MacRumors

The New York Times walks through the timeline of the current Google and Apple rivalry and reveals that the competition has become quite personal.

Yet according to interviews with two dozen industry watchers, Silicon Valley investors and current and former employees at both companies -- most of whom requested anonymity to protect their jobs or business relationships -- the clash between Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Jobs offers an unusually vivid display of enmity and ambition.

The increasing tensions between the two companies have already been revealed in comments made by Steve Jobs during the town meeting, and most recently in a patent lawsuit filed against Google-partner HTC. Apple has reportedly became concerned about Android, and made good on a promise to Google that if they introduced multi-touch into Android, they would sue. Google provided a software update adding multi-touch to the Nexus One in February.

The two companies have also sparred over acquiring the same companies. In fact, Google reportedly swooped in to acquire AdMob after Apple had expressed significant interest. Google paid a 25% premium over Apple's initial offer primarily to keep AdMob out of Apple's hands.

The increasing competition has even resulted in Apple considering replacing Google's search engine with Microsoft's Bing as the default on the iPhone.

Several MacRumors readers have noticed that Apple has posted information on its iPad Battery Replacement Service, which allows users to receive a replacement should their device's battery no longer hold a charge. The service will cost $99 plus an additional $6.95 shipping and applicable taxes.

"iPad Battery Replacement Service" is a bit of a misnomer, however, as instead of swapping a new battery into a customer's existing iPad, Apple will simply send the customer a new iPad.

You will receive a replacement iPad that will not contain any of your personal data. Before you submit your iPad for service, it is important to sync your iPad with iTunes to back up your contacts, calendars, email account settings, bookmarks, apps, etc. Apple is not responsible for the loss of information when servicing your iPad.

The device exchange is estimated by Apple to require approximately one week to complete and may be arranged through Apple's retail stores, Apple technical support, or Apple Authorized Service Providers.

Devices that have been damaged or had unauthorized service or modifications performed on them will not be eligible for the program.

Apple today filed a Form 8-K submission with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing a bonus of $5 million and 75,000 shares of Apple stock paid to Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook in recognition of his performance during Steve Jobs' leave of absence for a liver transplant during the first half of 2009.

On March 10, 2010, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Apple Inc. (the "Company") unanimously approved a recommendation by Steve Jobs, the Company's CEO, to award Timothy D. Cook, the Company's Chief Operating Officer, a one-time discretionary bonus of $5,000,000 and 75,000 restricted stock units in recognition of his outstanding performance in assuming the day-to-day operations of the Company for the period in fiscal 2009 during which Mr. Jobs was on medical leave of absence.

Fifty percent of the restricted stock units are scheduled to vest on each of March 10, 2011 and March 10, 2012, subject to Mr. Cook's continued employment with the Company through that date.

Cook has been widely praised for his guidance of Apple during Jobs' absence, steering the company through several product releases and continued research and development while maintaining substantial earnings growth. He has been seen as one of a number of top executives at Apple who have entirely bought into the company's philosophy and carry tremendous talent but have been overshadowed by the prominence of Jobs. Cook has continued to remain a public face for Apple since Jobs' return in June of last year, and is seen by many as potential successor to Jobs' CEO position.

Engadget notes that a pair of filings for the iPad have appeared in the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's online database, showing the Wi-Fi (Model A1219) and Wi-Fi + 3G (Model A1337) versions of the device.

Apple, of course, has a track record of timing its FCC filings perfectly so that virtually nothing is revealed before Cupertino wants it to be, and frankly, you're not going to get much here that you didn't already know -- the photographs (both external and internal) and the user manual are both still under confidentiality. Both units were tested for WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, while one -- model number A1337 -- adds in GSM 850 / 1900 and UMTS 850 / 1900, so it appears that Apple has bundled all of its 3G and non-3G models into just two filings regardless of storage capacity.

Both filings are accompanied by requests for 180 days of confidentiality on such exhibits as external and internal photos and user manuals. The reports otherwise offer little information of interest to most observers, serving to share results of radiation emission testing as required by the FCC.

MacDailyNews notes that multiple iPad customers who placed pre-orders for Wi-Fi iPad models and are looking to change those orders to in-store pickup reservations have been told by Apple representatives that customer response to the iPad has been "so overwhelming" that newly-placed reservations may not be available on the launch day of April 3rd.

Multiple iPad buyers have been told that in order to do such a change, the delivery order would have to be cancelled and a new in-store pickup order completed, but that iPad orders (which began this morning at 8:30am EST) have been "so overwhelming" that new iPad orders may not be available for in-store pickup on April 3.

iPad pre-orders have reportedly been brisk and in-store pickup reservations are likely similarly strong. We've heard that one non-flagship store had already seen nearly 100 reservations for Wi-Fi iPads as of earlier this afternoon, divided roughly equally among the three capacities although weakest in the mid-level 32 GB model.

With approximately 220 U.S. retail stores, Apple may consequently have received on the order of 20,000 reservations in addition to the tens of thousands of pre-orders in the first six hours of availability. It is impossible, however, to extrapolate performance from a single data point with any real degree of accuracy, and so observers will undoubtedly continue to try to piece together various pieces of information to develop a picture of early iPad sales.

With iPad pre-orders having begun in the U.S. just a few hours ago, observers are looking for any signs that might indicate how sales are going. According to one report, two orders placed 30 minutes apart this morning resulted in Order ID numbers approximately 10,000 apart, suggesting a rate somewhere near 20,000 orders per hour if order numbers are issued sequentially as they appear to be.

Now, of course, we can't be sure every order was for an iPad. Apple does sell other stuff. But at 830am in the morning on the east coast, my guess is that most of the orders were for iPads.

Fortune has followed up with a report on a more organized effort that looks to be showing in excess of 50,000 orders in two hours, roughly in line with the earlier estimate.

"51,000 orders in two hours," announced Victor Castroll shortly after noon. He's an analyst with Valcent Financial Group and an AAPL Sanity member who, with the blogger-analyst who calls himself deagol, has been monitoring the spreadsheet.

The estimates of course come with several caveats. On the downside as mentioned, not all of the orders being placed through Apple's online store are for iPads, although it is likely that a very substantial portion of them are, given the excitement over Apple's tablet device and previous launches.

But on the upside, the data includes order numbers, not unit numbers, and it seems reasonable that some purchasers are ordering multiple iPads at the same time. Apple has restricted customers to two iPads per person, limiting but certainly not eliminating this effect on the estimates, suggesting that 50,000 iPads in two hours may at least be in the ballpark.

As information on the iPad continues to spill out from Apple in the wake of the launch of pre-orders in the U.S., more screenshots and feature information on iWork applications for the iPad have surfaced on Apple's site. Announced alongside the iPad's introduction in late January, iWork for iPad will offer multi-touch versions of Apple's Keynote, Pages, and Numbers productivity applications priced at $9.99 each through the App Store.

Keynote features 12 Apple-designed themes for users to choose from as a basis for their presentations, as well as tap-to-add functionality supporting photos, video, shapes, tables, charts, and text. Items can be easily dragged, resized, or rotated using the iPad's multi-touch technology. Keynote also supports animations, as well as routing to external video displays using an optional iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter.

Document editing on the iPad is performed using Pages, which offers 16 templates for easy creation of simple text documents, newsletters, brochures, flyers, and other content. In landscape mode, Pages offers a large on-screen keyboard that enables rapid text entry, which is also facilitated by the iPad's auto-correct feature that corrects spelling, inserts punctuations, and suggests words. Finally, Pages offer a number of page layout tools, allowing users to add and resize images, create lists, format text, and set margins, tabs, headers, and footers.

For Numbers, Apple highlights the 16 included templates for spreadsheet formatting, table functionality with automatic sum, min, max, and count display for data selections, and simple forms for easily entering data on the go and automatically updating spreadsheets. Finally, Numbers offers high-quality charts in a number of different styles that can be copied and pasted into Pages or Keynote documents, and multiple intelligent keyboard layouts to allow users to take full advantage of Numbers' more than 250 functions.

All iWork applications for the iPad support import of their respective traditional iWork file formats, as well as the corresponding Microsoft Office formats. Users have the option of exporting their finished documents in iWork, Office, or PDF formats.

Apple has augmented its iPad "Features" section with a new page devoted to its iBooks application. Initially available only in the U.S., the iBooks application will be available in the App Store once the iPad officially launches on April 3rd and will serve as the hub for the iPad's eReader functionality and offer access to Apple's iBookstore where users will be able to purchase content. While many of the details of the iBooks application have already been disclosed, the feature page provides a slightly more in-depth look at the application and clarifies a few issues.

Apple confirms that the application will utilize the open ePub standard, which will allow users to import any open ePub content into iTunes and sync it with their iPad for viewing, even content not acquired through the iBookstore. Apple has been quiet about any sort of digital rights management (DRM) for content sold through the iBookstore, but reports have suggested that it will utilize a version of Apple's FairPlay DRM that was formerly used on iTunes Store music and continues to be used on video content distributed via iTunes.

The new iBooks page also describes a number of the features of the application, including the ability to automatically switch between single-page portrait and double-page landscape modes by simply rotating the iPad and to change text sizes and fonts. Users can also tap on words within their eBooks to see definitions from the device's built-in dictionary application or Wikipedia, or search for the word in the text or on the Web. iBooks is also compatible with the iPad's VoiceOver functionality, allowing content to be automatically read aloud.

While iBooks will be a U.S.-only feature at launch, Apple appears to be busy preparing to build out support for the application and the associated iBookstore, with job postings suggesting that the company is working hard to extend support to other countries.

9 to 5 Mac notes that Apple appears to have made a minor last-minute hardware change to the iPad, replacing what was previously described as a mute switch just above the volume rocker on the side of the device with a "screen rotation lock".

Like the iPhone, the iPad automatically senses its orientation and adjusts its display between portrait and landscape modes with no user input required beyond turning the device. One common complaint among iPhone users has been, however, that there is no system-wide mechanism to lock the screen in one orientation. The lack of screen rotation lock on the iPhone is particularly frustrating to those attempting to use their devices while lying down on their sides and finding their iPhone rotating the display to an "upright" position.

Apple appears to have decided that this issue is important enough on the iPad to dedicate one of the device's few hardware buttons to addressing it. Users wishing to quickly mute their iPads will apparently have to use other methods than a hardware button, such as onscreen controls or holding down the volume rocker switch to reach zero volume.

With today's launch of iPad pre-orders in the U.S., Apple has also released additional information about the device and associated services. While 3G-capable models of the iPad will not be available until late April, Apple has provided an overview of how customers will sign up for and manage their 3G data service on the device.

As previously revealed, customers can choose from either of two contract-free data plans in the U.S. through AT&T: $14.99 per month for 250 MB or $29.99 for unlimited data. Customers can sign up for service directly on the iPad and can cancel or re-enroll at any time.

So if you have a business trip or vacation approaching, just sign up for the month you'll be traveling and cancel when you get back. You don't need to visit a store to get 3G service. You can sign up, check your data usage, manage your account, or cancel your service -- all from your iPad.

Data service is activated on the iPad through its Settings application, offering a simple screen allowing the user to select a plan and a credit card payment method.

Once access is activated, the application offers a clear overview of the customer's service details, including active dates of service and amount of data used and amount/time remaining for customers on the 250 MB plan. Apple also notes that customers on the 250 MB plan will received three alerts (20%, 10%, and 0% remaining) to keep them apprised of their remaining data limits.

Users can also easily manage their service through the Settings application, allowing them to change plans or cancel service automatically at the end of any billing period. Users on the 250 MB service plan can also select to automatically boost their plan to unlimited service once they reach their limit.

AT&T's 3G service plans for the iPad also provide users with access to over 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots. And all iPad models support 802.11n Wi-Fi for optimum performance.

As reported, Apple has begun accepting pre-orders for the Apple iPad in the U.S. Apple Store. While U.S. customers can pre-order any of Apple's six iPad models (three Wi-Fi and three Wi-Fi + 3G) beginning today, only the Wi-Fi models will be available on the launch date of Saturday, April 3rd. Customers purchasing Wi-Fi + 3G iPad models will need to wait until late April to receive their orders. iPad pre-orders are also limited to only two per customer.

Wi-Fi devices are being promised for April 3rd delivery. If you prefer to reserve an iPad at your local Apple store, visit http://www.apple.com/retail/reserve/ and follow the instructions.

TUAW reports that U.S. pre-orders for both Wi-Fi and 3G-capable iPads will go live on Apple's site at 5:30 AM Pacific Time / 8:30 AM Eastern Time tomorrow morning. Apple last week announced that pre-orders would begin on March 12th, but did not specify a time in that release.

We asked Apple PR to help you plan your day tomorrow, and they responded:

"Customers can pre-order online at apple.com at 5:30am Pacific time on Friday, March 12."

In addition to pre-orders, U.S. customers will also be able to reserve iPads for pickup at their local Apple retail stores once they become available, guaranteeing product availability and speeding the purchasing process.

While U.S. customers can pre-order any of Apple's six iPad models (three Wi-Fi and three Wi-Fi + 3G) beginning tomorrow, only the Wi-Fi models will be available on the launch date of Saturday, April 3rd. Customers purchasing Wi-Fi + 3G iPad models will need to wait until late April to receive their orders.

International orders for both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G iPad lines in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK will begin shipping in late April as well, although Apple has yet to announce a date that it will begin accepting pre-orders in those countries.

Apple today released Safari 4.0.5 for Mac and Windows, bringing a number of enhancements to Apple's Internet browser application.

This update is recommended for all Safari users and includes improvements to performance, stability, and security including:

- Performance improvements for Top Sites
- Stability improvements for 3rd-party plug-ins
- Stability improvements for websites with online forms and Scalable Vector Graphics
- Fixes an issue that prevented Safari from changing settings on some Linksys routers

Safari 4.0.5 is available via Software Update and Apple's Safari download page. The download weighs in at 30.52 MB (Snow Leopard), 38.59 MB (Leopard), 26.78 MB (Tiger), or 30.18 MB (Windows 7, Vista, and XP).

Consumer Reports yesterday announced the release of new ratings of computer tech support ratings for both laptops and desktop, and while the full details are restricted to subscribers, CNET reveals that Apple dominated the rankings. Not only did Apple top both the overall laptop and desktop categories, but also took top honors in every single sub-category, including problem resolution, phone wait times, phone staff performance, and online support.

For laptop computers, Apple scored 86 out of a possible 100. That's 23 points above its nearest competitor, Lenovo, which scored a 63. In fact, Apple scored the highest in each of the Consumer Reports categories.

Apple saw even better performance in its desktop computers, grabbing a score of 87 and easily out-distancing second-place Dell, which earned a score of only 55. Also of note is Acer, which had by far the lowest tech support scores in the ratings even as it has surged past Apple in U.S. market share by riding the wave of netbook popularity in recent years.

Apple has traditionally performed very well in Consumer Reports' surveys, and last year the company's notebooks even sweeped the magazine's recommendations.

Barnes & Noble today officially acknowledged that it is developing an iPad-specific application that will provide access to content available in the company's eBookstore.

Designed specifically for the iPad, our new B&N eReader will give our customers access to more than one million eBooks, magazines and newspapers in the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, as well as the existing content in their Barnes & Noble digital library. (That includes eBooks and content customers have downloaded to their nook eBook reader.)

The news should not come as a tremendous surprise, as the company already offers a B&N eReader application for the iPhone and iPod touch. Unlike the existing iPhone application, however, Barnes & Noble's eBookstore will offer direct competition with Apple's iBookstore planned for the iPad.

Barnes & Noble's eBookstore allows users to purchase electronic book material and store it online in their "eBook Library". Users who wish to view content on-the-go can download it to their portable devices and view it using the company's eReader applications for a number of different platforms.

Forbes reports on information obtained by App Store research firm Busted Loop as part of its AppSlice project, revealing Apple's plans for eBook categories to be rolled out for its iBookstore.

AppSlice's findings point to a highly organized approach to bookselling. Apple has designated about 20 "top-level" categories for books, including "Fiction & Literature", "Reference," "Romance," "Cookbooks" and "Comics & Graphic Novels." Below those categories lie more than 150 sub-categories, including some very specific genres, such as "Manga" under "Comics & Graphic Novels," "Special Ingredients" under "Cookbooks," and "Etiquette" under "Reference." Some sub-categories, such as "Fantasy" and "Science Fiction & Literature," even have sub-sub-categories ("Historical" and "Paranormal," for example.) There are also two sections for "Erotica" books; one under "Fiction & Literature" and one under "Romance."

The report notes that the apparent categorization system for eBooks, which has reportedly changed several times since the iPad and iBookstore were announced January, appears to offer a great deal more specificity than Apple's App Store, which currently offers 20 different top-level categories with only its "Games" category offering sub-categories for further sorting.

Busted Loop's data also reveals that a little over 10% of the App Store's current applications have already been certified as being iPad-compatible. As with the existing App Store system, the "iPad Wi-Fi" and "iPad 3G" appear as separate entries for developers to list compatibility, as some applications such as those requiring GPS functionality will only be compatible with the 3G models. Likewise, some existing App Store applications such as those utilizing the iPhone's camera will not be compatible with the iPad at all.