Japanese carrier to give away iPads — with strings attached

Japanese carrier Softbank is promising to subscribers starting early next month — but there's a two-year catch involved.
Softbank's "iPad for Everybody" promotion begins December 2, reports MocoNews, with those who sign up set to get their very own 16GB iPad 3G, which retails here in the U.S. for a cool $629. (The 16GB Wi-Fi-only version of the iPad sells for $499.)
That's not the end of the story, though. Users who sign up for a "free" iPad through Softbank will also have to sign a 25-month contract that involves a 4,725-yen monthly 3G data fee, which, based on the latest exchange rates, comes out to about $56 a month.
Do the math ($56 a month, times 25 months) and that comes out to about 118,125 yen — or $1,400 — over two years. Yikes.
On the other hand, 25 months of AT&T's 2GB, $25-a-month iPad 3G plan would cost you $625 (not counting taxes and other fees, of course), while a 16GB iPad 3G goes for $629 — bringing the 25-month total to $1,254, or nearly $150 less than the Softbank deal.
That's not an entirely fair comparison, though. For one thing, Softbank is offering unlimited monthly 3G data for its iPad subscribers, while both AT&T and Verizon (which is offering the Wi-Fi iPad bundled with a MiFi wireless hotspot) are capping their no-strings iPad 3G plans. There's also the relative strength of the yen to consider, which complicates straight-ahead currency conversions when it comes to comparing international products and services.
Still, as with the steeply discounted smartphones sold by wireless carriers here in the States, there's no question that a "free" iPad from Japan's Softbank isn't really free — and indeed, it may end up costing users about as much as they would have paid for an iPad up front.
Softbank isn't the first carrier to offer the iPad 3G at a discount, as MocoNews points out. Both Orange and T-Mobile in the U.K. are offering £200 iPads (about US$320) with two-year contracts, while Orange France will serve up a two-year-contract iPad for 279 euros.
Neither AT&T nor Verizon Wireless are offering discounted iPad deals yet, although it's worth noting that the iPad's newest competitor — the 7-inch, Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab — recently went on sale on Sprint and T-Mobile for a subsidized $399 with two-year contracts. The full retail price of the 3G-enabled Tab: a hefty $599.
Competition with the Tab could be one reason that overseas carriers are offering the iPad for a discount in exchange for a two-year service agreement, although MocoNews has another theory: an effort by Apple to boost the iPad's user base in Japan before its iAd mobile advertising platform makes its 2011 Japanese debut.
What about you — would you rather pay full-price for an iPad (or the Samsung Galaxy Tab, for that matter) up front, with no strings attached, or at a discount with a two-year contract?

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Now iPad has real Xmas rival in "Galaxy tablet"

Millions of people around the world will be glued to their iPad or other tablet computer instead of watching yet another re-run of a movie on TV.
Samsung Electronics says it has sold over 700,000 of its Galaxy Tab device in the six weeks since its launch and believes at least a million will be in people's hands by the end of the year.
But that's still miles behind the iPad, which only went on sale in South Korea -- Samsung's home turf -- for the first time on Tuesday.
Apple has sold more than eight million of the gadgets since it went on sale in April but could have sold more, experts say, were it not for problems making enough to meet demand.
Sony, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM), Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Dell, Asus, Acer -- most of the big global brand names in the technology sector have a tablet computer on the market or in the pipeline.
Technology research firm Gartner last month said sales of tablet computers are expected to soar from nearly 20 million units this year to 55 million next year and over 208 million in 2014.
The Galaxy Tab has a seven-inch (18-centimetre) touch screen -- significantly smaller than the iPad's nearly 10-inch display. But Samsung says it will introduce "new tablets of different sizes in the near future".
Apple's first generation iPad does not have a camera, does not function as a phone and the company does not allow the Flash video standard on the gadget.
These are all big advantages for Samsung, the company says.
"The Tab sets itself apart from other similar smart media devices by featuring optimal portability, Flash support, dual cameras and phone-call functions," Samsung Electronics spokesman Nam Ki-yung told AFP
"Owning a Tab is like having your personal library, entertainment system, office workstation and e-learning resources rolled into one device -- that snugly fits into your pocket."
While Apple has its own App store where iPad owners can buy software and games to run on its array of gadgets, Samsung and most other tablets run on Google's Android, with apps available from the Android Market store.
Sales in tablet computers should see exponential growth in the next 12 months, analysts say.
"Tablets are basically new creatures," Young Park, a tech analyst for South Korea's Woori Investment and Securities, told AFP.
"So this is a brand new market which is set to grow substantially. It will be interesting to watch how the market evolves over the next year or so.
"As more and more tablet devices come onto the market, that will inevitably eat into Apple's lead."
Sales of tablet computers, Hong Kong-based Young believes, will remain steady during the run up to Christmas but will not increase significantly.
"A tablet computer such as Apple's iPad or the Samsung Galaxy Tab is hard to give as a Christmas gift," Young said.
"The main problem is most of them require a subscription with a network and you have to sign a 12 or even 24 month contract. That makes it difficult to give as a surprise. Plus, they're not cheap."
The cheapest iPad costs 499 dollars in the US while the top model is priced at 829 dollars. Samsung's Galaxy Tab costs around 600 dollars, when bought without a subscription to a network.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

Motorola Company is spin off mobile unit in early 2011

Motorola company is spinning of its mobile unit from the rest of the company effective January 4, 2011. Motorola’s mobile unit—that includes handsets and set-top boxes—will continue to do business under the name Motorola Mobility, while the remainder of Motorola will change its name and do business as Motorola Solutions.
“Today’s announcement marks another important milestone toward the upcoming separation that is expected to benefit Motorola, its stockholders, as well as each company’s respective customers and employees,” said Motorola co-CEO’s Greg Brown and Sanjay Jha, in a joint statement. “We look forward to taking advantage of the opportunities before us as we begin the new year as two independent, publicly traded companies.”
Brown will continue as CEO of Motorola Solutions, while Jha will become CEO of Motorola Mobility. Motorola Solution’s primary businesses will be in systems like communications equipment uses by public safety and emergency workers, barcode scanners, and walkie-talkies.
Motorola stockholders will receive one share of Motorola Mobility stock for every eight shares of Motorola common stock they hold as of December 21, 2010. Immediately after that distribution, Motorola will perform a one-for-seven stock split on Motorola common stock—meaning every seven shares of Motorola common stock will become one share of Motorola Solutions. The Motorola Mobility stock distribution and reverse stock split for Motorola Solutions are intended to lift the share trading price for both companies. Motorola’s shares have been trading for between $7.50 and $8.50 for most of 2010, up from a 25-year low of $2.98 in early 2009.
Motorola originally announced its plans to separate its mobile unit into a separate company back in 2008.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us