Apple is widely expected to launch a smaller version of the iPad later
on Tuesday, into what is becoming an increasingly crowded tablet market.
The launch will be watched by fans keen for a cheaper device while
detractors will see it as another test for chief executive Tim Cook. Demand for smaller tablets have been proved by the success of Amazon's Kindle and Google's Nexus 7. The event in San Jose, US, kicks off at 10:00 local time (17:00 GMT).
Price point
Most analysts agree that the price of the pocket-sized iPad will be key to its success.
Currently Apple's 9.7in iPad 3 has a starting price of $499 (£399 in the UK) while its iPad 2 can be bought for $399 (£329). To date, Apple has sold more than 84 million iPads, with the device accounting for 26% of Apple's third quarter revenue.
The new mini iPad is expected to shave a couple of inches
from its larger cousin with analysts predicting a "sweet spot" price of
about £200. That would make it an "affordable Christmas present", said Maciej Gornicki, an analyst at IDC. The risk for Apple, said Ovum analyst Adam Leach, will be cannibalising its existing iPad range.
"If an iPad customer wants to upgrade will they still go high end?" he asked.
A survey of 1,000 consumers by US firm Baird Equity Research
suggested that, on average, consumers would be prepared to pay $242
(£150) for a 7in iPad and $268 (£167) for an 8in model.
Amazon's new 7in Kindle Fire HD costs $199 (£129 in the UK). A
slightly larger version, shipping on November 20, will sell for $299
(£159). Google's Nexus 7 has a price tag of $250 (£159).
The launch of the mini iPad will be keenly watched by Apple
critics who have questioned whether the firm has lost its edge since the
death of Steve Jobs.
The fact that, unlike previous product launches, there is
little doubt about what is coming could be significant, thinks Mr Leach.
"It represents a change in the way Apple go to market and the
way people perceive Apple. It is a move away from how Steve Jobs did
things. It is being headed, dare I say it, more like a normal technology
company," he said.
'Sea change'
Two years ago when mini tablets began to hit the market, Steve
Jobs famously said that in his opinion they would not succeed because
the size was insufficient to "create great tablet apps".
That Apple has changed its mind represents another important "sea change" for the company, thinks Mr Leach "Apple is now in the role of following what the market is doing,
responding to the threat of the Google Nexus and the Kindle Fire," he
said.
While internally Apple may be regretting losing its image as a
market leader, it could be good news for consumers, thinks Paddy Smith,
editor of Stuff.tv. "Having buckled under public pressure to increase the size of
the iPhone's screen, Apple can now be seen once again creating a
product based on listening to its customers, rather than thinking it
always knows best. "We think a smaller iPad - with a lower price tag - is a sure-fire Christmas hit. And Apple knows it, too," he said.
Boosted by its new iPad, Apple will continue to dominate the
tablet market, predicts IDC. It said that Apple will hold a 68% share of
the market in 2012, compared to 29% for Android tablets. Both will fall off slightly next year with the launch of Windows 8 tablets, IDC said.
Now I know that this is not an item on those must have gifts, however I know that most of us do travel with our gadgets which go me thinking that may be some tips for travelers may be a good idea. These are good if you have just starting out on the road or if you have been out and about for a while, does not hurt to check and rethink once in while?
Growing your business will often require you or your partners to hit
the ole pavement. Often business travel becomes necessary to visit
clients or make sales pitches or visit satellite offices. Whatever the
reason, here are a few tips to look into before your next trip.
1. Membership Rewards
It is never too early to sign up and start using membership rewards
programs. Be it points on select credit cards to travel rewards programs
through hotels and airlines, if you are going to spend you might as
well accumulate points toward rewards. Believe me, they add up. This
year, my family and I will take three week long vacations, all courtesy
of various rewards programs. So sign up and use them.
2. Build Extra Time Into Your Schedule
We are all about efficiency these days, but in our zeal to be
efficient we often lose focus on quality. For instance, if you have a 9
a.m. presentation in New York City, don't risk a flight in from Atlanta
that morning. Take a flight the night before, spend the night, and be
refreshed and ready to go in the morning. You'll be less stressed and
more likely to nail your presentation if you do. Likewise, if your
presentation or meetings are scheduled until four in the afternoon,
don't book a 5 o'clock flight. Nothing says you aren't important to me
like leaving a meeting early to catch a flight. Book a later flight. You
can always move it up if you end early.
3. Be Willing to Fly Standby
If you get done with your work early and head to the airport hoping
to catch an earlier flight, be willing to fly standby. Ask the attendant
if there is an earlier flight. If so, ask how many open seats there are
left. If it is not a full flight, simply ask to be put on standby for
that flight. It doesn't cost a thing, and for flights with open seats
you will usually get on. This is one way of avoiding the re-ticketing
charge you will receive if they simply move you up to the earlier
flight.
4. No Downtime, Ever
In our 24/7 world, we are always connected. Who cares if there
is not an earlier flight. With technology, you can be at the office
working even if you are hundreds or thousands of miles away. Personally,
my smartphone acts as a Wi-Fi hot spot for my laptop, and I can also
access my desktop remotely. Invest in the technology that works for you
to keep getting the job done no matter where you are.
5. Power Up
All that technology, however, requires juice. So whenever possible,
make sure you plug in. While waiting for your meeting to begin, plug in.
Most airports now have free charging stations. Plug in. If they don't,
just look around: There's an outlet somewhere on the wall. There has to
be. It's code.
6. Internet Deals
Always look for the best deals using the Internet. Expedia.com and
Travelocity.com are great for booking hotels and flights even at the
last minute. And make sure to scroll through their options, looking for
the websites' stars as well as user ratings. Oftentimes you can find
hotels that are just as nice for half the price. For instance, last
night I was in New York City and needed to be in the Times Square area
at 9 a.m. for meetings. Rather than simply booking at my old standard,
which would have been $499 for the night (Welcome to New York), I poked
around on Expedia.com and booked a room at a neighboring hotel for $250!
I saved $249, and the hotel was every bit as nice as my old favorite.
7. Maintain Healthy Habits (If You Have Any)
One of the toughest things about being on the road is maintaining a
healthy lifestyle. So many of us get on the road and say, "Hey, tonight
it's me, a bag of Doritos, and whatever Nicholas Cage movie is showing
on TNT." On the road or not, you've got to behave the same way as you
would at home. If you exercise, don't miss it because you are on the
road. What greater way to see the city you are staying in than a quick
jog or power walk? Of course, it is so easy to throw food caution to the
wind. I mean, how can you eat a whole bag of Doritos without having
some Oreo cookies to finish it off? But you must resist the temptation.
In addition to unveiling all those laptops,
HP just announced a boatload of peripherals. Of the bunch, the most
compelling might be the NFC-enabled Touch to Pair Mouse, which, as the
name suggests, can be paired with another device simply through tapping.
(Good thing lots of computers currently have NFC, right?) If, by
chance, you don't have NFC on your laptop -- and you probably don't --
the mouse will function just fine as a regular old Bluetooth device.
Look for it in November for $39.
Elsewhere on the wireless mouse front,
HP announced the X6000 (pictured), which has four-way tilt scrolling and
can be used on most surfaces, including glass. That arrives this month
for $59. Finally, if your tastes are a bit simpler, there's also the
Wireless Mouse X4500 and X5500, which will be available this month for
$29 and $39, respectively.
Beyond mice, HP also trotted out the
$29 Wireless Classic Desktop keyboard, along with the $49 Wireless Elite
v2. For audio lovers, there's the HP Portable Bluetooth Speaker, which
will go on sale next month for a cool $79. Eighty bucks (or thereabouts)
will also get you a 90W universal power adapter that claims to be
compatible with most notebooks. It also has a built-in USB port,
allowing you to charge a mobile device at the same time. Rounding out
the list is the Webcam HD 4310, a $69 $89 shooter
capable of 1080p video, autofocus, autoexposure and three-way video
calling. All that in more digestible form in the PR after the break.
