Year: 2010

I’ve argued repeatedly that the iPad should be considered a personal computer — and Goldman Sachs hardware analyst Bill Shope agrees with me. In a note to clients on Monday — as reported by “Tech Trader Daily” (http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/12/13/apple-ipad-mac-12-pc-market-share-says-goldman/?mod=yahoobarrons) — the analyst only sees computer sales growing 8% next year, but is more bullish on tablet computers, especially the iPad.

As Apple prepares to launch the Mac App Store next month, a rival effort is underway by Cydia (http://cydia.saurik.com) — a popular app store alternative destination for the estimated 10% of owners of jailbroken iPhones — is planning a competitor, reports “PC World” (http://www.pcworld.com/article/213399/apple_nemesis_to_offer_mac_app_store_alternative.html?).

The magazine publishing company, Future, has unveiled 14 new titles for the iPad, each a tablet-specific niche brand that hadn’t existed in print. However, “each is a timeless one-off, designed to attract a large number of single-copy sales this coming New Year,” says “mocoNews” (http://moconews.net/article/419-future-sees-ipad-as-a-bookazine-vehicle-for-now/).

Billionaire investor Paul Allen’s patent lawsuit against Apple and other high technology companies has hit a snag as a federal judge in Seattle dismissed the complaint for not describing its allegations specifically enough, reports the “Wall Street Journal” (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704058704576015820206375808.html).

Apple’s Ping has added the ability to build and share playlists. Now users can import playlists from iTunes, build playlists in the iTunes social networking service, and let Ping friends add to their playlists.

Ping lets you follow your favorite artists, see what they’re up to, check out photos and videos they’ve posted, see their tour dates and read comments about other artists and albums they’re listening to. In addition, you can post your thoughts and opinions, your favorite albums and songs, the music you’ve downloaded from iTunes and the concerts you plan to attend.