retail price

Apple has plenty of breathing room to lower the price of its new iPad tablet computer if sales aren't as brisk as hoped, research from iSuppli has suggested. Without taking apart an actual iPad, the El Segundo, Calif,.-based market-research firm concluded, based on Apple's description of the device features, that the cheapest iPad model, the 16GB device without wireless 3G, contains $219.35 worth of parts and costs about $10 to assemble.

32-Gig Most Profitable

Instead of wishing Verizon Wireless a happy holiday, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn has sent a not-so-happy message to the wireless carrier. In an open letter, the newly appointed commissioner said Verizon has some explaining to do.

Clyburn wants Verizon to provide better justification after the company last week announced a higher early termination fee (ETF) for contracts associated with the purchase of smartphones, PDAs and netbooks offered at a reduced price.

Like Elvis, there have been so many sightings and rumors of an upcoming, groundbreaking Apple tablet that it has taken on legendary status. But now the legend is undergoing revisions, with new reports that the tablet will be delayed and that a major publisher is getting ready -- and still no word from Apple.

Sony unveiled a new PlayStation 3 video-game console Wednesday with a slimmer form factor, a 120GB hard drive and a price that's more competitive with the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox 360. The new model is called the PS3 Slim.

The smaller PS3 is expected to be available Sept. 1 with a retail price of $299, and Sony said new game titles will roll out in time for the holiday shopping season. Analysts said a cheaper PS3 is the right strategy at this stage in the console's life cycle, but some suggested it may be too late for Sony to launch a comeback.

Following the success of Microsoft's Windows 7 pre-order launch on Amazon.com, Apple has released Mac OS X Snow Leopard for pre-order sales on the popular e-commerce site.

Apple's latest update to the Mac OS X operating system is now available on Amazon for $29 for the single-user license, or $49 for a five-license family pack. Current users of Mac OS X version 10.5 are eligible for the much-anticipated upgrade. Snow Leopard will officially hit store shelves in September.

Amazon is also selling box sets that include Snow Leopard, iWork and iLife for $169.

With new competition emerging in the digital marketplace, Amazon.com on Wednesday slashed the price of its Kindle device by $60. The popular e-book reader now retails for $299.

Amazon didn't issue an official statement, but the price listed on its Web site is 17 percent lower than the original retail price. The reduction may be a combined response to the economic recession and the fact that new players are coming to the e-book market.

The buzz is building around Microsoft Windows 7 -- in a tangible way. Despite the fact that the software giant's next operating system won't be available until October, people are flocking to Amazon.com and other retailers in droves to take advantage of special advance pricing.

Windows 7 is leading the list of available software products on Amazon.com once again this week -- discounts of 50 percent or more are available until July 11.

People may not camp out on the street to get a copy of Windows 7, but the latest version of Microsoft's flagship operating system is ringing up pre-orders.

Amazon.com is offering discounts of 50 percent or more on pre-orders of Windows 7, with limits of three copies per customer on the Home Premium and Professional upgrades. Currently, Windows 7 is the best-selling software on Amazon and is also leading the charge in the entire electronics category.

Dell has rolled out a new mini-notebook PC in Japan that is slated to launch globally next month at a retail price of under $600.

Tipping the scales at 2.72 lbs and measuring just 0.92 inches thick, the Inspiron Mini 12 integrates Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) radios, 1GB of RAM, a 12.1-inch WXGA display, a built-in Webcam, and a 60GB or 80GB hard disk drive. In addition to Windows Vista Home Basic, users can elect to run Windows XP or Ubuntu Linux.