How to get an iPad 2 at free of cost?

You know that the best things in life are free but you cannot get an iPad without paying some money to Apple. TechCrunch is giving one today for free and I am quoting the process:

1) Become a fan of our TechCrunch Facebook Page:

2) Then do one of the following:

- Retweet this post (making sure to include the #TechCrunch hashtag)

- Leave us a comment below

Oh! Just remember that it is only one iPad 2 and that means only one person will be lucky. This is a good idea to increase the number of fans at Facebook.

I do not have a Facebook account so I do not stand a chance. By the way, one good part of this offer is that you can try your luck from any country. This is something I like because most of the time, such offers are limited to US users. 

RIM is rolling out Blackpad to compete with Apple iPad

Till now, it was the smartphone where Research In Motion and Apple fought for the top position but now RIM is getting into the tablet PC territory. Rumor spread out that the Canadian company is going to introduce a new tablet PC this November. RIM officials did not comment on the matter.

A reliable source said that the new device would have the same size as the iPad with a 9.7inch display. It would also have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology allowing people to connect to the Internet via their BlackBerry phones.

However, the Blackpad would not offer cellular network access like the iPad.

According to Rodman & Renshaw analyst, Ashok Kumar, RIM is launching the product at the right time. It should not wait too long or else would fall far behind.

News reports said that RIM will name the device Blackpad and it would come with similar price tag to that of the iPad; $499. Whois database domain names also revealed that RIM acquired the Internet rights to blackpad.com this month.

Now, the big question is- Will the Blackpad pose a threat to Apple iPad? At this stage, nobody can tell exactly. However, RIM has a tough fight ahead of it. It would have to offer lots of applications to compete with Apple’s App store which currently offers 2,25,000 applications for iPad.

Many industry experts believe that RIM’s tablet PC would focus on the email capabilities of BlackBerry and would also offer a wide arrange of security features which made the BlackBerry smartphone a favorite among corporate users.

Amazon Kindle vs. Apple iPad: Strengths and weaknesses

On July 29, 2010, Amazon.com, the largest online retailer, launched its latest Amazon Kindle, which is smaller, lighter, fasters and has a longer battery life. Last but not the least, the new Amazon Kindle is also very light on the wallet; $139 only. And not to mention the $10 books that can be carried every where takes reading to different level.

With the launch of this new e-book reader, Amazon started a new buzz in the industry, how would it do against Apple’s iPad?

Initially, when the news of Apple’s tablet PC came out no body took it seriously. They just thought that it would be another high-tech toy with little or no use for the mass but some tech savvy people. Then the big day, January 27, 2010, came when Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, unveiled the Apple iPad and then nothing remained the same again. The iPad came, the iPad saw and the iPad conquered. It even changed the

e-book industry and posed a big challenge to Amazon’s Kindle.

Now, let’s see how iPad and Amazon Kindle matches up-

In terms of design, look and feel, both the iPad and the new Amazon Kindle are great. Both of them are great looking devices.

The new Amazon Kindle, is a dedicated e-book reading device. Wall Street quotes Bezos, "There are going to be 100 companies making LCD [screen] tablets,……Why would we want to be 101? I like building a purpose-built reading device. I think that is where we can make a real contribution."

Bezos is right in every way and this is what makes the new Kindle special. If you are a serious reader and do not want any distraction or playing with too many options, just go and grab the Kindle. For serious book readers, the new Amazon Kindle is a great joy.

On the contrary, this is also the biggest shortcoming of the device. It is not multi-fuctional. Suppose, you just finished reading “Romeo and Juliet” and want to watch Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes version, with Amazon Kindle there is no hope for you but there is always hope with Apple iPad. Just go to the net and fire up the Netflix and enjoy the Romeo+ Juliet. More over, now days, books are coming with animations and various other features which you would not be able to enjoy on Amazon Kindle.

So, if you are someone who frequently travels and do not want to be burdened with so many titsy bitsy devices then Apple iPad is the device for you. It can do everything plus serve as an e-book reader.

If you are tired of looking at backlit screens and just want to have the feeling of reading a book, then you can get Kindle. With the high contrast E-Ink screen, you can read books under sunlight with no problem.

However, the Apple iPad also has a weak point and that is its price. The entry-level Apple iPad starts from $500 and goes all the way up to $800 which is not ideal for everyone. Plus, you would not like to get bound by AT&T’s contract. Amazon is free from all these problems and would not have to pay for the 3G connection.

So, which device you think is ideal for you?