Shrunken iPad in 2011?

[Paul Daniel Ash]

In news sure to provoke a new round of feminine-sanitary-products jokes, sources inside the Chinese electronics manufacturing industry are reporting that Apple is readying a smaller version of the iPad. Supposedly to be released in early 2011, the (cringe) mini iPad would have a screen somewhere from 5 to 7 inches in size, and sell for under $400.

DigiTimes is a daily newspaper out of Taiwan printed in Chinese that covers the semiconductor, electronics, computer and communications industries in Taiwan and East Asia. The Chinese-language and English-language websites have often presented rumors from industry sources, with a mixed track record for success. According to DigiTimes Research senior analyst Mingchi Kuo, the smaller iPad will be a 5- to 7-inch version of the current iPad, and will focus more directly on the e-reader market. Citing “upstream component sources”, Kuo speculated that the device would sell for less than $400, putting it into more direct competition with e-readers like Amazon's Kindle.

Kuo also took the opportunity to slam the soon-to-be-released HP Slate tablet in his report, saying that the device is unlikely to provide a competitive portable experience to the iPad since it uses an Intel processor which consumes more power.” The Slate, demoed by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at CES this year, will have an 8.9-inch, 1024-by-600-pixel display (slightly smaller and lower resolution than the iPad), a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor. It does have features the iPad does not, though: it sports not one but two cameras - a 3MP lens in back and a front-facing VGA camera - a USB 2.0 port, an SD card reader, a "conventional" SIM tray for 3G networking, and HDMI-out video capabilities and 32 or 64GB of built-in flash storage (expandable via the SD card slot). According to Kuo, who again cited sources from the industry, the HP Slate will be made by Inventec, and is will launch in the middle of 2010.

Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope suggested before the iPad launch that Apple might be “nimble” on its pricing, if the device didn't sell as well as expected. In today's event, Steve Jobs announced that 450,000 iPads had been sold so far.

[bsseto1]

cool

[MPS3]

meh more BS
just like the iphone mini rumor

[Prox]

Lol it doesn't make sense a mini or shrunken ipad is basically a iPod touch

[adp]

ahhhh yes the tampax mini...erm ipad mini. I'd lol if this is the actual name. Couldn't get any more feminine if you ask me.

So now they're releasing something in between an oversized iPod touch and an actual iPod touch. ok...I'd say this is totally fake.

BTW - the actor of the movie looks like a human chimp in the picture.

[M4tt Dam0n]

Ridiculous. First they make a big *** ipod touch and now it's gonna be a slightly bigger ipod touch shame on you apple if that happens.

[PlatoTheForms]

lol...i think modmyi should leave stupid rumors for other blogs and forums.

[indyracer05]

This probably won't happen.

[Raptors]

i thought this was a joke.. -_-

[thetoothfairy]

Well they won't get my money for this! Not interested....

[indyracer05]

Fools Day was last week...

[reanimationxp]

FFS April 1st was like 7 days ago.

Fools Day was last week...

jinxbuymeacoke

[carlos916]

so after the steriods ipod touch took made it a ipad and now we are getting side effects of the ipad...shrinkage...!

= FAIL!

[indyracer05]

I said it first so give me that coke

[lolcats1]

people will buy this. the same ones that bought the ipod XL

[H3x.]

wouldn't this just make is the 4th gen iTouch?

[K_Rae33]

So...it's a Pad for Lite Days, eh?

[battlecrushr]

no
wouldnt besmart

[TheOrioles33]

Should be out around the same time as the iPhone Nano!! LOL!!! NOT!

[alectra82]

awesome p;icture