Apple has been anything but quiet about the iPad touch screen tablet, but so far, nobody seems to know what we would actually see once the device becomes available on store shelves.

It has already been confirmed that the iPad will be released in the USA by April 3 and a local UK release is expected to arrive by late April. Only the 3G version of the device will initially be available in the US, but both the non-3G and 3G versions will be available at the time of the UK launch.

So what will happen once this impressive 10 inch tablet becomes present in our homes?

The biggest asset of the iPad is that it allows users to easily access the internet. Sure, there is 3G and WiFi for smart phones. But smart phones make users compromise when it comes to screen size and of course, layout. Naturally, the lack of Adobe Flash support on the iPad is a major drag when viewing many websites (particularly official sites of many big name brands), but aside from that, having a full 1024 x 768 pixel resolution delivers an excellent quality browsing experience.

The device will also be able to read eBooks, play media files and of course, play video games. No big titles have been released, but it looks like Apple is getting its developers to develop for the tablet. Zen Bound will be getting an iPad-edition release and if trends continue, we can expect to see high resolution versions of other games to be available as well.

Another big draw to the iPad is its supposedly amazing battery life. Steve Jobs and Apple have been pretty proud of the 10 hour battery life announcement, but with no proof and their own admission that they have yet to test the hardware fully, this might lead to some pretty ugly class action lawsuits.

Read more about the upcoming iPad’s details at the Fast Company.

The iPad is going to be one expensive device when it finally comes out late April in the UK, while some of you may prefer to go for the non-3G version and are simply hoping to do a quick tether to your Apple iPhone’s 3G connection, Steve Jobs has brought down a bad news bomb by announcing that the iPad and the iPhone cannot be tethered.

This obviously will be one of the ways for Apple to push marketing of its iPad 3G models and in some ways, the concept is pretty redundant (if you are already online on your iPhone, why bother connecting with the iPad). The lack of interconnectivity is not a surprise when it comes to Jobs (who should probably be crowned as the emperor of electronic inconveniences), but in some ways, this also reflects badly on Apple’s care for its end users.

The lack of additional connectivity options will certainly drive down the demand for non-3G versions of the device; this may even get worse with the fact that 4G networks are also coming soon.

For those who missed out on the earlier scoops about the iPad, this new device is Apple’s touch screen tablet that is capable of browsing the net, running apps (compatible with both iPhone & iPod Touch apps and will also have its own exclusive set of apps available), reading eBooks, playing games and will even serve as a mini workstation (with the use of the iWork feature). The device lacks flash support and the ability to multi task; two major low points that many consider to be a major weakness.

Originally, the device was supposed to be launched earlier, but had been delayed to late April. Rumors state that the delay was caused by a problem in manufacturing in China.

Read more about the Apple iPad’s lack of tethering at Know Your Mobile.

If you have been planning to get an Apple iPad when it comes out, you will have to wait until late April as latest updates show that the device will not be releasing in the UK as early as its’ US counterpart. The United States will be getting the touch screen tablet by April 3, almost a full month ahead of the UK.

Apple has not confirmed the reasons why the UK release date has been pushed back, but there are speculations that this announcement may be tied to the fact that the manufacturer has been having problems with its China based manufacturers. Should this actually be true, and if the problems continue, this could also affect the production and release of other Apple devices as well.

The late April launch will give Apple some extra time to market the iPad a little better in the UK. With general knowledge about the device being at an all time low (surveys show that less than a third of British adults are actually familiar with the capabilities and limitations of the device), it will be hard for Apple to convince the public that this device is worth its very expensive price tag.

For those who not part of that ‘less than thirty percent’; here is a quick rundown of the Apple iPad tablet.

First off, the device has a nice big 9.7 inch touch screen that auto rotates. The resolution is 1024 x 768 pixels in landscape mode.  Half the screen is used by the virtual keyboard that users can access for typing emails and long messages, sadly, the device cannot multi task making it restricting to do certain tasks. The tablet can handle 3D games and heavy applications thanks to the 1GHz A4 processor (still using ARM technology).

Get to know more about the iPad release date at the Guardian UK.

Steve Jobs is still the man, despite what everyone else thinks. And Apple will still be pushing through with the release of the iPad tablet in the UK.

Now, it has been confirmed that instead of the original late March launch, the iPad will hit UK store shelves sometime during April. While the delay is short, it places the iPad’s launch strategically close to several Android smart phone devices –a pretty good plan considering that the iPhone 4G is not due to come until much later this year.

So, what are we getting with the iPad?

First off, a bigger price tag; if you have seen the original announcement about the US prices for the device and brought out your nifty currency calculation app, don’t. Comparing the prices will just show how much more expensive the UK prices for the iPad are –unless you want to be discouraged from buying the newfangled gizmo.

Aside from that, the rest of the specifications remain the same. The iPad will have a 9.7 inch capacitive touch screen, plenty of useful applications, an onscreen keyboard, the ability to play app games, read eBooks and of course, browse the internet. Just do not expect to do more than one thing at the same time.

If there are two things missing from the iPad, it is support for Flash content and more importantly, the ability to multi-task. So far, Apple has not explained as to why the tablet cannot multi task when the hardware is more than capable of handling it. As for missing Flash support, Steve Jobs has been firm in stating that Flash is unreliable and that HTML5 is the right way to go.

Get to read more about the expected release date for the upcoming Apple iPad touch screen tablet at the Telegraph UK.

Getting second opinions from experts is always an interesting thing to do. After all, the reactions and comments of the very men and women who have shaped the world of digital technology provide some of the most intriguing and valuable insight.

Early on, Google China’s former president, Kai-Fu Lee, expressed his excitement and belief that the Apple iPad is a truly exciting device. The man is not to be taken lightly; he is one of the world’s foremost experts in the field of IT and to this day, continues to teach guide young men and women on how to succeed in the industry.

On the other hand, Microsoft’s founder (and former boss) Bill Gates has not been so fond of the new Apple Tablet. Considering that the man has had such high regard for the Apple iPhone, his comments are not to be shrugged off either.

Gates believes that the net book is the key technology that companies should focus on and that it will be the mainstream. On the hand, he believes that the Apple iPhone was an amazing device and wishes that “Microsoft had done it”.

For those who missed Steve Job’s presentation, the iPad packs a large 9.7 inch touch screen display with an accelerometer for auto rotation, a native resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels and a virtual keyboard. It runs on a 1GHz A4 processor and is capable of handling games, eBooks, browsing and various other functions. It’s a great device, but it lacks multi tasking capabilities which is actually a big problem for many people.

All in all, it looks like even industry experts are on the fence regarding tablet devices. Despite Gate’s comments, Microsoft is already working on its own dual screen tablet, the Courier.

Want to read more? Go to Pocket Lint for the rest of the details.