Ipad 2 may go head to head with Blackberry PlayBook.

Based on Apple’s yearly release schedule of their iPhone and iPod touch range we had expected a similar approach with the iPad. An April 2011 release would be far from surprising however leaked stories surrounding the new iPad would suggest the a new model will be released within Q1 of 2011.

9to5mac highlighted that Apple had hired David Sims, a British photographer to shoot an ad for the new iPad. It was highlighted however that the original iPads were used in the shoot and suggested that they would be swapped for a new version in post production. This is fairly weak evidence to be honest but more fuel has been added to the fire today by Digitimes.

Digitimes have reported that a selection of Taiwanese manufactures, after recently becoming certified by Apple will be shipping small quantities of components that will be used in the new iPad. They will ship these components during December leading industry analysts to expect a consumer launch in Q1 of 2011.

Appleinsider also went on record in October saying that Apple were going to become much more aggressive with their facetime product and that Apple would be introducing an Ipad no later then Q1 of 2011. This would keep the iPad aligned with Apple’s face time strategy.

The rumours as you can see are building with an early 2011 release looking ever more likely. This could be bad news for Apple competitors when the likes of Samsung and Blackberry are only just releasing their first tablet computer.

The Blackberry Playbook is getting a large amount of attention especially from the business market due to it’s server integration and encryption technology, however they clearly see Apple’s current iPad as their biggest contender. A video released this week from Blackberry showcasing the Playbook’s web browser is directly compared to that of the iPad.

As the Playbook is due for launch during Q2 of 2011 Blackberry may have found that they were targeting the wrong product if the iPad 2 is released a few months before the Playbook.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and keep checking the mobiles.co.uk blog for any new developments.

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iPad get multitasking and Network approval.

IPhone Mobile me

One of the surprising additions to iOS 4.2 is the inclusion of where is my iPhone/Ipad/Ipod. This was previously only available through the paid for Mobile Me service. Essentially this enables the owner of the device to track the location as long as the GPS and handset are switched on. It also allows you to erase all the private information from the device and display a message to the holder of the missing device. Although this may help you track your handset if it’s been left in the office or your car. Once the handset is switched off it renders the software useless. (As apple found out when one of their employee’s misplaced his pre-release iPhone 4).

The update should be available at any point soon so keep an eye on your itunes for an update.

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Acer Iconia: Dual-touchscreen tablet with two HD screens

Acer has announced its dual-touchscreen tablet, named the Acer Iconia. Created in collaboration with Microsoft, this is probably the closest we'll get to the Microsoft Courier book-inspired tablet, concept images of which did the rounds about this time last year.

With a definite laptop vibe, the Iconia consists of two 14in 720p HD touchscreen panels and runs Windows 7 Premium rather than a mobile or specific tablet OS. However, Acer has added a social networking and media hub called Acer Ring to the Windows software as well.

On the inside, the Iconia is rocking an Intel Core i5-480 chip, 640GB of storage with 4GB of RAM, three USB ports, an HDMI connection and built-in 3G and Wi-Fi. It also offers a four-cell battery which can only give you around three hours of dual-tablet action - not ideal.

Another less than ideal element of the Acer Iconia is its price tag - at a hefty £1,500, will anyone be able to afford it when it goes on sale on January 16th?

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3,000 apps and 15,000 developers keeping Windows Phone 7 ticking over

By the end of this week, Microsoft reckons there'll be 3,000 apps available in the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. That should keep even the most avid app fan happy for a while, particularly given that the platform itself launched just two months ago.

We're just getting warmed up, says Microsoft's Todd Brix, citing the 15,000 app developers now on board with the platform.

Swit jolly well swoo, and all that - but in terms of app volume, the Microsoft-powered platform can't compete with its older rivals Apple and Android just yet.

Still, 3,000 apps two months in is pretty good going, and with Microsoft focusing on quality as well as quantity, 2011 could be an interesting year for Win Pho users.

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Sony Ericsson to announce the PlayStation Phone on December 9th?

A mysterious invitation received by a French blog seems to suggest that an official PlayStation phone announcement is imminent.

The invite features the traditional PlayStation icons with the addition of a phone handset which, the entire internet is suggesting, means that a Sony Ericsson PlayStation handset will be unveiled at the event. The other key piece of evidence is that the host of the mysterious do is the president of Sony Ericsson France.

Taking place on December 9th, there's no confirmation as to the authenticity of the event invite - the fact that no other technology site in the world appears to have received one speaks volumes.

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Three gets in on the subsidised iPad pricing action

Hot on the heels of Orange and T-Mobile, Three has announced its plan to offer subsidised pricing options for customers buying an iPad with a data plan.

The new pricing will apply to the iPad with WiFi and 3G models, and more details are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

If you aren't fussed about 3G connectivity, however, it may work out cheaper to save up for a full price WiFi only iPad rather than tie yourself into what is likely to be a two-year contract.

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Black Friday iPad deals: get an iPad for £394 for one day only

Just because we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving over here doesn’t mean we can’t take advantage of sweet Black Friday deals like our cousins ‘cross the pond do.

For today only, iPads bought from Apple’s online store come with a £35 discount, taking the asking price of a 16GB iPad with Wi-Fi, (the least expensive iPad) down to £394. A 16GB iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G is reduced to £494.01, down from £529. Orders are dispatched within 24 hours and delivery is free.

If you were thinking of getting someone an iPad for Christmas today would probably be a good day to do it. There’s also a free gift wrap service if you’re like us and rubbish at wrapping presents. Click here to get the full breakdown on the Black Friday iPad deals, prices and delivery info.

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