Take this one with a grain of salt, but “DigiTimes” (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100407PD226.html) says Apple is reportedly scheduling a smaller 5- to 7-inch version of the iPad that is expected to launch as soon as the first quarter of 2011, according to research senior analyst Mingchi Kuo.
Read MoreEarlier this month, Mac guru Ted Landau blogged (http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/who_needs_an_optical_drive_anymore_not_me/) that he doesn’t need an optical drive anymore. That’s an interesting premise, but, unlike Ted, I don’t think I’m ready to take that plunge.
Ted says that broadband Internet connections, the iTunes Store, the Apple TV, the iPad and such technologies have made it possible for him to do all the things he once needed an optical disk for (installing new software, playing movie and music disks, burning backup data, etc.) without the physical media.
Read MoreWe’ve got our Macs, iPhones, iPods and, now, our iPads. That’s all well and good, but we still have to be careful or we lose our ability to communicate. Admittedly, that sounds like a contradiction.
Read MoreThere are rumors that Apple has acquired a chip company called Intrinsity. And the company’s web site (http://www.intrinsity.com/) is currently down for “scheduled maintenance.”
Intrinsity specializes in ARM processors. In fact, according to “engadget” (http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/03/is-intrinsity-apples-latest-chipmaker-acquisition/), there’s “speculation that Intrinsity may have actually contributed as much or more to the A4 processor in the iPad than P.A. Semi has.”
Read MoreAs you’ve doubtless observed, the iPad is getting a TON of coverage. Here’s a few of the interesting iPad quips I’ve come across.
“There has only been one iPad ad shown (during the Superbowl) and the amount of free advertising this thing is getting is nothing short of amazing. Wherever you go and whatever you read has coverage of the device. ”
“I’ve never seen people come downstairs so fast. I don’t even ring the bell and they’re at the door.” — a UPS driver on the Saturday morning iPad deliveries he’s been making.