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Retailers gear up for rush as Apple unveils iDon'tKnowWhat
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Editor27 Jan 2010
Apple was set to trigger an online shopping frenzy tonight with the unveiling of a gadget designed to replace books and magazines.
Expected to be called the iSlate or iPad, the gadget will be a large version of the iPhone with a 10-inch screen. It was being unveiled by Apple boss Steve Jobs at an event in San Francisco, where celebrities such as Stephen Fry were expected to try it.
Although the device is not thought to be available for several weeks, Apple could begin taking online orders from this evening. The firm has been in talks with publishers to provide content and is expected to sign up more before it goes on sale.
Amazon and Sony sell electronic book readers, but the e-book market has not yet taken off. Experts say an "iPad" could change that. Michael Brook, of gadget magazine T3, said: "This device could do to publishing what the iPod did for music.
"It could pave the way for bringing the notion of ebooks and touch-screen computing to the mainstream."
Mr Jobs has said the product "will be the most important thing I've ever done". Retailers today said they expect the demand for the device to be huge.
