Hopstretch

Dinny, I think they could have built a really cutting-edge device that hardcore geeks would love, but it would have been twice the price or more. And they decided the only way to create this new category was to have it be mass-market right from the start. To do that, it had to be relatively cheap and it had to be relatively simple. Jobs said it right at the end: "With over 75 million iPhones and iPod touches sold, we've got over 75 million people who already know how to use the iPad."

It also looks like you don't get GPS unless you pony for the 3G model. Must be an integrated chip.

Yup. The only visual indicator is the black strip on the back, which isn't there with the wi-fi model.

As far as SD cards go, there is a card reader adaptor for photos and a USB connection for cameras, so we know the device can access external storage through the 30-pin connector. It'll be a question of file system support for other media or external drives, I guess?

Chill. It is widely rumored that multitasking will be added to the iPhone -- and presumably now the iPad too -- in the next major firmware update. Also, I see several things it has that netbooks generally do not -- like a decent display and a processor that isn't hamster-powered.

From Engadget: EDIT: Oops. Late.

Why would you want a camera? All cell phones have cameras and you're going to be buying this as well as a phone.

Yup. The base model is exactly what I wanted. A kick-ass Web tablet + email device + ebook reader. Easy sell at $499. Now, whether people will buy the full-boat models for $830 + whatever the accessory keyboard costs as a full-on laptop replacement, I do not know.

It will. They're going to sell a metric ass-ton of these.

Sweet!

Heh. Apple stock just went nuts.

$499! Sold to the tall guy with the hard-on!

Micro-SIMs. What is it with Apple and nonstandard peripherals?

Good news, cheap 3G. Bad news, AT&T. Good news, pay as you go. Bad news, AT&T.

Yes. iBooks. This bit looks right!

There's got to be at least a smidgen of unicorn jizz pixie dust in reserve...

So far, meh.

Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.

How come Stephen Fry gets in early? Damn poms stick together.

Boards Of Canada -- Music Has The Right To Children

That's the good thing about being an unemployed wastrel. Society doesn't really want you to try and get better at it.

You're welcome.

Kashi GoLean. I'm pretty sure one of the "seven grains" is cardboard.

I've heard it will properly drive a set of O2s through a new, proprietory minipro-bias jack. Adapters will be available. Eventually.

The Beatles -- Let It Be