Low touch screen yields blamed for the iPad mini’s price tag

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2012

With so many people seemingly disappointed that the iPad mini starts at $329 rather than $249 or even $199, we polled you ahead of the announcement on the price and only seven percent thought only Apple could get away with pricing the device at $329. And yesterday, in another poll more than forty percent said they would be getting one (more than half would opt for the entry-level WiFi-only model).

No question some people will go for a Nexus 7 or Amazon's Kindle Fire because not everyone can afford a $300+ tablet. But why exactly Apple didn't make a sub-$300 iPad? According to supply chain sources, low yields for touch screens are to blame...

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Report: Apple launching a radio service in early-2013

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2012

Just as we're counting down until markets close and Apple reports its quarterly earnings, Bloomberg conveniently publishes a report about work on Apple's own Internet radio service apparently slated for early next year. The iPhone maker reportedly has "intensified negotiations" with major record labels about launching an iAd-supported online radio service.

These talks currently focus on various advertising revenue sharing schemes, with the final deal possibly on the horizon by mid-November. In addition to an upfront fee, music companies reportedly demand a percentage of iAd sales and the ability to insert their own commercials for artists...

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Poll: which iPad mini will you be pre-ordering?

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2012

Apple, as you know, starts taking pre-orders for the iPad mini tomorrow, October 26, through its online store in 26 different countries. Friday the following week, WiFi-only models are scheduled to land simultaneously on store shelves in 34 countries around the world with the WiFi + Cellular model arriving "a couple of weeks after the WiFi models", according to Apple.

You can place your pre-order for any iPad mini model, either cellular or WiFi-only, at midnight tonight. The device will also be available in the United States on carriers AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless. The 16GB WiFi version starts at $329. The more capacious models each cost a $100 more than the previous one.

Want 4G LTE capability? That's a $130 extra versus its WiFi-only counterpart. So, which iPad mini is you?

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Microsoft’s Surface is here, high-tech ad proclaims

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yp49rApQt8

Look what just surfaced on Microsoft Surface team's YouTube channel. This television commercial could be equally confusing to those who deemed the previous Movement ad too childish to begin with and perhaps over-the-top. One thing is certain: Microsoft is determined to make as much noise as possible about this tablet. The company today officially launched Windows 8 and will begin selling the Surface on Friday.

Apple the same day is scheduled to put its iPad mini on sale across 34 countries worldwide. Armchair estimates peg advertising expenditure for Windows 8 and Surface launches anywhere in the ballpark of $1-$2 billion.  I've also included a new making-of video for the Movement ad right below...

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Bad Piggies get 15 new levels in a ‘Flight in the Night’ episodic update

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeGUE__O3w4

Following up on yesterday's Angry Birds Seasons update which has brought out 30 new Halloween-themed levels, Finnish developer Rovio today pushed its first content update to Bad Piggies, its Angry Birds-style game from the piggs' perspective, launched a month ago. The new 'Flight in the Night' episode contains fifteen new levels, a brand new moonlit theme, a new sandbox mode to test your creativity, a new item and more...

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LG Display beats Samsung handily for Apple display orders

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2012

According to a new supply chain report, LG Display beat its arch-rival Samsung for display panel orders and has now become the primary supplier of screens that Apple uses to build virtually all of its recently refreshed products.

Specifically, LG Display is said to provide panels for the new iPad mini, fourth-generation iPad with Retina display, 13-inch MacBook Pro and both 21.5 and 27-inch revamped iMac models. This is of particular interest to would-be shoppers eyeing the iPad mini because "frustrated suppliers", per one analyst, previously had issues meeting Apple's exacting standards...

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Conan O’Brien on iPad mini

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJtS8201qNc

Always quick to exploit everything Apple as an inspiration for his late-night talk show, Conan O'Brien took Apple's charming piano commercial for the new iPad mini and made a sort of sarcastic musical out of it, just watch...

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Sprint activates 1.5M iPhones in Q3, same as in June quarter

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2012

Carrier Sprint, the nation's third-largest, today posted results for the fiscal 2012 third quarter ended September 30. The company reported activating 1.5 million iPhones throughout the quarter, mirroring the iPhone activation numbers from the June quarter.

Sprint continues to be under pressure, reporting a net loss of $767 million, nearly half of the $1.38 billion net loss from the June quarter. Some 40 percent of iPhone activations were new customers, or 900,000 people. Sprint also surpassed one million LTE smartphones sold prior to the launch of iPhone 5...

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Apple posts schematics for the new iPad and iPad mini

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

On Tuesday, Apple introduced a number of new products at a high profile media event in San Jose, California. Among those was the refreshed, fourth generation iPad, and the all new iPad mini.

The two tablets won't be available for another week or so, but last night, Apple posted schematics for them to its website. We've got the fourth gen iPad above, and the iPad mini after the fold...

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Hey Siri, where’s the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 6, 2017

Have you ever found yourself looking for a public Wi-Fi hotspot? Maybe you were nearing your monthly wireless data cap, or were on a laptop or some other non-cellular device.

How'd you go about finding it? Sure there are websites you can look at, and apps that you can download. But if you're looking for an easier way to do this, you can just ask Siri...

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Sprint unveils new no-contract 4G tablet data plans

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

After two years of sitting on the sidelines, Sprint will finally be landing the iPad this fall. Once they become available, the carrier will be offering LTE versions of both the new iPad and the iPad mini.

And it looks like it has some new data plans to go with the new tablets. The company announced last night that starting November 11, it will be offering new 4G tablet data plans starting as low $15...

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