Facebook on Monday landed on the iPad, releasing software that lets members of the leading online social network connect on Apple's hot-selling tablet computers.

The release of an iPad application is part of a move by Facebook to stay in synch with modern lifestyles that revolve increasingly around Internet-linked wireless mobile gadgets.

"Many of you have been asking about Facebook for iPad," Facebook mobile engineer Leon Dubinsky said in a blog post. "It's finally here."

Features added to the Facebook iPad software include being able to chat with friends or watch high-resolution streaming video, according to the engineer.

Facebook also upgraded its iPhone application to allow faster online searches, simpler navigation of pages, and access to more games and other socially-oriented mini-programs, Dubinsky said.

Approximately 800 million people belong to the Palo Alto, California-based social network.