Apple's iPad finally makes its appearance in SA

The most talked-about gadget of 2010 - the Apple iPad - finally made its official appearance in SA on Friday.

A tablet computer with an extremely fast CPU, allowing for a smooth multimedia and gaming experience, and featuring a high-resolution, back-lit touch-screen, the iPad is seen as a foray into the future of personal computing.

This future will be dominated by small, lightweight devices that use a constant stream of new applications.

The South African launch comes nine months and 15million iPad sales after its US debut.

RJ van Spaandonk, the executive director of Core Group, the Apple distributor for the region, said aggressive pricing would undercut the grey market by up to 40% and avoid potential revenue losses from parallel sales.

"In fact, the pricing in SA will be 10% cheaper than in the UK, for example. We are simply bringing in a desirable product at a good price.

"This has nothing to do with an imminent release of a second version of the iPad or pushing old stock."

According to Van Spaandonk, the iPad's most attractive features are its size and portability.

"It provides a highly enjoyable multimedia experience - music, e-mail, browser and e-reader.

" You can use it at work or home. It is not subject to the lock-down of social media or other sites.

Prices range from R4400 for the basic 16GB WiFi model to R7600 for the 63GB 3G-capable tablet.

Core Group said cellular network pricing would be announced in the coming week, and that it would also be aggressively low.

However, a lack of content provider agreements means South Africans may not get the full benefit.

"The iTunes store has free applications or for purchase, but you can't buy games, music, videos or books from the store. This is not up to Apple; it is up to the content providers and the SA Film and Publications Board," said Van Spaandonk.

Apple's competition includes Samsung's Galaxy Tab, the Motorola Xoom, new devices from BlackBerry, HP, Acer and Asus - all of which support a range of operating systems and features, and which are bidding for the new-look computer market.