The origins of the apple ipad have been dug up here
This prototype may have been what inspired Steve Jobs to make the iPhone. In 2010 at the All Things D conference, the late Apple co-founder admitted: "I'll tell you a secret. It began with the tablet." "I had this idea about having a glass display, a multitouch display you could type on with your fingers," said Jobs. "I asked people about it. And six months later, they came back with this amazing display. And I gave it to one of our really brilliant UI guys. He got [rubber band] scrolling working and some other things, and I thought, 'my God, we can build a phone with this!' So we put the tablet aside, and we went to work on the iPhone."
The first iPhone was eventually released at Macworld 2007, and the iPad arrived three years later at a keynote in Yerba Buena. Ever since the Apple iPad was launched, tablet PC’s have been getting more and more popular. There are now quite a number of tablets available with different forms and features. People use them extensively for surfing, checking their email, downloading e-books, and many other tasks they would normally do on a laptop. If you are in the market for one of these handy devices, check out the following tips for choosing the best tablet PC before you go out and buy one.
Weight and Size: Consider the weight and size of the tablet PC. Since portability is one of the key features of the best table PC, look for one that is slim, light, and easy to carry around. Smaller tablets have a 5 or 7-inch screen but you may find this too small to get any useful work done. It’s better to opt for tablet with an 8.9” or 10” touch screen. Memory and Storage: Memory and storage capacity should be adequate. It’s best to have a tablet PC with a large memory and storage capacity. This will ensure that you will be able to load and run the applications you need and store your important files, videos, photos and music. Tablet computers typically have 1GB of RAM while storage capacity is usually 16GB or 32GB. Wireless Connectivity:Wireless connectivity is another thing to consider. In addition to WiFi, there are tablet PC’s with Bluetooth and 3G capabilities.
Google Tablet PC will have all three connectivity options. Battery Life: Since you will be using the tablet PC on the go, it’s best to choose a device with a long battery life. Some tablets only have a few hours of battery life. Look for one whose battery will last for at least 10 hours. Productivity Applications: To get full use of your tablet computer, make sure it comes with the software you need for productive work as well as entertainment. Are there many apps available for the tablet? Think about compatibility issues. Don’t forget that a computer is only as good as the application programs you can run on it. Features: Tablet PC’s use a touch screen as its primary input device. Some devices, however, may allow the use of a stylus, digital pen, or a mobile keyboard.