MacRumors

Bright Side of News claims to have information on Apple's "A4" chip unveiled as the brains behind the company's new iPad tablet device. Unsurprisingly, the CPU included in the chip is said to be based on the ARM Cortex A9 licensed by Apple and implemented by its team of chip designers acquired as part of its 2008 purchase of P.A. Semi.

While it should be no surprise that the Apple A4 processor is based on the ARM Cortex A9 design which will begin shipping to many manufacturers this year, the article incorrectly states that the Qualcomm Snapdragon and nVidia Tegra were also based on this design. Those processors were based on the Cortex A8 -- the same processor design found in the iPhone 3GS. This new potentially multi-core processor has only recently been introduced in the Tegra 2 first demoed at CES 2010.

The site also makes a dubious claim that Apple is using the ARM Mali 50-Series GPU for its graphics hardware which would represent a departure (and potential downgrade) for Apple from the PowerVR chips that they've used in the past. Apple is a licensee and major stakeholder in Imagination Technologies, the company behind the PowerVR chipset.

Amongst the varied reactions to the Apple iPad, one common impression has been the notable speed increase of the device compared to the existing iPhone and iPod Touch. We would expect Apple to adapt the A4 design into the next generation iPhone which is expected later this year.

Last week, we uncovered evidence of Apple seeking to trademark the "iPad" name in a number of countries, foreshadowing the name of Apple's tablet device announced yesterday. At the time, we noted that Apple had not applied for an "iPad" trademark in the U.S., ostensibly due to Fujitsu already holding a claim to the name there. Further investigation soon revealed, however, that Apple has filed multiple requests to extend the allowable time period for it to oppose Fujitsu's still-pending trademark application. In addition, an Apple shell company finally did apply for the "iPad" trademark in the U.S.

The New York Times reports, however, that Fujitsu does not appear to be going down without a fight, seeking to protect the name of its iPad device for retail inventory management.

"It's our understanding that the name is ours," Masahiro Yamane, director of Fujitsu's public relations division, said Thursday. He said Fujitsu was aware of Apple's plans to sell the iPad tablet and that the company was consulting lawyers over next steps.

The report notes that Fujitsu's iPad bears a number of similarities to Apple's iPad, including a color touchscreen, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as support for VoIP calling. Apple currently has until February 28th to file its opposition to Fujitsu's "iPad" trademark application, although it could request a further extension with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Apple's choice of the "iPhone" name similarly stepped on others' toes with its announcement in January 2007, and Cisco quickly sued Apple upon Apple's iPhone introduction after negotiations regarding the iPhone trademark owned by Cisco and used for its line of Web-enabled telephones had not resulted in an agreement to that point. The dispute was quickly resolved, with both companies allowed to use the iPhone name.

On Tuesday, less than 24 hours before Apple's media event to introduce the iPad, publishing giant McGraw-Hill's CEO Terry McGraw confirmed that Apple would be introducing a tablet at the event. McGraw also confirmed earlier reports that Apple and McGraw-Hill had been working closely together on e-books, particularly e-textbooks, for the device.

McGraw-Hill's content was, however, nowhere to be found in Apple's presentation at the media event, and VentureBeat reports that Apple CEO Steve Jobs had immediately removed McGraw-Hill from the presentation after McGraw's disclosure on CNBC.

McGraw-Hill is bigger than most of the publishers on this slide. But insiders say as soon as Terry shot his mouth off on CNBC, Jobs had the company cut from the presentation. We won't know for a few weeks if McGraw was only wrist-slapped, or if he's been thrown out of the game.

The move is reminiscent of Jobs' reaction after a leak by graphics card manufacturer ATI just prior to Macworld San Francisco 2000 that revealed Apple's plans to introduce new iMac and Power Mac models using the company's graphics cards. In that case, Jobs reportedly pulled all mention of ATI from his presentation at the last minute, although the products obviously continued to ship with ATI products inside.

Update: According to Digital Daily, McGraw-Hill has denied that it was scheduled to be a part of Apple's media event presentation and that the company had advance knowledge of the iPad's details.

"As a company deeply involved in the digitization of education and business information, we were as interested as anyone in the launch of the new device, although we were never part of the launch event and never in a position to confirm details about the device ahead of time," Steven Weiss, VP of Corporate Communications for The McGraw-Hill Companies said in a statement given to Digital Daily.

According to Weiss, McGraw's speculative comments were simply rehashing the many rumors about Apple's tablet introduction and were misconstrued by others as a confirmation. Digital Daily also notes that its sources have indicated that McGraw-Hill had not seen a demonstration of the iPad prior to Apple's media event.

AT&T today released its earnings report for the fourth quarter of 2009, revealing that the company activated 3.1 million iPhones on its network during the quarter, just shy of the record 3.2 million iPhone activated in the previous quarter. The iPhone continues to be a major contributor to AT&T's "integrated devices" segment of smartphones, which have grown to 46.4% of the company's postpaid subscriber base and who continue to generate 1.8 times the average monthly revenues of traditional phone users.

Overall, AT&T experienced a net gain of 2.7 million wireless subscribers for the quarter, the company's second highest net gain in history. Over 4 million postpaid integrated devices were added to the company's base during the quarter, and while the activation of 3.1 million iPhones might suggest that Apple was responsible for approximately 75% of the total smartphone additions, the company has in the past noted that not all iPhone activations represent new devices sold. AT&T's "activations" term includes existing handsets transferred to new owners, making comparisons between new activations and device additions invalid.

Not addressed in AT&T's earnings release is Apple's new iPad tablet device. Apple and AT&T have partnered on the 3G-capable versions of the iPad in the U.S., with AT&T offering no-contract data plans for the device at $14.99 (250 MB) and $29.99 (unlimited) monthly price points. The 3G-capable iPad models are not expected to begin shipping for another 90 days.

One of the major surprises for many people with yesterday's iPad launch was the lack of a camera anywhere on the device. As noted by CrunchGear, however, the iPad simulator included as part of the newly-released iPhone SDK 3.2 contains references to the ability to take photos for addition to entries in the device's Contacts application.

Tucked away within the iPad's contacts application is an "Add Photo" button, purposed with.. well, adding photos. Everyone likes having photos assigned to their contacts, and there's more than enough space on this thing to sync photos of all your friends - so nothing too strange there. What is odd, however, is the prompt that pops up: do you want to "Choose Existing Photo", or do you want to "Take Photo"?

Unfortunately, the reason for the inclusion of a "Take Photo" option in the iPad simulator is unknown, leading to a number of theories. While it is possible (and maybe likely) that Apple simply ported much of the iPhone version of the Contacts application over to the iPad development tools and neglected to remove the "Take Photo" option, more optimistic spectators may be hoping that a camera could be added as a last-minute feature before shipping. Other speculation includes possible plans by Apple to include a camera in the iPad that were scrapped at the last minute as with the iPod touch last year or the potential release of a camera accessory for the iPad.

iCall announced today that Apple had made changes to iPhone SDK that makes Voice over IP (VOIP) over cellular networks possible.

With the latest revisions Apple has made to the iPhone developer agreement and Software Development Kit, iCall for the iPhone and iPod Touch now enabled unrestricted free local and long distance calling over 3G data networks.

iCall claims to be one of the few VoIP applications that has been permitted by Apple to operate on the iPhone platform. This allows users to make telephone calls over AT&T's 3G data network without using their plan's minutes.

The no-VOIP-over-3G restriction had been in place since the launch of the iPhone SDK due to Apple agreements with AT&T. AT&T announced that it would allow such applications back in October and Apple promised to make the necessary changes.

The change comes with the launch of the Apple iPad which suggests that these same applications could be used to make voice calls on the new device. The 3G enabled iPad notably does not include any voice service with its $30/month unlimited data plan, but it does include a microphone and speaker. We're not sure if these iPad data plans will be somehow excluded from the VOIP apps, but it would otherwise offer an inexpensive contract-free way to make mobile phone calls.

Apple has posted the January 2010 media event video stream from today which saw the introduction of the company's much-anticipated iPad tablet device.

- Apple Tablet Media Event Today: "Come See Our Latest Creation"
- Apple Releases iPad Tablet, New SDK, iBooks and iWork Apps
- Hands-On Impressions of Apple's New iPad
- iPad SDK 3.2 Details: External Display, File Sharing System, No Multitasking

Apple has unleashed iPhone OS 3.2 SDK to developers today to prepare for the launch of the Apple iPad. The new iPhone OS 3.2 only runs on the iPad device and will not run on the iPhone or iPod Touch. The accompanying documents are said to have revealed a number of interesting features about the iPad and the latest version of the iPad operating system.

- External Display Support. iPad applications will be able to display content specifically targeted to an external display connected to the iPad via the Dock connector. This sort of external monitor support has never been allowed with the iPhone SDK.
- File Sharing. A shared file directory is provided that will mount on your Mac or PC. This is presumably how files such as iWork documents will be transferred to and from the iPad. iPad applications will be able to access this shared directory.
- No Multitasking. Only one application runs at a time according to official documentation.
- Universal Apps. There will be support for universal apps that support both iPhone and iPad.

Of course, a lot of questions remain, and we'll certainly hear more as we approach the iPad's ship date.

Engadget and Gizmodo have both posted early hands-on impressions of Apple's new iPad tablet, having had the chance to play with the device after today's media event in San Francisco.

Both reviews rave about the iPad's speed, calling it "blazingly fast" with no lagging at any point. Responsiveness of the system and applications, as well as loading of web pages, is seen as excellent by those who have handled the device. The 1024 x 768 screen is also well-regarded in both reviews, described as "stunning" with the ability to show small text "crisply".

Reports on the feel of the device are mixed, however, with Engadget calling it "not light" and "pretty weighty" and Gizmodo calling it "substantial but surprisingly light". Notable drawbacks experienced in the few minutes of testing include the lack of Flash, multitasking, and camera. Also noted is the lack of "razor sharp" graphics for scaled up iPhone applications, although it seems to be a decent solution to allow Apple to offer immediate full-screen compatibility for existing iPhone applications.

iLounge is in the early stages of putting together an extensive "first look" feature, but has already shared pricing for a number of accessories, including the basic dock ($29), keyboard dock ($69), and case/stand ($39). They also note that while the iPad was fast, there was a bit of bugginess in their time with the device.

From a gaming perspective, Joystiq similarly notes that the iPhone games "are scaled up and look like it", although the iPad does seem to allow for greater accelerometer sensitivity for iPhone games and also allows less of the screen to be obscured by the user's thumbs while gaming. Of particular note, Apple is planning to feature iPad games in a separate section of the App Store, leading to questions about whether users with both an iPad and iPhone/iPod touch will have to purchase two separate applications or whether developers will be able to find a way to "bundle" versions together for the two device sizes. In the absence of such a program, Joystiq wonders whether iPad users will opt to spend the money for the dedicated apps when their iPhone apps will be playable on the device.

Visit our new iPad forum for more discussion.

At today's highly-anticipated media event, Apple announced the iPad tablet device, featuring a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display and 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB capacities. Carrying a custom 1 GHz "Apple A4" chip, the iPad weighs in at 1.5 pounds and is .5-inch thin. The iPad will be priced at $499, $599, and $699 for the varying capacity models without 3G, and $629, $729, and $829 with 3G. Wi-Fi only models are scheduled to ship in 60 days, with 3G-capable model shipping in 90 days. A video preview is also available.

In terms of standard connectivity, the iPad offers Wi-Fi (802.11n) and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, with 3G models also offering cellular data connectivity. All iPad models have an accelerometer, compass, speakers, a microphone, and a 30-pin dock connector. The iPad also offers a claimed 10 hours of battery life for viewing video, with 1 month of standby battery life.

Models with 3G will be unlocked and will be able to use GSM micro SIMs. In the U.S., AT&T will offer two data plan options $14.99 for up to 250 MB per month and $29.99 per month for unlimited data. No contract is required for either option, and free access to AT&T's Wi-Fi hot spots is included. Data packages for iPad users outside of the U.S. will by in place by June.

The iPad will have standard apps for personal information management, including an address book and calendar, along with e-mail, Safari, Google Maps, and Notes. A special version of iTunes is also on board to provide an optimized browsing experience on the device's 9.7-inch screen.

Accessories will also be available for the iPad, including a dock with a mechanical keyboard that will accommodate the iPad in portrait orientation and a case with a built-in stand for video viewing. Prices on these accessories were not announced. The iPad also supports Bluetooth keyboards.

Multiple demos showed unmodified iPhone apps working on the iPad at original resolution and scaled up to take advantage of the iPad's increased screen real estate. According to Scott Forstall during his time on stage, the iPad can run "virtually every" app without modification, with an on-screen button to scale an app's resolution up and down as desired. iPhone users will not need to re-purchase apps to load them onto an iPad.

The event was also rife with demos, showcasing Gameloft's N.O.V.A., an art app called Brushes, Electronic Art's Need for Speed Shift, and video within a Major League Baseball app.

As expected from recent rumors about Apple's negotiations in the past few weeks with major media publications, the New York Times was on hand to demo a dedicated New York Times app, stating they were proud to "pioneer the next generation of digital journalism." The app offers an expanded view of the paper's content with in-line video viewing and synchronization capability with the iPhone app.

Jobs then unveiled the iBooks app, referencing Amazon's Kindle and describing that they wanted to "stand on their shoulders and go a little further." The iBooks app has a store - the iBookstore - featuring content from Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Hachette Book Group. iBooks uses the open ePub standard and offers tables of contents and intuitive page navigation on the iPad, along with the ability to read in portrait and horizontal orientations using the built-in accelerometer. Jobs highlighted True Compass by Edward M. Kennedy, describing its $14.99 price tag in the iBooks store.

New iPad-specific versions of iWork applications also made an appearance at the event, with demos of Keynote, Pages, and Numbers by Phil Schiller on the iPad. Schiller pointed out specialized on-screen keyboards and drop-down menus to spotlight the ease of use of these apps on the iPad. The iWork apps will cost $9.99 each.

At the end of the event, Jobs described the iPad as the company's "most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price." He also pointed out that there are over 125 million iTunes accounts with credit cards and that using the iPad will be second-nature for the more than 75 million iPhone and iPod touch users.

Developers can access the new iPhone SDK 3.2 today, offering tools for developing iPad applications including guidelines, sample code, and a simulator application.

With less than two hours to go before Apple's media event, Gizmodo has posted three images that briefly appeared on Chinese website WeiPhone appearing to show the back shell of an Apple device of approximately the tablet's expected size. The photos, which appear to depict several such shells in an industrial setting, quickly disappeared from the site.

Earlier today, Engadget posted what appears to be images of the front of the tablet device, which has been bolted down to a table and partially covered by a black cloth in the images.

Apple is holding its media event today and is expected to introduce their much anticipated tablet device. We will provide links to live coverage of the event and provide bulleted updates. The event kicks off at 10 am Pacific or 1 pm Eastern. Apple does not provide a live video or audio stream to their events, so you can only follow along live with text and photo updates. Apple will post a QuickTime video a few hours after the event.

Live Web/Twitter Coverage

- Gizmodo
- Engadget
- Ars Technica
- gdgt
- MacRumors Twitter

- Spoiler Free notification page

Recent News and Rumors

- Photos of Apple Tablet Back Shell Leaked?
- Apple's Focus on Content and Possible eBook Pricing
- Last Minute Leaked Photos of the Apple Tablet?
- McGraw-Hill CEO Confirms Apple Tablet, iPhone OS Based, Going to Be "Terrific"
- Apple Tablet Rumor Roundup

Event Updates

- Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger is present, possibly suggesting a content deal of some sort with Apple to be announced.
- Steve Jobs on stage, sharing stats: 250 million iPods sold; 284 retail stores, with over 50 million visitors last quarter; 3 billion App Store downloads, over 140,000 apps available.
- Apple is a mobile device company. By revenue, Apple is the largest mobile device company in the world.
- Now for the main event: Reviews 1991 PowerBook introduction and iPhone. Is there something in between that could be better at browsing, e-mail, photos, video, music, games, eBooks? Netbooks? Nope...just small, cheap laptops.
- Introduces "iPad"

- Built-in browser, mail, photos, calendar, maps, etc. iTunes Store included right on iPad. YouTube access.
- So much more intimate than a laptop. So much more capable than a smartphone.
- Music player is a hybrid between iPhone and regular iTunes.
- Showing off browsing: Apple, New York Times, Time, Fandango. One article appears to show plug-in error...no Flash?
- E-mail: Showing off message reading and creation. Direct PDF viewing.

- Showing off photos: Can utilize Events, Places, and Faces functionality by syncing from iPhoto.
- iTunes: expansive interface, album art, etc.

- Showing off Calendar and Maps applications. Maps includes Street View...everything reportedly very snappy.
- Showing off video capabilities via YouTube. Also movies, TV...showing clips from Star Trek and Up.
- Back to the hardware. 0.5" thin, 1.5 pounds, 9.7" IPS display, full multi-touch.
- 1 GHz "Apple A4 chip", 16, 32, or 64 GB flash storage, 802.11n, Bluetooth, accelerometer, compass, speaker, mic. 10 hours battery life. One month of standby battery.
- Now App Store...third-party apps. Scott Forstall on stage.
- Can run existing apps in a small box in center of screen or can pixel double to run full screen. Demoing. Showing off Facebook and ESPN snowcross game.
- Apple has also modified iPhone SDK to allow third-developers to rewrite for the large display as Apple has done with its own apps.
- App Store available on iPad and will feature both iPad-only and iPhone apps. Gameloft now on stage with a demo. Showing off Nova...iPad version coming later this year. Can interact with the game world on a whole new level.
- Now showing off New York Times. Martin Nisenholtz, NYT senior VP of digital operations on stage. Creating iPad-specific application.

- Steve Sprang from Brushes. Briefly showing off painting application.
- Travis Boatman of Electronic Arts to talk about gaming. Showing off Need for Speed: Shift. Fully touch-enabled. "Like holding an HD display up to your face."
- Major League Baseball on stage. Utilizing screen space to show off stats, animations, video highlights, box score, scoreboards, etc.
- Steve Jobs back on stage. Showing off another one of our apps. Standing on Amazon's shoulders, we're going a bit further with "iBooks".
- E-books displayed on a bookshelf. Direct access to iBook Store to download new material. Major publishers on board, and we're opening the floodgates to others this afternoon. Demoing purchasing e-books.

- Showing e-book navigation...tap right or left side of screen to flip pages, change font, text size, etc.
- Now talking about iWork. Talked to head of iWork team a year ago about creating iPad version, and they got it done. Introducing iWork on iPad.
- Phil Schiller on stage talking about iWork on iPad. Completely new versions of Keynote, Pages, Number. Now demoing Keynote...landscape orientation to accommodate slide views. Moving slides, resizing images, etc.

- Now showing Pages. Document gallery, scrolling, virtual keyboard, showing off auto text-wrapping.
- Demoing Numbers. Showing off how to move columns of data, adding rows, etc. Offers multiple keyboards...data-entry, text, date and time. etc.
- iWork for iPad apps priced at $9.99 each.
- Steve is back to show off iTunes. iPad syncs over USB, exactly like iPhone or iPod touch. When you sync, you sync everything.
- Wireless: iPad has Wi-Fi, also 3G. Two data plans available: 250 MB limit for $14.99/month; Unlimited for $29.99/month. AT&T to provide service. Free use of AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots.
- Activation directly through device. NO wireless contract needed. Cancel anytime.
- What about international? Hope to have deals in place by June or July. Hopefully June. All iPad models are unlocked and use new GSM micro SIMs.
- Steve is recapping the features of the iPad.
- Pricing: Starts at $499 for 16 GB, $599 for 32 GB, $699 for 64 GB. 3G-capable models are $130 more: $629/$729/$829.

- Will begin shipping Wi-Fi models in 60 days, 3G models in 90 days.
- Also introducing dock stand, as well as a full-size mechanical keyboard dock stand.

- Also a case that doubles as a stand. Showing highlight video with Jonathan Ive and others hyping the iPad.
- Notes from observers: No visible camera or mention of one; No mention of multi-tasking; No mention of any phone capabilities.
- Steve: "We think we've got the goods. We think we've got it." With over 75 million iPhones and iPod touches sold, we've got over 75 million people who already know how to use the iPad. Over 125 million iTunes accounts with over 12 billion products downloaded. We're ready for the iPad.
- Thanking attendees. Invited for hands-on.

Last night Derek Powazek of Fray published an opinion piece called "What I Hope Apple Unleashes Tomorrow". As both a print and online publisher, Powazek provides some excellent insight into the promise of a mainstream Apple tablet with regard to content providers. He concludes:

It's the same hole they filled with the iPod. When it came out, there were CDs on one side (physical media for sale) and file-sharing on the other (free but dodgy). The iPod filled the media experience gap, and the iTunes store filled the payment side. Many pundits said it wouldn't work. It worked.

The same could happen here. Apple could release a device that makes consuming media fun, is able to show any PDF beautifully (just like the iPod would play any MP3), and offers new media for sale in the iTunes store. If they did it right, publishers like me might finally be able to sell something digital that people would actually buy.

The entire piece is worth a read as it may offer the best explanation of why people might need or want a Tablet.

As it turns out, Powzek's dream may be in line with some of Apple's plans. Wired posts a last minute story that claims Apple's focus on Wednesday's event will be on "reinventing content, not tablets".

Apple's goal is to offer a new platform for content creators to reinvent books, magazines and online content -- in addition to offering a new avenue for content producers to make money. That platform will likely be far broader than just a tablet device, and will extend to every device or computer that iTunes touches.

The "creation" reference in the invitation reportedly has to do with content providers who will publish their wares through iTunes using HTML5, Javascript and multimedia. Wired imagines that while the tablet will be the focus, this content could also be played back on laptops, iPhones, iPod Touches or even the Apple TV.

Apple has been aggressively trying to sign on book publishers, and a report from the Wall Street Journal indicates that Apple taking Amazon head on in its negotiations with book publishers. Apple is reportedly looking to set hardcover best sellers at $12.99 and $14.99, above Amazon's current $9.99 pricing. Apple is looking to allow publishers to set their own prices for books, shifting some of the power back to the publishers.

Apple's media event kicks off at 1pm Eastern, 10am Pacific today, Wednesday January 27th. Possible photos of the device were leaked early this morning.

Engadget posts a possible image of what appears to be the Apple Tablet.

Okay, we obviously can't confirm this, but we just got two very interesting images of what certainly looks like a prototype Apple tablet, or what could be the tablet bolted down to a table. It's big -- really big -- and it's running what clearly looks like an iPhone app, although we've never seen an iPhone app with that interface or at that resolution before.

The site isn't convinced that the image is legitimate. The device appears to have a very iPhone-like Maps application with UI elements consistent with the current iPhone. Obviously, the screen is much larger with a much larger viewing area. There appears to be a home button at the bottom of the device, and a Wi-Fi signal near the top with "No Service" indicating no cellular service at the time the photo was taken.

The black cloaking could be consistent with security measures in place by Apple according to a 2009 New York Times article:

Work spaces are typically monitored by security cameras, this employee said. Some Apple workers in the most critical product-testing rooms must cover up devices with black cloaks when they are working on them, and turn on a red warning light when devices are unmasked so that everyone knows to be extra-careful, he said.

Update: Engadget has updated its story with another image from the same source, this one somewhat blurry but showing an iPhone placed on top of the tablet for size comparison.

In an interview with CNBC, McGraw-Hill's CEO confirms that their textbooks will be on the Apple Tablet and it will be an iPhone OS based machine. When asked about rumors that their textbooks will be on the Apple tablet, Terry McGraw responds (2m 50s):

"Yeah, Very exciting. Yes, they'll make their announcement tomorrow on this one. We have worked with Apple for quite a while. And the Tablet is going to be based on the iPhone operating system and so it will be transferable. So what you are going to be able to do now -- we have a consortium of e-books. And we have 95% of all our materials that are in e-book format on that one. So now with the tablet you're going to open up the higher education market, the professional market. The tablet is going to be just really terrific."

Over the years, there have always been those rumored Apple products and announcements that seem to take on a life of their own. Products that have been rumored for so long that you never actually think they will ever arrive, and when they finally do, it seems surreal. We can remember three other moments like this:

- PowerMac G5 (2003)
- Macintosh Moving to Intel Processors (2005)
- The iPhone (2007)

The Tablet easily falls into that category. Apple fans have been demanding a tablet-sized device from Apple as far back as the Newton days (15 years ago). Later interest in such a device morphed into a Mac version which we were convinced was poised to be released in 2003 but killed at the last minute. But over the past year, the Apple tablet has once again become the focus of the rumor community -- and this time it seems certain.

The rumors for the tablet have been scattered all over the place with claims from analysts and other questionable sources taking the headlines. Instead of providing an exhaustive list of rumors, here's what we feel are most credible and most likely.

The Wall Street Journal provides an overall image of what an Apple tablet will offer:

The tablet is expected to be a multimedia device that will let people watch movies and television shows, play games, surf the Internet and read electronic books and newspapers. Though companies like Toshiba Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. have introduced Windows-based tablet computers before and Amazon.com Inc. and others sell similarly-sized digital-book readers, people briefed by Apple say the company intends to carve out a new product category.

Apple is said to be looking to change the way consumers interact with content. This would presumably be accomplished with live updating information and Apple's multi-touch technology. Multiple reports have indicated that Apple is meeting with book publishers, newspapers and other companies to provide content for the device.

All reports have pointed to the use of the advanced Cortex A9 ARM processor in Apple's upcoming tablet. The use of this next generation processor should allow for good performance and relatively long battery life. It will also allow the tablet to run existing iPhone and iPod Touch apps unaltered -- a feature that has been rumored. The added horsepower could also allow for long rumored iPhone OS features such as multi-tasking. While some may be holding out hope for a Mac OS X based experience, there has been absolutely no evidence that the tablet will run anything related to Apple's desktop operating system, and the use of the ARM processor would eliminate the possibility of direct Mac application compatibility. It seems certain that the tablet will run an evolution of the iPhone operating system which has been designed for multi-touch interfaces.

The device, itself, has been pegged at around 10" in size according to multiple reports with an appearance very similar to the current iPhone. A front facing camera may also be included with the device which would open the door to video conferencing. Optional 3G wireless connectivity in addition to built-in Wi-Fi is expected, though through which carrier remains uncertain.

Apple has applied for trademarks for both iSlate and iPad. While it's possible Apple may have ultimately decided to go a different direction, the iPad application process remains ongoing with filings as recent as this month, making this seem to be the most likely candidate.

Finally, the interface remains one of the most important pieces of the puzzle, but little has leaked about this. Patent applications over the years have provided hints at what might be possible, but the best reports simply describe it as "a good bit of new sexy" and that people will be surprised at how you interact with it.

Steve Jobs seems to be very excited about the new product with second hand quotes describing it as the most important thing he's ever done. The last time we'd heard that Steve Jobs was excited about a product launch it was immediately prior to the launch of the iPhone in 2007.

MacRumors will provide consolidated coverage of the event which takes place Wednesday, January 27th at 10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern. Live Twitter updates can be followed at @MacRumors, with news stories appearing on @MacRumorsRSS. We also offer a Spoiler Free page if you prefer to watch a time-delay of the video feed.

With Apple's major media event scheduled for tomorrow, the company's plans for wireless carrier arrangements in the U.S. for the iPhone and tablet device remain unclear, with reports coming down on all sides of the issue.

Regarding the iPhone, AT&T has long been thought to hold exclusivity in the U.S. through mid-2010, although a recent report has claimed that it will be losing its exclusivity at Apple's media event tomorrow. Claims of a Verizon-compatible iPhone have also fed the hype over new carrier arrangements coming in the very near future for the iPhone, although reports have differed over when such a launch could occur. In fact, just yesterday, an analyst claimed that T-Mobile will be the first to break AT&T's exclusivity this summer, with Verizon and Sprint having to wait until the fall.

The question of what carrier or carriers would offer wireless data access for Apple's tablet device, should it offer the connectivity as many expect, similarly remains shrouded in uncertainty. Reports dating back many months have claimed that Apple has been working with Verizon on the tablet project, with more recent reports continuing to hint at such a possibility. Boy Genius Report even reported yesterday that Verizon is holding a quarterly update meeting with its store managers tomorrow, with staff expected to view a "live webcast" scheduled for 1:00 PM Eastern time, coinciding with Apple's media event.

The tablet may not be a Verizon-exclusive, however, if other reports are correct. An analyst report earlier this month pointed to support for multiple carriers, with another article just last week claiming that Apple is in last-minute negotiations with both AT&T and Verizon over wireless access for the tablet. Daring Fireball's John Gruber, who has offered accurate information on Apple's plans in the past, has said that he believes the tablet may even be an AT&T exclusive, although a multi-carrier arrangement involving both AT&T and Verizon may be an option.

Despite all the months of rumor and speculation regarding the assumed impending end of AT&T exclusivity for the iPhone and Apple's carrier plans for its highly-anticipated tablet device, the picture remains unclear. Tomorrow's media event should certainly offer clarity to the situation with respect to the tablet, with many hoping that the company has news to share on the iPhone front as well.