The new Apple tablet has been taking headlines since it was shown onstage by Steve Jobs late January. The device is an impressive piece of engineering, a single touch screen tablet that lets users access WiFi and 3G networks to go online and bring you internet connectivity. The tablet also supports applications for the iPod Touch and the iPhone which gives it a vast library of already available resources.

Its’ name may conjure images of a sanitary napkin, but the iPad is no laughing matter. This device could potentially change the way we look at daily published materials and the way we access the internet. Should the device replace daily published material, it can save us tons of paper used in newspapers and magazines, as well as plenty of fuel used in the publication and shipping processes. Aside from net access, the iPad also supports games, eBooks and the Apple iWork software (which allows users to type with an onscreen virtual keyboard). This 9.7 inch touch screen device comes with an A4 processor clocked at 1GHz (reportedly using ARM technology).

Anyway, those looking forward to purchasing this device will have to wait a little longer as Apple has announced that the device will not be out in the UK until later in April. The US version will be out a lot earlier by April 3 though only the 3G version of the device will be initially availably. It has been said that the non-3G version will be available when the iPad launches in the UK.

Apple has been quiet regarding the reasons why the release has been pushed back and why the non-3G version is not yet available. Speculations are currently pointing to recent news about Apple’s China manufacturers having production problems.

Read more about the delay in the iPad’s release at Mobile Today UK.

Apple may have not singled out Google or the Google Android OS itself, but since it is only targeting specific devices from HTC’s lineup, Apple might as well paint the bull’s eye on Google themselves.

Affected devices in the patent infringement lawsuit include the Dream, Magic, Hero, Droid Eris and the Nexus One –all HTC made smart phones using the Android operating system. The Nexus One may be Google branded, but it was still HTC that handled the manufacturing.

HTC is also one of the main reasons why the Google mobile platform is succeeding so well. Their devices are top notch, reliable, well designed and marketed wisely. The Apple iPhone has proven to be a tough cookie to beat, and while Androids are still far from surpassing Apple, it looks like Steve Jobs and company will not wait for that to happen.

The Apple CEO has already been quoted saying that competitors should focus on making new innovations instead of stealing technology –a strong claim despite the simple nature of patent infringement lawsuits.

With patent infringements, it is rarely a matter of stolen technology. Instead the involved parties include one that has created the technology and another that has been insightful enough to file a patent for the innovation years ahead of time.

The decision from Apple to actually file the case after 20 alleged infringements have been found is also a tactical decision. Instead of just filing one case that is quickly settled, Apple is going for a significantly larger case in the hopes of tying up HTC’s resources and development capabilities –not to mention the ability to trade properly; which means shipping finished devices might come to a stop.

Read more about the HTC and Apple lawsuit and what its affects for the mobile industry are at Softpedia.

Face it; we should now have a term for disorder of chronic mobile phone users. In fact, the disorder is so varied that there should even be specifics –such as Crackberry (addiction to sending and receiving emails through Blackberry phones).

Anyway, while we have yet to come up with a snappy term for people who would never last fifteen minutes without posting an update on Facebook, there is a nice new app that might just make taking trips with these folks a little more tolerable.

Instead of having to put up with travelling with a companion that checks their phone every other minute, there is an impressive little app that will actually let them enjoy life without having to stop and post a Facebook update –the CoPilot app. This brand new app combines GPS, net access and Facebook integration to instantly generate Facebook wall posts for the app user.

CoPilot has actually been around for quite some time now, but they recently updated the app to enable it to post on the Facebook wall. This new feature is a great time saver, and even for people who are not actively using their Facebook accounts, it’s a great way to keep an instant travel journal. While users will not be able to fill it in with philosophical ramblings about the sights and events, it will are least give you a clear idea of where you were and what routes your took on your trip.

Another new update to CoPilot is the ability to take voice commands. Users can now give out voice commands to the app so that it will instantly make a post –saving you precious time from having to log in and type the update manually.

Read more about the new CoPilot app update and its new features for the Apple iPhone at Mobile Choice UK.

Seriously Steve, what is the worst that could happen?

Reports indicate that the main reason why Apple decided to go with a full app purge in an act to remove explicit and mature content was triggered by plenty of strong complaints from parents. What did Apple fear? After all, the complaints are hardly anything to worry about, and at the end of the day, Apple has the final say on what goes at the App store. From a consumer standpoint, what is the worry about a few irate parents? None of these individuals have a real case against Apple, not will they cease to be Apple customers.

Parents have to grow up so that they will realize that it is they who are responsible for educating, and teaching their children in order to ensure that they grow up properly. In fact, these very same parents are deeply at fault for being the ones who enabled their children to access the app store in the first place. The App store requires a credit card for signing up, which means that no minor could have been able to access the online store.

So now, we say goodbye to over five thousand iPhone apps such as Jon Atherton’s “Wobble iBoobs” breast jiggling application. There is nothing profound about these apps, but they are incredibly amusing and interesting -which makes it a serious loss that Apple has taken them all offline.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that Apple is setting double standards. Playboy and Sports Illustrated applications are still available online at the store. Which means that there is an app or developer bias that is going on; this will certainly earn the ire of many app developers in the long run.

Read mobile about the Apple porn purge at Tech Radar.

There are rumors that the Apple iPad will have a built in webcam.

Not announced, but highly plausible. Considering that video conferencing online is a major feature of being able to access the internet, it is likely that the iPad just might have a video camera installed. As to why Apple has been keeping it secret (if there is one) still remains to be answered. Initial shots of the iPad do not clearly show a slot for the camera, though a few burry images do hint at the possibility.

Whether the device comes with a camera or not, it is almost certain that the Apple tablet is here to stay. The device is not yet available and yet it is already making rounds in major events. Stephen Colbert literally pulled an iPad out of his coat when he was going to announce the nominees at the 52nd annual Grammy awards this week. The much applauded comic routine was a testament to the social impact the device already has at a very early stage.

Some tech enthusiasts are first to raise eyebrows at Apple’s newfangled gadget. Considering that apple has strong control over hardware and software content on the device, many believe that the iPad’s dominance in the tablet department would constrict innovation –though the same argument can be said about the iPhone and that was not such a bad thing.

Anyway, the iPad comes with a 9.7 inch touch screen which will give users a full 1024 x 768 pixels of resolution allowing websites to be viewed as they should be. Flash is not supported on the device; Steve Jobs is reportedly focused more on HTML5 than Flash. Multi tasking is also disabled on the tablet though the specs show that the device can handle it.

See more of the camera module on the iPad at Engadget.

If you get a mobile a phone, it will be primarily out of need. Mobile phones let you send SMS/MMS messages as well as make and receive calls. If you get a computer, you know that you can handle office or schoolwork with the device. If you get a tablet, well, what do you really need a tablet for?

Not to say that the new Apple tablet, iPad is not useful (because it is). The real concern here is whether people know what they need it for.

With net access becoming more and more common to everyone and online networking becoming the standard for modern socializing, it makes sense that devices such as the iPad become a part of households. Though it does nothing that you cannot do on a small net book or a really high-end mobile phone (in terms of social networking), the iPad is a device that makes net access very easy for anyone. Thanks to the touch screen user interface, browsing and using the tablet is intuitive and easy to learn.

Aside from being easy to use, the iPad also addresses some particular needs. For one, you can actually do short document editing on the device. The iPad comes with the iWork application for handling the creation and editing of various documents and the onscreen keyboard allows you to type easily. The device also functions as a digital book reader, making for a great alternative to devices such as the Kindle.

For games, the iPad is compatible with most apps for the iPhone and the iPod Touch, though apps made exclusively for the iPad will not be compatible with the two devices dues to the high native resolution on the tablet.

There is no doubt that the hardware on the upcoming Apple iSlate is significantly more powerful than the hardware found in most mobile phones. This certainly brings about the possibility of being able to play many games that mobile phones cannot due to hardware limitations. Some are hopeful that the hardware on the iSlate will attract enough third party developers for the tablet to have a decent library of games.

Though one would have to wonder, is hardware limitation all there is?

Take a look at the Nintendo DS, the handheld gaming system is technically far below its rival, the Sony Playstation Portable in terms of hardware specs. Despite having a touch screen interface (and thus, two screens), the device cannot compete with the PSP’s sheer processing and 3D graphics capability. But this has not prevented many game developers from making games for the NDS.

The same thing can be said about the iPhone 3G. The device is over two years old now, but we have just started to see the iPhone being recognized by game developers as a suitable system for games. The real consideration has never really been about hardware since developers will develop games for a platform as long as there is a significant market for it.

This is also the reason why it took so long for the iPhone to get so many good games. Because it was only until recently that major game developers such as Konami, Capcom and Rockstar Games recognized the market value of the device.

No doubt that Apple’s tie up with major developers such as Electronic Arts (EA) would help encourage developers to make games for the upcoming tablet. But unless the device sells well, it might take a while before we see any great games for the device.

Read about the iSlate’s gaming value on Know Your Mobile.

In a quick response to water down recent speculations, Gameloft have issued a press release detailing plans to unveil High Definition gaming on Android phones of the future including the Motorola Droid/Milestone and Sony Ericsson Xperia X10. They also showcased their support for on-going developments of Google-powered mobile devices.

Gameloft’s finance director, Alexandre de Rochefort spoke on towering up investment for the thriving platform earlier this week. He cited iPhone sales as being considerable higher than any other in the Android market. He said they were 400 times higher than others in the market and attributed it to the lack of support from Google in promotion of these titles.

Although the press release emphasized a great deal on ‘2^nd generation’ of Android phones, nevertheless, there are indications that Gameloft are trying to clarify their intentions as showcasing their presence in the Operating systems of this age and even those of the future.

So is it right for us to say that Gameloft should stay clear off Android investment or not?

This latest release has done nothing but attenuate the rumour that Gameloft may try to focus more on iPhone apps than any other platform in the nearest future, so as to solidify the development on Android especially if the platform grows to hold a larger chunk of the smart phone market and a larger range of mobile phones available to users.