Link: http://www.apple.com/ipad/

While many Apple fanboys and technophiles are still wetting their pants after the initial unveiling of the new iPad, I find myself joining a growing segment of technology enthusiasts that find themselves wondering, why?

There is no doubt that Jobs and Co. have had their fingers squarely on the pulse of successful innovation ever since the beginning of the iPod phenomenon. And the Mac OS continues to maintain the standard for beautiful, simple and functional UI design in an operating system. But has success after success finally set Apple up for a very vicious self-inflicted wound? Or does the product have enough buzz and name recognition to continue the steamroller-esque trend? Based on initial marketing research and survey information alone, it looks as though the iPad is set to exceed the iPhone in initial demand. But what actually happens when the product actually becomes available is really anybody's guess.

From my perspective though, the iPad is a severely overpriced dissapointment. Basically a scaled-up iPhone/iTouch, it offers no real justification behind its $500-$830 price tag. To give a point of reference, here are some of the core Apple-provided specs for the iPad:

Dimensions/Weight
Height:9.56 inches (242.8 mm)
Width:7.47 inches (189.7 mm)
Depth:0.5 inch (13.4 mm)
Weight:1.5 pounds (0.68 kg) Wi-Fi model; 1.6 pounds (0.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

Screen
9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)

Storage
16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive

Wi-Fi model
Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

Wi-Fi + 3G model
UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Data only2
Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

So based on the specs, what you are basically getting is a more fully-featured e-reader platform with 3G support (for an extra cost). And for this type of device, the more memory the better, which means that if you want to max out at 64GB, you're looking at a hefty $699 (wifi only) or a wallet-busting $829 (wifi/3G).

Are you kidding me??? I'm simply shocked that Apple thinks that this is a value for consumers. For a few hundred less, I can get a Windows-based laptop that will do everything this product does and much more. If I wanted to go the Mac route, for the same price or a little more I could just as easily get a MacBook. I mean, really, the thing doesn't even have USB support and you're still restricted to synching via iTunes! And I'm sorry, but as much as some people rail against it, still no Flash support? Simply ridiculous.

I guess in the end, this device will appeal mainly to Mac fans or those wishing to be on the 'cutting edge' of new hardware releases in order to have a new toy to show off. Because anyone else with at least half of a working brain can see that the value of the iPad is dismal considering how much it costs. Sure, it looks awful pretty. But $500-$800? Sorry guys, either drop the price or build greater flexibility and/or functionality into it!

Link: http://www.paris-air-show.com

This year's Paris Airshow at Le Bourget seems to be pretty interesting so far, mainly because of two big pieces of news.

The first is that the European 'budget' carrier Wizz Air has made an agreement to purchase 50 more A-320s from Airbus, which is a major deal that will mean around $3 billion in sales for the company at a time when it is needed most (read below).

The other significant piece of news was the notable lack of both the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus Military A400M. As many know, both aircraft are centerpiece projects for their respective companies that are both experiencing severe cost overruns and technical delays. The A400M program in particular found itself in jeopardy when it was announced that the payload capacity was found to be below what was initially specified, which instantly caused the German government to question the viability of the program and it's participation in it.

The A400M problems come close on the heels of Airbus' issues with A380 development, which eventually led to orders being retracted for all A-380F cargo models that were to be produced. Not a good trend for the European aerospace giant!

Link: http://vimeo.com/3365942

I've always been intrigued by the posibilities offered by virtual reality and virtual world simulations such as Second Life, and to a lesser extent, games like The Sims. I think for me the holodeck on the Enterprise 'D' was one of the most fascinating depictions of the common use of VR technology (albeit a few hundred years in the future, even in a fictional universe). While persistent online multiplayer games like World of Warcraft or A Tale in the Desert offer an alternate means to interact with people socially, they are still just games that are structured exercises for the user.

Of all the VR games/sims that have ever existed, only Second Life really seems to even touch on the grand possibilities offered by this technology, and elements of that promising simulation can be seen in the fantastic and very moving video below by Bruce Branit:

World Builder from Bruce Branit on Vimeo.

I'm going to try and register for at least one day of this conference, which should be well worth the money spent to register for it.

If you're a web designer and live in (or can make it to) Orlando between October 13th and 16th, you should check it out if you can.

View the schedule of events here.

Ready for the ultimate geek peripheral guaranteed to make you an instant target for murder by all your friends and coworkers? Well feast your eyes on this:

The Optimus Maximus Keyboard.

My friends over at Thinkgeek.com began selling these recently, and went out of stock within a couple weeks. Don't worry though, more will be in stock by the time my b-day rolls around again...

So why is this bad boy so special? Let me explain:

The Art Lebedev design studio in Russia designed this bad boy some time ago and has just now managed to get it into production. This keyboard is extra-special, becuase in addition to the USB2 hub and SD card slot, each key on this keyboard is actually a tiny OLED screen that can display any gif or Quicktime video @48x48 pixel resolution.

That's right, 113 programmable OLED screens.

So what if it costs a whopping $1,600? I always wanted a really good reason to holdup a liquor store that didn't involve a crack habit...