According to various reports, the California-based company plans to come out later this year with a portable tablet-sized computer that can surf the Web and may also serve as an electronic book reader.<\/p>\n
London’s Financial Times was the latest publication on Monday to report on the long-rumored device from the company behind the iconic Macintosh computer, the iPod and the iPhone.<\/p>\n
The FT story follows reports in Silicon Valley technology blogs that Apple was developing a new touch-screen computer described by some as a large-screen iPod Touch.<\/p>\n
Apple was hoping to offer the tablet computer in time for the Christmas shopping season, according to the newspaper, which said the device would have a screen that may measure up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) diagonally.<\/p>\n
It would be able to connect to the Internet like the iPod Touch, allowing access to Apple’s online stores, but probably would not have phone capability.<\/p>\n
“It’s going to be fabulous for watching movies,” an unidentified entertainment executive told the FT.<\/p>\n
The newspaper said book publishers have also been in talks with Apple about offering books on the new device, which could emerge as a potential rival to Amazon’s popular Kindle electronic reader.<\/p>\n
Apple, the FT said, is simultaneously working with the four largest record labels, EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music Group, on a project codenamed “Cocktail” aimed at stimulating digital sales of albums.<\/p>\n
Album sales have fallen sharply as consumers opt for purchases of individual songs from online stores like Apple’s iTunes.<\/p>\n
“Cocktail” would offer interactive features, such as lyric sheets, photos and videos with music album downloads.<\/p>\n
“It’s all about re-creating the heyday of the album when you would sit around with your friends looking at the artwork, while you listened to the music,” an unidentified executive told the newspaper.<\/p>\n
The FT did not reveal any details about the price of the planned tablet computer.<\/p>\n
Apple is traditionally highly secretive about projects under development, revealing them only at launch and guarding zealously against leaks.<\/p>\n