 By late 2009 , the iPad 's release had been rumored for several years . Such speculation mostly talked about “ Apple ’ s tablet ” ; specific names included iTablet and iSlate . The actual name is reportedly an homage to the Star Trek PADD , a fictional device very similar in appearance to the iPad . The iPad was announced on January 27 , 2010 , by Jobs at an Apple press conference at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco . 
