views. Wi-Fi finds your location using known Wi-Fi hotspots, and Wi-Fi + 3G models use Wi-Fi, GPS, and cellular towers. You can search your nearby location for restaurants and other points of interest by name or alternatively, type “restaurants” in the search field and all the closest restaurants will appear as pins around you. You can then see a restaurant’s name or  see it in street view so you’ll recognize it. It will then provide you with directions.

Spotlight Search

Filtering through your iPad is made easier by the Spotlight Search function. Clicking to the right on the home screen will bring up the Spotlight Search where you can search through the iPad, through your contacts, events, music and much more.

Spotlight is also available inside many apps. You can search names in Contacts; subject, sender, and recipient in Mail; and calendar events by subject, location, or attendees and more.

Decode Studio’s Top five iPad Apps.

1. TweetDeck(free)

Twitter is a daily occurrence for most people and TweetDeck is the fastest and easiest way for iPad owners to see who’s tweeting what, where and when.

2. Sketchbook Pro ($7.99)

This is must have app for graphic designers, with over 75 brush sizes, layer editor and symmetrical drawing tool it’s ideal for the iPad’s LED screen.

3. StumbleUpon (free)

The ultimate cure for boredom. StumbleUpon allows you to search through websites according to your specific interests. You can also share your favourite website with people that share your interests.

4. Marvel (free)

This app brings the acclaimed comics to life. The comic strips uses the iPad screen to it’s full advantage and introduces a whole new way to read and enjoy them. The graphics look outstanding and the text is easy to read.

5. The Elements ($13.99)

Although at first glance this looks like a rather expensive periodic table, it offers a 3D look through the elements. 3D images and data linked to pre-configured Wolfram Alpha searches it’s a far cry away from boring chemistry lessons.

Our own Director says ’ I was impressed by the battery life on the iPad, it kept going throughout the working day and continued to when I got home and wanted to play on the apps, without any need for charging or plugging it in. The screen is undenienably shiny and although this looks professional and has that ‘x factor’ I would have preferred a matt option personally. Altogether though the iPad is a good device because of the apps which is what Apple relies on.’