Data pad

A data pad, sometimes rendered as datapad, is a piece of technology used by humans and Sangheili. Data pads are portable computer pads that store information, files, pictures, and sounds. Data pads vary greatly in size, from the size of a tablet computer to thumb-sized devices.

Dr. Catherine Halsey kept a pad of information with her about the Spartan-II candidates as she began to research them. She also appeared to have this technology on her glasses, as she could pull up and read files on them. Similar to modern day devices of the same nature, they can be password protected or in Dr. Halsey's case, sensitive to her retinas only. The UNSC Tactical Simulator, used by the Spartan-IVs to insert themselves into combat scenarios throughout human history, runs on data pads.

The TACPAD appears to be a military application of the data pad.

The Covenant are known to utilize devices similar in function to the human data pad. Specifically, Sangheili warriors use unique disc-shaped datapads to store personal recordings and Mission Intel logs.

Trivia
They are extremely similar to the "Padd" that appears commonly in the Star Trek universe, or the datapad from Star Wars. It seems to have stemmed from today's PDAs, handheld phones and tablets.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Fall of Reach
 * Boot Camp
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Scanned
 * Halo 4
 * Spartan Ops
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo: Mortal Dictata
 * Halo: Nightfall
 * Halo: Last Light
 * Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Halo Wars 2
 * Halo: Envoy
 * Halo: Retribution