Daniel Ionescu

I have been covering quite a lot lately Apple’s long-expected tablet, the iPad, so I’ve selected a few highlights of my reports from PCWorld below:

iPad Expected to Beat iPhone’s First 3-Month Sales

Apple could sell more iPads in the first three months of availability than it sold original iPhones in the same period, according to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal. “Hundreds of thousands” of units have already been pre-ordered, says the report, with strong demand expected at launch.

iPad Buyer be Aware: $99 Replacement if Battery Dies

Just like most Apple products, the iPad will have an enclosed battery, but Apple says it will replace it with an as-new iPad for $99 when the charge won’t last as long — if the device has no other damage.

Why the iPad Will be the E-books Battle Arena

Barnes & Noble says it will launch an iPad version of its eReader app, in anticipation of the release of Apple’s device on April 3. The app will compete with Apple’s own iBook store for e-books, and Amazon could jump on board any time now.

Publishers Ready for iPad, iPad Not Ready for Flash

HP Flaunts Flash and AIR on Slate Tablet

Will We Ever See Flash On the iPad? Probably Not

Nexus One Price Drops for Some T-Mobile Upgrades
Google and T-Mobile have changed the Nexus One pricing policy, slashing $100 off the price of the handset for certain existing customers. Eligible upgraders should now be able to get the Nexus One for $279 instead of $379, and Google will give refunds to those who paid the old price.

iPhone 4G Rumors Heat Up
It’s been less than a year since the iPhone 3GS launched, and the rumor mill is already churning out speculation about an upcoming iPhone 4G, expected as early as May.

Google Nexus One’s First Week of Sales Were Weak
Report: Poor First Week Sales for Google Nexus OneBig hype didn’t equal big sales for Google’s Nexus One. According to reports only 20,000 Google Nexus One phones were sold in its first week of sales, according to sales estimates from market research firm Flurry. In comparison to its Android sibling the numbers are 12 times lower than for the Motorola Droid and 80 times lower than for the iPhone 3GS.

Netflix Streaming Coming to the Wii
Nintendo Wii users will be able to stream Netflix movies and TV episodes on their consoles, Netflix announced on Wednesday. The feature will be enabled this spring, at no additional charge for Netflix subscribers.

Windows Mobile 7 Delayed Until 2011?
Google’s Android mobile operating system is stealing the spotlight from Windows Mobile 7, so much so that reports say Microsoft’s latest OS is delayed (again) due to Google’s success.

Google Nexus One Loses to iPhone In Touchscreen Accuracy Tests
The Google Nexus One, Motorola Droid, and the iPhone have been put to the test to find out which smartphone has a better touchscreen. But despite overall more capable hardware, the iPhone still has a better display, it has been revealed in a recent test.

This year has started in force, with a great bunch of posts for PC World, some more controversial than others. Here’s a recap of the first ten days of 2010 (newest at the top).

Google Nexus Two Phone to Focus on Business
The Nexus One smartphone might be a delight for consumers, but Google plans to approach the business-minded customers as well in a future iteration of the product, says Google’s Andy Rubin, quoted by Reuters.

The new Pre Plus (left) and Pixi Plus (right) from Palm.

Palm On the Right Path With Pre Plus, Pixi Plus
Competition in the smartphone market continues to heat up, with Google’s Nexus One ready to take on Apple’s iPhone. But Palm is not sitting idly by. At the Consumer Electronics Show this week, Palm announced upgraded versions of its Pre and Pixi smartphones, and announced that its devices would be coming to more carriers.

Apple Puts Lala Music Service to Work
Apple has put to use its acquisition of the Lala service from late last year, now allowing 30-second song previews in the Web-based version of the iTunes Charts. The quietly-launched feature completes the experience of the iTunes Web preview, initially launched in November 2009.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introducing the HP tablet with Windows 7.

Why the Microsoft-HP Tablet Is a Big Disappointment
Apple must be patting themselves on the back, as the Hewlett-Packard (HP) tablet unveiled by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Wednesday night failed to wow those expecting a true competitor to the mythical Apple tablet.

Microsoft Tablet to Beat Apple to the Punch?
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is ready to introduce on Wednesday night a slate form-factor computer to rival the yet-unannounced Apple Tablet, according to reports. It’s not the first time Microsoft has delved into tablets, but the Redmond company hopes it will be luckier the second time running.

Why the Nexus One Makes Other Android Phones Obsolete
The Google Nexus One, unveiled on Tuesday, has all the bells and whistles to challenge Apple’s ever-popular iPhone — thanks in large part to the slick new version of the Android OS that it runs. But if you use an earlier Google Android phone, don’t hold your breath waiting for the latest version of Android to make its way to your handset. It will likely be a while before you get to taste the entire Nexus bonanza.

An Affordable $199 Tablet for Everyone — And It’s Not From Apple
Just as the rumors of a pricey Apple tablet computer have reached a high-water mark, Freescale Semiconductor on Monday showcased reference designs of an affordable, lightweight tablet computer, set to hit the market later this year.

The week in tech with my posts in the Today@PC World section:

YouTube Goes High Definition with 1080p Videos
YouTube says it will start supporting 1080p high-definition video in full resolution starting next week. The Google-owned video-sharing site will add support for viewing videos in 720p or 1080p resolutions, depending on the resolution of the original source.

Microsoft Bans Up to One Million Users From Xbox Live
Microsoft has banned as many as one million users who hacked their Xbox 360 consoles to play pirated games from the company’s Xbox Live service in a bid to counter piracy. The move triggered an avalanche of cheap “chipped” Xbox 360 consoles for sale on Craigslist and a public outcry from users is expected.

Samsung Intros Bada Mobile OS: Do We Need It?
Samsung today introduced Bada, which the company calls a mobile platform for a new breed of its smartphones. But is there really a need for yet another mobile OS, next to the likes of Apple, Microsoft, or Google?

Not anymore: a Hackintosh Dell Mini from Gizmodo.

Apple’s Snow Leopard Update Zaps Bugs, Kills Hackintosh Netbooks
On Monday Apple released an update to its Snow Leopard operating system (10.6.2 ) that fixes flaws, including one that wipes out a users’ personal data. But along with fixes, Apple’s update also kills support for Intel Atom processors, in a bid to stop users from hacking their netbooks and creating “hackintosh” systems.

iPhone ‘Rickroll’ Worm Is No Threat To Most Users
The first worm to infect the iPhone will not affect most users of Apple’s smartphone, despite worrying reports. The ikee worm only affects jailbroken iPhones, representing a minority percentage of iPhones on the market.