There are still five more days to go until the iPad Launch. Well, you do not need wait till April 3 before you can check out all the goodies. several blogs over the weekends obtained leakage screenshots of the upcoming iPad applications and a demo video of the iPad App Store.

Boy Genius Report posted a gallery of iPad application screenshots including a Yahoo Entertainment app, Twitterrific, Flight Control, Real Racing GTI, etc. thanks for the bigger screen size. Just base on the screenshot, the iPad apps look gorgeous and a larger screen estate gives developers more room to come up with a better application. Here are a few apps you should check out.

1. Yahoo Entertainment App
Yahoo has just showed off a great app named Sketch-a-Search on iPhone. looks like Yahoo is rolling out another application for iPad. from the screenshot, it’s a free app that packs with tons of Yahoo content including Yahoo Sports, the Yahoo Finance blog, Tech Ticker, Yahoo Kids Movies, etc.

2. Bento for iPad
Bento is a personal database application from the makers of database software FileMaker Pro. Presently, it’s also available for Mac and iPhone. You can use it to organize notes, photos, calendars, contacts and more for specific projects, groups, classes or assignments.

3. Flight Control HD
Flight Control is a popular game on iPhone. It’s a incredible simple game developed by Firemint and now is redesigned for iPad as Flight Control HD.

4. Twitteriffic for iPad
Developed by the IconFactory, Twitteriffic is a great Twitter client for iPhone and probably will soon be released on iPad with more elegant features.

5. Real Racing GTI
Real Racing GTI is a awesome racing game on iPhone. Developed by Firemint and sponsored by Volkswagen, the game is big hit on iPhone and iPod touch. I just love it. the company also mentioned the iPad version of the game is on its way.

Other than the leaked screenshots, MacStories also showed off a demo video that walk you through the upcoming iPad App Store. the interface is not the same as that you’re using on App Store. Check out the video to learn more:

As of today, Apple has started to ship the first batch of iPad. For those who want to purchase an iPad, you can still pre-order it via Apple’s online store. but expect to get it after April 12 as the initial batch of iPad seems to be out-of-stock.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 at 7:11 pm and is filed under Apple iPhone, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Walking Through iPad App Store and Apps | Mobile Phone News

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Authors with writer’s block, listen up: with the iPad poised to bring e-books into the main, along with e-book publishing services like Smashwords inking deals with Apple to get your work in the iBookstore, you’re now running out of excuses.

Random House fear iPad pricing could spark eBook pricing war

Smashwords reportedly signed a distribution deal for e-books in Apple’s iBookstore, the e-reader app for the iPad, according to blogger Steve Weber’s Plug Your Book website. Smashwords helps authors digitally publish their books for free. the company charges only a small percentage of any book sales.

Weber posted an email that Smashwords founder mark Coker apparently sent to more than 4,000 authors in the Smashwords network, telling them how to get their e-books ready for the iBookstore. Coker would not neither confirm nor deny the email and declined further comment.

According to the email, authors “must take steps now to ensure your books make it in time for inclusion in the Apple iPad’s iBookstore’s big launch April 3.” some of the requirements include cover image pixel size and conformance to the EPUB format. Smashwords has been upgrading its converters and creating “scrubbers” to clean files, according to the email.

All books in the iBookstore must have prices that end in $.99. E-books can be free, too. Apple also requires an e-book be priced less than its print counterpart, according to the email.

E-book pricing has been a controversial issue. at the iPad’s unveiling in February, Apple flashed prices for e-books at around $15. Major publishers lined up behind the iPad, including Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette Group, and Macmillan. this was an affront to Amazon, which had refused publishers’ requests to raise its e-book price from $10.

The following weekend, Amazon pulled Macmillan books from its virtual store, as a sign of discontent. two days later, Amazon agreed to raise prices of e-books as well as return Macmillan books to its virtual shelves.

Smashwords’ email sheds light on Apple e-book pricing. “For any mass market or trade paperback books with a list price greater than $22.00, you can set whatever price you want,” the email reads. “If your book is only available in Hardcover, and the Hardcover price is under $22.00, then the maximum allowable price for your ebook is $9.99 … If your hardcover book is priced above $40, you can price your Apple ebook at any price you like.”

Here’s the best part for aspiring authors: “How much does distribution to Apple cost you? Nothing. Like all Smashwords services, it’s free. we earn our income when your books sell. we will pay you 60 percent of the list price for all your sales.”

Smashwords has published more than 9,000 e-books. some well-known authors include Gary Wolfe (author of the book that inspired the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit), Anne Frasier, mark Sullivan, and John Buffalo Mailer (son of Norman Mailer).

For new writers, a Smashwords and iPad deal could help ignite an already hot market. Market researcher Gartner has dubbed 2010 as the year of the e-reader. the International Digital Publishing Forum reported that wholesale sales of e-books increased 124 percent from the fourth quarter of 2008 to the second quarter of 2009.

How to Get Your Novel on the iPad, For Free

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Hewlett-Packard doesn’t want Apple to have all the fun when it comes to tablet-style computing devices.

HP said Tuesday it’s readying a Windows 7-powered slate PC that it claims will offer a more complete computing experience than Apple’s iPad.

“With this slate product, you’re getting a full Web browsing experience in the palm of your hand,” said Phil McKinney, HP’s VP and chief technical officer for its Personal Systems Group, in a blog post. “No watered down Internet, no sacrifices,” wrote McKinney.

And, unlike the iPad, McKinney said HP’s yet-to-be-named tablet PC will support Adobe’s Flash multimedia format. “A big bonus for the slate product is that, being based on Windows 7, it offers full Adobe support,” said McKinney.

To prove his point, McKinney posted a video of the HP tablet in action. Similar to the iPad commercial that debuted during Sunday’s Academy Awards broadcast, the video shows a user navigating his way around the device through a series of simple hand gestures.

It also shows it being used as a video player, an e-reader, and as a navigational tool. HP has yet to provide specific information, such as pricing and release dates, for its slate PC.

With HP, Acer, Microsoft and others planning tablet computers, Apple may not have the field to itself for long after it ships the iPad next month.

Indeed, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer demonstrated a prototype HP tablet powered by Windows 7 in January at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas, and promised that more such products are in the works.

“It’s almost as portable as a phone, and as powerful as a PC running Windows 7,” Ballmer said at the time. “This emerging category of PCs really should take advantage of the touch and mobility capabilities of Windows 7,” said Ballmer.

InformationWeek’s Tablet PC Coverage:

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InformationWeek has published an in-depth report on cloud computing and service-level agreements. Download the report here (registration required).

HP Offers iPad Alternative — InformationWeek

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I’m not the biggest fan of Twitterific, which is a Twitter client that has been around forever, but AppAdvice reports that Twitterific will indeed be ready on the iPad on Day 1. There will be a usual free and pro version, with the pro version removing advertisements on Twitterific. the Pro version will be $4.99, just like the iPhone version.

While I may not be buying an iPad, I’m looking forward to seeing how Twitter clients will look on the iPad. Twitterific seems to be pretty nice, and I say worth the $5 on the iPad.

Twitterific Will be Available on iPad's Release Day – MacSlice

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Since we are merely days from people getting their hands on the first batch of iPads, more minor details are emerging about the device. Earlier today, the licensing agreement was examined to find that the iPad’s operating system upgrade path, much like the iPod touch, will feature paid updates.

The report was initially on AppleInsider, as the licensing agreement states:

“Apple will provide you any iPad OS software updates that it may release from time to time, up to and including the next major iPad OS software release following the version of iPad OS software that originally shipped from Apple on your iPad, for free.

For example, if your iPad originally shipped with iPad 3.x software, Apple would provide you with any iPad OS software updates it might release up to and including the iPad 4.x software release. Such updates and releases may not necessarily include all of the new software features that Apple releases for newer iPad models.”

This is not surprising, as the iPad is not a subscription-based device, like the iPhone. Therefore, to add or enable additional features, Apple must charge for devices like the iPod touch and iPad (as they did with the 2.0 and 3.0 versions of the iPhone/iPod OS). the interesting addition is that the iPad can have a 3G subscription, but it is not required.

We think that if Apple keeps the updates in the $10-$20 range, nobody will complain about extending the functionality of their mobile devices.

SchwarzTech » News: Apple to Charge for Major iPad Updates

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OK, while I’m quite impressed with Apple’s latest creation — I had the chance to play around with it last week in San Francisco — it’s hard to deny the name is easy to pick on. yes, it sounds an awful lot like a feminine hygiene product. Coincidentally enough, MAD TV did a joke about such as product a while back. Viewer discretion is advised!

Filed under: Handheld Devices > Hardware & Gadgets > Lifestyle > Novelty > Portable Electronics > Portable Media Players > Tablet PCs > Uncategorized > iPad
Tags: Apple, funny, ipad, joke, mad, parody, Television, TV, video, YouTube

Don't get iCramps clicking on this iPad

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Posted on by Lex Friedman, Macworld.com

The Case of the Missing iPad Camera Connection Kit has been unraveled, with the much-awaited kit for Apple’s new tablet becoming available for pre-order over the weekend.

You may remember how earlier this month the iPad Camera Connection Kit was missing in action, as Apple started to allow customers to order iPad accessories. Even as those accessory shipping dates were set and adjusted, the Camera Connection Kit remained stubbornly unavailable.

There’s still no explanation for the kit’s earlier omission, but at least the most critical part of the mystery has been solved: Apple is finally offering the much-awaited kit for pre-order.

Amidst all the hubbub about iPad ship dates and store availability and all the refreshing of the UPS Website for updates on the iPad shipping notifications that began trickling out Monday, you may have forgotten just what the Camera Connection Kit does—even if you already know you want one. Or seven.

As a quick refresher, the kit contains two iPad dock connectors: one that can read SD cards, and another that connects directly to your camera’s USB port. When you use the connectors, Apple says the iPad will automatically launch its Photos app and let you choose which images to import. according to Apple, the “iPad and the Camera Connection Kit support standard photo formats, including JPEG and RAW.”

The Camera Connection Kit costs $29, and ships in late April.

Camera Connection Kit for iPad finally available for pre-order

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I went to http:///www.apple.com/ipad and they said nothing about iPad being a PHONE. I’m confused.
So. is iPad a phone or not?

Is iPad a phone or not?

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Australia is to get the iPad next month but there is no word on when it will reach Kiwi shores.

Apple has announced an April 3 release date for the iPad in the United States but there is no indication of when the tablet computer will be available in New Zealand.

Richard Webb, chief executive of Renaissance Corporation, a local distributor of Apple products, said Apple had set a late April release date for Australia, and was working towards a date for the New Zealand release.

“We are just waiting to hear on New Zealand …

“I thought we would have known by now … so we’re hoping that within the next week we’ll get a bit of a clearer picture,”he said.

Webb said Apple prioritised release dates based on the size of countries.

“[Apple] are trying to marry their start-up capacity to what they believe is fairly large local market demand.”

he said the 3G version of the iPad would arrive in New Zealand about three weeks after the Wi-Fi-only version, which is Apple’s standard practice around the world.

Paul Brislen, spokesperson for Vodafone which sells the iPhone, had no idea when the iPad would arrive on New Zealand shores.

“As soon as I find out what’s what, I’ll be making some loud noises about it,” he said.

Apple said the iPad would be released in nine international markets, from Japan to the United Kingdom, in April.

The 22.9cm touchscreen iPad, designed to surf the web, play video and games and read digital books, is the most anticipated product launch from Apple since the iPhone in 2007.

Chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled the tablet in late January, but the company did not announce any international markets until earlier this month, when it said the tablet would go on sale in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK in late April.

“I think it eases concerns that were circulating about supply.

“There’s always so much speculation around a launch, and this alleviates those fears,” said Cross Research analyst Shannon Cross, adding that the breadth of the international launch should reassure investors.

she expects the iPad to be a major growth driver for Apple, and estimates the company will sell 4 million to 5 million units in the first year, which will add $1 to earnings per share.

No word on iPad for NZ

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Branding experts say jokes that the iPad sounds like a feminine hygiene product won’t keep women—or men—from buying the Apple tablet

ByConnie Guglielmo

When Steve Jobs announced in January that Apple’s new tablet would be called the iPad, some fans ridiculed the name, saying it conjured up images of feminine hygiene products rather than cutting-edge mobile gadgetry.

Two months later, branding experts say the name has punchy appeal and that jokes won’t deter women—or men, for that matter—from buying Apple’s (AAPL) tablet computer, which goes on sale in the U.S. Apr. 3. “The minute you hear it, you know who brought it to you, how it’s going to work, that it’s high quality, and how it even looks,” said Hayes Roth, chief marketing officer for brand consulting firm Landor Associates. “The name does all that in just four letters. That’s amazing.”

The “i” prefix on product names has become a convention that many consumers associate with Apple. Products including the iPod digital music player, iPhone, and iMac computers employ the designation. Apple bought the iPad trademark from Fujitsu for an undisclosed sum, according to records with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The iPad will be capable of wirelessly serving up Web pages, e-mail, music, TV, and electronic books and periodicals.

Businesswomen in Silicon Valley said jokes about the iPad’s name don’t ring true. Esther Dyson, a longtime computer industry commentator , said the feminine hygiene reference to iPad wasn’t her initial reaction. “I guess I have been i-conditioned by Apple,” she says.

3G wireless iPad models due in April

Jennifer Jones, a veteran Valley marketing executive and creator of a series of podcasts called “Marketing Voices,” says the iPad name “works as part of a product line. I did not think of the feminine side of it.”

Apple plans initially to sell three iPad models, starting at $499, with built-in support for Wi-Fi wireless networking. Three additional models that can communicate over high-speed 3G wireless networks will go on sale later in April.

Jobs didn’t respond to a request asking why Apple chose iPad as the name for the touchscreen tablet. Natalie Kerris, an Apple spokeswoman, says the iPad is “something new,” reiterating comments by Jobs in January.

Apple may sell 2 million to 2.5 million iPads this year, according to Shaw Wu, an analyst at Kaufman Bros. David Bailey, an analyst at Goldman Sachs (GS), says sales could reach 6 million units. Apple shares gained 4.35, or 1.9%, to close at 230.90 on Mar. 26. The stock has more than doubled in the past year.

Jokes about the iPad’s name began circulating after Apple’s Jan. 27 launch of the device. Some referenced a 2006 sketch on the television program MadTV about a mythical Apple feminine hygiene product called the ‘iPad.’ Public relations and media professionals publicly lampooned Apple’s brand name as off-putting..

jokes about Wii didn’t hurt sales

Elsie Maio, president of branding agency Maio & co. in new York, calls the puns “sad.” She says they never occurred to her nor to female colleagues—one of whom, she notes, lives in Germany, where the word “pad” isn’t used to describe feminine hygiene products. “It is short, distinctive, and memorable,” Maio says of Apple’s appellation. “It’s a pad of paper that you grab and go.”

Libby Gill, a Los Angeles-based branding expert, dismissed the puns as “a middle-school reaction.” Jokes about Nintendo’s hit Wii videogame console didn’t squelch demand for that product when it went on sale in 2006, she notes. “The ultimate thing about a brand is: Do they deliver on their promise?” she says. “If it delivers what they say and it does what people want, it will sell.”

Perhaps the final joke on the subject belongs to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, now chief scientist at computer storage vendor Fusion-io. The iPad name is reasonable, he says, although it sounds too much like iPod. “Programmers know the problems with similarly spelled names that introduce chances for ambiguity,” he says. “What a horrible problem,” Wozniak adds, “trying to find the ultimate names for hot product categories.”

Guglielmo is a reporter for Bloomberg News in San Francisco.

IPad's Widely Mocked Name Won't Stifle Sales

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