Just as the original MacBook Air redefined laptop design, Apple is hoping to do the same thing for tablets with the iPad Air. This 1-pound slate attempts to combine a big-screen experience with a design so compact you can easily use it with one hand.

I am still learning all the ins and outs of my I Pad. I am very pleased with all the extras that came with it. I love shopping on HSN.

Summary: Apple's large-format tablet is thinner, lighter and faster than ever, and delivers good battery life. We'd like to see the biometric home button and a wi-fi upgrade as soon as possible, but it's still a high-quality, if premium-priced, device.

Thin and light, Classy design, Fast 64-bit A7/M7 platform, Excellent LTE frequency band support, Good battery life

No Touch ID, No 802.11ac wi-fi or NFC, Expensive, especially when accessorised for maximum business productivity

Had the iPad lost its way? Not as a range, certainly; over the last twelve months, the iPad mini has been the darling of the tablet scene, coupling affordability with convenience and build quality.

Two weeks ago I had all but written off the bigger iPad. It was too bulky and just no where near as portable as the iPad mini. Once the latter gets a Retina Display and equal hardware across the board, why would anyone consider the bigger model? The iPad Air changed my perspective on all of that.

If you want a better iPad, the Air is for you. If you want a better iPad with a smaller screen, wait for the iPad mini with Retina Display that will be released later this month.

To understand truly what a breakthrough the new iPad is, you have to survey the crowded tablet landscape. Few tablets come close to the fit and finish, the simplicity of design and the complexity that’s built within.