This was definitely the week of the iPad. But the week offered a lot besides Apple's new tablet, including our look at the new Microsoft Arc keyboard, Mass Effect 2, Bill Gates on the Daily Show and more.
The iPad. Oh the iPad. Here, all wrapped up in one post, is everything you need to know about the device itself. We played with it and were blown away with its speed. Adam, however, was not impressed, and the internet went crazy over his list of 8 things that suck about the iPad. Wilson explained why the iPad is the gadget we never knew we needed. Joel alleged that with the iPad, Apple is trying to assassinate the computer.
We had hoped Apple's tablet would offer an inventive input solution. It did no such thing. We offered a visual guide to the iPad interface and checked out a video of all the gestures it involves. We looked at how it is going to change the app store. That was after we pondered how we are going to hold the damn thing. People reacted to it. Stephen Fry, who got a hands on at the event, wrote at length on why he loved the new gadget.
Fujitsu had some piece of crap called the iPad back in 2002. They're not going down without a fight. Before it was unveiled, McGraw from McGraw Hill confirmed the tablet. After it was unveiled, they denied their confirmation.
Dan put together a handy chart of how the iPad stacks up with all the other tablets floating around, including the JooJoo, the HP Slate, and the new Archos.
Steve Jobs and Walt Mossberg chatted about the new device, and Steve went off script about eBook prices and battery life. This was after Walt Mosspuppet reviewed the device itself.
The iPad doesn't have Flash. Adobe was quick to respond. Later, they tried to win our hearts by playing the porn card. Google's Eric Schmidt wondered what differentiated a tablet from a really big phone. Some funny people made light of it all. To the delight of some, a kickstand appeared.
But as I said, life existed beyond the iPad.
Jason reviewed Microsoft's compact Arc keyboard.
Mark valiantly continued his defective yellow-screened iMac crusade and showed off the internal Apple memo someone leaked him.
John interviewed the Panera Bread iMac Man.
Joel reminded us that manufacturing isn't making and took Chris Anderson to task for his cover story in this month's Wired.
A noted astrophysicist answered the question on everyone's mind. What would happen to your body if you fell into a black hole?
HP has a slate of their own and we got some more info on it.
The PS3 exploit announced last weekend was released.
What do you get when a talented special effects artist just happens to have an interest in hoaxes? These crazy clips showing UFOs and shuttles destroyed in orbit.
Monopoly's getting a circular facelift for the new decade, and its bank is going paperless.
There's a shiny new gun with a unique safety feature: it won't fire unless the shooter is wearing a special watch.
In the form of an HTML5 web app, Google Voice makes its way to the iPhone and the Palm Pre.
You guys took some incredible motion blur photographs for this week's shooting challenge. It was on purpose, you swore!
Alienware's M11x gaming netbook got the laptop-like price tag of $800.
Rejoice, Wii-owners! The Classic Controller Pro is arriving stateside this spring.
A brave soul ventured into the heart of SkyMall and lived to tell the tale.
Jon Stewart provoked Bill Gates on the Daily Show.
Mark said, "tablet? What tablet?" He was too busy playing Mass Effect 2.
Historians are searching for a 90 year old frozen camera that could rewrite the history books on Everest's first climbers.
If Steve Jobs just had one wish, this would be it.
Soon the BBC is airing Chimpcam Project, a documentary about chimps, filmed by chimps, for the viewing pleasure of slightly more evolved chimps.
Prisons refuse to let inmates play Dungeons and Dragons because it promotes gang activity. There are still dungeons, just no dragons.
We came across a funny website that emulates Windows 3.1 right in your browser.
Air New Zealand is getting high tech and commmmffffyyyyyy.
For tea drinkers who are also submarine lovers, there's no better infuser than this one.
We deemed this tiny, tiny radio a choking hazard.
Speaking of FM radio, Belkin showed off their new radio transmitter that leaves the controlling to your iPhone.
192 lasers came together to bring us one megajoule closer to nuclear fusion.
2KSports is offering a million dollars to the first person to pitch a perfect game in MLB2K10. That is quite the offer.
We beheld a board with 80 USB ports. Yes, 80.
Finally, it was confirmed that those magic wand bomb detectors were a complete fraud.