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Apple's iPad: Ready, Set, Launch!
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Voice Quality Feature


January 29, 2010

Apple's iPad: Ready, Set, Launch!

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor


Those who are eagerly anticipating the launch of Apple’s new iPad like caught Apple’s (News - Alert) CEO Steve Jobs unwrapping the new device and pitching its low price recently. Reuters reported in CNBC that Jobs took center stage at a packed theater on Wednesday to reveal the next “Apple Toy.”

 
Jobs showed off the sleek, half-inch thick tablet computer with a 9.7-inch touch screen. The highly anticipated device can run movies, games and virtually unlimited applications. 

To challenge the market share of devices like Amazon’s Kindle, Apple has also announced a digital bookstore, aptly named iBooks. This new online store will let customers buy from publishers include Pearson’s Penguin, News Corp’s (News - Alert) HarperCollins and Hachette Book Group.

'What once occupied half your living room can now be dropped in a bag,' NPD analyst Ned May, told in CNBC. 'It's pulling together a variety of needs (in) a universal entertainment device.'

Apple plans to sell the iPad starting in late March for the rock-bottom price of $499 for 16 gigabytes of storage – its entry level model. For an additional $130, the device will come equipped with third-generation wireless capability.

'Pricing is very aggressive, so it's pretty positive from a mass adoption perspective. It was about $200 lower than what I was expecting,' Brian Marshall, an analyst with Broadpoint Amtech (News - Alert), said.

AT&T will offer the data plan for the iPad. The company beat out top competitor Verizon Wireless for exclusive support of the device. With this deal, shares of AT&T – which also exclusively carries the iPhone – rose 1.14 percent while Verizon (News - Alert) Communications fell about 1 percent.

While other providers have failed to produce a tablet that would meet consumer demand, Apple is hoping it will convince people of their value. Apple needs another star product as sales of the iPod continue to wane due to saturation of the market.

In other Apple news, it is now finally possible that VoIP over 3G is finally, officially allowed on iPhone (News - Alert) and iPad devices. One of those stoked about 3G connectivity and allowance of VoIP over the network is TMC’s own gadget blogger and Chief Technology Officer Tom Keating.

At the same time, Apple's iPhone “is sounding a wake-up call in South Korea's once-closed smartphone market as local manufacturers and service carriers rush to compete with the iconic U.S. model,” according to Agence France-Presse.

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Amy Tierney


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