iPad

There is a leaked Best Buy document outlining details about exclusive sales of the iPad at Best Buy Apple Stores. Hit the links below for source documents and see the text/images for a short summary.

Best Buy’s Apple iPad Sales Playbook:
Apple is launching their new iPad on staturday, April 3 and best buy Stores with Apple Shops (about 575 stores) will begin selling them on this day. A future solution for all Best Buy stores is being discussed. At the time of launch, these products won’t be sold on BestBuy.com. At the time of launch, the iPad will only be sold at Apple retail stores, Apple.com and Best Buy Apple Shops.

April 11 ad insert nationwide
On April 11, the iPad will be on the front cover of the ad for all stores even though al stores won’t be carying the units at launch. Stores that don’t carry the iPad at launch should direct customers to the nearest Best Buy Apple Shop.

Apple Ipad SKU List
Best Buy will be selling the following products in the Apple shops:

Model	SKU	Price
MB292LL/A	9811355	$499.99
MB293LL/A	9811406	$599.99
MB294LL/A	9811424	$699.99

iPad Accessories

ID	Accessory	SKU	Price
MC359LL/A	APPLE IPAD 10W USB POWER ADAPTER	989715	$29.99
MC552ZM/A	APPLE IPAD DOCK CONNECTOR TO VGA	989724	$29.99
MC361ZM/A	APPLE IPAD CASE	9689733	$39.99
MC533LL/A	APPLE IPAD KEYBOARD DOCK	9891322	$69.99
MC360ZM/A	APPLE IPAD DOCK	9891968	$29.99
MC595LL/A	APPLE APP FOR IPAD	9891977	$79.99

Source:

For the full write-up hit Engadget and Tuaw.

The hype goes mainstream:

Engadet speculates on iPad release and the possibility of replacing the Apple TV series (Quote: “Like Apple TV, the iPad could serve as an Apple “media center extender.”” – See the original story here: iPad could succeed Apple TV (Engadget).

---

TG Daily has a nice article (“Apple’s iPad: Like Apple TV or like iPod?) on promises and possible downfalls of the upcoming device. Here is an excerpt:

“With a 10” screen, this could be the portable email, web browsing, media viewing, eBook reading, game playing, wonder device that replaces a bunch of struggling eBook readers, game players, micro TVs, and the remaining few PDAs that haven’t yet died in market. Ironically, this is likely the one device Palm should have understood how to do right first.”

Read more at TG Daily’s site: Apple’s iPad: Like Apple TV or like iPod?

---

The WSJ has a nice piece on Jobs’ involvement with the upcoming device:

Apple co-founder Mr. Jobs, who is considered the company’s creative leader, is also involved in the development of future projects, they say. People privy to the company’s strategy say Apple is working on new iPhone models and a portable device that is smaller than its current laptop computers but bigger than the iPhone or iPod Touch.

Read more here: Jobs Maintains Grip at Apple by By YUKARI IWATANI KANE, The Wall Street Journal

---

ZDNET came up with a bland review/overview of things and rumors revolving around iPad. Read more here: Apple may be readying mid-size ‘iPad’. They also underline the possible play against Kindle…

---

I don’t get this one at all, but a big fuss was made about some random Borders survey that included a line (an option item) with an Apple iPad option. Anyhow, if you think that this may be of some importance (I see this as a just a random entry by a junior marketing analyst at Borders) read more about it here: CNET News Borders survey presumes future ‘iPad’ e-reader…

---

Don’t miss the nice Photoshop work (F-A-K-E) at often hilarious Crunchgear iPad Jumps the Shark…

While rumors about the Apple tablet are probably as old as the ancient Newton platform – last couple of days have reignited imagination of Apple fans.

Anyhow, on 8/15 the French gizmo site www.Nowhereelse.fr published an image of a device supposedly called MacTablet – the images are located here: iPAD Photo – I am also posting a link to the translated page outlining the upcoming device.

The news was quickly picked up by Gizmodo and Engadget which unleashed a flashflood of comments from (mostly) excited Apple fanatics. While Engadget immediately called the item fake – the story was still slightly ambiguous and some of the posters actually believed that the device may be a legit one.

Anyhow, Nowhereelse not-so-quickly withdrew and started publicly to call the device by its real name: a fake (it took them 5 days to accomplish that feat). Read more about it at the NE’s site.