DigiTimes stories are fun. They just are. Sometimes they provide insight into the components side of tech. Other times they make me wish I hadn't given up my dreams of writing fiction.

Today, unnamed sources from unspecified component manufacturers say Apple is postponing the launch of its amazing wonder tablet, moving the date from next March to the second half of 2010. According to the shadowy sources, Apple has decided to switch some components, and now plans to produce a tablet using a 9.7" OLED panel from LG Display. The panels would be provided under Apple's five-year, US$500 million display deal with LG Display revealed at the beginning of the year.

The nameless talkers say construction of the devices will be done by three companies, and that there will be two, distinct units, the previously mentioned 9.7" OLED screened unit, and a 10.6" TFT LCD screened version. OLED's are very expensive compared to LCD displays, a cost that will be passed on to consumers. Sources figure the OLED tablet will have a retail price of about US$2,000, though that could come down with subsidies from telecom partners. The LCD unit with its 0.9" larger display is expected to be priced between US$800 and US$1,000.

There are advantages to OLED versus LCD displays, but would consumers pony up twice the money for an untried device when they can get a bigger screen at a lower cost?

Thanks to Paul for the tip.

[via DigiTimes]

Talk about burying the lead -- Shufflegazine did a piece on Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Hwang during a visit to Dubai recently, in which he talks about how much he and his family love their Macs, and Apple's machines add value, and in his house it's just "Mac, Mac, Mac," and OH MY GOD, what is that SITTING ON THE TABLE in front of him? OK, it's probably not definitely not an Apple tablet (yet), as there's no clear Apple logo on it, but man that's a nice looking tablet device, and even Engadget says they have no idea what it is.

The thing is, this picture just appeared with Shufflegazine's piece, and while Hwang did go on and on about how much he loves Apple stuff (and yes, the two companies have a long history of sharing some hardware), there's not word one about that tablet or anything like it in the piece, no hint of any other hardware or partnership announcement. It could be a prototype, it could be another tablet we're just not recognizing, or yes, Hwang could have just thrown it down on the table during the interview, and Shufflegazine could have just completely missed it. [They didn't. -Ed.]

Though if that last one is true, we have no idea how it happened. How do you cover Apple and their gadgets and avoid being drawn to that tablet. It's so... thin and well-designed. We'll be honest, if we were in the room, we might have licked it then and there to claim it as our own.

Thanks to Nemanja for the tip.

If you're tired of dropped calls and dead zones, and pondering the merits of turning in your iPhone for a DROID... hold on there, champ. AppleInsider says it's received a copy of a report by OTR Global, claiming that Apple has signed contracts to produce a UMTS / CDMA hybrid iPhone to be released in the third quarter of 2010.

The hybrid handset, built around a dual-system chip from Qualcomm, would allow the iPhone to run on virtually any GSM/UTMS cellular network worldwide -- and also on the CDMA2000 networks of US carriers like Verizon and Sprint. In particular, Verizon is cited in the report as the target carrier for the new devices.

The report states that Foxconn, the Taiwan-based sole-source provider of iPhone hardware at this time, will not build the new device. Instead, a subsidiary of Asustek known as Pegatron has been selected to kick off manufacturing. It's also rumored that the hybrid device uses a 2.8" screen, making the handset smaller than the current model which uses a 3.5" display.

Photos of the smaller display were first featured on iLounge in June of 2008 (see photo at right), sparking widespread rumors at the time that an "iPhone nano" was on the way. Over a year later, neither the smaller iPhone nor a Verizon model are available. However, if the leaked report is any indication, 2010 could be yet another year of incredible growth for the iPhone economy.

Photo courtesy of flickr: Thijs Jacobs

Back in April 2009, TUAW's Dave Caolo posted a video showing off the potential (and some of the potential annoyances as well) and possibilities of an RFID-enabled iPhone world via an iPhone RFID prototype by Near Field. And, according to a Near Field Communications blog posting, Apple is said to have equipped prototypes of the next-generation iPhone with RFID readers.

How awesome would it be if, instead of using my Mobil Speedpass, I could turn to my iPhone and swipe that against the gas pumping station to pay for gas? And, because there may eventually be "an app for that," I may also be able to view my current balance and fuel economy statistics. Or, instead of needing to put a FasTrak transponder atop my windshield (which is annoying), I could simply put my iPhone on the dashboard as I cross the toll road. I could then view my balance, as well as fill up my credits on the fly. These are just some examples of RFID applications in use today.

With all the news circulating around about updated Apple hardware, you might be asking yourself "What about the MacBook Pro?" Apple certaintly hasn't forgotten about its high-end notebook computer, and details are starting to slip out that the MacBook Pro might be receiving a speed boost sooner than anyone might have predicted.

Applesfera is reporting that some information about unreleased MacBook Pro models has been found in support files of the latest developer build of Mac OS X 10.6.2. In addition, there's been some talk on 9to5Mac that Apple Store geniuses are starting to work with the new Core i5 and i7 Quad-Core processors that may make their way into the notebooks.

While nothing is definite, it's looking like the release of OS X 10.6.2 and the refresh of the MacBook Pro might come in tandem, and sooner than we think.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Just like the 5th generation iPod nano that was introduced last month, Apple may soon be adding the capability to tune in to FM radio stations on the iPhone and iPod touch, if this report from 9to5Mac is on the money. As some of you may remember, the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chipsets in the iPhone 3GS and the 2nd and 3rd generation iPod touch models already have the capability to support FM radio tuning.

It's also reported that you'll be able to listen to the radio in the background, allowing you to use apps at the same time, just like you listen to music synced to your iPhone or iPod touch. It would also support Live Pause and iTunes Tagging, just like the 5th generation iPod nano does. Also, it would allow you to buy the song directly from your iPod touch. While technically possible, this has been a long-requested but missing feature on the iPhone and iPod touch.

Would you listen to FM radio stations on your iPhone or iPod touch, or do you prefer listening to podcasts or Music synced from iTunes or from a streaming radio service on your iPhone or iPod touch? Let us know in the comments below!

[via Engadget]

Business Insider is reporting that AT&T has given Apple the go-ahead to enable Voice over IP (VoIP) apps such as Skype on its 3G network. In the past, VoIP apps required a Wi-Fi connection.

The announcement was made in advance of the annual conference sponsored by CTIA - The Wireless Association. AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega is scheduled to give a keynote at the conference tomororw and could use the event to further elaborate on their intentions.

The announcement is most likely a response to recent events at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is proposing new rules that would prohibit carriers from blocking apps on their networks.

A public announcement by AT&T stating that they will allow apps such as Skype on their network would remove any doubt that it's the company that is doing the blocking, and put the spotlight firmly on Apple to explain why they're not approving VoIP apps. As noted yesterday, VoIP provider Vonage has made its app available in the App Store, although ratings after the first day probably make them wish they hadn't...

It should be noted that the announcement will likely have no bearing on the fate of Google Voice, which was rejected by Apple on the grounds that it duplicates functionality already found in the iPhone. The Google Voice app allows users to control their Google Voice account, send SMS messages and check voicemails, but does not provide any VoIP functionality.

"Twenty five years after introducing the world to mouse-based computing, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is now hoping to deliver significant advances to the input device by applying the company's extensive research and development in multitouch technologies," AppleInsider reports.

In other words, "new mouse."

I own the often maligned Mighty Mouse, both wired and wireless. We have an on-again, off-again relationship. On one side, I like the feel of the thing. The extra weight added by the Bluetooth model's batteries is especially nice, as is the smooth surface. It travels well in my bag, absorbing bumps and jolts without complaint.

The little trackball nubbin is another issue. It requires more cleaning than I'd like to perform, and makes me wish for an old ADB mouse. Popping the ball out and cleaning the rollers was a quick and simple job. I've used the Mighty Mouse paper trick -- rub the ball on a sheet of paper or a few seconds -- with mixed results.

AppleInsider reports that the current model is back ordered across retailers, and that its replacement won't be white plastic, will ditch the trackball and feature "...expanded touch sensitive housing and 'multipoint touch detection mechanism' technologies."

The new mouse could ship with the rumored iMac update.

[Via Gizmodo]

Those of us in the Mac rumor and news business (is there a difference?) love it when we get a good tip, especially when that tip is from someone who has given us good, solid info in the past. iLounge featured a post last night called "Ten New Details on the Apple Tablet" that passed along some rumors that they've received from one of those solid sources.

While I won't parrot back the bullet list of ten details that are in the iLounge post, here's the gist of the article: Apple has created at least three prototypes of what editor-in-chief Jeremy Horwitz calls the iPad. The prototype that is still in the running has a 10.7" diagonal display, runs iPhone OS, and looks like a large iPhone 3G.

The device will have two variations, one with 3G networking built-in (think of it as an über-iPhone 3GS) and another without it (a mongo iPod touch). The larger display is expected to have about 7 times the surface area of the iPhone, and about 6 times the resolution, allowing easy reading of books, magazines, and cropped newspapers.

With the extra screen space, the new devices are designed to bring ebook functionality to the iPhone platform as well as make a more compelling platform for games, media, app, and the web. Apple doesn't expect this device to compete with netbooks, hence their continued denial that the company will come out with a netbook killer. Instead, this will be an extension of the iPhone platform.

Horwitz finishes his list by noting that the device is still awaiting a green light from Steve Jobs, and that it has about an 80% chance of making it to market. If it's given the go-ahead, the source is stating that the device would be announced on or before January 19, 2010 and would go on sale in May or June.

While this is still a rumor, the information is from the same source that gave iLounge the scoop on the iPod nano 5G, the iPhone 3GS, and the Chinese iPhone 3G. It appears we'll still have to wait until 2010 before the fabled tablet appears in our local Apple Stores.

As we reported last week, Apple seems to be working on refreshing the iMac, by redesigning it and possibly adding some new professional "features" (maybe related to audio) at the same time. Now, AppleInsider is reporting that these new iMacs will be released shortly. They point to some probable signs, including Apple's education sales teams offering discounts on current iMac models to education customers.

It's expected that the new models will take design cues from the Apple LED Cinema Display, introduced last October, which features a thinner and more consistently-sized profile than the current iMac design.

Finally, these new iMac models could be released anytime from next week to mid-October, around the same time Apple introduced the Unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro models last year.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been focusing almost all of his attention on the company's purported tablet-like device, which is said to be under his Jobsness's fine eye to detail. And if Gizmodo's details of Microsoft's Courier are the real deal, then it looks like Steve Jobs and Apple won't be alone at the touchscreen tablet ball. Courier will purportedly sport dual 7 inch-"ish" multitouch screens, with support for "writing, flicking and drawing with a stylus." In addition, Courier is said to include a camera on its back cover. According to Giz, J. Allard, Microsoft's "Chief Experience Officer," is heading the Courier project, which is said to be in late prototype stage.

Readers, tell us what you think. Apple allegiances aside, what do you think of Courier?

It's no secret that next week's Apple event is built around the iPod, and all signs point towards new iPod touch and iPod nano models with a marquee new feature: cameras. As the cavalcade of case manufacturer leaks continues, Engadget visited with case builder Hama at the IFA trade show in Berlin and got plenty of pictures of the new cases for both models, complete with camera ports.

Even allowing for the possibility of mass hysteria among scores of accessory vendors, one thing to keep in mind here is that this same firm -- Hama -- was among the first to show new cases for the iPod nano 4G, last year at this very same event. Check out the gallery of images from Germany and let us know what you think.

The rumor mill is churning yet again -- the latest Apple rumor is that an event is coming on September 9th. Multiple sources are saying that they've heard Apple will host an event in San Francisco to talk about music, including upgrades for the iPod and iTunes. This is hardly a surprise -- Apple usually holds an event this time of year to pump up back-to-school sales of expected iPod refreshes. So while of course it's a rumor until we hear it from Cupertino, it's pretty believable that sometime around September we'll be hearing about new iPods of some kind.

It's also pretty believable that this event won't be about the rumored iTablet. While mockups, leaks, and fake shots (oh my) seem to be appearing more and more often lately, the same folks that are saying September 9th are also saying that Apple isn't planning to tell us anything about a tablet quite yet. That doesn't mean that it's not coming, of course (eventually -- keep hope alive!), but definitely don't hold your breath for a September announcement or a holiday release. Looks like we'll find out whether those iPod camera rumors are true soon, but we'll probably have to keep waiting for the tablet.

As if it isn't getting bad enough with the iPAD / iTablet rumors, now book retailer Borders has been adding to the rumor mill.

Numerous TUAW readers including Jennifer, who supplied the screenshot below, have received a marketing survey from Borders about using Digital Reading Devices (also known as e-readers or ebook readers). Hidden among the responses about Kindles and Sony Book Readers was the response "I plan to buy an Apple iPAD (large screen reading device) this year." Lest any of our readers think that this is just a doctored screenshot, we did receive multiple unique full-screen shots from several readers. This can mean one of three things:

1. The company performing the survey for Borders knows something about an upcoming Apple tablet device
2. The survey company is clueless and loves operating off of rumors and innuendo
3. The iPAD was thrown in there just to see if anybody would fall for it

The survey also refers to the iPod touch as the "iTouch", so I'm pretty sure that #1 is probably out of the realm of possibility. Still, it's fascinating to see just how pervasive this rumored device actually is!

Thanks to everyone who sent in this tip