After months of rumors and speculation about a slate-like device, Apple has its say on Wednesday. We’re bringing you live coverage from the high-profile press event, which kicked off in San Francisco at 10 a.m. PST. Read more here
The iPad, which is half an inch thick and weighs 1.5 pounds, will come with Wi-Fi wireless connectivity.
iPad Price
The Apple chief executive surprised Apple watchers with the iPad’s aggressive pricing.
The entry-level model will cost $499, half of what some analysts had expected and about the same price as Kindle DX, Amazon.com Inc.’s large-screen version of its electronic-book reader.
The 9.7-inch touch-screen iPad, which will let users play games, check email, and read books
Higher-end iPad models with 3G wireless capacity will cost up to $829.
On Wednesday, Mr. Jobs unveiled a new online store that will sell digital books and said the iPad will provide wireless access to the music and videos sold on iTunes. But Mr. Jobs didn’t announce new partnerships with Hollywood studios, television networks or magazine publishers, which Apple has been courting.
Apple announced its successful first quarter results and its excitement over next week’s “major new product” debut
Yesterday, Apple boasted record sales of Macs and iPhones which helped power the company to its best-ever performance this past quarter.
“If you annualize our quarterly revenue, it’s surprising that Apple is now a $50+ billion company,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The new products we are planning to release this year are very strong, starting this week with a major new product that we’re really excited about.” Read full story here
Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s biggest carmaker, said Tuesday it will hire about 800 temporary workers in October in view of possible production increases on the back of a gradual recovery in global car sales. It is Toyota’s first such job increase in 16 months, the automaker said in a statement, fueled by brisk-selling hybrid cars.
HONG KONG- At a time when auto manufacturers are laying off workers and shuttering plants, Toyota needs some extra manpower but only because of its greenest car.
Japan’s biggest automaker announced Monday that it plans to take on about 800 fixed-term employees in Japan in October. In a statement, Toyota (TM-news-people) said production increases are just “possible.” Read more here
The decision to hire such contract employees reflects gradually recovering worldwide automobile sales, encouraged by tax-incentive and subsidy programs implemented in various countries starting in the spring of this year,” the statement said. “The global recession that began in 2008 had forced Toyota to reduce production and suspend the hiring of fixed-term employees since June last year, ” it said. Read full story here
Apple CEO Steve Jobs emcees product launch for first time since receiving liver transplant.
YAHOOFinancial News Report: Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs has returned to his showman role, taking the stage Wednesday at a product launch event for the first time since his nearly six-month-long medical leave.
US Stocks Climb on Oil, Gold Hikes
New York, Sep 9 (DPA) Major Wall Street indices gained Tuesday as price increases for oil and metals including gold fuelled a rally in commodity and energy shares.
The dollar hit a 2009 low against the euro, helping the commodity price hikes. The US currency dropped to 69.03 euro cents and 92.31 Japanese yen. Read more here
Apple CEO Steve Jobs emcees product launch for first time since receiving liver transplant
YAHOOFinancial News Report: Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs has returned to his showman role, taking the stage Wednesday at a product launch event for the first time since his nearly six-month-long medical leave.
Jobs, who had a liver transplant this spring, got a standing ovation. Looking thin and speaking quietly and with a scratchy voice, he told the audience he had received the liver of a 20-year-old who died in a car accident, and urged the crowd to become organ donors.
“I wouldn’t be here without such generosity,” Jobs said.
During the early moments of the event, the CEO outlined an update to Apple’s iTunes software. Apple also issued a minor update to the iPhone software.
“You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.” Quote by: Steve Jobs
Jobs had not appeared at such an event since last October. He bowed out of his usual keynote at the year’s largest Mac trade show in January and went on leave shortly thereafter. Read full story here
FOLLOW Live coverage of Apple’s rock ‘n’ roll-themed event, which kicked off in San Francisco just after 10 a.m. Pacific time. We’ll be updating this page with live updates right here as it unfolds–with newest updates at the top of the page.
11:04 a.m.: We’re getting a preview of the new ad, which highlights the video feature and colors of the Nano–with a cutesy pop song as backing, of course.
11:04 a.m.: It will come in a variety of colors: pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, silver, black. 8GB $159 and 16GB for $179, both will be available today.
11:02 a.m.: The voice over feature from the iPod Shuffle will also be in the Nano, as well as Genius Mixes which were discussed earlier. The Nano will also have an FM radio, and a voice recorder app and pedometer. The pedometer will sync online with Nike Plus. Read more here
♦“A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.”
♦“Apple’s market share is bigger than BMW’s or Mercedes’s or Porsche’s in the automotive market. What’s wrong with being BMW or Mercedes?”
♦“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
♦“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
♦“I think we’re having fun. I think our customers really like our products. And we’re always trying to do better.”
♦“I want to put a ding in the universe.”
♦“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.“
