In a report on forthcoming challengers looking to rival Apple’s iPad, The New York Times notes that Google is reportedly preparing to launch its own Android-based entrant into the field as Nokia, HP and Microsoft also move forward on their own plans for devices in the emerging industry segment.
Eric E. Schmidt, chief executive of Google, told friends at a recent party in Los Angeles about the new device, which would exclusively run the Android operating system. People with direct knowledge of the project — who did not want to be named because they said they were unauthorized to speak publicly about the device — said the company had been experimenting in “stealth mode” with a few publishers to explore delivery of books, magazines and other content on a tablet.
After reportedly holding back to see what Apple would do with the iPad, competitors such as HP and others have been hard at work developing their own answers to Apple’s challenge.
The rivalry between Apple and Google has become increasingly personal as the two companies have begun to compete in a growing number of areas. Google’s Android operating system has been a fast-growing alternative to the iPhone in the smartphone market, with Apple signaling that it is taking the threat seriously by filing a patent infringement lawsuit against handset maker HTC in what has been seen as an indirect assault on Google’s smartphone offerings.
While an unsurprising development given Google’s and Apple’s increasing overlap, a Google tablet would offer yet another area of direct competition between the two companies and likely escalate tensions even further.

Some owners of Apple’s new iPad have complained of weak wireless signals, dropped connections and slow surfing speeds, messages on the company’s support forum show.
Although users have also reported problems with recharging their iPads from Windows-based PCs or synchronizing the tablet with other computers, Wi-Fi issues have garnered the most complaints, as tallied by the message counts on multiple support forum threads.
As of late Monday, the thread titled “Weak wifi” leads all others with more than 130 messages, and nearly 13,000 views.
“Signal is weak, downloading anything is painfully slow and it will drop the signal and go offline every 5-10 minutes,” said a user identified as “mbell75″ early Sunday, near the beginning of the thread. “Pretty annoying.”
“It will work fine for a while, but show a low signal. Then, after a few minutes of use, my connection will drop completely and I will have to reset my wi-fi radio,” complained “mlp8104″ in a message Monday afternoon.
The biggest beef was that the iPad’s Wi-Fi signal indicator would fluctuate, going from full-strength to the lowest level without warning, or any change in the tablet’s location.
“My wifi went down to 1 bar after working great for a few hours,” said “syunker” Monday. “My download speeds started to crawl, I couldn’t even surf the web. I rebooted my router and it didn’t help.”
Several users said their iPads could not acquire a signal, or only a faint signal, while other devices, including new Apple laptops and iPhones, had no similar trouble. “In our living room where laptops get a full signal, my iPad gets a very poor signal which is so bad that it even cuts completely out sometimes,” complained “Panjandrum” Monday morning. “I had to walk the iPad into the same room as my router to get a movie rental to download.”
As is often the case on Apple’s support threads, users hoped that a software update to the iPad’s operating system would not only solve their problems, but be released soon.
Others, however, chimed in to say that they were perfectly happy with their iPads’ Wi-Fi signal, which was strong and stable at home, work and in public hotspots at locations such as Starbucks.
Some who reported that their iPads intermittently lost a Wi-Fi connection said that they solved the problem temporarily by shutting down the iPad, then restarting it. “But should I have to do that with a device that costs this much and has so much hype about changing the way we use the Net?” asked “sandersn” on Sunday in a different thread.
Monday, Apple posted several iPad-specific support documents to its Web site, including one that suggested users modify settings on their wireless routers. Another troubleshooting document told users to “Move closer to the Wi-Fi router or hotspot,” if they were having problems.
Suggestions from users ranged from disabling the iPad’s “Ask to Join Networks” feature to rebooting routers.
Connectivity issues aren’t new for Apple hardware. Shortly after the company’s ultra-thin MacBook Air debuted in early 2008, owners complained about weak signals when their notebooks’ lids were closed. iPhone owners have complained about poor reception and lost signals over AT&T’s data network since the smartphone first appeared in 2007, to the point that several filed class-action lawsuits against both Apple and the carrier.
The version of the iPad now for sale connects to the Internet only via Wi-Fi; a more expensive model that also uses AT&T’s 3G data network is not slated to ship until later this month.
Over the weekend, users voiced frustration at other problems, including an apparent inability to recharge the iPad through USB ports on many computers, keyboards and hubs. On Saturday, for example, Consumer Reports said that its initial testing indicated that the iPad would recharge via the USB ports on desktop and laptop Macs, but failed to do so on USB ports in a variety of Windows PCs, or through the ports on a keyboard directly connected to a Mac.
Apple clarified the recharging process in a support document published Sunday, noting that the iPad requires a high-power USB 2.0 port to charge while it is in use. The iPad will only charge via older USB ports, including those on most Windows machines, when the tablet is asleep, Apple said.
Apple began selling iPads Saturday at its own retail stores and Best Buy. On Monday, the company announced it had sold 300,000 iPads the first day.

Want to catch up on the latest adventures of your favourite ABC program while you’re waiting at the departure terminal? With the ABC Player application for the iPad you’ll be able to do just that. And did we mention that it is entirely free?
We had an inkling that it was coming and that’s been confirmed as ABC has officially unveiled its iPad app on the App Store. ABC Player currently has about 20 of the network’s most popular shows, with the likes of Desperate Housewives, FlashForward, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Modern Family, and V making the list.
The app will allow you to browse through the shows and check out the network’s primetime television schedule. You’ll be able to watch full episodes for free, with a sprinkling of advertisements thrown in. However, video streaming is only supported over Wi-Fi. The app will maintain a history of the episodes you’ve watched and allow you to resume watching any of them from the point where you’d left off.
ABC Player is available on the App Store for free and is compatible with any iPad running iPhone OS 3.2 or later.

On the surface, the iPad looks like a pretty good deal. After all, just $499 gets you in the door with the entry-level model, which seems plenty capable for most users.
But there’s a dark side to the iPad that’s now starting to surface, thanks to leaked videos of the soon-to-be-launched iPad app store. No, the apps themselves look fine: It’s the price of the apps that, to be blunt, can be downright exorbitant.
Consumerist took a close look at the apps being marketed for the iPad’s launch and found that they’re not going to be cheap. Far from it, to be honest. Where 99 cents is a common price point for apps on the iPhone, iPad apps are coming in around $4.99. The cheapest application displayed during the video demo costs $2.99, and one app shown costs $49.99.
On average, for applications that have an equivalent version on the iPhone, the price increase is 96 percent, almost double what you’d pay for the same apps on the smartphone format.
To be fair, these aren’t the exact same applications, but rather iPad or “HD” versions of the apps optimized for the larger screen. Most iPhone apps will run on the iPad, but they won’t take advantage of the larger resolution screen, so vendors have to rewrite applications for the iPad with the bigger display in mind. That’s worth something — but is it worth double, and in some cases five times, the original price? We aren’t talking about massive programming undertakings here, but primarily subbing in different graphics that will look better on the iPad’s larger screen.
Pricing on iPad applications is far from finalized right now, of course, and vendors probably know the lesson all too well that it is much easier to lower prices over time than it is to raise them. Start high and you’re a hero when you cut the cost by a buck or two, but double the price from $.99 to $1.99 and you’re a money-grubbing villain.

The first batch of iPad applications have become visible in the App Store. Applications can be purchased and downloaded, but obviously require an iPad to be functional. Downloaded iPad apps appear in a separate section of the “Apps” pane in iTunes, below iPhone and iPod touch applications.
Apple has also updated the Terms and Conditions for the App Store, reflecting the addition of iPad functionality and also clarifying that various types of iTunes gift cards and other credits are managed by a separate company known as Apple Value Services, LLC.
The early list of iPad apps can also be viewed at Appshopper.com. Notable early iPad apps includes:
Mirror’s Edge for iPad, AIM For iPad, Super Monkey Ball 2 for iPad, Things for iPad, USA Today for iPad, The Wall Street Journal, ABC Player, Keynote, Pages.

Apple officially invites developers to begin submitting iPad applications to the App Store for inclusion in the grand opening of the iPad App Store at its launch on April 3rd. In the e-mail sent to developers, Apple invites app submissions for an initial review of their readiness for the iPad.
iPad will begin shipping soon and your opportunity to be part of the grand opening of the iPad App Store starts today. Submit your iPad app now for an initial review by the App Review Team and receive feedback on its readiness for the grand opening.
Submit Your App by March 27.
- Build and test your iPad app using iPhone SDK 3.2 beta 5 available on the iPhone Dev Center. Only iPad apps built with iPhone SDK 3.2 beta 5 will be accepted for this initial review.
- Upload your distribution signed app through iTunes Connect by Saturday, March 27, 5pm PDT.
- The App Review Team will review your app on iPad and email you details about the readiness of your app.
- You will also receive additional information about submitting your app for final review before iPad ships.
- Only apps submitted for the initial review will be considered for the grand opening of the iPad App Store.
Apple has provided iPads to a select set of developers under tight security in order to assist them with preparing their apps for the iPad’s launch. The vast majority of developers will, however, have to rely on the iPad simulator included in the iPhone SDK 3.2 for iPad for testing their apps.

First, Apple ticked off some iPhone app developers. Now it’s giving the boot to iPhone screen protector vendors.
In a scene in the 2004 movie Troy, a young virgin priestess professes her love for the god, Apollo. Achilles, played by Brad Pitt, replies, “I think you’ll find the romance one-sided.”
For a few of the Apple faithful, like Gerrard Dennis, CEO of The Simply Group, Achilles’ words can sting without warning. The Simply Group’s iPhone retail app for women’s beach apparel was caught up in Apple’s raid on smut in the App Store.
“I do understand [Apple's] motives,” Dennis says, “although they applied them with the finesse of a club hammer!”
Only three months into the new year, a rejuvenated Apple has shown god-like indifference to its faithful followers, even dealing crushing blows to the businesses of unsuspecting iPhone software developers and Apple-related product vendors.
In February, Apple shunned Macworld Expo, then took some wind out of Macworld Expo’s sails by staging its own announcement of the much-anticipated iPad just two weeks before the start of Macworld Expo.
When Apple launched its iPhone three years ago, industry watchers said the key to its success would be wooing apps developers. And they came to the new platform in droves, helping to make the iPhone one of the greatest tech stories ever told. Today, there are more than 140,000 iPhone apps.
But late last month Apple suddenly removed apps containing what it called sexual content. No forewarning. No explanation. No apologies. Never mind that Apple had already approved these apps. The raid also didn’t include top branded apps, such as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit app.
Apple didn’t seem to care what happened to banned developers. Dennis’ phone calls and emails, for instance, went unanswered. Dennis says that he even wondered if anyone from Apple actually took the time to evaluate apps or Apple just made a sweeping decision based on keywords.
The Simply Group was one of the lucky ones; its banned iPhone app magically reappeared on the App Store four days later. Yet other app developers wrote to me crying foul. On an Apple whim, they said, their businesses had been obliterated overnight.
Next to feel Apple’s wrath: iPhone screen-protector vendors. Several vendors speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid conflict with Apple told Macworld that Apple will stop selling screen films for the iPhone, iPad and MacBook in its App Store and retail outlets. Apple did not explain the decision, they said.
To be fair, vendors told Macworld that screen protectors are returned at a higher rate than other products due to the difficultly of applying them without causing air bubbles. Power Support, a maker of iPhone screen protectors, did not return my calls.
The ban also includes iPhone cases with screen protectors, vendors said. “The move has left some case vendors scrambling to quickly repackage their products sans screen protection, so as not to lose their privileged place in Apple’s stores,” according to the Macworld story.
Screen and anti-glare films are popular among iPhone owners and have saved screens from scratches, including mine. Yet Apple apparently has decided that they aren’t important anymore given more scratch-resistant screens of the latest iPhone models.
Like others, vendors that have built their businesses on screen protectors find themselves suddenly out of luck without any recourse. Apple’s actions really do bear resemblance to the arrogance and apathy of the Greek gods.

This is curious, at least amidst a massive publishing war with Amazon. According to the WSJ, Apple’s putting its massive newspaper-and-magazine-revival-on-the-iPad effort on the “backburner in favor of focusing on other content,” like its long-festering plan to bundle TV shows as a pseudo-subscription service through iTunes, as well as selling certain TV shows for a buck an episode. The idea being to get the deals in place by April 3, in time for the iPad launch. But! Everybody’s still being wishy-washy on signing to Apple’s terms, just like they have been for the last several months. So, maybe it’ll happen, maybe it won’t.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is tempering its own expectations for launch content on the iPad as it continues to struggle with finalizing deals with publishers ahead of the device’s April 3rd launch date. In particular, television content and iPad-specific presentation of newspaper, magazine, and textbook content are said to have been set aside as Apple focuses its efforts on other content that stands a chance of meeting the launch deadline.
Yet the company is still negotiating with media companies for a price cut on TV shows that people can download onto the device, said people familiar with the matter. Apple also hoped to work closely with newspaper, magazines and textbook publishers on new ways to digitally present print content on the iPad, but has for now put the effort on backburner in favor of focusing on other content, said one of those people.
The report notes that potential partners have been reluctant to sign on with Apple, weighing the benefits of bringing their content to new platforms against risks to their revenue streams as they consider forging new revenue models.
Presumably Apple has been focusing a significant amount of attention on eBooks, as it seeks to roll out its iBooks application and associated iBookstore in the U.S. as the device launches. Apple has also been working to provide tools to developers to allow them to move their iPhone and iPod touch App Store applications to the iPad and bring new providers on board.
The report also cites a source claiming that Apple has already sold “hundreds of thousands” of iPads since it went on sale last Friday, with the potential to outsell the original iPhone over the respective devices’ initial three months’ of sales. U.S. customers are currently able to pre-order or reserve for pick-up any of Apple’s six iPad models, with Wi-Fi models scheduling for launch on April 3rd and 3G-capable models to follow in late April. International availability of all models is also scheduled to follow at that time.

Apple has augmented its iPad “Features” section with a new page devoted to its iBooks application. Initially available only in the U.S., the iBooks application will be available in the App Store once the iPad officially launches on April 3rd and will serve as the hub for the iPad’s eReader functionality and offer access to Apple’s iBookstore where users will be able to purchase content. While many of the details of the iBooks application have already been disclosed, the feature page provides a slightly more in-depth look at the application and clarifies a few issues.
Apple confirms that the application will utilize the open ePub standard, which will allow users to import any open ePub content into iTunes and sync it with their iPad for viewing, even content not acquired through the iBookstore. Apple has been quiet about any sort of digital rights management (DRM) for content sold through the iBookstore, but reports have suggested that it will utilize a version of Apple’s FairPlay DRM that was formerly used on iTunes Store music and continues to be used on video content distributed via iTunes.
The new iBooks page also describes a number of the features of the application, including the ability to automatically switch between single-page portrait and double-page landscape modes by simply rotating the iPad and to change text sizes and fonts. Users can also tap on words within their eBooks to see definitions from the device’s built-in dictionary application or Wikipedia, or search for the word in the text or on the Web. iBooks is also compatible with the iPad’s VoiceOver functionality, allowing content to be automatically read aloud.
While iBooks will be a U.S.-only feature at launch, Apple appears to be busy preparing to build out support for the application and the associated iBookstore, with job postings