We already know that the tablet is the next piece of technology that plenty of people are going to buy. It is not something that society needs, but it is certainly something that we would want. Thanks to the iPad, accessing digital content has become so much easier –most particularly with the internet.

Though after a few months, we might be thanking tablet devices in general instead.

It comes as to no surprise that other manufacturers have been working on their own tablet devices (and some for even longer than Apple has). But with the launch of the iPad last April 3, Apple has been able to cement their position as the forerunners of the industry.

In any case here is a quick look at what might be the contenders for the top tablet spot.

It has already been known that Hewlett Packard has been working on their touch screen tablet for quite some time. Using a Windows OS, the HP tablet is expected to function more like a netbook than anything else. It is believed that development of the HP tablet has been heavily hampered before by the lack of power efficient CPUs that are small enough for a portable device.

Google has also been rumored to be working on an iPad rival and of course, will be using their own platform. There have been rumors of both an Android tablet and a chrome Tablet, though it is more likely that the tablet would be using Android and the upcoming Google netbook will be using the Chrome OS.

No word yet from Microsoft’s camp, but if there is a tablet that would be using either Windows 7 or Windows Phone 7 (the mobile platform), this could very well be the high end contender to the Apple throne.

Lastly, it has been said that Nokia is also working on its own tablet (which will be using Windows 7). With the Nokia 3G netbook already out on the market, it comes as to no surprise that they will also try venturing into the tablet industry.

Get to know more about Nokia’s rumored tablet at Mobile Choice UK.

We are still awaiting the full confirmation, but several sources have already mirrored the outcry: Apple is delaying the international release of the Apple iPad. Folks in the UK have been waiting for the device for quite some time and without a doubt, the folks at Vodafone are certainly unhappy about this one month delay.

Instead of just having the launch date pushed back by a week or so, the new launch places the iPad coming out a full month later than expected during the end of May. Original plans were to launch the iPad near the end of this April, but according to the folks at Apple it seems that they are not prepared for the sudden demand for the device and require extra time to gather enough stocks for a worldwide launch.

Many Apple fans are claiming foul at the announcement as no other major Apple device has been delayed in such a manner.

In any case, the iPad is already confirmed to be a definite success as the device has been selling pretty well in the United States. The device was launched in US territory last April 3 and many users have been quite happy with the device (despite a couple of drawbacks).

Web browsing fans and eBook readers all gave the iPad impressively high marks (despite lack of Flash for web users) for the device’s impressive balance of hardware capability and accessibility. Many consider the device’s slim form factor as a major asset as compared to other devices as it makes it more encouraging to pick up and use –unlike bulkier netbooks.

The 10 inch device comes with a 9.7 inch touch screen display and it comes with a web browser, eBook reader applications and other interesting features.

Read more about the Apple iPad international launch delay at Stuff TV.

Smart phone and portable device manufacturer Palm is sinking deep and they have placed the company and its assets up for bidding. While it has been confirmed that Taiwanese manufacturer HTC and electronics company Lenovo have been getting ready to take part of the bidding process, no word has been given regarding Microsoft, Apple and other big players in the mobile phone industry.

The lack of activity from other manufacturers is not only surprising, but unexpected. Palm not only holds a significant segment of the business market but also in the general smart phone market as well, they also own plenty of impressive technology patents (somehow, it is surprising that Apple is not snapping these up).

In any case, Palm is practically waving the big white flag of defeat as it failed to keep up with the financial needs of the company. Many believe that Palm’s biggest failure is to market their products as effectively as RIM’s BlackBerry. Both companies shared very similar target markets and the Palm smart phones and the impressive webOS has proven to be quite excellent products, it all boiled down to proper marketing.

The European market is one of Palm’s weakest links, had more Palm devices been released locally and if people were made more aware of the brand, then Palm might have easily survived. Simply put, Palm failed to maintain its hold against BlackBerry in its home turf and outside of the US.

Despite the lack of attention to the sale, it is unlikely that Palm will go down without a buyer. Considering its popularity in the tech industry with portable electronic devices and the impressive track record of Palm’s custom webOS mobile platform, it is too early to completely write off the one leading smart phone developer.

Read more about Palm being put up for bids at GSM Arena.

Steve Jobs looked a lot thinner than usual when he presented the new iPhone 4.0 operating system, but considering how little the new OS actually brings, it makes one wonder what ol’ Steve must have been truly busy with. Simply put, looking at the new features for the OS, there is hardly anything miraculous or astonishing here. In fact, if they said it was version 3-point-whatever, it would have made more sense.

For those who missed out on the presentation, here’s the lowdown on what was said to be the “biggest changes for the OS”.

First off the list is multitasking. Now, if you have never been an Apple device user and have been ignoring all the news about the iPhone, then you might not be aware that Apple has a tendency of depriving users of simple functions that other people take for granted. Take “cut and paste” –it’s a simple thing really, and it will hardly kill RAM when you are just copy pasting text content, but it is one feature that has been absent from the iPhone for a long time before it was put in just a year or so back.

The same applies to multitasking. It has taken Apple almost forever to bring the function into the iPhone and they have yet to implement it in their other devices (such as the iPad tablet and the iPod touch).

Yes, Steve Jobs went onstage and proudly told people they were now allowed to do something normal.

Another new feature is that icons can now be organized into folders and that the all black background can be replaced with an image. While being able to sort out icons does border a little on being a new feature, the ability to change the phone’s background image has been a staple even on the most basic GSM handsets.

Read more and see the videos about the new things on the 4.0 OS at GSM Arena.

The Apple iPad is not a mobile phone. While that may be an understandable thing to be confused about, it turns out that almost 50% of Brits are unaware that the device will not allow you to send or receive calls. This is the result of a recent study done by a UK website as it surveyed 1,300 men and women regarding the Apple touch screen device.

While the results are hardly anything to be worried about, it does show something that Apple missed out on: properly marketing the gadget. Many of us in the tech industry are already aware of the iPad and what it can do, but it is still a foreign concept to the rest of the world. If Apple is hoping that the rest of humanity would just catch on in the next few months, then they might not have the same kind of successful launch like they did in the US last weekend.

The iPad tablet launched in the United States last April 3 and was able to surprise and astound many buyers and reviewers with its amazing features and touch screen controls. Many commented that the web experience on the iPad is hard to match on any device as it combines portability, intuitive controls with high quality browsing.

Even eBook fans were astounded at having a choice of eBook apps to use –Kindle users were still able to access their account thanks to the Kindle app. Apple’s decision to support third party readers certainly paid off.

The device also had its share of drawbacks. The lack of multitasking and Flash support are still issues that users had problems dealing with. Also the screen was too reflective and would often have a bad glare when used in daylight or in locations with bad lighting angles.

Read more about the iPad study at Expert Reviews UK.

For video game players, devices such as the Apple iPhone and iPad are interesting, but ultimately, not dedicated video gaming devices. This is seen not as a matter of having so many features on the device (the Playstation 3 after all comes with a web browser, plays Mpeg 4, music files, views photos, plays Blu-ray discs and DVD movies, used to be able to run Linux …and it also plays games too). The difference between Apple devices and gaming consoles is that Apple lacks significant third party support.

Now, in terms of numbers, Apple has plenty of third party game developers that make tons of apps for the iPad alone. The device has only been out in the United States for less than a week and it already has a library of over 800 games to choose from. It is also backwards compatible with the thousands of games for the iPhone and the iPod Touch.

Still, quantity does not necessarily mean quality. Sure, there are a few decent game titles available on the iPad and the iPhone that would be interesting even for hardcore gamers, but in general, the games for the iPad are casual titles meant to burn time instead of actually immersing a player in the game. Though there are some ports of existing good games, there are very few original titles being developed for the iPad tablet.

This means that despite the many games on the iPad, it still lacks the right games. Thanks to the market of the iPad however, this situation is likely to never change. Since the average iPad user is also a casual gamer, we can only expect to see a more diverse range of casual game titles for the iPad.

Get to know more about the new casual games out for the Apple iPad at Reuters.

With the successful launch of the Apple iPad in the United States, it seems like it is only a matter of time before the device finally comes out in the UK. Well, Apple has been kind enough to finally announce a solid schedule: April 24 –and this is going to be an international release. No word yet if there will be anything different on the iPad if it is released in new regions.

If you are planning to get your hands on the device but are not sure on what it does, do not worry, you are not alone. In fact, many of the over 700,000 supposed new owners of the iPad are actually surprised with some of the many features present on the gadget.

To get you acquainted, here is the quick rundown of features. The iPad works as an instant access device to the internet and entertainment media. When you need to browse, look and read up and maybe post a quick reply, blog or Tweet, then the iPad is your go-to gadget. There is no need to flip open your laptop or boot up a computer. Just pick up the iPad and go. For media, you can read eBooks on any e-Reader, view videos and play music on the iTunes app and of course, run applications. The iPad supports iPhone and iPod Touch apps as well as its own library of iPad apps.

In terms of accessories, the best one would have to be the iPhone power adapter that will convert the USB end to a wall outlet –however, until Apple releases an official iPad adapter, be aware that the charge you will get on the iPhone accessory will be slow (but at least you can connect to a wall outlet).

Get to know more about the iPad and its accessories at Macworld.

According to recent reports, the upcoming iPhone 4.0 operating system is about to have its features and capabilities shown off this coming April 8. Just a few days right after the launch of the iPad touch screen tablet, Apple has been sending out special invitations for their presentation of the iPhone operating system version 4.0.

It is no longer a surprise that Apple is announcing this right now, it was already speculated early on that details on the new OS as well as the new phone might be revealed this April. In fact, it is even more surprising that they have not said a word about the upcoming iPhone 4G device itself.

Anyway, owners of the iPhone would be happy to know that the next big addition that version 4.0 will bring is the inclusion of multitasking. No word yet on how device performance will be once users are running several applications at once, but there are plenty of iPhone users who would be willing to tolerate a little slowdown when making use of the multitasking feature.

For Apple users, not being able to enjoy simple features such as cut and paste, multitasking, Flash support or even having a removable battery has been a constant struggle as Steve Jobs and his colleagues are often too stubborn to change things.

Aside from the announcement of multitasking on OS 4.0, there are also rumors that the new iPhone 4G will have a removable battery –a giant leap over other Apple devices that are often closed.

The Apple iPad, despite being a new device, features several of the mentioned flaws such as not having Adobe Flash support, no removable battery and yes, lack of multitasking.

Get the full details on Apple’s upcoming April 8 announcement regarding the iPhone OS 4.0 at Pocket Lint.

If there is one thing that makes the Apple iPad a good purchase, it is because the device does a lot. A lot in the sense that it is not just a glorified web browsing tool or a dedicated eBook reader; it does both and a few other things as well.

That is ultimately what makes the Apple iPad a worthwhile investment.

Right now, there is still no solid market for tablets. Despite the iPad reaching about 700,000 units sold, the fact of the matter is, nobody really “needs” one. What it does however, is deliver the internet, books, media and other content in a manner that we would want: fast and easy.

The iPad is convenient to use. The battery will last for about 10 hours straight which means you can turn it almost anytime and expect to have it running. Using it is simple; no long boot times and no complicated setup screens. If all you need is to go online and check Facebook or a news site, then this is the perfect answer. Lack of Flash does make several sites inaccessible, but fortunately, there are apps for YouTube and other websites to help you out.

For eBook readers, the Kindle is a much better choice. Despite the high resolution, full color display of the iPad, it is heavier than the average eBook reader and the glare on the display get pretty bad depending on the lighting conditions. But that only matters if all you need is a new eBook reader, if you plan to make use of the other iPad functions, then this tablet is the perfect choice.

Overall, the Apple iPad delivers plenty of features on a rough device. Apple will certainly learn to do better with the next tablet they create, but getting this one is still a worthwhile investment.

Read more about the Apple iPad as it compares to the Kindle at Business Week.

The one thing we have to remember about the mobile phone is that we can have it with us anytime, anywhere. With 3G coverage being expanded every day and free WiFi hot spots popping up in almost every corner, it is getting easier and easier to go online whenever the need pops up.

This means that we can get information from the internet anytime and anywhere. This also means that we can upload and share news of our own. Mobile phones often come equipped with built in cameras that would enable us to record videos and snap images that we can upload and share online.

For many, this convenience is still pretty new, but for some others, being able to access the internet on their mobile devices has become something they heavily rely on.

So the question is; where does or society stand now? The answer is not so simple; mostly, for the better. We are able to communicate more and do more thanks to advancements in telecommunications technology. At the same time, we have to adapt our mental and emotional growth to keep up with the needs of the times.

Education and awareness regarding the proper use of electronics as well as safety measures when being online has become more crucial as people rely on the internet more for banking and other important transactions. Emotionally, people need to learn with coping with two sets of societies; the real world and the online community. There is already a rehabilitation center for children who have become too reliant on their online accounts that they have become unable to function normally in the real world.

For now, manufactures and developers are still exploring the limits and the boundaries of technology, but with these boundaries being expanded every day, human society will have to catch up fast.

For more about tech and the future, read the article on new technology for news and information at Pocket Lint.