iPad 3G wireless connectivity will be delivered to U.S.

Models of the much-hyped iPad tablet computer that can connect to the Internet through a cellular network will be available in stores in the United States on April 30, Apple Inc. confirmed on Tuesday.

In a statement, Apple said iPad models featuring 3G wireless connectivity will be delivered to U.S. customers who have pre- ordered on the last day of April, as well as being sold in Apple retail stores starting at 5 p.m. local time the same day. Read more

iPad is a great platform - small, inexpensive, a lot of power

Most people view the iPad as a slick multi-media entertainment platform, but Gregg Vanderheiden, a university professor, sees other potential uses for Apple’s new touchscreen device.

“Say you have somebody who’s had a stroke, for example, and they wake up and they can’t communicate,” said Vanderheiden, director of the Trace Research and Development Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

“Instead of buying a 5,000-dollar communications aid you take out your iPad and download an app and — bam! — they can communicate,”

The Trace Center helps people who are unable to speak and have disabilities to communicate and Vanderheiden is one of a number of researchers and others excited about the iPad as a relatively low-cost communications tool.

“There’s a lot of interest in the iPad,” said Karen Sheehan, the executive director of the Alliance for Technology Access, a California-based group that seeks to expand the use of technology by children and adults with disabilities.

Stroke victims, people with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy or ALS, a paralysing nerve disease, and children or adults with autism are seen as just some of those who could potentially benefit from the iPad. Read more