Whose going to win the rights to the iPad name?

The Fujitsu iPAD solved these obstacles by including built in 802.11 B/G wireless with speeds up to 54 Mpbs that allows associates access to inventory, corporate data as well as access to the Staples.com website. The wireless capabilities also help with customer service by providing associates with tip on how to answer typical questions or problems that may occur on the sales floor. Bluetooth v1.2 is also built into the iPAD to communicate with other Bluetooth enables devices such as printers. This allows associates to print out documents or receipts to the customer without having to enter it into a computer station.

The iPad can also be used as a barcode scanner to input the purchase price and complete the transaction or just provide customers with the current price or sale price if it is not clearly marked. It also had a credit card reader built into the top that can be used to swipe a credit card and perform an on the spot check out.

Voice Over Internet Protocol or VOIP is built into the iPAD to allow associates to make low cost phone calls or page other associates or managers within the store. VOIP is a technology that allows voice communications over the internet and typically is less expensive than traditional land lines or cellular plans.

Other technologies that have become popular in the past few years in personal devices such as the iPhone is touch screen. Although the iPAD does have a physical keyboard like a cell phone would have it also has a touch screen interface that an associate can use to interact with menus with the touch of a finger

The last thing to mention needs to be that because the iPAD is a portable device it needs to have long lasting battery life. The iPAD comes with an 1800mAh Lithium-ion battery. Lithium- ion batteries unlike older battery types can be charged at anytime without being affected by memory. They are also popular for low loss of charge when not in use.

OS X the operating system on a Mac is similar to Windows but they do have some different ways of doing things that may require some learning for new Mac users.

Here are some more differences between Mac OS X and Windows:

• Menu Bar: When using Windows each program uses its own menu bar. When using a Mac program (called an Application) the menu bar on the top of your desktop changes according to the application that is being used
  

  Apple Menu Bar

• Control Panel: Windows users are all to familiar with the control panel. The Mac equivalent is the System Preferences and can be launched from the Dock or the Apple Menu
  

  System Preferences

• Ending Programs:This one sometimes confuses a new Mac user. In Windows to end a program you simply close the Window. On a Mac closing the Window does not end the application. To end an application on a Mac you must either select quit from the menu bar or by pressing thecommand + "Q" keys on the keyboard
  

  Quit an Application in Mac OS X

• Switching Applications: Switching programs in Windows is accomplished by pressing the Alt + Tab keys. This brings up all running programs and allows you to switch between them. Switching applications on a Mac can be done by using pressing the command + Tab keys.
  

  Switching Applications

  Mac also comes with Expose that can show all open windows at once in a smaller version so you can browse through them.

  

  Expose

If your considering making the switch from PC to Mac you may want to consider picking up a cheap Macbook to learn on. You will find that Making the switch is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

Be sure to read PC to Mac-Making the Switch part 1 for more differences.

Macbook Pro

The new Macbook Pro line

Apple re brands all Aluminum Unibody Macbooks into one Macbook Pro line that includes the 13", 15" and the 17" Macbooks. The price on the 13" Aluminum Macbook. Minor speed bumps were also included with the base model going from 2GHz to 2.26 GHz and higher version from 2.4GHz to 2.53 GHz. The price was reduced from $1299 to $1199 on the low end and $1499 from $1599 on the high end. The higher priced 13" Macbook now comes with 4GB of memory as standard.
The new battery on the Macbook Pro line is enclosed and offers up to 7 hours on a single charge( 8 hours on the 17" Macbook Pro)
Firewire and an SD slot is now included in the new Aluminum Macbook Pro line meaning Apple did listen to their customers complaints. The entry level price on the 17" Macbook Pro has been dropped from $2799 to $2499.

Macbook Air

The "cheaper" Macbook Air

The Macbook Air clock speeds have been increased from 1.6GHz to 1.8 GHz and 1.86 GHz to 2.13 GHZ. The price has been reduced $300 on the entry level Macbook Air bringing it to $1499 and a respectable $700 drop in price on the high end model bringing it to $1799

White Macbook

The "cheap" Macbook

The "cheap" Macbook has also been updated with a faster Intel Core 2 Duo processor and advanced NVIDIA graphics. Firewire has also been included in the White Mac Book. An option to upgrade to a significant 500 GB hard Drive has been added. The processor has been upgraded to 2.13 GHz and the memory to 2GB with support up to 4GB.

Snow Leopard

Snow Leopard coming in September 2009

Snow Leopard was finally given a launch date of September 2009 and will have a price point of $29 for current OS X 10.5 Leopard single license users and $49 for the family pack.
Mac users with Intel machines running versions of Mac Os X such as Tiger can purchase the box set including Snow Leopard, iWork '09 and iLife '09 at $169 for a single license or $229 for the family pack.
Apple also announced the launch of the Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard with a price point of $499 that includes unlimited client licenses on Mac, Linux and Windows.

Safari 4

The Safari 4 browser was launched from public beta to the official version delivering a number of enhancements.

Some of the innovative features include the Nitro engine which is capabe of running Javascript up to .5 times faster then Safari 3.

Safari 4 makes browsing more enjoyable with features such as cover flow, Top Sites and full history search.

On Tuesday Apple released Mac OS X 10.5.7 that includes general operating system fixes that improves the security, compatibility and stability of Macs and is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard.

The Mac OS X 10.5.7 software is available for download through the system update utility or as a separate download at the Apple Site. Specific enhancements are as follows.

General

• Latest security fixes
• Resolves an issue with the Dvorak keyboard layout in Mac S X 0.5.6
• Improves the performance of cursor movement and video playback for recent Macs including Macbooks with the NIVIDIA graphics card
• The inclusion of extra RAW image support for 3rd party cameras
• The accuracy and reliability of Stocks, Weather, Unit Converter and Movies dashboard widgets has been improved
• Some issues when logging into Gmail have been addressed
• Syncing contacts with Yahoo has been improved
• Network performance when connected with particular Ethernet switches that have Flow Control enabled has been improved
• The expansion slot utility for Mac Pro can now report the correct PCIe slot
• Improvements on Finder search results for network volumes that don't support Spotlight searches such as Mac OS X Server v10.4, 3rd party AFP servers and Time Capsule
• Improved reliability of home network directories hosted by Mac OS X Server v10.4
• Several improvements to Client Management and Directory Service

iCal

• Improved stability and reliability when syncing with Apple Mobile Me
• Improved overall reliability with CalDav

Mail

• An issue that might cause the BBC field to incorrectly populate while redirecting the message from the sent mailbox has been addressed
• Addresses sync and reliability issues with Notes

Parental Controls

• Issues with the time limits that might not work right with Fast User Switching and full screen games has been addressed
• Consistent with application restrictions and Parental Controls has been improved

Printing

• Improved printer reliability and stability
• Issues that might cause 3rd party printers to incorrectly print to the wrong paper tray has been resolved
• Non-admin users can now have permission to add and remove printers by turning on Parental Controls and checking "Can administer printers"

Ever since 2001, the Mac OS X has brought more then a 1000 innovative and great features. This should be the last OS X update until the release of Snow Leopard which is rumored to be released or at least announced at the upcoming WWDC in June.