Bounty Offered For Photographic Evidence of Apple Tablet

[Michael Essany]

In what has amounted to a hilarious gag that raised eyebrows and ire at Apple, the digital tech-gossip magazine Valleywag has issued a lucrative bounty to anyone who can provide photographic evidence of the Apple tablet's existence ahead of the device's rumored release later this month.

Here's the rundown: $10,000 for a picture of the tablet. $20,000 for video of the tablet in use. $50,000 for video of Steve Jobs playing with it. $100,000 for anyone who enables the people at Valleywag to "play with one for an hour." The result of the stunt hasn't prompted any digital photos or video. But the online publication did get a Cease & Desist letter from Apple.

From Valleywag:

We've had enough of trying to follow all the speculation around Apple's impending tablet -- how it'll work, its size, the name, the software and whether it will save magazines. We want answers, dammit! And we're willing to pay.

Naturally, some are speculating that's Apple's prompt and angry reaction to the bounty gimmick all but certainly proves the tablet's existence. Nonetheless, Michael Spillner, the Apple attorney and author of the Cease & Desist letter, received a friendly gift basket from Valleywag.

Granted, it's no photo of Steve Jobs holding his heavenly device himself (prize: $50,000), but we do feel like it merits some kind of reward. So, Michael, we're sending off a gift basket to you that includes: A DVD of Legally Blonde 2, a $25 Zune Marketplace giftcard, and a fabulous set of steak knives!

In case you can't tell, tensions are running high at Apple. The same, of course, could be said for many eagerly awaiting the tablet's big reveal - which now seems all but inevitable. And while the attorney from Apple is - in a strange way - the winner of the Valleywag issued bounty, the goal of the scribes at the tech-mag may have been realized.

Congratulations, Michael Spillner of the prestigious Menlo Park law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe! Your "Letter from Apple" demanding that we stop the Scavenger Hunt — specifically the line "Apple has maintained the types of information and things you are soliciting ... in strict confidence" — is the most concrete evidence (from Apple itself, no less!) yet that there may indeed be a tablet in the works.

Image via Valleywag

[domaid]

OMG obviously they aren't going to pay that out. How hard is it to hold your excitement for a couple of weeks. Would be hilarious if the tablet was a let down :L

[StealthBravo]

Haha. Well this will bring out alot of fakes now

[n00neimp0rtant]

Something tells me that if someone posted the same thing about an Apple Time Machine, there wouldn't be a C&D involved. (In other words, why would they get pissed if it wasn't real?)

[ty22]

[ty22]

Something tells me that if someone posted the same thing about an Apple Time Machine, there wouldn't be a C&D involved. (In other words, why would they get pissed if it wasn't real?)

Because its apple....lol

[simes6600]

a Bounty?! i thought they would at least have offered a Mars Bar.......

[screamforme02]

i want one, i just hope its not crazy expensive

[feidhlim1986]

I really really hope there is no tablet.

[mikerlx]

The market is full of tablets eg CES so wow factor is all Apple has left at this point.

[shadowtrainer02]

Haha, i liked the zune marketplace card, nice touch to give to an apple employee

[steve-z17]

Lol for that much money I'll put together something that looks incredibly real and close to a tablet! But seriously its not that long til they announce it, everyone just needs to take a couple deep breaths in and relax. It will be exciting but I'd rather be surprised when they announce/show it then already know stuff about it.

[Melech518]

Your welcome for the news tip.....

[rhekt]

here it is

[mysteryskater125]

Attachment 417794

this looks like the most legit one yet

[Melech518]

this looks like the most legit one yet

Lol, it's just a MacBook pro display photoshopped

[mysteryskater125]

hmm. coulda fooled me

[mikerlx]

WoW

[wakedude]

So this info hit the web already back on the 13th see here...

Also because of this bounty Apple has already sent out a cease and desist letter here...

[bclasen1]

Am i the only one who thinks that it is stupid for apple to have sent that letter? I think its ******** that a company can think it can hold people down. **** APPLE. I love the iphone and the tablet will probably be cool, but i will never buy another product and support them again.