Apple releases iPad, embraces ePub format

In a move that surprises nobody, Apple has announced the 'iPad' 9.7" widescreen portable tablet, firing a shot across the bow at many eReader vendors.

The particulars:

• Their own Apple A4 1GHz processor - when you buy a semiconductor company with some of your billions in cash, this is the flexibility it affords you.
• Half an inch thick.
• 9.7" multitouch screen, full color but no Mirasol or other digital paper technology, not that anyone was realistically expecting that.
• New apps to take advantage of screen size, existing iPhone apps work as well. The demo of a forthcoming New York Times app was truly beautiful looking.
• New store, the iBookStore, which was specifically mentioned to support ePub. There was no mention of Adobe Digital Editions, so there's no way of knowing if they've layered their own DRM on top of the books, or if there's the possibility of sharing books between readers. My gut says it's the former - no ADE, given that the platform doesn't support Flash either. This bullet, and the one preceding is the part that's dangerous to the successful introduction of Skiff, although unlike Que (see below), Skiff is run by a publishing firm, and that firm can still succeed regardless of where the content ends up.
• New multi-touch enabled version of iWork, their productivity suite that offers full featured presentations, spreadsheets and word processing files. This is the part that endangers the success of the $800 Que, although as I'm writing this, pricing has not yet been announced for iPad.
• All iPads will support WiFi (802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1. A 3G model is also announced which adds a GSM 3G modem on top of the WiFi connectivity. Initially for US market only (AT&T), with international agreements in place by June. No contracts, prepaid only, iPads are unlocked. $15 for 250mb and $30 for unlimited Internet. 
• Pricing to start at $499. No, I promise you, that wasn't a typo. Here's the break-down:

Model	16gb	32gb	64gb
WiFi	$499	$599	$699
WiFi+3G	$629	$729	$829

WiFi models are shipping in 60 days, WiFi+3G in 90 days.

More on the iBook app and store:

• With ePub, whether or not the DRM is compatible with existing devices (good for consumers), this is good for publishers, who don't have to content with another format to publish to. This is also potentially very bad for Amazon, who is clinging to a format that's different than the format that virtually every other manufacturer has latched onto.
• There's apparently a gorgeous page turning animation. Other nice touches include five fonts, a number of font sizes (no set sizes, just larger and smaller icons), and a very graphical bookshelf for browsing.