Apple Plans Cheap(ish) Wireless Tablet

Apple is preparing a foray into the “netbook” market, AppleInsider reports. The computer company has put out feelers to parts suppliers in a bid to create a web-connected, 7- to- 10-inch tablet one analyst thinks will retail for $500-$700. “It is increasingly clear that Apple is investing more in its mobile computing franchise,” the analyst said. It could be ready by 2010.

The new offering could run on an expanded version of the iPhone’s operating system, “enabling developers to build apps specifically for the larger tablet device,” the analyst said. “Key apps, like Safari and Mail, could make use of the larger screen resolution, making Apple’s tablet appealing for more extended use, but the company could continue to leverage its primary asset in mobile computing, the App Store, in this scenario.” (More Apple stories.)