You can't keep Apple down for long. Fresh off the heels of the release of Google's touch-screen phone, the Nexus One (aka the iPhone Killer), Apple comes back to one up the search leader with the announcement of the iPad.

Apple describes the upcoming iPad, as "The best way to experience the web, email, and photos." And they might be right.

All the things you love about the iPhone and iPod Touch, the computer giant has packed into a bigger, tablet device, and added more.

"iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price," Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, said in a statement. "iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before."

The iPad is mainly used for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more.

It boasts a responsive high-resolution multi-touch display, which lets users physically interact with applications and content. It is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds -- thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook.

According to the official press release, it includes 12 new apps designed especially for the iPad, working in both portrait and landscape, automatically animating between views as the user rotates iPad in any direction. Typing is said to be a breeze to. The iPad also has an almost full-size "soft" keyboard.

It can run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the App Store, including apps already purchased for your either your iPhone or iPod touch. There's also the new iBookstore, which allows you to buy and read books on a mobile device -- featuring books from major and independent publishers.

Apple says the iPad will be released, worldwide, in late March, at a retail price of $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for the 32GB model, $699 for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G will hit the market a month later with slightly higher price points.

For a full run down of specs and features, or to sign up to be notified when the device is available to order, visit Apple.com/iPad.