If you're a true gadget-head, you've heard the rumors circulating for months about the development of an Apple tablet... which would basically be something of the love child of an iPhone and a MacBook.

Speculation as to whether it was just pure hype, or if it would actually be brought to market, was put to rest today when Steve Jobs donned his trademark black turtleneck, and took the stage to announce the new Apple iPad.

According to reports from the guys over at Gizmodo, the new tablet will have a screen measuring almost 10-inchess from corner to corner, and, like the iPhone, it will allow you to turn it from portrait mode for most apps, to landscape mode for movies and videos. (Even though the screen is closer to 4:3 than 16:9, and not a true widescreen.)

The iPad will come with bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but for you 3G users... sorry, not available. [UPDATE: Some models will have 3G.] And we iPhone users will be able to use our old apps on the new device, although there will be new ones expected developed specifically for the iPad.

There's a popup on-screen keyboard, just like the iPhone, but I'm going to assume this one will be easier to type on, since it is claimed to be almost the same size as a laptop keyboard.

Engadget is reporting the iPad will run on the custom 1GHz Apple "A4" chip, be powered by a 10-hour battery (with a month of standby time), and will come in 16, 32 and 64GB sizes. [UPDATE: Prices just announced to start at $499.]

No word on when it will actually hit stores, but I spoke to a buddy of mine who works in an Apple Store in the northeast, and he told me that their sales projections are in through June, with no expected spikes in sales, which they typically get when new gadgets hit the stores. So expect to drool until at least mid summer.

For more pictures, info and continual, up-to-the-minute, reporting, head over to Gizmodo and Engadget.