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The biggest surprise out of yesterday's Apple product event was news of the fourth-generation iPad. Not everyone considers it a pleasant surprise, though.

The device, which starts at $499, comes just seven months after the arrival of the third-generation iPad and brings with it a number of updates. It comes with an A6X processor that has twice the CPU and graphics power of the third-generation iPad, gets 10 hours of battery life, and has FaceTime HD and expanded LTE support.

But most important for the company, CNET executive editor Molly Wood maintains, it's got the Lightning connector, which … Read more

Starting at $329, the iPad Mini is pricier than other mini tablets, but the product will still capture sales from lower-priced rivals, says J.P. Morgan's Mark Moskowitz.

Though the price tag on Apple's new tablet was substantially higher than J.P. Morgan's estimate of $249, the features and specs were better than expected. The analyst had thought the base model would start at 8GB of storage, but Apple kicked it up to 16GB. The Mini lacks the Retina display of its bigger sibling, but Moskowitz was still impressed by the "look-and-feel" of the small … Read more

The iPad mini has arrived -- with supply problems in tow.

"We're now starting to see the issues that [Apple] is having with Samsung," Richard Shim, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, told CNET in an interview.

Specifically, Samsung, a traditional Apple display vendor, is not supplying displays for the iPad mini, according to Shim. That leaves two suppliers, LGD and AUO.

"The problem is that AUO is a new supplier, and they're not able to get to the volumes that Apple needs. So, essentially, there's just one supplier," Shim said, who covered the … Read more

Apple was quick to obsolete the "new" chip in the third-generation Retina iPad -- not to mention the iPad itself. So the question is, why so fast?

But before we answer that question, let's look at some of the improvements. Apple says the A6X "delivers up to twice the CPU [central processing unit] and graphics performance of the A5X chip" -- the A5X being the processor Apple just announced back in March when it rolled out the first Retina iPad.

A lot of that improvement comes from the goodness of Apple's new A6 chip … Read more

Just got a third-gen iPad? Apple might be willing to exchange it.

In an unexpected move, Apple refreshed its 10-inch iPad today, leaving many third-generation iPad owners groaning at a suddenly subpar device.

Apple customers like Roger Cheng have (until now) slept soundly knowing that any Apple product purchased is the "latest and greatest" for at least one year. Today, Apple killed that notion.

Considering the fourth-generation iPad offers relatively incremental upgrades, not all iPad owners will be peeved. However, if you know you'll lose sleep over the iPad you purchased less than one month ago, you'… Read more

Apple has unveiled a new, fourth-generation iPad.

The device, which comes with the familiar 9.7-inch Apple Retina display, ships with the A6X processor, doubling the current CPU and graphics power of the A5X available in the third-generation slate. In addition, Apple says that the tablet will have 10 hours of battery life, feature the Lightning connector, and boast FaceTime HD. There's even expanded LTE support.

The fourth-generation tablet, which replaces the slate the company announced earlier this year, starts at $499 with 16GB of storage. As before, $… Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Apple's iOS 6 has not fared well with Wi-Fi.

Though this isn't the first time a new Apple operating system or device has had Wi-Fi issues, the situation this time around has been exacerbated by the release of the iPhone 5, putting an iOS 6 device immediately into millions of consumers' hands.

Not to mention all of the upgrades. Reports cite 60 percent of iPhone and roughly 40 percent of iPad owners upgrading to the new OS so far.

The fallout is numerous forum discussions on Wi-Fi connectivity problems. For example, there are currently two major … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Neil Young introduces his own Pono audio system, could rival Apple.

- Stop showing me your stupid Internet face.

- Top face pullers gurning for the UK title.

- Life-sized pictures of Google Street View screenshots printed and wheatpasted IRL.

- Nerdy art uses computer messages to poke fun.

- If you have time tomorrow, check out Field Trip Day for Android users across the country.

- Connect with Ty Pendlebury on Twitter.

Bathroom break video: People acting irrationally to a telephone.… Read more