Ever since Apple introduced iPad into the US market in a big way in April, gadget enthusiasts have wondered whether it would replace the netbook and create a new category between the computer and the mobile phone as claimed by Apple during its marketing blitz prior to its launch. Is it a mini laptop replacement? A recent iPad users’ survey by Yahoo has revealed interesting facts regarding iPad usage.

The much awaited Apple’s iPad was released in the U.S. market earlier this month and sold more than 450,000 pieces in less than a week. Apple is claiming iPad as something more than a smartphone, positioning it between a mobile phone and a PC. Whether the users also feel the same about it is a million dollar question. According to an online poll by Mashable, more than half the respondents preferred iPad over a netbook.

With the release of new Macbook, Apple has brought another innovative product to the laptop market. The environmental friendly laptop is made of recyclable aluminium body, energy efficient backlit LED display that is both mercury and arsenic free, internal cables that are PVC free and satisfy the stringent Energy Star 4.0 specifications.

The new MacBook small laptop is light in weight (4.5 lbs) and compact with external dimensions of 12.78 x 8.94 x 0.95 in. The 13.3 in (diagonal) wide screen LED backlit display has a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. Other than a full size keyboard, the laptop has a multi touch track pad which supports 2 finger scrolling, 3 & 4 finger swipe, tap and double taps and drag facilities. The track pad has no traditional buttons.

Apple is back in the news as a leader in innovation with the release of the super thin MacBook Air at the Mac World of January 2008 held in San Francisco. It is claimed to be world’s thinnest laptop with the maximum thickness, just 0.76in. It has rightly branded the release as ‘Thinnovation’. The slimness has come at a cost: there is only one USB port, no built in CD / DVD drive and Ethernet port.
Despite its thinness, the MacBook Air has normal size screen and keyboard. The 13.3 in (diagonal) wide screen LED display consumes minimal power while still providing sharp pictures with up to 1280 x 800 pixels resolution in built in display and 1920 by 1200 pixels on external display. The full size keyboard is backlit with ambient light sensor for automatic adjustment of keyboard illumination and screen brightness. The overall dimensions are 12.8 x 8.94 x 0.76 in and it weighs just 3 lbs.