I keep reading how the apps such as calendar, contacts etc. have been rewritten, but no mention if they will update and sync with our current hardware/software. Should we assume as much or does anyone have a definitive answer?

Hey, first of all I noticed this was your first post so.. Welcome to the forum!!

I'm sure it will sync with the mac calendar / email / contacts. What software and computer are you currently using?

Currently own 24" 3.06 iMac, iphone 3GS, 13" MacBook Pro laptop, MobileMe user, ipod shuffle. I'm hooked on computers that "just work" for everything. I've had my share of Windows computer and have never had the satisfaction and peace of mind that Apple hardware and software has given me. Can't wait to get an iPad. I don't NEED it, but I know it will be useful in a thousand different ways.

That pretty well sums it up for me as well. MobileMe rocks. Now if I can convince my company to get iPads I can be "windows free"

Steve Jobs, verbally announced, along with sync cable graphics behind him on the large screen, during the Keynote that the iPad will Sync Data to iTunes just like the iPhone and Touch models do now.

Which is when he also indicated that most of the 140,000 app store apps, along with the ones you already have purchased in your iTunes and your existing contacts, music, pictures and movies will all sync to the new iPad.

Of course, iPad developers will want to take advantage of the new screen size to develop apps specifically for the iPad and also to reduce the need to use the re-size function built into the iPad for making existing iPhone apps fit the entire screen.

I already use iDisk app on my iPhone to sync MobileMe data as well and will probably do the same on the iPad too.

You can see it all in the keynote video which is now available to download in iTunes.