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Editorial: Turning point for the tortoise and the hare
That meteor shower was a bust. I'll never get back the five minutes I spent waiting to be awed. Anyone similarly impatient will be in gratification heaven for the next week, as the biggest cosmic bodies in the tech cosmos streak across the sky with announcements, device releases, price shifts and earnings reports. Tossing astronomy aside for its failure to bedazzle, I turn to astrology to illuminate the upcoming eventful days. From a This Week in Astronomy blog: "A Venus-Pluto-Uranus T-square will be testing relationships and finances. The Sun enters Scorpio and aspects every slower planet except Pluto, and there's an intense Mars-Jupiter opposition." I don't understand most of that, but I know about opposition. That fits. The energy of opposition crackles in the ecosystem warfare waged this week by Apple, Microsoft and Google. Switching now from inscrutable astrology to fables (because next to cosmic messaging I like simple allegories to explain life), we can see that the slow-but-steady tortoise is placing the most audacious bet.
Paid iBookstore content now live in New Zealand, 17 other countries
It looks like e-book lovers around the world can definitely look forward to tomorrow's expected iPad mini reveal, as paid iBookstore content has just gone live in 17 new countries. If a smaller iPad is indeed in the cards -- and we're pretty sure it is -- it will compete directly with Amazon's Kindle line. Expanding the company's e-book offerings might be a good indication of how Apple will angle its announcement to appeal to would-be Kindle buyers. The full list of countries getting refreshed iBookstore content is as follows: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela. This news also matches up nicely with the recent discovery of titles in the iBookstore referencing the as-yet unannounced iBooks 3.0 platform in their descriptions. Apple launching a smaller iPad with a focus on reading and education is something our own Erica Sadun is already betting on, and these two clues seem to support that theory quite nicely.
Join us on 10/23: TUAW metaliveblog of Apple's October Event
Join us here tomorrow at 10AM PT (1PM ET) as TUAW metaliveblogs Apple's October Event. As the invitation says, Apple has a little more to show us. Is it a new mini iPad? Updated Macs? We'll all find out together. Please accept TUAW's invitation for fun, live blogging and lots of product coverage. We can't wait to see you tomorrow!
Apple's iPad mini event happens tomorrow, get your liveblog here!
It seems like just yesterday we were reporting on the launch of the iPhone 5, but already Apple has something else exciting to show us. What could it be? An iPad mini? A 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display? A new iMac? All of the above? We'd love to have you along as we find out, and the quickest way to take it all in is to watch the event brought to you live through our dynamic liveblog experience. You can find that if you set your browser at this URL at the time listed below: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/23/apple-ipad-mini-liveblog/ October 23, 2012 1:00 PM EDT
Bloomberg: Apple event to focus on education
Tomorrow's Apple event might bring one thing in addition to a new, smaller iPad -- it might bring millions of new sales for the device to cash-strapped school systems around the country. Bloomberg reports that the iPad has made huge inroads in the education market where the Mac couldn't. In many cases, school systems that would have preferred Macs simply couldn't afford the "Apple Tax" and bought systems from Lenovo, Dell and other manufacturers instead. When the iPad arrived, those schools suddenly had a way to buy Apple gear at a much lower price point. It's expected that Apple will make education a focal point of tomorrow's event as a result. Bloomberg notes that the educational IT market accounted for US$19.7 billion in sales in 2010-2011, and with school systems dropping desktops and laptops for mobile devices, Apple has a sterling opportunity to increase sales in the market. Many educators believe that a device priced in the $200-$300 range would drastically increase purchases of the iPad in schools. Since the launch of the third-generation iPad earlier this year, many school systems have embraced WiFi iPad 2s, which are available on educational discount for as little as $370 loaded with educational apps.
Rumor Roundup: A little more to show you
If this week's flurry of rumors are to be believed, not only has the iPad mini finally graduated from mythical unicorn status to "shipping soon" after over two years of rumors, it's also going to share the stage with updates to virtually every other product Apple makes. "How is Apple going to cram all this into one keynote?" you may ask. It's a fair question, and the answer is simple: they probably won't bother. Rumored updates to the Mac mini and iMac in particular sound like they're just processor/RAM bumps of the existing models, unlikely to be worthy of mention at Apple's media event. After each product that was the focus of rumors this week, I've put in my guess for how likely it is to get specifically mentioned at the upcoming event. 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display: 90 percent Let's Get Small: 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina Will Join iPad Mini at Apple Event (AllThingsD) "Sources familiar with Apple's plans" confirmed the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is coming to a keynote stage near you, complete with a 2,560 x 1,600 pixel display. AllThingsD's sources are usually spot on when it comes to these last-minute revelations, so I'll buy this rumor for a dollar. Estimated prices on 13-inch Retina MacBook Pros: Starts around U$1,699 (9to5 Mac) Leaked pricing information seems to indicate the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display will start at $500 less than its 15-inch big brother. Makes sense. 13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro Said to Carry 'Unprecedented' Battery Design, Same Port Layout as 15-Inch Model (MacRumors) Spyshots of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display show a design pretty much identical to the 15-inch model, just smaller. No real surprises there. Followup pics show a fully-assembled model. Seemingly concrete evidence has come from a wide variety of sources makes the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display seem like a very safe bet. Mac mini and iMac: 10 percent Apple also planning new Mac minis for launch alongside smaller iPad Apple is doubling its built-to-order RAM configurations for new Mac minis, and likely iMacs (9to5 Mac) Those of you who are unabashed Mac mini fans are likely excited by this news, but spec bumps just aren't sexy enough for the rest of us. Unless Apple's adding something else in addition to beefier numbers on its desktop Macs, I wouldn't expect them to get mentioned at the event at all. iPad mini: 100 percent I've spent the past two years being skeptical that this product existed or that it ever would exist, but for better or worse it seems to be coming, and it's likely to be the main focus of the event. Exclusive: 'iPad mini' part numbers reveal Apple plans 12 configurations in two colors (AppleInsider) Supposedly the iPad mini will come in 24 different flavors, with two colors, four different storage capacities, and WiFi-only plus 3G/LTE-capable models. None of that is unexpected except for the wide breadth of storage capacities; the iPad has only ever come in three different capacities, with 16 GB at the low end. AppleInsider suggests the iPad mini might come in a cheaper 8 GB model, but this seems unlikely considering how huge iOS apps' sizes have become over the past two years. Photos of 4:3 Display from Apple's 'iPad Mini' Surface (MacRumors) Photos show an LG-built display matching the purported size of the iPad mini's display. No one put this display under the microscope to determine its pixel density, but thus far all the rumors have pointed to a non-Retina display 1,024 x 768 resolution for the 7.85-inch display. Every five 'iPad mini' sales projected to cannibalize one full-size iPad (AppleInsider) Analyst Gene Munster crunched some numbers and decided that the iPad mini will sell 5 million units during the upcoming holiday quarter. According to him, that means sales of full-sized iPads will go down by 1 million units. He expects total iPad sales of 25 million units this quarter: 5 million iPad minis and 20 million iPads. If you think it's weird to start making projections like this before Apple even shows the thing onstage, you're not alone. It will be interesting to revisit this claim in about three months and see whether Munster got it right or not. Apple's smaller iPad forecast to become 'competition's worst nightmare' (AppleInsider) Another analyst says Apple doesn't need to compete on price with the iPad mini, because it's going to kick competing tablets' butts up and down the block no matter how much it costs. He says a Nexus-like $199 price entry for the iPad mini doesn't make sense, and $299 is more likely. On the other hand... Apple's smaller iPad to likely start at a minimum of $329 in the U.S. (9to5 Mac) 9to5 Mac's "best guess" is $329. I don't buy that price at all; Apple's a fan of nice, round numbers for its introductory pricing of premium products, a bit of psychological trickery that's taught in Marketing 101. $299 seems more likely. Several reporting iPad mini will ship and hit stores Nov. 2 (9to5 Mac and many others) Multiple sources are claiming the iPad mini will be on store shelves less than two weeks after its unveiling. Apple predicted to phase out iPad 2 to streamline product line for 'iPad mini' (AppleInsider) Some analyst thinks Apple will discontinue the iPad 2 in order to "make room" for the iPad mini in Apple's product lineup -- a question we put to our TUAW reader braintrust over the weekend. This claim makes a lot more sense than typical analyst meanderings; I can't think of many reasons to recommend an iPad 2 over a smaller iPad with the same display resolution. Battery life, maybe. Full-size iPad refresh: 50 percent New full-sized iPad with improved internals, Lightning connector to be announced next week at current prices (9to5 Mac) Rumor: Image allegedly shows 9.7-inch iPad with Lightning port (AppleInsider) This isn't the first time rumors of a mid-cycle refresh of the "new iPad" a.k.a. iPad 3 have been voiced, but from my perspective they still don't make much sense. I'm having a tough time figuring out who benefits from changing up the mainstream iPad's design six months after its introduction. Consumers don't benefit from the new Lightning connector, because it's still relatively new and has much fewer accessories than the old-school 30-pin connector. Apple doesn't seem to benefit either, because its suppliers have to re-tool significantly for a device that's presumably midway through its product cycle. You can argue that it simplifies production having the Lightning connector on both the iPad and iPad mini, but in that case why not put Lightning connectors on the iPhone 4 and 4S, too? Only one thing is certain: if an updated, full-sized iPad does come out this week, expect an X-Class solar flare of nonsensical Nerd Rage to sweep across the internet over how Apple "obsoleted" the new iPad after only six months. Other iTunes leaks mention of iBooks 3.0 ahead of next week's Apple media event (9to5 Mac) A couple books in the iBookstore say they require iBooks 3.0 or later. The immediate assumption might be that this is merely a typo, but books so labeled aren't fully compatible with the current 2.0 version of the iBooks app. Our own Erica Sadun is convinced that iBooks and textbooks will be a big focus of the upcoming event, with Apple positioning the iPad mini as an e-reader like the Kindle Fire that's perfect for educational settings. Troubled media sharing startup Color Labs said to be acquired by Apple (The Next Web) Whoever TNW's source was on this, I hope they're no longer a "trusted" source. Virtually everyone I know uttered a variation of "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" when this story broke, because it didn't make the slightest bit of sense. Why would Apple pay "high double digit" millions of dollars for a company infamous for sucking down over $40 million in funding without producing any return on that huge investment? The answer, of course, is that Apple wouldn't do that at all. According to AllThingsD, Apple paid out a few million dollars to hire away Color's engineering team, and that's it. It's a safe bet we won't be hearing a word about that on October 23.
Talkcast: Looking ahead to iPad mini, earnings and more
It's Talkcast time again, and it's a doozy -- we're on the brink of a new product announcement and a quarterly earnings report, and that just gets us to Thursday. What will we see at Wednesday's announcement? Will there be pie? Plus a hands-on assessment of the current flagship in mini tablets (for the next few days, anyway), the Google/Asus Nexus 7, from the perspective of an iPad owner. It's going to be nothing but fun -- and better if you join us. To participate, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; or just call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (Viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice); basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
Daily Update for October 16, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Media invitations for October 23 Apple event are in the air
A few minutes ago, Twitter lit up like a jack o'lantern with word that Apple's long-anticipated email invitations to the October announcement event have arrived in inboxes near and far. The media event, to be held at the California Theatre in San Jose, will serve as the finale for months of speculation on the widely rumored "iPad mini" shrink of Apple's market-leading tablet computer. Engadget's got the invite graphic -- "a little more to show you," indeed. Macworld chief Jason Snell points out that the last Apple event to be held at the theater was the iPod photo launch featuring U2's performance. In case you're in the market for more than a teensy iPad, 9to5Mac suggests that new Mac minis and a new 13" Retina MacBook Pro will be sharing the stage. As Erica noted this weekend, the launch of a scaled-down iPad could mean big things for the textbook market. Publishers are rumored to be part of the 10/23 event, as are game developers. We'll be here with our popcorn and nachos come October 23, so stay tuned!
Apple announces 'Special Event' for October 23rd -- we'll be there live!
Apple has just invited members of the press to attend a product launch on October 23rd, where we assume the long-rumored iPad mini will be unveiled. The event will go down merely weeks after Apple took the wraps off of the iPhone 5 (and strangely enough, the Foo Fighters played their last show for the foreseeable future). It's quite unlike Apple to throw two product parties in the fall, but if an entirely new iPad is being revealed, it may be a scenario that becomes more familiar in years to come. At this point, we're left with far more questions than answers: will the iPad mini really ship with a Lightning port, while the Retina iPad -- which was only introduced in March -- continues to ship with the "old" Dock Connector? Will Apple really continue to refresh its two iPad products at different intervals? Will the (presumed) AT&T iPad mini actually include mobile hotspot functionality? And while we're at it, is Apple really going to throw a "one more thing" into the mix by bumping its 13-inch MacBook Pro into Retina territory? After all, tossing "little" into the invite could allude to a smaller iPad and an update to an already-small laptop. We'll be there to bring you the blow-by-blow as it happens, so feel free to go ahead and take next Tuesday off. We'll sign the approval form.
Rumor Roundup: The 'Yep' heard 'round the world
For the second week in a row, the iPad mini dominated the Apple rumor landscape. With much more credible sources now having weighed in on the matter, the device looks a little less mythical than it has before. It's still not "confirmed" until an Apple exec shows one onstage, but now that more trusted names in Apple news have thrown their support behind its existence, it seems like just a matter of time before that actually happens. It's worth a reminder that Apple builds other products, with associated rumors trailing behind those products -- even (gasp) Macs. Not the iPad mini Mac mini supply drying up, could signal Ivy Bridge update (AppleInsider) Multiple sellers of the Mac mini are starting to run low on stocks of the device. This could point to an upcoming refresh, but as AppleInsider notes, it could also just be a temporary downturn in supplies. 2012 iMac Said to Carry Thinner Design, Alleged Internals Photo Surfaces (MacRumors) The iMac is supposedly getting an overhaul, with a thinner design and a laminated display similar to the one on the iPhone and MacBook Pro with Retina Display. The 21.5-inch model is said to be updated first, with the 27-inch following later. Rumor: New 13" MacBook Pro affected by 'weak yields' of Retina display (AppleInsider) "The details were published on Thursday by the hit-or-miss Taiwanese electronics industry publication DigiTimes," AppleInsider says. I guess DigiTimes no longer counts as "sometimes reliable" when they're only right once or twice a year. 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro said to be on track for Q4 launch (BGR) Some analyst "strongly believes" Apple will unveil a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display later this year. If "strong belief" in something is enough to get things moving in the real world, then I strongly believe that when I wake up tomorrow morning I'll find Mila Kunis and a BMW G650GS motorcycle in my garage. 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display confirmed for Apple event (9to5 Mac) If 9to5 Mac's source is correct, Mila and I will be touring New Zealand's North Island by motorcycle for the next month. So long, suckers! Apple's Rumored Carbon Fiber Part Shipments Said to Be Result of Multi-Year Partnership (MacRumors) Earlier rumors that Apple had suddenly ordered a bunch of carbon fiber turned out to be only half-true (if that). Apple supposedly did make a big order for carbon fiber, but spread out over many years. Quality issues with iPhone 5's aluminum chassis slows production, report says (AppleInsider) Supposedly "Scuffgate" drew the ire of Apple officials, and as a result quality control standards at Foxconn have tightened even further. Does anybody else remember how the first-generation iPod nano would get all scratched up if you even breathed on it? Good times. Apple Stores to begin stocking iPhone 5 cases later this month (9to5 Mac) "Multiple sources" claim iPhone 5 cases are coming to Apple Stores, so finally you can undo years of engineering and design effort in two minutes by wrapping your svelte smartphone in a thick rubber case. Apple's 'next big thing' may be iDevice TV remote, not standalone HDTV (AppleInsider) Some analyst thinks Apple's going to build an iOS-based TV remote. He doesn't offer anything concrete to back up his assertion, such as evidence, but that's hardly important. What's important is figuring out how Apple's going to find time to build TV remotes when it's already so busy making HDTVs, watches, cars and fridge/toasters. Apple Reportedly Tapping TSMC for 20-nm Quad-Core Chips with Late 2013 Production (MacRumors) This isn't the first time we've heard of Apple courting TSMC for chip production, and it makes perfect strategic sense for Apple to get someone other than Samsung to build the "brain" for its iOS devices. iPad mini iPad Mini Design "Could Outshine the New iPad" (AllThingsD) Some analyst claims the iPad mini will be more aesthetically pleasing than the iPad (3). I sure hope so, because between the extra weight and thickness giving me a hernia and the heat output giving my left hand third-degree burns, almost anything would be better than the new iPad. iPad mini could push total holiday iPad sales to nearly 30 million (BGR) Some analyst thinks Apple will sell 10 million iPad minis over the holiday season, and 20 million iPad grandes. As long as we're making up numbers out of thin air, why not go for broke? "BREAKING EXCLUSIVE -- Analyst reports Apple will sell 222 hojillion iPads in 2012 Q4 (developing)" 'iPad Mini' Design Change Halts Production by Case Manufacturers? (MacRumors) Supposedly a last-minute design change in the iPad mini's casing has case manufacturers scrambling to adapt. It seems that basing your case designs off of rumors and "sources from the Far East" may not be the wisest move after all. Belkin and Brenthaven join the list of mainstream iPad mini accessory makers (9to5 Mac) Case manufacturers you may have actually heard of have accessories ready to go when/if the iPad mini hits the market. 'iPad mini' likely to be WiFi-only – but revised 9.7-inch model will offer UK 4G (The Guardian) "Industry sources" told The Guardian the iPad mini will be WiFi only, with no 3G/4G cellular option. That's all well and good, except... Retailer purports to show 'iPad mini' in WiFi, cellular models priced from 250-650 euros (AppleInsider) A German retailer's computer system shows 16 different models of iPad mini, including ones with cellular options. It's possible these are guesses and/or placeholders, however. Retailers gearing up for Apple's 'iPad mini' with plans for accessory displays (AppleInsider) A Best Buy planogram shows a kiosk devoted to iPad mini accessories. Apple's 'iPad mini' predicted to be 'the next big thing' in China (AppleInsider) Some analyst thinks the iPad mini will "take off like wildfire" in China. For once, an analyst may be right; I was going to say something snarky here, but after a bit of research it turns out average disposable income in China is a lot higher than I thought it was. Apple Likely to Unveil "iPad Mini" at October 23 Event (AllThingsD) Given that bold predictions of an October 10 invite failed to pan out, I was all set to ridicule this one too -- right up until Jim Dalrymple of The Loop gave his "Yep" blessing to this bit of news. He hasn't been wrong yet, so I'll take him at his word on this one, too. Looks like the iPad mini may finally stop being an irritating myth and start being an irritating reality. Apple's hypothetical iPad mini event to have strong iBooks focus (The Next Web) "Multiple sources" claim the iPad mini event "will have a strong focus on iBooks." If Apple pitches it as "Like a Kindle, but it can do all this other cool stuff too," that's a potentially compelling message for a lot of consumers. Photos of 'iPad Mini' Battery Reveal 16.7 Watt-Hour Capacity (MacRumors) One thing's for sure: the quality of spyshot photos has gotten a lot better over the past five years. Assuming the rumored event date is true, at time of publication we're eight days away from the iPad mini's unveiling. I'm still not even remotely enthused by the concept of a device that's midway between an iPhone and an iPad, but that's probably because I already own both of those devices. People who don't already own a full-size iPad are probably going to give an iPad mini a serious look, especially if the price is right.
iPad mini accessories ready months before launch
Apple hasn't announced an iPad mini yet, but according to a report in AllThingsD, accessory manufacturing is already booming in Asia. Topeka analyst Brian White says accessory makers have been ramping up production for the iPad mini, with some starting to produce accessories as early as September. White said that, during his tour of Asia, "we uncovered over 20 suppliers that showed us accessories for the iPad Mini." He added that "some already have the accessories boxed, labeled and ready for order." Several of these manufacturers showed White a dummy model of the iPad mini that "fit our hands like a glove." Though some analysts are bearish on a mini iPad, White believes it will be a hit. He predicts Apple will sell between 5 million and 7 million iPad mini tablets in the current quarter. Eventually, he expects the mini to outsell the 9.7-inch iPad.
iPad mini's rumored launch may be aimed at Microsoft Surface
This theory is speculative, but let's give CNN's Don Sears some consideration anyway. He suggests that Apple's suspected iPad mini event has been moved from the rumored October 10 to 17 date range to the current expectation of the October 23. Why, he asks? Because the Microsoft Surface is due to arrive right around then, he answers. Microsoft announced its Surface tablet unit quite a while ago, and rumors suggest that the device will greet the public this month. Sears suggests that Apple re-scheduled its own event to more closely coincide with Microsoft's launch plans. While much of this is based on suspicions and rumor (Apple has not officially announced an event), Sears' logic rings true. After all, Apple has had no problem with stealing thunder. It has announced its own products specifically around big industry conferences like CES and GDC many times before, and it would be very Apple-like to take Microsoft's release on directly, stealing much of the anticipated Surface buzz. We'll have to see how this all plays out when these announcements finally do happen later on this month.
Why the iPad mini? One word: Textbooks
I was at the dentist the other day, where I was talking to Laura-the-receptionist about tablets. "I'm sick of paying for rebinding [my kids' textbooks] every year," she told me. "My kid's teacher suggested we buy a tablet and purchase textbooks from Amazon instead of fixing them. Which tablet should I buy?" Although schools pay a nominal fee per rebinding, parents often have to cough up a significant amount more. Cherry Creek High School charges $28 to rebind a single book. The eBook text costs just $14.99. It's a bargain until you start considering the tablet overhead. The base Kindle sells for $70; the Fire for $200 -- although you can now buy used models for significantly less. The base iPad 2 starts at $399 and refurbished units are scarce on the ground at the online Apple Store. The Apple experience, it's clear, comes at a premium. Although the Fire represents an outlay of nearly 3x more than the Kindle, many parents like the idea that their kid can surf the web, read email, and even run graphing calculator apps. As a point of reference, the TI NSpire sells for "just" $150 on Amazon (MSRP is $175.) iPads are even more desirable, with their well-designed interface, expansive app store and broad support ecosystem. But they fail to compete on the basis of their price tag compared to a base Kindle + a TI calculator. Between textbooks, research-related web access, calculator features, and e-mail contact with teachers, more parents than ever are on the hunt for inexpensive tablets, with the emphasis on inexpensive. So why go tablet? Apple laid out many of the reasons in its education event early this year. The iPad, as Apple reminded us, communicates with the world. Apple has built an education business based on "teaching, learning, and student achievement" with over 20,000 iPad apps specific to education. Apple's education-centric iBooks Author initiative focused on recreating the textbook. It attempted to engage students and expand the learning experience. The problem with that initiative is that Apple's bottom-line hardware starts at a price that's double that of the competition. To make the iPad a real choice in the education marketplace, Apple needs an entry that competes with the bargain-basement tablets. iPads may be on every teen's Christmas wishlist, but parents are hard-pressed not to compare bottom lines. That's why there's going to be the iPad mini. On October 23, Apple will likely launch a scaled-down iPad with basic features and a consumer-ready price. This is the event that parents like Laura have been waiting for. For many, the iPad mini means that Apple will be a choice in a market where formerly parents might have felt priced out of buying. A smaller screen size and fewer options may allow students and their parents -- whether middle school, high school, or college -- to buy into the Apple ecosystem, where they formerly could not. In the end, Apple's entire drive towards re-inventing the textbook doesn't matter if there aren't enough eyeballs and fingers to appreciate those titles with their rich tapestry of interactive design. An iPad mini will open the education market to a much broader range of customers and allow Apple to grow a customer base by investing in the future.
Talkcast tonight, 7pm PT/10pm ET: Kelly's back!
Another Sunday, another talkcast! Kelly has finally managed to remain stationary in one place long enough to host the show again, so she'll be back tonight to talk about the upcoming MacTech Conference, last week's Mac Computer Expo, as well as some brief Passbook chat. Since it's Kelly, and we've had a yep, a visit to her House of Crackpot Theories is definitely in order. As usual, a Kelly show means aftershow, so be sure to show up for the never recorded post-tech talk which could possibly involve cake, car conversation, or none of those things at all. It's hard to nail down the aftershow. Now it's really all about you, the community, so join me won't you? To participate, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for +5 Interactivity, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (Viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice), basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
Apple iPad mini appears in Media Markt inventory in cellular and WiFi flavors, €250-650 price range (update: part numbers)
Still waiting for all those alleged iPad mini leaks to culminate into something official? Why not take one more while you wait: according to a proven source of Mobile Geeks, German electronics retailer Media Markt has the iPad mini in 16 flavors in its inventory system. The company's internal documentation shows the rumored tablet at 8, 16, 32 and 64GB configurations, with each offering a choice of black or white, as well as a choice of 3G or just WiFi. The retailer is listing sticker prices, too: for the WiFi-only flavor, €249 buys an 8GB model, €349 snags 16GB, €449 for 32GB and €549 scores 64GB of storage. Looking for a slab with cellular connectivity? Stack an extra €100 on each of those prices. The listing doesn't have anything official to say about US greenbacks, but the included 19% tax evens up the dollar and euro quite nicely, giving us a reasonable idea what kind of pricing we can expect to see in the states. To put things into perspective, this would be a $150 savings on the 16GB WiFi model when compared to the full sized $499 slate Apple currently offers. Of course, this is all counting on Cupertino making the device official. We'll let you know if we hear anything. Update: While nothing's official yet, AppleInsider has obtained part numbers that largely match up with what Media Markt has shown -- two dozen variants that imply four different capacities, two different colors and both WiFi as well as cellular editions.
You're the Pundit: What will we get with the mini?
When it comes to evaluating the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the (presumed) iPad mini. In order to compete in the 8-inch tablet market, most rumors have hinted that the iPad mini has been designed for compromise. Some sources say no cellular data. Others say no Retina. Still others say the price has to be compromised to accommodate the iPod touch. To ship a consumer-friendly device, what special sauce can Apple cook into the iPad mini product? Should we expect a FaceTime-capable camera? Or could Apple partner with telecoms for inexpensive restricted data for shopping? What are some ways that Apple can expand the mini beyond a repackaged iPad 1 in a smaller frame? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your analysis. %Poll-78237%
AllThingsD: Apple event on Oct. 23
AllThingsD is suggesting that Apple will hold a press event on October 23rd to announce the so-called "iPad mini." Will it happen? Jim Dalrymple's monosyllabic confirmation is all I need to hear. See you on the 23rd.
Apple likely to reveal iPad mini on October 23rd, reports AllThingsD
Rumors about the iPad mini are really starting to heat up and alleged leaks of the body are hitting the web with machine gun-like regularity. Now AllThingsD claims to have another piece of the puzzle -- when. According to "people familiar" with the matter, Apple is scheduling a press event for October 23rd, where it will likely take the wraps off its latest (and smallest) tablet offering. The outlet reported a similar rumor ahead of the iPhone 5 launch, insisting that the littlest slate would be held until October. Now, here we are -- it's October -- and we're still waiting for our invitations. As usual, you'll be the first to know when ours arrives and we can confirm the when and where (and we think you already know the what). As for the how and why? Well, that we're just going to have to wait and see. Update: Others are now chiming in to say they've confirmed the date with their own sources, including Reuters and Jim Dalrymple of The Loop.
WSJ: Apple has ordered 10 million iPad minis
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Asian suppliers have received an order for 10 million iPad minis (or whatever they're called) from Apple. That's interesting, depending how much faith you put into "some component suppliers" as sources of Apple news. The Journal reports that Apple hasn't responded to requests for further information. Well, yeah. How about we just simmer down until the thing is announced?
