Weekly high-tech hot topics in the blogs: everything iPad, next generation iPhone

(Apple)

Hot topics in the tech blogs for the week ending April 1: Journalists got their hands on the iPad for the first time and were not shy to talk about how much they liked the device, videos and screenshots of forthcoming apps for the iPad were leaked, Twitter updated its homepage and started filtering tweets, April Fools jokes made the internet a crazy place, and rumors got started about the next generation of multitasking iPhones.

Bloggers rave about the iPad after a hands-on preview
Journalists and bloggers were first to get their hands on Apple's "magical device" this week, instigating a viral flow of iPad reviews. "Apple iPad Review: Laptop Killer? Pretty Close" said The Wall Street Journal's Walter S. Mossberg after a week of clinging onto the tablet, USA Today positively raved about the device in its article, "Verdict is in on Apple iPad: It's a winner" while Reuters' reporter Gabriel Madway took a look inside the device to write the article "iPad striptease: It's what's inside that counts."

iPad App Store Videos
Earlier in the week images and videos of iPad applications set to become available on April 3 were leaked onto the web. MacStories.net posted a video of the iPad App Store on their website showing a preview of iPad applications such as Yahoo Entertainment app, Twitterrific, OmniGraffle, OmniGraphSketcher, and Real Racing. BoyGeniusReport.com also showed off a sneak preview of the iPad App Store. Other tech blogs scrambled to link to their walk-through gallery that contains 60 images of iPad applications along with screenshots of the App Store in Action.

Fourth Generation iPhones that multitask and have a front facing camera
Even before bloggers could take a breath from their iPad glorifying rants, the rumors about Apple's next generation iPhones started up again. Yet again, leaks and informed insiders are pointing to the possibility of multitasking capabilities and front facing cameras for the fourth generation of the iPhone. "Apple's iPhone 4.0 to support multitasking via Expose-like interface" wrote Apple Insider. The Wall Street Journal also started rumors that a second CDMA version of the iPhone would be released for US carrier Verizon Wireless.

Twitter homepage gets tweaked
Twitter announced it had redesigned the front end of its website for the second time this year in a March 30 blog post. Bloggers were quick to note that the redesign also included dynamically filtered content and added functionality for new users who have yet to become fully accustomed with the microblogging phenomenon. The constant feed of "algorithmically-selected top tweets" and a scrolling list of the top trending topics on the site will help Twitter move away from its preconceived image of a social network for status updates and will instead market the idea that "there's something of value for everyone" on Twitter announced Twitter's Creative Director, Doug Bowman (@stop) via his blog post.

April Fools jokes
On April 1 the web turned into a haven for crazed web bloggers, tech companies and pranksters who were all keen to make fun of unsuspecting readers. Google changed its name to Topeka, YouTube let you watch your videos in text mode, Wikipedia condoned wife selling, Kodak made your photos smell and ThinkGeek.com started selling canned unicorn meat. Blogs like TechCrunch, Mashable and Gizmodo compiled lists of the very best April Fools Day jokes for all to see while journalists worried about being taken for a fool amidst a flow of fake press releases and bogus product launches.