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Even though a single iPad hasn’t actually been shipped, that won’t stop the questions over the success of initial orders from being asked. Considering how Apple has positioned the iPad in the product lineup, on par with the Mac, iPod, and iPhone, Steve Jobs better have a press-release answer ready.

On Friday, Philip Elmer-DeWitt at Apple 2.0 started following people following the numbers, though whether those numbers are real or imaginary is yet to be determined. The data thus far derived has come from InvestorVillage, an Internet forum for “self-directed investors.”

By using orders numbers from an admittedly small number of purchasers, and accounting for purchases of other products at the Apple Store, the initial estimate was 51,000 in the first two hours, 74,000 after four and a half hours, and 91,000 in six hours. According to Apple 2.0, by the end of Friday the estimated number of iPad pre-orders was approximately 120,000. That’s the good news, assuming it’s true.

Apple 2.0 also passed along metrics for 110 iPads that are what you’d expect, Wi-Fi over 3G by two to one, the cheapest iPad at $499 being very popular. Somewhat surprisingly, the most expensive model, 64GB/3G at $829, was also popular but, hey, these are self-directed investors spending their hard-earned dividends that we’re talking about.

Of course, there’s another group of investors waiting for news on iPad orders. Investors in AAPL saw their fortunes rise on Friday with the stock price reaching a new high at $227, the company briefly overtaking Wal-Mart in valuation at $206 billion. Whether AAPL goes higher on Monday will likely come down to how many iPad orders there were over the weekend, but how many equals success?

Looking back at iPhone launches, a million iPads ordered would definitely be a success, probably more than all the Slate PCs with Windows sold since 2002. Don’t expect that to happen. Both the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS were immediately available in multiple countries. While the iPad will be available in other countries in late April, the first weekend of the month will be U.S. only, so perhaps the original iPhone would be a better comparison. Certainly, if the iPad does outsell the original iPhone, that will be the spin, but what if it doesn’t?

Everyone who wanted to order an iPad could have ordered one Friday. There were no lines at the online Apple Store. Even assuming the number crunchers at InvestorVillage got it right on Friday, it seems unlikely to me anything like 120,000 orders will be placed on successive days. For the sake of argument, let’s assume the number ordered is halved on successive days, 210,000 total over three days. 210,000 iPads doesn’t look very good compared to the iPhone launch, does it? The only thing worse would be if Apple doesn’t release any numbers.

In an interview with the New York Times last year, Jobs remarked on Amazon’s silence over Kindle sales, saying, “usually, if they sell a lot of something, you want to tell everybody.” That’s exactly why we’ve never heard about Apple TV sales, and it’s what will be the real metric for whether iPad orders were a success over the weekend. If there is silence from Cupertino, expect investors to react with wailing and selling of AAPL. More importantly for consumers, there could be an immediate drop in the price for the iPad, similar to what happened with the original iPhone shortly after launch.

I think that’s the kind of failure we can all appreciate.

Related Research from GigaOM Pro:

• Web Tablet Survey: Apple’s iPad Hits the Right Notes
• How AT&T Will Deal with iPad Data Traffic
• 5 Tips for Developers Targeting the iPad
• With the iPad, Apple Take Google to the Mat

Though some critics like to vilify Apple for its practice of building devices with inaccessible batteries, the benefits definitely outweigh the consequences for such a tradeoff. The MacBook Pros are rated for up to eight hours of battery life, the iPod nanos get up to 24 hours of audio playback and the new iPad is touted to go for 10 hours on a single charge. But what happens when your iPad doesn’t get a great charge anymore? Similar to programs in place for the MacBook Pros and iPhones, Apple has announced its iPad Battery Replacement program and it’s not a bad option, all things considered.

The rules are pretty simple. If your iPad no longer holds a charge as good as it used to, you can pay Apple a service fee ($99 plus $6.95 shipping) and it will replace it. Of course, if your iPad is damaged because of an accident, neglect, liquid contact or if there is another hardware issue, then Apple reserves the right to say “No, sorry.” Fortunately though, unless your glass screen has been smashed, Apple is rarely picky on these types of issues. If your device turns on and displays what its supposed to on the screen and can connect to a computer to sync, it’s pretty much eligible for a battery replacement.

What is interesting about the iPad Battery Replacement program is that Apple outright acknowledges that your data will not be preserved because you will receive a replacement iPad. In reality, this is what usually happens with an iPhone replacement as well, but its refreshing to know Apple is actually acknowledging this now. Replacement devices (iPad or iPhone) are technically considered “refurbished” but, as a company who puts extra care into every little detail of the experience, refurbished to Apple means “almost new” to most users. As is the case with iPods and iPhones (and will likely be the case with the iPad) the “refurbished” unit will come with a new exterior case so even if your previous unit did have a few superficial scratches, you’ll end up with a fresh and clean device.

Arranging for a replacement can be done by calling AppleCare or through Apple’s website. Additionally, users can get service through the Genius Bar at their local Apple Store. Once the initial iPad demand settles, Apple Stores will begin to carry additional iPads as “service parts” which means that, should you need a battery replacement, you can simply walk into an Apple Store, pay your fee and walk out with your replacement.

If you’re not keen on paying Apple such a price for a battery replacement or you’re one who doesn’t sync their device and therefore do not want to lose all your apps and settings, you can look into third party service providers for battery replacement options. These will likely be cheaper than going through Apple, but this route means you will lose the benefit of getting a nice, new and clean scratch-free exterior.

What are your thoughts on Apple’s built-in batteries and their replacement plans? Have you had your iPhone or iPod replaced because of battery issues? Do you think their plan is fair? Sound off in the comments and share your thoughts!

The following how-to video will walk you through the basics of printer sharing on the Mac. You’ll learn both how to set up and how to access printers on a network.

We will cover the following points:

1. Setting up Printer Sharing
2. Printing to a Shared Printer
3. Adding a Printer via System Preferences

You can watch the embedded video below (lower quality) or watch the full quality version here (28MB).

Apple has recently updated a few knowledge base articles that address problems with running Aperture 3, addressing low power on USB devices, Boot Camp 3.0 upgrade problems, and keyboard shortcuts for various power options.

Have you ever wondered how MacFixIt gets all those cool icons to start each of our articles? Even if you haven't, this is how you can do it, quick and easy.

Today, Apple's iPad went on sale, but before pulling out your credit card keep in mind that there are going to be dozens of cheaper, Linux-powered iPad-like devices on the market soon.

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People may be able to buy their iPads today, but they won’t actually get their hands on the much-anticipated devices until early next month, and later if they opted for 3G connectivity. But Apple isn’t without a heart, so the company revealed some new specific details about the tablet on the iPad micro-site, according to MacWorld.

Included in the informational appetizer are details regarding the 3G data plans available for the device, the iBooks application and how it will work, a small hardware change that should make a pretty big difference, and a couple other eyebrow-raising late-game additions.

Data Control

The iPad benefits from having to deal with only two available data options at launch in the U.S. Because it knows exactly how much data you should have, it can provide much more useful usage information. You get access to an iPad Cellular Data Plan window on the 3G-enabled devices, from which you can modify, sign up for, or even cancel your AT&T data plan.

The iPad will let you know when you’ve got only 20 percent and 10 percent remaining of your 250MB if that’s what you’re working with, and when you’re completely out. From there, you can top off by adding more data, or even upgrade to the full unlimited plan at $30 a month. Sure beats sitting on hold waiting for an AT&T representative. There’s also evidence that you’ll be able to manage an international data plan from the screen in the future, but Apple hasn’t revealed any details regarding this yet.

iBooks

The actual iBooks app won’t be installed by default on shipping iPads, probably owing to the fact that it might not be available at all on international versions of the device, at least if the lack of a mention of the app on the iPad pages in other countries indicates anything. Instead, you’ll be able to download it from the App Store.

Good news for public domain fans: any free ePub format books you download from elsewhere can be synced to the iPad via iTunes and read on your device. And Kindle fans will appreciate the ability to highlight and look-up any word in any book, either on Wikipedia, the dictionary, or via web search, just by touching and holding.

Screen Orientation Lock

I absolutely hate using the iPhone while lying in bed for a lot of things because many times, a screen lock is a software feature and isn’t necessarily available for all applications. That means that it’ll constantly switch to landscape mode, despite that not being at all what I want it to do.

The iPad solves that problem via a hardware switch above the volume controls on the side of the device that locks the screen’s orientation into whatever mode it’s in currently.

Accessibility

More accessibility options have been added, including the ability to switch audio to mono and route it through just one headphone for users who may only have hearing in one ear. iBooks are also apparently covered by VoiceOver, so that users can have them read to them by Apple’s emotionless robot drones.

AVI Support

Perhaps the biggest little detail added in the iPad’s specifications is support for AVI videos, using the MotionJPEG format. Resolution for the files supported is 1280×720, which is HD, and PCM stereo audio is also part of the deal. Best of all, the data rates supported run up to 35Mbps, which is well beyond even the Apple TV’s standards. Looks like Apple has really big video plans for this capable little device. Wonder if this has anything to do with all of its recent talks with TV studios?

So now you’re more informed about that pre-order you’ve made or are thinking about making. And now I only feel more keenly the still-distant international ship date for the device. Thanks a ton, Apple.

Related GigaOM Pro Research:
• 5 Tips for Developers Targeting the iPad
• Web Tablet Survey: Apple’s iPad Hits Right Notes
• With The iPad, Apple Takes Google To the Mat

It’s a little after 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, March 12 as I write this post. Some two hours from now, the Apple Store will officially take orders for all iPad models, apparently with the ability to specify pickup at a local store. The store is currently down, though it wasn’t the last time I checked about an hour ago. (Trust me, I’m not awake in anticipation of buying an iPad; my work has me on an early-to-bed, early-to-rise schedule.)

Like I have with most watershed Apple products of the last decade or more, I’ll order an iPad on the day they become available. For me, this has included, but is probably not limited to, the original iMac, iBook, Airport (gray UFO!) and 5GB clickwheel iPod, and more recently the MacBook Pro, Time Capsule, MacBook Air, and of course, gen 1, 2, and 3 iPhones. Yes, yes, I’m a fanboy, but this is also part of what I do for a living.

You know by now that there are six models of the iPad, three with Wi-Fi only, three with Wi-Fi and 3G data access with the same 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB storage capacities in each model. For the sake of discussion, I’ll call them the iPad Wi-Fi and the iPad 3G, even though the 3G model also has Wi-Fi. The iPad Wi-Fi will ship on April 3, with the 3G model due some 1-2 months later. The iPad 3G carries a $130 premium over the iPad Wi-Fi across the lineup to account for costs related to the 3G access, such as a modem and antenna. Other than providing an additional type of Internet access, there don’t appear to be any differences between the iPad Wi-fi and the iPad 3G.

I’ll be ordering the top-of-the-line 64GB iPad 3G, the most expensive of the six models, but the one with the most storage capacity and both ways to connect. Why get the most expensive model when a cheaper one could suffice? Here are my key reasons:

• Storage Capacity: I’m really looking forward to iWork on the iPad, and these files will eat up precious space on the device. I use all three apps in the suite — Pages, Keynote and Numbers — on a daily basis, and I can’t wait to try them out on the iPad. Phil’s demo looked great. I’m also doing a lot of work in Internet video these days. Having video files on the hard drive that haven’t yet or won’t be encoded for Internet delivery will be very useful.
• 3G: My second favorite feature of the iPad (behind the keyboard dock) is the 3G data plans. At only $30 for an all-you-can-eat buffet of Internet bandwidth, the AT&T plan is a great deal (note that I haven’t had 3G call, connection and speed issues like many have reported). But the fact that you pay as you go and turn on and off the service from the device is killer. Say you don’t have it turned on but find yourself in a location without Wi-Fi; simply turn it on for a month, then turn it off when you’re done. Sure you pay a hefty price for a day or even a week of usage, but if you don’t use it again for a few months, you don’t pay for it. No-contract unlimited 3G Internet is a killer feature.

I expect to use my iPad extensively for client presentations. I use my MacBook Air today, and while effective for presenting to two to three people, I can imaging the iPad as an easel position will be much more elegant and effective. I also plan to use it for note-taking when I conduct usability tests. Using Numbers, I’ll be able to create input screens ahead of time based on the test plan, and quickly and easily capture data about each test and participant. The data will already be compiled, collated and ready for analysis as soon as test sessions are completed.

These are just a few of the uses for the iPad I have in mind, but the possibilities are limitless. I’d rather have the most capable model so I’m prepared for whatever opportunity arises.

 

Labman will be celebrating it's 11th Year at Northampton Community College on June 7th - 9th, 2010

Labman continues to be a low-key, inexpensive, and friendly conference intended for persons who are involved in the maintenance of computing labs in higher education, K–12, or library facilities. We are looking forward to the continued enhancement of the content shared an presented each year by fellow lab managers.

Please see http://www.labmanconference.org/ for more information.  We have some great events lined up and look forward to seeing old and new faces this year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I will quickly note that I have attended 8 LabMan conferences over the years and hosted 1 of them.  I have found them to be both enjoyable and useful while being a fairly "cheap date" - even the one I got to stress out about while hosting :-) .  I encourage folks to seriously consider going, especially if you are out on the East Coast.  

Tom "Macintosh Doctor" Johnson

Apple’s much talked about iPad is now available for pre-order.

The Wi-Fi version of the iPad will deliver on April 3 or be available for in-store pickup then (if you chose that option). The 3G version still has no official ship date, just an ominous “late April.”

I pre-ordered the 16GB Wi-Fi version first thing this morning and let’s just say all the little extras add up fast. The $499 iPad quickly turned in to the $730 iPad between AppleCare and a few accessories. Such is the life of an early adopter, I suppose.

So, will you be pre-ordering an iPad today? If so, which one?

Related GigaOM Pro Research:
• 5 Tips for Developers Targeting the iPad
• Web Tablet Survey: Apple’s iPad Hits Right Notes
• With The iPad, Apple Takes Google To the Mat

Rumor has it that the iPhone OS 4.0 software specs include support for multitasking. Such plans would mean that not only core Apple apps would be runnable in the background. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers have a heated debate.
(AAPL)

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Apple will deliver multitasking to iPhone 4.0 this summer, according to a prominent Apple blog. We've heard that rumor before. On the other hand, it has to be true sometime.

read more

Check Software Update! Apple has released Safari 4.0.5, which brings a number of performance enhancements and bug fixes to Apple's browser.

We have covered Time Machine's use in restoring the system to a previous state either to revert back to a prior version of OS X, or to undo an application installation; however, you can also use Time Machine from within programs that support it.

Many times there will be odd names listed in the permissions field for files on their systems, and people have wondered about them and what they mean.

The iPhone has a number of advantages over its smartphone competitors, but one thing it hasn’t had that users have been clamoring for is true multitasking. Push notifications were intended as a workaround designed to give users the ability to stay up-to-date with multiple apps without having to actually run them at the same time.

It’s still only a partial solution, though, and one many iPhone users aren’t satisfied with. True multitasking is still high on the want list of many iPhone users, and really remains the only thing not addressed by the many major feature additions iPhone 3.0 brought. Luckily, true app backgrounding capabilities are said to be on the way in iPhone 4.0.

That’s according to sources AppleInsider describes as having a “proven track record in predicting Apple’s technological advances.” According to those same sources, though, Apple still has a ways to go before it can introduce these features to iPhone users. But the problem doesn’t lie with the iPhone’s ability to run multiple applications at once.

In fact, the iPhone is quite good at multitasking in its current incarnation. Nike+ runs great while you do other things like take calls and/or check your email. But it’s the only non-Apple app that’s allowed that privilege. And Apple developed it for Nike, so it doesn’t really count. What’s new in iPhone 4.0 is that third-party developers will finally be able to run their apps in the background, too.

Apple hasn’t enabled true multitasking for all apps not because it’s been technically prevented from doing so, but because doing so represents a security risk in terms of opening the door to apps being able to run in the background without the user’s knowledge, which is how viruses and other malware works.

There’s also the issue of increased performance requirements, and increased battery usage. Apple is said to be addressing both of those with the new framework, though the source provided no specifics about how exactly that would be managed. I predict that mutitasking will only work on newer hardware, most likely the 3GS and above. A next-gen iPhone will probably be built from the ground up with multitasking in mind, and should offer battery and processor improvements scaled to compensate.

Another challenge Apple faces in bringing background multitasking to the iPhone is redesigning the user interface. As of now, users can access any currently running Apple programs that use backgrounding by tapping a thin colored bar at the top of the screen. While that works quite well for just one app, if you have a number running at once, it could quickly become way too cluttered and obscure the app you’re actually using at the moment.

According to AppleInsider’s source, the solution in the works at Apple leverages some existing tech from OS X to accomplish this. Personally, I’m betting on some kind of Exposé-type interface, possibly accessed through a special gesture or in a way similar to the one used now to bring up the iPhone’s Spotlight search screen. It might also take a page out of mobile Safari’s book, and use an interface similar to the one the browser has for displaying multiple pages.

The iPhone’s interface in general could probably use a makeover at the point. It’s been unchanged since its launch, and while many would call that a testament to its strength and intuitiveness, there’s no denying that as the iPhone gains new abilities, Apple might want to consider some more drastic changes to the ways in which users access and make use of those functions.

I’m sure Apple can handle the UI challenges, but I’m much more wary about how it addresses the potential security risks that come with opening up backgrounding. Luckily, it still has absolute control over the App Store, but it still might be possible for industrious hackers to bypass the safeguards in place and get some malicious software onto people’s devices.

Related GigaOM Pro Research: The App Developer’s Guide to Choosing a Mobile Platform

Interested in writing for TheAppleBlog? We’re looking for a few new folks to bring on board and would love to talk to you.

A few notes about writing for TAB:

• You MUST have previous Apple-related writing experience. No exceptions.
• We’re looking for people who are great at writing either how-to/tutorial articles or more in-depth, analytical, commentary-based writing than anything else. If you only write app reviews…sorry, not interested right now.
• Interacting with the folks who comment on your articles is a must, so be prepared to put in a little extra time conversing with our little community on the web.
• It is indeed a paid gig.

Writing for TAB is certain to bring you fame and fortune1, so just apply via this page or the form below. And our apologies, but due to the large number of applications we typically get for this, we aren’t able to respond to everyone. If we think you’d be a good fit, we’ll follow up with you.

1. This may or may not be entirely true.

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Square-Enix recently brought its popular Final Fantasy series to the iPhone, and now another heavy-hitter, Capcom, is bringing yet another marquee title to the platform. That title is Street Fighter — and Street Fighter IV, a port of the latest installment in the series, is now available for purchase in the App Store for $9.99.

But wait, that’s a fighting game. On the iPhone. Which has no physical controls. Sure, there’s been a few to date, with mixed results, but there must be a reason the genre hasn’t caught on with developers with the ferocity of, say, accelerometer-based driving games, no?

That’s definitely what I thought, but I purchased and downloaded the game anyway, against my better instincts, because I love the series, notably Street Fighter IV for the PS3. And because when I was considering a purchase, it had only received five-star reviews, which is rare even in the early going for any iPhone game.

Luckily, I was not disappointed. Street Fighter IV does indeed make the very best of an admittedly bad situation with its iPhone port. As you might expect, it uses a virtual joystick and virtual kick/punch buttons superimposed on the gaming screen. As you might not expect, this approach feels neither clumsy nor half-hearted in this particular Capcom game, something which could not be said for earlier releases from the same company (Mega Man II, anyone?).

Special moves are easy to execute, or at least as easy as they are to do using a traditional controller, probably more so. I’m usually pretty inept at even getting off a decent Shoryuken, but I manage it no problem most of the time on the iPhone. The graphics are amazing, and the game runs perfectly smoothly on my iPhone 3GS, with no lag or visual oddities. The intro movie is particularly mesmerizing if you’re keen on CG’d graphic treats.

For $9.99, you get a variety of modes of play, including Bluetooth multiplayer with nearby opponents. Eight characters are playable in the iPhone version, but that’s plenty considering the platform and the more casual feel of the game. Kudos to Capcom for focusing on delivering awesome gameplay over unnecessary extras like a massive roster of fighters and levels.

If I were Sony or Nintendo, I’d be watching these releases mighty closely. Major studios are definitely going to be keeping an eagle eye on sales of ports like this one, especially as the investment/risk ratio of App Store development continues to become more and more appealing. Sony in particular had better make good soon on those smartphone/gaming platform plans if it wants to remain relevant enough for anyone to care when and if it does.

Related GigaOM Pro content (sub req’d):

Is There Any Demand For a True Gaming Phone?

Free yourself from limitations with LogMeIn remote access.

The new LogMeIn Pro2 for Mac gives you the freedom to remotely access your Mac — anywhere, anytime. But don’t just imagine it. Try it free, today!

More freedom to be a Mac

Pro2 for Mac lets you access and manage your remote Mac from virtually any Internet-enabled device. Even a PC. It gives you more freedom to roam knowing you’re not leaving anything behind.

You can even transfer files, print from a remote Mac to the nearest printer and share your desktop so you can collaborate on the go.

Never settle for less

Look, you want to do what you want to do, when you want to do it. So why settle for products that put limitations on your abilities? Other alternatives are often more expensive, less flexible or just aren’t easy to use. Not cool.

So why settle for less when, in this case, more is better? More freedom, more control, more functions. Whether you want more mobility or easier access to apps and information, we invite you to try out LogMeIn. It’s simple, fast and comprehensive.

Anytime, anywhere remote “Maccess”

Try it free today.

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