There has been a lot of marketing and journalistic hype about the iPad. It’s “magical” according to some. To others, it’s “just a big iPhone.” What is it? Does the truth lie somewhere in the middle? Or is it truly a revolutionary device? And, do most users need an iPad?

What is the iPad?

The Apple iPad is a 10-inch tablet computer that runs iOS, the same operating system that iPhone runs on. So, in one sense of the word, the iPad *is* a big iPhone. However, this is not necessarily a pejorative. The iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones available, and its user interface has been widely praised.

Who Needs an iPad?

In truth, no one actually needs an iPad. However, this is true of just about any consumer electronic. The iPad, like any other gadget, is not a necessity. However, it can certainly increase the quality of life for some users. So, a more apt question might be: who would get enjoyment and use out of the iPad?

If you find yourself reading a lot of articles online or watching videos on your computer late at night, it may be worth considering an iPad. The iPad is great for passive computing tasks, such as taking in information, watching TV, or If you want an ultra-portable computer, the iPad might be right for you. While it does not have a tactile keyboard, typing on the iPad (particularly thanks to autocorrect) is surprisingly easy.

What is an IPAD?

A: The IPAD, also known as the Internet Protocol Adapter, is a device based on the IPAD-OS which is a very specialized embedded operating system created by Philip L. Becker back in

1993. The specialized nature of the operating system allows it to be absolutely secure and very efficient with minimal hardware resources.

This is similar, in concept, to the IOS used on most Cisco equipment in that it is first and foremost a high performance router. Other functions may be enabled in the IPAD-OS allowing it to be an intelligent firewall, Internet server (email, web, ftp, etc.) and terminal (modem) connectivity device as needed.

Q: Where did the IPAD start?

A: The IPAD project started in 1993 when Phil Becker saw that the Internet (which first opened to commercial traffic in 1991) was fast becoming a game that only large corporations were allowed to join. His vision was a simple device with easy configurations that allowed an average person to not only connect to the Internet, but have the same power and ability the much larger corporations enjoyed.

In August 1993 the first Becker Box was demonstrated at the ONE BBSCON (later to become ONE ISPCON) and the reaction was very positive and enthusiastic. It took two more years of dedicated development and field testing to fully realize the IPAD as a commercial product. The first units shipped late in 1995 and allowed small ISP businesses to appear almost overnight.

Q: What is the difference between the IPAD models?

A: The original 1995 eSoft IPAD was based on an Intel 486 chip housed in a mini-tower chassis and had no model number identifier. Later a rack mount Pentium version was introduced that was labeled Model 5000.

To differentiate the two models, the original mini-tower was given a verbal Model 4500 designation by the eSoft sales force even though this was never an official model number. These two platforms ran exactly the same operating system software and are identical in every way except physical case.