iPad News March 2010

iPad News and Updates - March 2010

March 26, 2010 3:39 PM EST
iPad week two: 240,000 pre-orders

A week before its release, online orders for the iPad averaged about 7,000 a day

Pre-orders for Apple's (AAPL) tablet computer held steady a week before its April 3 release.

According to an update posted Friday morning — two weeks to the day after Apple began accepting online orders — an estimated 240,000 iPads had been pre-ordered for delivery.

iPad pre-order sales in week two equal about 240,000

Daniel Tello, who has been tracking order numbers submitted by volunteers, notes that this does not include iPads reserved for pick-up at Apple Stores, which the Boy Genius reports were pouring in the first weekend at the same rate as pre-orders. Nor does it include bulk orders by schools and businesses.

Speaking strictly about the pre-orders he tracks, Tello says a bookie might take odds at 300,000 units by April 3. "But the conservative in me," he says, "would bet under. About 280k would be my safe prediction."

At an average selling price of $640 per iPad, 280,000 units would yield nearly $180 million in gross revenue.

March 26, 2010 11:51 AM EST
New hack could allow 'jailbroken' Apple iPads at launch

iPhone hacker George Hotz has demonstrated a new method to permanently "jailbreak" the iPhone 3GS, and he said the hack will "probably" work on the iPad, which goes on sale next week.

Hotz, known by his online handle "Geohot," updated his blog this week to reveal a new video demonstrating a jailbroken iPhone 3GS being rebooted. Jailbreaking is a practice that allows users to run unsigned code on the iPhone OS, which powers the iPhone, iPod touch and forthcoming iPad. It voids the warranty and can open up the device to security issues, but can also be used to allow new features like multitasking.

"The jailbreak is all software based, and is as simple to use as blackra1in," Hotz said, referencing his previous iPhone 3GS crack that employed a method known as a tethered jailbreak. "It is completely untethered, works on all current tethered models (ipt2, 3gs, ipt3), and will probably work on iPad too."

Late last year, Apple quietly updated the BootROM in the iPhone 3GS to thwart potential hackers. It marked the first time ever that the handset maker had modified its hardware in the middle of a product line, without a new model released.

March 26, 2010 8:46 AM EST
Apple reportedly shifts orders for iPad touch panels from TPK to Wintek

Taiwan-based TPK Touch Solutions has seen Apple shift orders for iPad-use projected capacitive touch panels to fellow maker Wintek because of TPK's delayed shipments, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

Wintek declined to comment. Earlier this month, a report claimed that issues with Wintek's touch panel production caused a delay in iPad shipments.

Wintek, which used to focus on small- to medium-size LCD panels, has geared up for touch panel production.

Wintek has recently announced a plan to set up a touch panel module production line in Dongguan, southern China, and the company is evaluating another plan to expand the capacity for front-end touch panel production.

Although Wintek's current capacity is enough to meet current demand, the company still has decided to expand its touch panel capacity as it is optimistic about growth for the segment in the future, the company said.

Join our new forums and discuss the iPad!

March 26, 2010 6:49 AM EST
Best Buy Preps for April 3rd iPad Launch

Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy has reportedly begun preparations for the launch of Apple's Wi-Fi iPad models on April 3rd, providing its retail store employees with details of events leading up to the launch. Sources report that the iPad will initially be carried only at Best Buy locations offering devoted "store-within-a-store" Apple Shop sections. Approximately 675 of the company's over 1000 U.S. locations offer such dedicated sales areas for Apple products, and other locations and bestbuy.com will not carry the iPad at launch.

Best Buy locations will also not be opening early on launch day, as the company believes that it would offer little benefit due to a lack of sales competition while incurring additional operational expense. It appears at this time that only Apple and Best Buy will be carrying the iPad in retail stores at launch.

Display materials for the iPad launch are reportedly scheduled to arrive at participating Best Buy stores early next week, and store planograms indicate that two notebooks and an iMac will be displaced from the usual Apple Shop layout to accommodate four iPad demo units and associated accessories for display.

Reports curiously indicate that the demo units encompass four separate SKUs, while Apple is launching only three Wi-Fi iPad models on April 3rd. The identity of the fourth model to be demoed is unknown, although it is possible that stores may be receiving a Wi-Fi + 3G model, scheduled for launch in late April, for demo purposes.

March 25, 2010 8:55 PM EST
Exclusive: iPad iBooks Features The Gutenberg Project Catalog – 30,000 Free eBooks

iBooks’ very sweet price points are not the only surprise Apple kept for the iPad launch. Indeed, while we already knew the iPad can read and import eBooks in the ePub format, it probably won’t be as necessary as we thought; as the iBookstore already features the Gutenberg Project catalog for free.

If you’re not familiar with the Gutenberg Project, it’s a free online digital library supported by volunteers. This library already includes over 30,000 free eBooks from the public domain; it is an amazing popular resource.

Well, when checking out Apple’s iBookstore, I noticed that Apple has decided to include these directly. I obviously haven’t had the chance to count them, but it appears that the entire catalog is available for free download.

This is obviously very good news, making it easier than ever to access a lot of good literature on the cheap.

March 25, 2010 8:46 PM EST
Apple Begins Issuing Preauthorization Credit Holds for iPad Pre-Orders

A number of MacRumors readers have reported that Apple has placed preauthorization holds on their credit card accounts for iPad pre-orders placed earlier this month. The holds represent a check to ensure that sufficient credit is available for the pending transactions as Apple prepares to begin shipping out iPad orders.

Interestingly, customers are seeing preauthorization holds placed on their credit card accounts for both Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + 3G iPad orders. The Wi-Fi + 3G iPad models are not scheduled to become available until "late April", and it is unclear why Apple has initiated the transaction process for those orders so early. Wi-Fi-only models are scheduled to launch on April 3rd.

March 25, 2010 4:26 PM EST
Apple Leaks Approved iPad Apps

PadGadget did some digging in the iTunes database last night and it looks like Apple has already approved and listed several iPad apps in the App Store. You won’t find any of these iPad titles using your standard iTunes browser, you need to use Apple’s more recent web interface to find the new titles mixed in with the thousands of regular iPhone and Touch titles.

We did a quick scan and were able to find several titles clearly marked as “HD”, a common label developers are now using to indicate an iPad specific version of their app. HD is not a universal title for iPad apps, some developers are instead choosing “XL” to denote their iPad version or simply creating a universal build so that both the iPhone and iPad versions are contained in a single app. There are probably many more titles in the database that have been approved by Apple for the iPad that we haven’t yet stumbled upon. Some of the tiles we found are:

Ammoin HD
Azkend HD
Flight Control HD
Grind HD
HD Recovery
Labyrinth 2 HD
NBA Hotshot HD
Numba HD
Plants vs. Zombie HD
Sparkle HD
Worms HD

March 25, 2010 10:21 AM EST
Apple inks $240M deal with Samsung for 3M more iPad displays

Apple has agreed to pay Samsung nearly a quarter of a billion dollars as part of a new pact that will see the Korean electronics maker become the second major supplier of 9.7-inch display screens for current and future versions of the iPad.

The deal will guarantee Apple a supply of an additional 3 million displays for the upcoming tablet device over an unspecified amount of time, according to a high-ranking industry representative that recently spoke with The Korea Times.

"The most expensive component in the iPad is the display and touch-screen interface that costs $80 for all models," that person said. "The 9.7-inch display is more than twice the size of the iPhone 3GS screen and costs five times as much."

A little over a year ago, Apple entered into a similar 5-year, $500 million deal with LG Display Co. for flat panel displays through the 2013 calendar year. Although details of the arrangement were scarce at the time, it's now reported that agreement has been expanded to $800 million to cover the supply of 10 million iPad displays.

March 25, 2010 8:24 AM EST
A glimpse at some iPad games

The iPad is just a week away, and game developers are starting to reveal what their titles will look like on the device. It's already clear that we'll be seeing a lot more detail in games, and hopefully more in-depth experiences to match.

A number of developers have announced their plans for iPad games, with studios like Freeverse, Gameloft, 10tons, Critical Thought Games, Firemint, and ngmoco making commitments for titles that will be available at, or close to launch. Confirmed titles include Flight Control HD, We Rule, Warp Gate, N.O.V.A. and geoDefense 2. Sadly there aren't yet any screen shots of these particular games, but this week, a number of images of other titles have started to find their way online to serve as a tease for what's ahead.

March 25, 2010 8:07 AM EST
Wall Street Journal iPad Edition: $18 Per-Month

The Wall Street Journal has all but announced the price of its iPad edition: $18 per month. That compares to the official print-edition price of $29-per-month, or $10 if you buy a print subscription through a reseller. The WSJ article quotes people at the WSJ who are “familiar with the situation”, so you can take it as a reliable report.

Is this too much? For the WSJ, perhaps not, as it is one of the only papers people already pay to read online. But for papers (and magazines like Wired), which make their entire content available free, any amount above a few bucks a month might be too much. It’s not even like you are getting an ad-free version. The WSJ has signed up some big names, including Coca-Cola and FedEx, for $400,000 (over three months).

Join our new forums and discuss the iPad!

March 25, 2010 8:03 AM EST
Advertisers Show Interest in iPad

Advertisers initially approached new media as if they were going duck hunting, tiptoeing cautiously into the waters of mobile phones and the Internet.

With the iPad, it’s big-game season.

Getting ready for the April 3 iPad introduction, FedEx has bought advertising space on the iPad applications from Reuters, The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek. Chase Sapphire, a credit card for the high-end market, has bought out The New York Times’s iPad advertising units for 60 days after the introduction.

Advertisers including Unilever, Toyota Motor, Korean Air and Fidelity have booked space on Time’s iPad application. In a draft press release, The Journal said a subscription to its app would cost $17.99 a month, and the first advertisers included Capital One, Buick, Oracle, iShares and FedEx.

March 25, 2010 7:53 AM EST
CBS.com Prepping HTML5 Video Playback for iPad

With the imminent arrival of the Apple iPad, it seems at least one major television network is updating their website to provide video playback support for new tablet device -- without Flash. CBS.com's website began displaying a couple of strange "iPad - test" video links, first noted by The Other Mac Blog.

We investigated further and found that clicking on these "iPad" labeled links in your normal desktop browser brings you to the usual Flash versions of these videos. Of course, these wouldn't properly play on the Apple iPad due to Apple's well known decision not to support Flash. However, if you visit CBS.com using the iPad SDK Simulator or spoofing your browser's User-Agent to impersonate an iPad, you are sent to a different version of the video:

CBS.com Prepping HTML5 Video Playback for iPad

March 24, 2010 1:25 PM EST
Apple: Survey Finds People Want To Use iPads For Work

In something of a surprise, a new survey finds people interested in buying the Apple (AAPL) iPad want to use the new tablet computer more for working on the go than anything else.

The survey, conducted by Zogby International for Sybase, found that work ranked just ahead of playing games and watching videos as reasons for buying the iPad.

“Study findings reveal that consumers are increasingly demanding mobile devices that blend consumer and enterprise functionality, exposing an unexpected emphasis on the iPad’s suitability for work-related activities, and demonstrating the iPad’s potential value to information workers,” Sybase said in a news release on the survey.

March 24, 2010 10:52 AM EST
Marco Arment Previews Instapaper Pro for iPad

Developer Marco Arment yesterday announced that his popular Instapaper service for saving Web content for later reading will be coming to the iPad, hopefully in time for the device's launch on April 3rd. The service, which currently offers a pair of iPhone/iPod touch applications including the limited Instapaper Free and the more powerful Instapaper Pro ($4.99), downloads text-only versions of Web content and saves them to a user's free account for later reading on a variety of devices.

In his blog entry, Arment offers some preview screenshots and discusses his motivations for developing iPad-specific versions of Instapaper. (Instapaper Pro will be a universal application for both iPhone and iPad, requiring users to only purchase the application once.)

Once I nailed down a few definite iPad-friendly features, I realized that I could port all of them to the iPhone version of Instapaper Pro. And if I did that, all of my customers (and I) could use these great new features now.

So, rather than rewriting my entire interface for the iPad over the two months that we've had, I spent the first few weeks finishing and launching the 2.2 update to my iPhone app, a major undertaking that added a lot of great features, using techniques that would allow me to easily adapt all of the features to the iPad. And I spent the remaining time adapting my interfaces, rewriting or modifying where necessary, for this new platform.

Join our new forums and discuss the iPad!

March 24, 2010 9:36 AM EST
Mobile advertisers prep unique iPad ads ahead of Apple's launch

Online advertisers are planning new advertising methods created specifically for iPad applications, with a number of major companies already signed on and seeking to promote their goods and services to customers on Apple's forthcoming device.

PointRoll, an analytics and reporting firm, and AdMarvel, an ad delivery service, will partner to create new, highly interactive advertisements on the iPad for major publishers like USA Today, according to digital marketing news site ClickZ. Kate Kaye reported Wednesday that the firms see the iPad as an opportunity "to do a lot more."

Since the iPad can run nearly every iPhone and iPod touch application, advertisers could simply rely on their existing advertising methods to reach users. But much like how developers plan to create unique iPad applications, advertisers see the iPad as an opportunity to generate new revenue with more dynamic content that takes advantage of the device's large 9.7-inch display.

"You could very easily run much the same ad as you do on the iPhone on the iPad, but that would not really be fully leveraging the potential," Max Mead, vice president of business development with PointRoll, reportedly said.

March 23, 2010 1:21 PM EST
Steve Jobs e-mail suggests AT&T will not sell Apple iPad

A recent e-mail from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs stated the forthcoming iPad will initially be sold only in Apple retail and online stores, as well as Best Buy. In addition, other e-mails regarding Mac refreshes, the iPhone OS e-mail client and iWork.com storage were reportedly sent by the billionaire.

The response from Jobs regarding iPad sales was brief, as usual, and was sent from the chief executive's iPhone. It was in response to an inquiry as to whether the iPad would be available for purchase with Apple's authorized resellers.

"Initially at Apple Retail and online stores and Best Buy," Jobs replied via e-mail. A copy was provided to AppleInsider.

The statement would mean that AT&T, despite being the exclusive wireless provider for the iPad in the U.S., will not sell the iPad in its own retail stores, at least at first. The iPad will be released on April 3.

March 23, 2010 1:09 PM EST
What's Ahead for Kids' Books on the iPad

Book publishers have some Harry Potter-like magic in store for books that will debut on Apple’s new iPad platform.

Live glossaries, audio and video notes users can create right in the text, taking live quizzes and having them scored in the book—all these details are expected to go live, according to Josh Koppel (pictured), chief creative officer and cofounder of ScrollMotion, which develops iPhone and ebook applications for book publishers.

“Textbooks are the most complex to make digital,” he says. “All the things that make textbooks great, including graphics, graphs, highlighting text, and glossaries have to be taken into account.”

Working with McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Pearson, and Kaplan, ScrollMotion has had experience bringing digital tests to other Apple platforms. He thinks textbooks for college and high school students will be among the earliest to adapt to the iPad format, followed by books for younger kids.

March 23, 2010 12:01 PM EST
iPads Reportedly Headed to Reviewers Later This Week

It's certainly no surprise, but Silicon Alley Insider has heard that Apple will be shipping iPads to prominent reviewers later this week in order to provide them ample lead time to prepare their featured reviews for the device's April 3rd launch in the United States.

We've heard from an industry source that Apple is either shipping iPads to reviewers this Thursday, or has already shipped them to be received this Thursday.

The report notes that it is unknown whether reviewers will receive Wi-Fi-only, Wi-Fi + 3G, or both types of iPads. U.S. customers will be able to obtain the Wi-Fi models beginning April 3rd but will have to wait until "late April" for 3G-capable models to become available.

The exact list of reviewers receiving early access to the iPad is of course unknown, but it is a safe bet that such personalities as The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg, The New York Times' David Pogue, and USA Today's Ed Baig will be among those with hands-on reviews ready for publication as soon as Apple opens the door.

March 23, 2010 11:55 AM EST
One-third of Apple iPad buyers plan to read books, newspapers

More than a third of those eyeing Apple's forthcoming iPad will read books, newspapers and magazines on the touchscreen device, a new study has found.

In a poll of 2,176 consumers released this week, comScore found that 37 percent of potential iPad owners said it is "likely" that they will read books on the device. Another 34 percent said they would read newspapers and magazines.

Ironically, those totals are more than the 26 percent of respondents who said they would download software from the App Store, suggesting consumers may be confused as to how they will access books and newspapers on the device. Apple's iBooks application, which includes the iBookstore marketplace, will not come preinstalled on the iPad, and must be downloaded from the App Store.

The study also found that consumers who are already a part of the Apple mobile ecosystem, referred to by comScore as "iOwners," are more likely to pay for newspaper and magazine subscriptions than others. In all, 52 percent of "iOwners" said they were willing to subscribe to print content formatted for an e-reader, while 22 percent of all other consumers said they would be willing to subscribe.

March 23, 2010 11:17 AM EST
13 ways of looking at an iPad

Wired taps a baker's dozen of the "brightest tech minds" to mark the rise of the tablet

"With the iPad," writes Steven Levy in How the Tablet Will Change the World, "Apple is making its play to become the center of a post-PC era."

Levy argues that the conventions underlying today's personal computers — the graphical user interface, the shrink-wrapped boxes of software — were forged 40 and 50 year ago.

What we are entering now, he writes, is a world of downloadable apps, instant micropayments and machines on which we’ll perform ever more complicated tasks "by rolling, tapping, and drumming our fingers on screens, like pianists tickling the ivories."

March 23, 2010 9:16 AM EST
Perseus Signs an EBooks Deal for the iPad

Apple’s iBookstore on the forthcoming iPad is set to get larger. The company has just signed a deal with the largest distributor of independent publishers to sell electronic versions of it books on the new device.

Perseus Books Group, a large independent publisher that also distributes works from 330 other smaller presses including Grove Atlantic, Harvard Business School Press, Zagat and City Lights Books, signed a deal last week with Apple, following five of the six biggest publishers that have already signed agreements with Apple.

Perseus’s deal comes as Amazon.com, the largest online seller of printed books and the biggest e-book seller in the United States, has put pressure on publishers who have not yet signed deals with Apple to refrain from doing so. Amazon, which makes the Kindle e-reader, holds about 90 percent of the e-book market. With Apple’s iPad coming on the scene, Amazon is fighting to keep as much of its market lead as possible.

March 22, 2010 9:25 AM EST
Amazon reveals all-new Kindle e-book app for Apple iPad

In addition to their own respective e-ink hardware devices, booksellers Amazon and Barnes & Noble will also release their own separate digital bookstores for Apple's iPad and other touchscreen tablet devices.

Both companies revealed to The New York Times that they will create new digital readers and storefronts in addition to their existing applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. The App Store software will also compete with Apple's own iBooks application and accompanying iBookstore, which will also be available for download on the App Store rather than coming preinstalled on the device.

In particular, the Kindle application from Amazon was demonstrated to a Times reporter. It features the ability to slowly turn pages with fingers, much like Apple's own iBooks software.

"It also presents two new ways for people to view their entire e-book collection, including one view where large images of book covers are set against a backdrop of a silhouetted figure reading under a tree," the report said. "The sun's position in that image varies with the time of day."

March 21, 2010 11:52 AM EST
Gaming Is The Early Focus Of iPad Applications

Here's a chart from mobile analytics company Flurry about what sorts of applications are being tested on the iPad. Gaming is by far the most popular category.

Flurry's analytics are installed on certain developers software, which is how it tracks what's being tested. The number below only counts what's being tested on iPads, not what's being built on iPad simulators on the desktop.

This makes plenty of sense to us. We've heard gaming is going to be crazy awesome on the iPad.The developers we spoke with were very excited about building gaming apps for the big screen .

Applications testing on iPad, By Category

March 19, 2010 3:34 PM EST
Apple Officially Invites Developers to Submit iPad Applications to App Store

Apple today officially invited developers to begin submitting iPad applications to the App Store for inclusion in the grand opening of the iPad App Store at its launch on April 3rd. In the e-mail sent to developers, Apple invites app submissions for an initial review of their readiness for the iPad.

iPad will begin shipping soon and your opportunity to be part of the grand opening of the iPad App Store starts today. Submit your iPad app now for an initial review by the App Review Team and receive feedback on its readiness for the grand opening.

Submit Your App by March 27.

Build and test your iPad app using iPhone SDK 3.2 beta 5 available on the iPhone Dev Center. Only iPad apps built with iPhone SDK 3.2 beta 5 will be accepted for this initial review.

Upload your distribution signed app through iTunes Connect by Saturday, March 27, 5pm PDT.

The App Review Team will review your app on iPad and email you details about the readiness of your app.

You will also receive additional information about submitting your app for final review before iPad ships.

Only apps submitted for the initial review will be considered for the grand opening of the iPad App Store.

Apple has provided iPads to a select set of developers under tight security in order to assist them with preparing their apps for the iPad's launch. The vast majority of developers will, however, have to rely on the iPad simulator included in the iPhone SDK 3.2 for iPad for testing their apps.

March 19, 2010 10:45 AM EST
Apple tables push for TV subscriptions on iPad, seeks 99 cent episodes

Apple had high hopes of delivering an all-you-can-eat buffet of television shows in the form of a subscriptions service by the time its iPad hits the market next month, but opposition from networks has forced the company to adopt Plan B: a push towards lower pricing for a la carte downloads.

In an updated version of its report on Apple's scrambles to secure last-minute content licensing deals for the iPad, The Wall Street Journal cites people familiar with the matter as saying that electronics maker is now asking that television networks agree to drop the price of their episodes to $0.99, down from $1.99 and $2.99.

The concession on Apple's part comes after the majority balked at a more ambitious attempt by company to court its largest network partners into an all-inclusive subscription service, which would have allowed iPad users broad access to the catalogs of many of their favorite programs for a set monthly fee, according to the paper.

Still, Apple's struggling to achieve the networks' approval, even with its pared back strategy. People speaking anonymously to the Journal say the content providers are weary of the strategy, fearing it could ultimately hurt their business and jeopardize "the tens of billions of dollars in subscription fees they are paid by cable and satellite companies for their traditional TV networks."

March 19, 2010 9:22 AM EST
Wintek blamed for Apple iPad delay, says report

Taiwan-based touch panel supplier Wintek has been blamed for a delay of Apple's iPad shipments, according to a Chinese-language report on Liberty Times.

The report claimed that Wintek is facing a manufacturing bottleneck in its touch panel production, and its low yield rate for touch panels has hampered its shipments to Apple.

In response to the report, Wintek, in a statement filed with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) today, said that all of its operations have been running in line with its plans, and it declined to comment on individual clients or particular orders.

March 19, 2010 9:10 AM EST
Apple Swears iPad Partners to Secrecy

Developers must sequester the tablet computer in rooms with blacked-out windows, reflecting secrecy around a product that may mean billions of dollars in sales
By Douglas MacMillan

Apple makes big demands of software developers who want an early crack at the iPad. Would-be testers of the tablet-style computer, due to be released Apr. 3, must promise to keep it isolated in a room with blacked-out windows, according to four people familiar with the more than 10-page pact that bars partners from disclosing information about the iPad.

To ensure that it can't be removed, the iPad must also remain tethered to a fixed object, said the people, who asked not to be named because their plans for the iPad have not been made public. Apple (AAPL) won't send out an iPad until potential partners send photographic evidence that they've complied.

Cupertino (Calif.)-based Apple shrouds its products in secrecy to build marketing mystique and keep rivals from getting an early look. In a practice known as seeding, the computer maker lets in select partners who can develop and test features such as games and digital book-reading tools to add allure to a product that Piper Jaffray (PJC) analyst Gene Munster says may generate $4.6 billion in sales next year. "It sinks or swims on the content," says Needham & Co. analyst Charlie Wolf. "Apple wants to have as much in the way of applications on the device sooner rather than later."

March 18, 2010 3:54 PM EST
Apple Races to Strike Content Deals Ahead of iPad Release

Apple Inc. is still working to secure content for the iPad with just weeks to go before the tablet computer's release, said people familiar with the matter, as the company tempers some of its initial ambitions for the much-hyped device.

Since the iPad became available for pre-order last Friday, Apple has sold hundreds of thousands of the device, say people familiar with the matter. One of these people said Apple could sell more iPads in its first three months than it sold iPhones in the three months after the smart phone's debut.

Yet the company is still negotiating with media companies for a price cut on TV shows that people can download onto the device, said people familiar with the matter. Apple also hoped to work closely with newspaper, magazines and textbook publishers on new ways to digitally present print content on the iPad, but has for now put the effort on backburner in favor of focusing on other content, said one of those people.

March 18, 2010 1:45 PM EST
Fascinating motion magazine demo highlights iPad's potential

Tablet devices, and more specifically Apple's iPad, are bound to forever alter the landscape for print and digital publishers, as evidenced by captivating concepts such as motion magazines like one being worked on by Alexx Henry Photography for Viv magazine (videos included).

Together with co-directors Cory Strassburger and Ming Hsiung, the firm recently produced a so-called "motion magazine cover" and feature spread for the all digital magazine, enabling it create content that will come to life on the iPad and other tablet devices where digital magazines are expected to thrive.

In a behind the scenes video covering the making of the motion cover that was sent to planet5D, Alexx Henry and partner Andrew Gant describe how they were able to "put motion into print" in ways never seen before.

The living art interactive motion spread was shot with Red Digital's latest RED ONE camera and new Mysterium-X sensor, allowing them to capture the energy of a still-life action shoot with the motion of a blockbuster film. In addition to action spreads, this enables them to "present a story" to readers before the final frame of their motion covers.

The production team shot all of their living models on a green screen at a high frame rate and slowed them down, so when the action stops, the textual article can appear. After constructing their own 3D environment, they composited the photography and did all the camera moves.

VIV Mag Interactive Feature Spread - iPad Demo from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.

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March 18, 2010 1:06 PM EST
Rupert Murdoch: ‘All Media is Going Into the iPad’

Speaking recently in an interview on Fox Business Channel, News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch had this to say about the latest product to come out of Cupertino: “All media is going to go into the iPad, whether it’s music, or books, or newspapers, or movies, you’ll be able to get on your iPad. It will be pretty small to start with.”

However, it was clear that he was speaking of the iPad as the first in a new class of devices: “But there will be more iPads: there is competition coming from people (sic) like Samsung and LG. Hewlett-Packard will have one in a few months. They will all be coming out with readers, not like Kindle, but in color, and they will get better and better. If you see a newspaper photograph – not at the moment, but in time it will happen – you’ll be able to touch it and it will become a video. These sort of things will happen, not this year perhaps.”

March 18, 2010 10:39 AM EST
iPad pre-orders: 10,000 per day

On track to reach 200,000 units one week after Apple began taking orders online

After an initial flood of pent-up demand and some ups and downs over the first weekend, pre-orders for the iPad tablet computer are now averaging 10,000 per day, according to Daniel Tello, a Venezuelan blogger-analyst who writes about Apple (AAPL) using the pseudonym Deagol.

Tello has been tracking order numbers submitted by volunteers since March 12 at 8:30 a.m. ET, when Apple began taking pre-orders for the iPad.

By his calculations, which are based on a precise count of order numbers and an estimate of how many of them were non-iPad orders, Apple passed the 180,000 unit mark on Wednesday.

"I think sometime during Friday, perhaps before noon, the counter should roll to 200,000 units pre-ordered," he told Fortune.

March 17, 2010 2:29 PM EST
The differences between iPad and iPhone apps

Here's an interesting post by a blogger named teucher that echoes something we've heard from developers before -- that the iPhone and the iPad will require completely different experiences. When the iPad was first announced, one of Apple's big selling points was that it already had a full library of software ready to go -- any iPhone app could and would easily run on the iPad. That's a huge advantage for any platform starting out. But as time gets closer to the actual device release date, it seems more and more like what works on the iPhone won't do for the iPad and vice versa. Take a look at this screenshot of IM+ for the iPad above -- while the UI elements are the same in general, you can't do a dual pane set of controls like that on the iPhone.

The big question is what this means for development -- originally, Apple sounded like they wanted to just have one App Store that you could install apps to any of your devices from. But since iPad and iPhone development are already diverging so much, it's very likely that we'll see an actual separation in the store. Additionally, as teucher suggests, Apple may need to make a separation between full and minor apps on the iPhone itself -- an app like "Clock" doesn't really call for the whole screen. That's where a widget system might come into play.

March 17, 2010 1:18 PM EST
WIRED's iPad App Shown At SXSW

Wired rocks audience at SXSW with iPad demo from Mangrove on Vimeo.

Comment on this story »

March 17, 2010 10:43 AM EST
Apple adds sharing features, iPad interface tweaks to iWork.com beta

Apple this week quietly announced a handful of enhancements to its fledgeling iWork.com beta service, including the availability of new sharing features and improvements to the online service's user interface tailored for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Share documents on websites and social networks

More specifically, Apple said users can now create a public link that will allow them to shares documents with large groups or on websites and social networks. As such, there's no longer a need to set a password or send an invitation. Anyone with the public link can view documents shared in this manner, but cannot add comments or notes.

March 16, 2010 5:17 PM EST
IPad subscriptions could boost mag circulation

NEW YORK – Magazine publishers may have a new way to boost flagging circulation: the iPad.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations said Tuesday that it has changed its definition of a digital magazine to accommodate the new class of tablet-style devices.

The new rules allow publishers to count paid digital subscriptions as part of a magazine's overall circulation as long as all the same editorial and advertising material is included.

That means publishers can custom design their articles and photo spreads for Apple Inc.'s iPad, which goes on sale April 3. Without the rule change, they could only count digital editions that appear exactly the way they do in print.

March 16, 2010 1:14 PM EST
For NPR, the iPad Means a New App–And a New Web Site

Like many media companies, National Public Radio is scrambling to prepare an app in time for the iPad’s April 3 launch.

But the standoff between Apple (AAPL) and Adobe has prompted NPR to take on another engineering project at the same time: It is building a version of its Web site designed specifically for the iPad.

So if all goes as planned, iPad users who want to listen to NPR programming will have a couple choices next month. They can:

Download a free iPad-optimized version of the broadcaster’s popular (two million downloads) iPhone app. Or
Use the iPad’s browser to visit NPR.org, which will detect that it’s being viewed with Apple’s device and serve up a custom-built site. This means no trace of Adobe’s (ADBE) Flash, which is used to power graphics and media on the site.

March 16, 2010 9:23 AM EST
Apple Pushes Back Some iPad Accessories

Apple’s iPad is set to ship on April 3, but some of its accessories won’t make it in time for the launch party. Only the iPad Dock and VGA adapter will be available on the 3rd, and some accessories have been delayed into May.

The iPad Dock and iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter are listed as shipping by April 3 on Apple’s online store. The iPad Case, however, now shows a mid April ship date, and the iPad Keyboard Dock and USB Power Adapter have been pushed out to May.

The company also promised a camera card reader for the iPad, but that still isn’t listed as an accessory at the Apple Store.

March 15, 2010 9:46 PM EST
The iPad developer's challenge

iPhone and iPod Touch owners could breathe a sigh of relief when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad.

Apple's highly anticipated tablet computer would not, after all, require purchasing all new applications. Instead, everything in the App Store would automatically work on the iPad. As Jobs explained, tapping one button on the iPad screen transforms apps made for the 3.1-inch iPhone/iPod Touch screen to a snugger fit on the 9.7-inch iPad.

Simple, right? For the iPad owner, sure. But the iPad means bigger changes for the people who create these apps. Though the iPad has been dismissed by some as an oversized iPod Touch, it's definitely not, as those who attempt to make iPad apps or re-create iPhone apps for it will find out fast.

March 15, 2010 4:03 PM EST
Molding the iPad into a Business Tool

The Apple iPad has been available for pre-order for more than 24 hours now. Initial demand seems promising, although not everyone has embraced the concept of dedicating $500 or more to be an early adopter of a device that nobody really has all the details on just yet.

Not to sound like a broken record, but the iPad is a consumer device. Actually, as far as I am concerned anything with an Apple logo is--by default--intended primarily for a consumer audience. Despite the passionate zeal of the Apple faithful, you won't see any Fortune 500 companies lining up to dump Windows-based PC's for Macs, or BlackBerry smartphones for iPhones any time soon.

That said, the iPad--and other Apple devices--can be more than functional business tools as well. Most business professionals will need a little something more from the iPad than a music playing, e-book reading, Web surfing, movie watching tablet device.

March 15, 2010 9:42 AM EST
iPad Battery Replacement Includes new iPad

Since the iPad ships with a battery that isn’t user replaceable, potential customers have been asking how Apple will deal with dead batteries. The answer: Apple will send you a replacement iPad.

Apple’s Support Web site states “If your iPad requires service due to the battery’s diminished ability to hold an electrical charge, Apple will replace your iPad for a service fee.” That fee is US$105.95 — $99 for the replacement service, and $6.95 for shipping.

The replacement process will take about a week, and doesn’t include transferring data from your original iPad to your replacement. The iPad battery replacement process is handled by Apple’s own retail stores, Apple Technical Support, and Apple Authorized Service Providers.

Join our new forums and discuss the iPad!

March 15, 2010 8:39 AM EST
Estimate has Apple selling 120,000 iPads in first day

Apple may have moved nearly 120,000 iPads in just its first day of pre-orders, an estimate by private analysts at the AAPL Sanity board suggests. After excluding the 16,500 average orders on a given day, the collective has used the intervals between order numbers over 19.5 hours to estimate that about 119,987 iPads should have sold during that period. The statistic doesn't include those who simply reserved a unit in-store and potentially puts the actual launch day tally considerably higher.

The statistics also provide some possible insight into preferences for particular models. Apple's emphasis on price has had relatively little effect as the 99 orders used as the sample were equally divided between 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. The 3G version was noticeably less popular as only 31 percent of pre-orders chose that version, although its late April release date may hide actual demand as many could be holding off on 3G iPad purchases with over a month to wait.

March 13, 2010 8:46 AM EST
Apple iPad -- model A1337 -- phreaks the FCC

A pair of iPads was just revealed in the FCC's system in perfect synchrony with that little pre-order sitch with which you may or may not already be familiar. Apple, of course, has a track record of timing its FCC filings perfectly so that virtually nothing is revealed before Cupertino wants it to be, and frankly, you're not going to get much here that you didn't already know -- the photographs (both external and internal) and the user manual are all still under confidentiality. Both units were tested for WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, while one -- model number A1337 -- adds in GSM 850 / 1900 and UMTS 850 / 1900, so it appears that Apple has bundled all of its 3G and non-3G models into just two filings regardless of storage capacity. We caught A1337 flipping through an old issue of 2600, so for all we know, it socially engineered its way to FCC approval -- whatever it takes to make that late-April launch window, right?

March 12, 2010 4:45 PM EST
iPad 101: iPad AppleCare pros & cons

Considering AppleCare for your iPad? I know that I am. For $99, AppleCare extends your iPad warranty coverage to two years from the date of purchase. Although AppleCare tends to be expensive, for certain purchases it can really save you, especially for devices which run a higher risk of component failure over a lifetime of hard use -- such as laptops and other mobile tech.

Many Apple aficionados tend to avoid buying AppleCare for robust devices like the Mac mini series. Those units tend either to die right away or last forever. They are highly self-serviceable for anyone who has a reasonable degree of comfort with a screwdriver.

The iPad and the iPhone, on the other hand, can feel like accidents waiting to happen. Without a simple avenue for owner-repair, they are more of a black box purchase. And their components can and do die much more unexpectedly. In my history of purchasing iPhones and iPod touches, I have personally encountered video driver death and massive touchscreen failure.

March 12, 2010 4:04 PM EST
RUMOR: Apple hit with ‘overwhelming’ iPad orders; Apr. 3 in-store pickup in jeopardy for new orders

Multiple sources are reporting to us about telephone conversations they've had with Apple reps regarding changing their iPad orders from delivery to in-store pickup.

Multiple iPad buyers have been told that in order to do such a change, the delivery order would have to be cancelled and a new in-store pickup order completed, but that iPad orders (which began this morning at 8:30am EST) have been "so overwhelming" that new iPad orders may not be available for in-store pickup on April 3.

Currently, Apple's online store still states that those who reserve their iPads (Wi-Fi-only) will be able to pick them up at their local Apple Retail Store "between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on April 3."

Join our new forums and discuss the iPad!

March 12, 2010 1:52 PM EST
Apple Estimated to Have Taken 50,000 iPad Orders in First Two Hours

With iPad pre-orders having begun in the U.S. just a few hours ago, observers are looking for any signs that might indicate how sales are going. According to one report, two orders placed 30 minutes apart this morning resulted in Order ID numbers approximately 10,000 apart, suggesting a rate somewhere near 20,000 orders per hour if order numbers are issued sequentially as they appear to be.

Now, of course, we can't be sure every order was for an iPad. Apple does sell other stuff. But at 830am in the morning on the east coast, my guess is that most of the orders were for iPads.

Fortune has followed up with a report on a more organized effort that looks to be showing in excess of 50,000 orders in two hours, roughly in line with the earlier estimate.

"51,000 orders in two hours," announced Victor Castroll shortly after noon. He's an analyst with Valcent Financial Group and an AAPL Sanity member who, with the blogger-analyst who calls himself deagol, has been monitoring the spreadsheet.

March 12, 2010 10:37 AM EST
iPad 'Mute' button magically turns into 'screen rotation lock'

From 9to5mac.com:

The iPad is magic! That was then, this is now! Voilà!!

iPad 'Mute' button magically turns into 'screen rotation lock'

Another new fun fact: the iPad can also play Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format

March 12, 2010 9:48 AM EST
Apple Details iPad 3G Service Sign-Up and Management

With today's launch of iPad pre-orders in the U.S., Apple has also released additional information about the device and associated services. While 3G-capable models of the iPad will not be available until late April, Apple has provided an overview of how customers will sign up for and manage their 3G data service on the device.

As previously revealed, customers can choose from either of two contract-free data plans in the U.S. through AT&T: $14.99 per month for 250 MB or $29.99 for unlimited data. Customers can sign up for service directly on the iPad and can cancel or re-enroll at any time.

So if you have a business trip or vacation approaching, just sign up for the month you'll be traveling and cancel when you get back. You don't need to visit a store to get 3G service. You can sign up, check your data usage, manage your account, or cancel your service -- all from your iPad.

Data service is activated on the iPad through its Settings application, offering a simple screen allowing the user to select a plan and a credit card payment method.

March 12, 2010 9:11 AM EST
Apple limits iPad preorders to two per customer

Apple on Friday began accepting preorders for its multimedia iPad -- both the Wi-Fi and 3G models -- with reservations limited to two per customer and free hardware delivery on the April 3 launch date.

The iPad starts at $499 for the 16GB model with only Wi-Fi. The 32GB model costs $599 and the 64GB option runs $699. All three, if purchased via the Apple online store, will be delivered for free on April 3.

The models with both 3G and Wi-Fi carry a $130 premium, with the 16GB model costing $629, 32GB for $729 and 64GB for $829. Those models are due to ship in late April. Apple noted if Saturday delivery is not available in a customer's area, the iPad will be delivered on April 5.

The iPad also comes with complimentary telephone technical support for the first 90 days. The hardware, including the rechargeable battery and all accessories, carries a one year warranty. Coverage can be extended to two years with a $99 AppleCare protection plan.

March 12, 2010 6:28 AM EST
Apple to accept U.S. iPad preorders starting at 8:30 a.m. Eastern

Apple is set to take preorders for its highly anticipated iPad multimedia device Friday, and the company's Web site will begin accepting advance orders from customers at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, 5:30 a.m. Pacific.

Jim Dalrymple at The Loop reported Thursday that preorders for the Wi-Fi-only iPad will begin first-thing Friday morning. The Wi-Fi iPad is set to launch in the U.S. on April 3, with the 3G capable model coming later that month.

In addition, both the Wi-Fi and 3G models will be available in the U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Italy, Japan, Span and Switzerland in late April.

The iPad starts at $499 for the 16GB model with Wi-Fi, going up to $599 for 32GB and $699 for 64GB. The models with both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, compatible only with AT&T in the U.S., carry a $130 premium.

March 11, 2010 2:30 PM EST
iPad Pre-Ordering Begins Tomorrow: Important Details Confirmed

The long-awaited opportunity to pre-order the Apple iPad starts tomorrow. Although Apple announced over a week ago that iPad pre-ordering would begin on March 12th, 2010, Apple has been otherwise vague in the details they've volunteered. For those of you that plan to pre-order tomorrow, those details are likely very important.

What Apple did tell everyone in their press release was when the iPad would be available for pre-order on the 12th, and that both versions of the iPad (WiFi only and WiFi+3G) would be available for pre-order at that time. Following are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding pre-ordering of the Apple iPad which Apple's press release, and other iPad information, failed to make clear.

The Wi-Fi version of the iPad will be available on Saturday, April 3, in the United States, and the Wi-Fi plus 3G version will be available near the end of April. Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. will be able to get their hands on both models in late April, and in other countries later in the year.

March 11, 2010 1:36 PM EST
Barnes & Noble announces intent to release iPad e-reader app

Bookseller Barnes & Noble revealed Thursday its plans to release its bookstore and e-reading software for the iPad with an application that would compete with Apple's own iBookstore.

The free Barnes & Noble eReader application was released last July and now offers more than a million different titles. The company said it will release a new, iPad-specific version of the software around the time the iPad launches.

"Designed specifically for the iPad," the company said, "our new B&N eReader will give our customers access to more than one million eBooks, magazines and newspapers in the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, as well as the existing content in their Barnes & Noble digital library. (That includes eBooks and content customers have downloaded to their nook eBook reader.)"

March 11, 2010 12:52 PM EST
Apple Building Out eBook Categories Ahead of iPad Launch as Developers Update Apps

Forbes reports on information obtained by App Store research firm Busted Loop as part of its AppSlice project, revealing Apple's plans for eBook categories to be rolled out for its iBookstore.

AppSlice's findings point to a highly organized approach to bookselling. Apple has designated about 20 "top-level" categories for books, including "Fiction & Literature", "Reference," "Romance," "Cookbooks" and "Comics & Graphic Novels." Below those categories lie more than 150 sub-categories, including some very specific genres, such as "Manga" under "Comics & Graphic Novels," "Special Ingredients" under "Cookbooks," and "Etiquette" under "Reference." Some sub-categories, such as "Fantasy" and "Science Fiction & Literature," even have sub-sub-categories ("Historical" and "Paranormal," for example.) There are also two sections for "Erotica" books; one under "Fiction & Literature" and one under "Romance."

The report notes that the apparent categorization system for eBooks, which has reportedly changed several times since the iPad and iBookstore were announced January, appears to offer a great deal more specificity than Apple's App Store, which currently offers 20 different top-level categories with only its "Games" category offering sub-categories for further sorting.

March 11, 2010 9:24 AM EST
Apple's iPhone 4.0 software to deliver multitasking support

Apple this summer will go a long way towards silencing critics and catering to one of the most prevalent demands of its iPhone user base, when it introduces a multitasking solution through the handset's 4.0 software update that will finally allow several third party apps to run concurrently and in the background.

People with a proven track record in predicting Apple's technological advances tell AppleInsider that the Cupertino-based company has developed a "full-on solution" to multitasking on the iPhone OS but offered no specifics on how the technology would optimize resource conservation and battery life -- two of the most critical issues surrounding the matter, alongside security.

From a user-facing perspective, Apple plans to deliver a multi-tasking manager that leverages interface technology already bundled with its Mac OS X operating system, according to those same people. It was requested that specifics be withheld at this time, as the iPhone Software 4.0 remains under development and reportedly has a quite 'way to go' before it's ready for prime time.

March 11, 2010 8:22 AM EST
What the iPad could mean for print

Apple's new digital reader could well be a boon

The publishing industry is at a real crossroads when it comes to digital media, and the success or failure of the iPad could have a huge impact on its development going forward. So says a new report from eMarketer, which examines paid e-publishing content for books, magazines and newspapers. It concludes that while e-books will continue to show strong growth over the next few years, the digital future is murkier for newspapers and magazines, which are still trying to figure out how to monetize themselves online. Many have embraced Apple's soon-to-debut iPad as the publishing industry's savior, but it remains to be seen whether consumers will be as keen on the device. Still, having seen how Apple's iPod revolutionized the music industry a decade ago, publishers are trying to keep some control of how their e-content is developed. In the meantime, newspapers are grappling with whether to wall off their content, and magazines are watching newspapers' decisions closely while developing their own digital newsstand consortium. Paul Verna, senior analyst at eMarketer, talks to Media Life about the iPad, its potential for advertising, and the future of newspaper paywalls.

March 11, 2010 8:14 AM EST
Why iPad Is the 'Children's Toy of the Year'

Apple yesterday released the fourth beta version of the SDK for iPad developers, and observers have started to find a few differences popping up in the latest update.

Have you ever seen a 4-year-old play with an iPhone? It's actually kind of shocking. Kids take to the iPhone's multitouch user interface like they do trucks or dolls. They instinctively know that the iPhone is a toy, and they nag, cajole and harass their parents into letting them play with it.

Every time I spend time with any of my nephews or nieces, they never fail to ask me if they can borrow my iPhone. When I cave and hand it over, they immediately know what to do, and have an encyclopedic knowledge of which iPhone apps they want to play with.

YouTube hosts a huge number of videos of very young kids playing with iPhones -- even 1-year-olds.

March 10, 2010 4:24 PM EST
New iPad SDK Adds Gesture Tools, Removes Video Chat Icons

Apple yesterday released the fourth beta version of the SDK for iPad developers, and observers have started to find a few differences popping up in the latest update.

9 to 5 Mac reports that Apple has added support for "3Tap" and "LongPress" gestures to the SDK, suggesting that the company is opening the door for developers to take advantage of these gestures in their applications. The gestures themselves are not new, as Apple has utilized them for such options as turning the iPhone's display on and off when using VoiceOver (triple tap) and activating copy/cut/paste (long press), but the added files should make it easier for developers to use them.

9 to 5 Mac also notes that Apple has removed several icons that previously hinted at the ability to accept or decline video chats on the iPad. Despite the apparent absence of a camera in the iPad, hooks for videoconferencing were discovered in the iPad SDK, leading to speculation that either a camera would be an added feature announced before launch or had been planned and was scrapped for unknown reasons. Hints of front-facing camera capabilities have continued to surface in iPad SDK betas, but it appears that Apple has begun removing some of these references.

March 10, 2010 2:20 PM EST
Apple iPad expected to be more popular than forecast

Apple's new iPad tablet has made waves in the blogosphere - and it appears that analysts covering Apple stock are taking note of the device, too.

One analyst, Yair Reiner of Oppenheimer, expects Apple to ship 10 million iPads by year-end, according to a Fortune magazine blog. Analyst Ben Reitzes of Barclays anticipates that the iPad's international introduction will happen more quickly than has been forecast.

And their optimism may not be unfounded: Past Apple products - the iPod and the iPhone - became massive hits in the marketplace. But it wasn't until the second generation of those devices was released that sales really took off.

March 10, 2010 12:28 PM EST
iPad Delays: The Guesswork Heats Up

Analysts are trying to draw a bead on Apple(AAPL) iPad numbers ahead of the April 3 debut, but the target is still moving.

Production problems have been confirmed -- and refuted. Delays have been deemed minor, while others call them nonexistent. All the contradictory speculation points to a building drama ahead of Apple's first new product in three years.

Apple's winning streak rides on continued sales growth, and the biggest test of that trend is the iPad, a pet project of CEO Steve Jobs and a sleek, colorful take on the leader in this race, Amazon's(AMZN) Kindle.

Fans welcome the 9.5-inch media player/Web viewer that brings Apple's deft touchscreen technology to a bigger screen. Apple iPad skeptics call it a vanity device with strong niche potential and little attraction to those outside Apple's core fan base.

Given the importance, analysts are eager to put some numbers on the iPad, both in production estimates and sales projections.

March 10, 2010 11:25 AM EST
The iPad changes everything

Will Apple’s tablet usher in a new era of computing, or simply dominate it?

Chipmaker Nvidia is helping invent a slew of cool technologies that hold the potential to change the way we work and play. The company, which makes processors that enhance images and boost the brawn of computers and phones, is pushing 3-D entertainment into homes and high-def video onto handsets. But the gadget Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang is most excited about? Touchscreen tablets such as Apple's forthcoming iPad.

"We have found our most personal computer," declares Huang, who notes that Nvidia (NVDA) is working on 50 different tablets. "This is big, and it's going to change the computer industry."

Not all of Huang's peers share his unbridled enthusiasm for tablets in general, and for Apple's (AAPL) version in particular. If the iPad, which will retail for as little as $499, is a success, it could indeed change the computing industry, but not necessarily to the liking of some of its biggest players.

March 10, 2010 7:43 AM EST
Apple Releases iPhone SDK 3.2 Beta 4 for iPad

Apple today released iPhone SDK 3.2 Beta 4 via the iPhone Dev Center, offering developers updated tools for building applications for the iPad. The last update to the SDK was issued two weeks ago, continuing a trend of biweekly revisions.

There is no word yet on changes in the new version, but users with access to the SDK are undoubtedly already looking through the software to document the revisions.

March 9, 2010 12:11 PM EST
Analyst: iPad Likely to Drive Recurring Sales for Apple, Publishers

Apple's iPad will hit store shelves on April 3, and Broadpoint AmTech analyst Brian Marshall thinks it will become a great recurring sales platform for publishers, broadcasters and app developers.

"In our view, the true genius of the device is its media/content aspects (e.g. eBooks, newspapers and magazines, apps and games, movies and TV episodes, etc.) which we believe will be recurring in nature," Mr. Marshall said. "In fact, we estimate iPad-related recurring revenue from content purchases will approach about 30 percent of total iPad hardware revenue in calendar year 2011."

Apple introduced the iPad in January and will begin taking pre-orders on March 12. The iPad is a tablet device that runs the iPhone OS and includes a 9.7-inch multitouch display. It supports movie and music playback, includes an ebook reader, supports most iPhone apps, and connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi or 3G wireless data connections.

March 9, 2010 9:24 AM EST
A look at the framework of Apple's iPad ad

The iPad, like the iPhone, used the Oscars to make its ad debut. As is typical with an Apple ad, the iPad's ad featured a montage of different uses for the device, all while set to the backdrop of a catchy tune.

In making his case for the iPad, Apple CEO Steve Jobs noted that it would offer a better experience than a smartphone and a notebook computer in the following areas:

Browsing
Email
Photos
Videos
Music
Games
eBooks

March 9, 2010 8:48 AM EST
Content sales predicted to near 30% of iPad hardware revenue

The sale of applications, e-books, newspapers and magazines for the iPad is predicted to equal nearly 30 percent of the revenue Apple will earn from selling the hardware by the end of 2011.

Analyst Brian Marshall with Broadpoint.AmTech issued a note to investors Tuesday forecasting the "sticky" nature of the iPad and content purchases for the new device. He believes content revenue will top 10 percent of total iPad hardware revenue by December of 2010, and a year later that number will nearly triple.

"We believe the iPad offers a rich media experience that will translate into a content-based recurring revenue stream over time," Marshall wrote.

March 9, 2010 8:42 AM EST
Rumor: Some iPhone Apps Scrapped From iPad by Steve Jobs

DaringFireball’s John Gruber claims hearing from “well-informed little birdies” that the iPad will ship without some apps that were included on the iPhone.

In his blog post today, Gruber responds to a question I posed last week about iPhone apps that appear to be missing from the iPad. Apple’s iPad press materials suggest the device will ship with 12 built-in apps, and noticeably missing are a few wares that came with the iPhone: Stocks, Calculator, Clock, Weather and Voice Memos. So what exactly is going to happen to them when the iPad launches in April?

Gruber, who’s accurately leaked some Apple rumors in the past, cites anonymous sources who say Steve Jobs scrapped the apps in question because they didn’t look or feel right when refitted for the iPad’s bigger screen.

Join our new forums and discuss the iPad!

March 9, 2010 12:14 AM EST
The iPad Boom Begins: Accessory Makers Rush to Market

Stephen Colbert has clout. He begged for a new Apple iPad on The Colbert Report, then presented at the Grammys a few days later with one of the newly announced devices in hand. Chances are, his next thought after showing off the tablet to a room full of envious music celebrities was to outfit his new prize with a case and screen protector. Colbert won't have to wait long, as hordes of accessory makers are designing, manufacturing, and bringing to market a new wave of add-ons and protective gear in time for the official availability of the iPad in April.

On January 27, CEO Tim Hickman and the employees of his accessory startup Hard Candy Cases in Danville, CA, gathered around a computer in the conference room, watching as Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad. "We were continuing our design session in real time and refining the design as much as possible. Our goal was to start the tooling process within 48 hours of the announcement," says Hickman. In no time, Hard Candy Cases had images of a new iPad case up on their blog.

March 8, 2010 6:56 AM EST
Like iPhone, iPad ad premieres at Oscars

Talk about big premieres. Like it did with the iPhone and its "Hello" ad, Apple used the Oscars as the platform to debut its iPad commercial. The ad, set to the background of The Blue Van's "There Goes My Love," shows the iPad being used in a variety of ways: viewing a movie, reading an eBook, displaying photos, editing an iWork document and viewing email among them. The ad follows Apple's recent announcement that pre-orders for the device will be accepted beginning March 12, with shipments slated for April 3.

March 7, 2010 6:37 AM EST
Steve Jobs tells Swedish DJ that the iPad won't tether to the iPhone

Not content with answering tech questions from Americans, Steve Jobs this week answered a question from all the way over in Sweden.

The question was a good one, and one we've had on our minds as well:

I'll keep it short.

I'm Jezper from Sweden, a long time Apple fan, currently about to replace the very last computer at home with a brand spanking new iMac i7. I'm also awaiting the release of the iPad. However, I have one question:

Will the wifi-only version somehow support tethering thru my iPhone?

March 6, 2010 8:04 AM EST
iPad Poised to Grab Significant Portion of e-Reader Market

Last week, RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky released the results of a survey showing pent-up demand for the iPad exceeding that of the original iPhone, highest customer demand for low-capacity Wi-Fi-only and high-capacity 3G-enabled iPads, and moderate cannibalization of other Apple products by the iPad.

ChangeWave today released additional data from the survey, showing Apple poised to take the top spot among e-reader purchasers over the next 90 days, with 40% of purchasers in the survey planning to opt for an iPad. Amazon's Kindle holds the second spot in the survey at 28%, with Barnes and Noble's Nook placing third at only 6%.

"In short, while the iPad launch is likely to strengthen overall e-Reader demand, the survey suggests Amazon and its competitors could well find themselves relegated to playing catch-up within just a few quarters if they don't preemptively move quickly to upgrade their own e-Readers."

March 5, 2010 8:52 AM EST
Apple iPad to arrive in U.S. on April 3, preorders begin March 12

Apple has announced that its long-awaited iPad will be available for purchase for consumers starting on Saturday, April 3, while pre-orders for the multi-touch device will begin on March 12.

While the Wi-Fi model will be the only available at first, the 3G-capable iPad is expected to arrive in late April. In addition, all versions of the hardware will be available in the U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Italy, Japan, Span and Switzerland in late April.

Preorders for the iPad will begin on March 12, with both the Wi-Fi and 3G models available for reserve from apple.com. The Wi-Fi model will be available in-store as well on Saturday, April 3. That date is just a few days later than the 60-day launch window Apple announced at the device's unveiling in late January.

March 4, 2010 12:21 PM EST
More Analyst Claims of iPad Production Delays Surface

The Wall Street Journal reports on a new note from research firm ThinkEquity claiming that the Apple's manufacturing partners in Taiwan are in fact experiencing delays in ramping up iPad production ahead of the device's launch announced for later this month. According to the report:

"Our checks in Taiwan indicate some minor delays on the iPad. The manufacturing of the iPads was supposed to pick up in February, but volumes even in March are still low. Current volumes are much lower than the market expected but most checks are indicating minor delays. The delays do not appear to be a glass or manufacturing process delays."

Barron's is also reporting on the news, citing expected shipments of 200,000-250,000 units for this month before ramping up to 800,000-1,000,000 units per month in the April-May timeframe. Earlier claims had suggested that Apple had been looking at having 1,000,000 units ready for deployment at launch.

March 4, 2010 12:10 PM EST
Apple's iPad expected to be part of 10.5M tablets shipped in 2010

The buzz kickstarted by Apple with its long-awaited iPad is expected to produce a total of 10.5 million shipped tablet devices in 2010, representing a new and significant change for the PC market.

Gartner revealed Thursday its formal predictions for 2010, with the analysis firm expecting PC shipments to grow 20 percent by the end of the calendar year. A significant part of that growth will come from tablet PCs and next-generation tablet devices like the Apple iPad.

"User requirements are clearly segmenting, and the mini-notebook proved this point," said Ranjit Atwal, principal analyst at Gartner. "Vendors can no longer afford to just think in terms of traditional PC form factors or architectures. With the rise of Web-delivered applications, many users no longer need a traditional PC running a resident general-purpose operating system and fast x86 CPU to satisfy their computing needs."

March 3, 2010 11:18 AM EST
Murdoch confirms WSJ iPad plans, cites extreme secrecy

A specific Wall Street Journal effort for the iPad is in development, confirms Rupert Murdoch, the CEO of the newspaper's parent company, News Corp.. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is said to have been visiting the Journal and other publications in recent weeks, demonstrating the iPad in an attempt to sell them on the platform. Any WSJ iPad app is likely to expand on the current iPhone title, offering features like native resolution and inline video.

Apple continues to impose extreme security measures on iPad development. The Journal has access to just one pre-release tablet, according to Murdoch, and it is "under padlock and key." The magnate adds that the key is "turned by Apple every night," in a statement which may imply that even preferred developers are not trusted enough to prevent leaks.

March 3, 2010 9:02 AM EST
Foxconn: iPad on track, 600K due in March

Talk of an iPad shortage in March was rejected today in a reported leak from within Foxconn's own part suppliers. They claim that the components are on track and that Apple should get about 600,000 to 700,000 iPads in March, or at least twice as many as suggested by one Canaccord Adams analyst. The same sources also tell DigiTimes that 1 million of the tablets are expected in April and that they still expect Apple to launch the hardware on time.

Fears of a shortfall were originally sparked after talk of a possible but still unnamed glitch in production. The shortfall, if true, would risk delaying the entire launch schedule or else creating a longer-term shortage.

March 2, 2010 2:14 PM EST
iPad: Apple store employees will experience device on March 10

Apple store employees may complain that they are underpaid. However, they will get the first glimpse of the hottest gadget in years, the iPad, on March 10. This will be around the time training begins for the device. We not only heard this from inside sources, but confirmed it with an Apple Store manager in Southern California who wishes not to be named.

Here are some other interesting roots from the grapevine:

The actual release date hasn't been set, but March 26 is very likely.
The 3G versions won't be available until April or May.
Commercials will start airing on March 15. E-book capabilities will be emphasized.
People who camp out for the iPad lauch will receive a "special gift."

March 2, 2010
AT&T CEO sees iPad mostly used on Wi-Fi

AT&T Inc expects users of Apple Inc's iPad to mostly connect to the Internet using sort-range Wi-Fi networks rather than AT&T's cellular network, the Chief Executive of AT&T said on Tuesday.

While AT&T has agreed to prove wireless connections to the iPad tablet computer, Randall Stephenson said he doesn't expect the device to result in many new service subscriptions for AT&T as consumers will instead use Wi-Fi or prepaid services, where they do not subscribe to a service contract.

March 2, 2010
Is the iPad launch really delayed?

"The upcoming iPad launch may be somewhat limited as a manufacturing bottleneck has impacted production of Apple's newest device," Misek wrote. "An unspecified production problem at the iPad's manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision, will likely limit the launch region to the U.S. and the number of units available to roughly 300K in the month of march, far lower than the company's initial estimate of 1,000K units."

While Apple is being quiet about the rumored production delays, Wired.com said an Apple spokeswoman told it that the "iPad will be available in late March." In other words, there is no change in the shipping schedule.

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March 2, 2010
The iPad Catalyst Will Light a Lot of Fires

I think we're going to get a lot of fantastic content options for mobile devices in 2010, even if you don't pony up for an iPad. While the iPad will likely be a raging success, it'll also help generate a market for alternatives. The question is, can we credit -- or blame -- the iPad for generating all this mobile action? Maybe not the iPad alone, but it's certainly the latest catalyst.

March 2, 2010
'Free iPad' scam spreading on Facebook and Twitter, warns Sophos

It's a day for scams. Think you've been given the chance to sign up as an iPad tester via Facebook? No you haven't - it's a scam which actually signs you up to a premium rate mobile service, warns the security company Sophos.

"Facebook pages with names such as "iPad Researchers Wanted - Get An iPad Early And Keep It!" and "The Mega iPad Giveaway!" prey on the public's desire to own a free iPad," notes Sophos.

March 1, 2010
Apple iPad production hit by 'manufacturing bottleneck'

Availability of Apple's forthcoming iPad may be limited when it launches later this month, due to an "unspecified production problem" that could restrict the number of shipped units to just 300,000.

In a note to investors issued Monday, analyst Peter Misek with Canaccord Adams said the issues could limit the initial launch to be in the U.S. only. He also speculated that Apple could even delay the launch of the iPad by a month due to alleged production issues.

"The upcoming iPad launch may be somewhat limited as a manufacturing bottleneck has impacted production of Apple's newest device," Misek wrote. "An unspecified production problem at the iPad's manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision, will likely limit the launch region to the US and the number of units available to roughly 300K in the month of march, far lower than the company's initial estimate of 1,000K units."

March 1, 2010
Condé Nast Is Preparing iPad Versions of Some of Its Top Magazines

Condé Nast’s plans for the iPad tablet computer from Apple are getting firmer.

The first magazines for which it will create iPad versions are Wired, GQ, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Glamour, the company plans to announce in an internal memorandum on Monday.

GQ will have a tablet version of its April issue ready. Vanity Fair and Wired will follow with their June issues, and The New Yorker and Glamour will have issues in the summer (the company has not yet determined the exact timing for those).

March 1, 2010
What the iPad might mean for libraries

By Christopher Harris - The critical question for me right now is whether, given a choice, without a nurtured bias for paper books, children would select a traditional, printed volume or a digitally enriched electronic version. Not what we would select, but what our students would choose. We know children aren’t born with the love and respect we have for print books; consider volumes from your own collection, which young ones have drawn in, gnawed upon, or otherwise destroyed. So why are we often so intent on imposing our preferences on our students?

I ponder this, not only as a steward of information in all its myriad forms, but also as a new father. Now, more than ever, I feel a duty to both respect the nurtured love of bound books currently pervasive in our culture and encourage a natural exploration of other possible forms of books. I assume that my daughter and her generation will be naturally bilingual when it comes to print and digital reading; what’s exciting is that digital is almost guaranteed to be her primary language, thanks to devices like the new Apple iPad.

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iPad news updates from iPadLot.com - your #1 news source for everything related to the iPad. We have all of the latest iPad news and iPad accessories for Apple's new tablet.

iPad News and Updates - March 2010

iPad news updates from iPadLot.com - your
#1 news source for everything related to the iPad.
We have all of the latest iPad news and iPad
accessories for Apple's new tablet.