Steve Jobs is at it again. This time, he and his company, Apple Inc. have once again launched a new innovative product that is out of the box cutting-edge technology. While there have already been netbooks, smart phones and even digital book such as the Amazon Kindle, Steve and Apple have an even more brilliant idea. They combine all aspects of the already existing devices and pack them into one slim portable device which they call the iPad.

With an iPad, the user is not only capable of reading the e-books but also able to play sophisticated games such as Need For Speed Shift that is developed by the big name company, Electronic Arts, Inc. This is possible because the iPad has been equipped with a processor that seems to be more powerful than that equipped into a common netbook.

Long before, in the year 2001, Microsoft’s founder, Bill Gates, had already forecasted that such a tablet computer as iPad would become the trend in the world of consumer electronics in a period of 5 years. But unluckily for Microsoft and Gates, their project got stuck even though such big names as Compaq and Dell were behind the company to give it support.

However, it is a relief to the world that Steve Jobs stepped up to plate. With his artistic touch, he had actually obtained the rights to the technology in 2004. But the 5th September 2007 became the first time that he ever launched his first mini tablet computer, that is the iPod Touch. This is the real beginning of the iPad.

Steve mentioned that with the experience of Apple, Inc. of selling 75 million devices (iPhone and iPod Touch) they knew that people are indeed in need of the iPad. We could even see that Steve’s face was full of confidence and joy when he mentioned it at the launch of the iPad.

With a device that is sold with a price tag between $499 and $829, Steve Jobs, together with his beloved Apple, Inc. crew, has once again broken the rules and laid out the regulation that tends to limit people from being creative and innovative.

Going against the norm seems to be one of the things that Steve is really good at. Twenty five years ago, this was exactly what he did and he became the first person to revolutionize the computer. He became the person who came up with Silicon Valley right from his home. At the launch of iPod in 2001, he did sparked another revolution in the industry of music. While people are busy hijacking music in MP3 format, Steve was able to sell the MP3 music in mp4 format instead. Now, with his iPad, he seems to be challenging the Amazon Kindle.

However, it is up to the customers after all which one they will go for. It could be an iPad or it could be an iBust!

Perhaps, before Apple, Inc. launches iPad, we, or most of us, may have never heard of any other big names in the industry coming up with the name iPad. However, as a matter of fact, the Japanese name, Fujitsu, has already been using iPad as the brand of some of their products long before Steve Jobs come up with the iPad. Besides Fujitsu, there is also a European name that happens to be one of the biggest chip producers, STMicroelectronics, that claims that iPad has also been a brand of theirs for a long time.

This is the reason why there have been controversies among some people in the industry. In fact, just a day after its debut, the iPad has already received complaints from the other vendors in the industry.

For the Japanese name, Fujitsu, the brand of iPad has already been used by the company to name a device that serves as a POS (Point-Of-Sale) device that we can usually find quite easily in the supermarkets. This iPad device from Fujitsu is used to show the price and stock of the goods at the supermarkets. So, for Fujitsu, iPad is no more than a device that is designed to be used by the supermarket cashiers and shoppers.

The Fujitsu iPad has a screen that measures 3.5 inches and the device is powered by the Intel PXA270 processor. The device counts on the Microsoft CE .Net operating system to operate. Fujitsu launched this device for the first time in the year 2002.

As we mentioned earlier, there is another company besides Fujitsu that has also been using the iPad brand. This company happens to be the STMicroelectronics that is a European company. The company uses the iPad brand on the semiconductor devices that have been sold exclusively in Europe ever since the year 2000.

There is even more shocking news. Being so massively used, the brand of iPad is even used by Siemens as well to name the motors and machines that they have made. Further yet, a Canadian company that is popular with the name of Coconut Grove Pads has also been using the iPad brand to name the underwear accessory that is to be used with their bras!

As a matter of fact, this is not the first time such a thing has happened. In the year 2007, there had been a struggle between Cisco and Apple in order to get the rights to use the iPhone brand name. However, at that time, both Cisco and Apple eventually reached a deal that they would both be using the iPhone brand name. Yet, it seems that the iPhone brand gained its popularity more because of Apple, Inc than Cisco.

Luckily for Steve, STMicroelectronics has not planned to file any lawsuit against the company. In the meantime, Fujitsu will try to be more patient and see how the iPad will progress. So far, Fujitsu explains that the company will be following the iPad announcement from Apple, Inc. and will try to see if there is any chance of Apple’s using the iPad brand to go against Fujitsu. They also explained that for the time being, they are having discussions with their internal trademark advisor and are not able to comment any further.