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apple_tabletAppleInsider reports that on a recent episode of DiggNation, Alex Albrecht claimed to have insider information on the new Apple tablet, and let slip this tantalizing nugget of rumor: “I was shocked at how cheap the price point is going to be.”

No further information was forthcoming, leaving us free to speculate. The price point has been rumored to range from as low as $500 all the way up to $2000 for a model with an OLED screen. AppleInsider claims to have heard that the device will be released in 1Q 2010.

The article further collects some other rumors and information about the device. According to a survey, many booksellers expect the Apple tablet to provide a significant boost to the e-book industry. There have also been rumors that Apple may be positioning the tablet as an e-reader, despite Jobs’s famous disdain for e-books and e-book reading.

In related news, Apple recently took control of the “TabletMac” trademark registered by a company that specialized in doing MacBook-to-tablet conversions. It is unclear whether they actually intend to use it for a product, or just want to have it out of the way to prevent confusion.

 
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