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Why the iPad 3 could be in short supply

Will the upcoming iPad 3's 2048x1536 display be available in the volumes that Apple typically needs on the day of announcement? The possibility that it might not is emerging as a concern.

"Samsung is having some difficulty supplying the panels and there's a short delay," a source, who has contacts at display makers in Asia, told CNET.

"Keep in mind that there can be announcement on the 7th but the ship date might come later," this person said.

Such shortages could widen the delay between the announcement of the product and its release. Historically, … Read more

iPad 3 report suggests pricier models on the way

The much-expected extra pixels in the iPad 3's display could add some more dollars to its price tag if a leaked price list is to be believed.

MacRumors points to a pricing sheet (registration required) that made its way to popular Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo, offering a rundown of prices for both the iPad 2 and iPad 3. The big takeaway: the newer models come in at $80 and $70 more per model than their predecessors.

If the list is to be believed, Apple will keep the iPad 2 around at its existing prices, while offering the iPad … Read more

Buying a tablet on a budget: Android or iPad?

Thanks to Google Android, there are more tablet choices on the market than you can shake a stick at. But with a weak supply of apps to choose from and some buggy software, are these iPad knockoffs worth it? Or should consumers just pony up a few extra bucks and buy the iPad?

With the iPad 3 just around the corner, Ask Maggie tackles this question helping one reader decide if a low-cost Android option is better than a higher-priced iPad. Ask Maggie also helps a devoted iPod Touch user decide if he should get an iPhone as his first … Read more

How much better will the iPad 3 be?

I was talking to a friend and tech enthusiast the other day--let's call him "Chuck"--and he sheepishly admitted that he'd taken the iPad plunge.

I was shocked. Not so much because Chuck had never bought an Apple product before (take note, Android fanboys), but because he'd bought an iPad 2 with the iPad 3 just around the corner (if the rumors are to be believed).

I told him he was crazy. In buying his first Apple product, he'd not only broken the cardinal rule of buying Apple products (don't buy within six … Read more

Apple's iPad turns 2: A look back and ahead

Two years ago today, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs took to the stage to unveil what was perhaps one of the most-rumored devices the company had ever concocted.

The iPad, or as it had been imagined the "iSlate," was unveiled this day in 2010 at an intimate event in downtown San Francisco. The tablet was pitched as a new category of device that would fit between a smartphone and a notebook, while presenting distinct advantages.

"It's so much more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smartphone," Jobs said.

In the run … Read more

Rumor Has It, Ep. 16: Whew! iPad 3 is coming! (podcast)

Rumor Has It gets the dubious honor of being the last show live on the CNET main stage of CES 2012, and we use it to cry, "The iPad 3 is coming! The iPad 3 is coming!"

After spending seven full days in the city of sin, covering a bazillion and two live blogs, running around the show floor looking for pretty objects, and editing the glut of content CNET produced from CES, we somehow slap on our fancy pants, shellac on some lipstick, and make this show happen.

This show is a record-breaker for many reasons; first … Read more

Apple gives devs third iOS 5.1 beta, adds 3G toggle

While most of the electronics world has its eyes peeled on the happenings at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Apple quietly released another version of iOS 5.1 to developers.

The software, which is the third such beta of iOS 5.1, hit Apple's developer site earlier today.

Among the changes is the addition of the 3G toggle for iPhone 4S users, a feature spotted by Macrumors, which was not present when the phone shipped. This meant users did not have the option to turn off the faster data tier to conserve battery life. While Apple never explained … Read more

Apple lists quad-core chip in iOS 5.1 beta, report says

The iPad and iPhone are going quad-core, according to a report citing references in the latest iOS beta.

9to5Mac said it has evidence that Apple will bump up future iPhones (iPhone 5?) and iPads (iPad 3?) to quad-core processing. The A5 chip used in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S is dual-core.

"While not quite confirming that a quad-core processor will power Apple's third-generation iPad, we have obtained evidence that suggests Apple is currently working on quad-core iOS devices," 9to5Mac said Friday.

That reference comes in the latest iOS 5.1 beta "processing-core management software," … Read more

Apple tripling its iPad lineup in January? Not so fast

A report claiming Apple will release two different iPad models next month is starting to look pretty shaky.

The original report from Taiwanese tech-news site DigiTimes--which already had a shaky reputation for accuracy--claimed that Apple was planning to unveil two new iPad models at next month's Macworld|iWorld conference in San Francisco, a show Apple hasn't keynoted since 2009.

That same report claimed Apple would continue to sell the iPad 2, stretching its lineup to three different models. Since the iPad's introduction in 2010, Apple has only offered a single version at a time.

"These rumors … Read more

The 404 936: Where we leave our bodies at the door (podcast)

We can't remember the last time it snowed on Halloween weekend, but the cold weather kept all but one of us from dressing up today. Tune in to see who conjured up the spirits of Halloween!… Read more