The iPad demonstrates the vision of Apple and its designers in developing a new class of device. Its intuitive interface, portability and wifi access has changed the way many people get their online information.

The iPhone and iPad development conceivably benefitted from the portable computing work undertaken during the Newton era (1987 – 98).

The iPad was designed by Jonathan Ive, Senior Vice President of Design at Apple Inc since 1997. He has the overall responsibility for Industrial Design and also provides leadership and direction for Human Interface (HI) software teams across the company. In 2012 he was knighted for “services to design and enterprise”.

Photo of a young girl using a slate taken by Harold Cazneaux about a century earlier than the invention of the ipad.

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