Despite growing competition as new tablets begin to enter the market, Apple’s iPad is still king when it comes to consumer demand and customer satisfaction according to a recent ChangeWave survey.

The new research, which surveyed a total of 3,091 consumers just prior to Apple announcing the iPad 2, confirms the new tablet market has drawn high demand from consumers around the world, with a large majority interested in the iPad specifically. According to the survey, 82% of consumers planning on buying a tablet in the near future will be opting for an iPad, compared to the closest competition, the Motorola Xoom, coming in at only 4%.

On the customer satisfaction front the iPad garnered outstanding numbers among current owners, with 70% being ‘very satisfied’ with their purchase and 25% being ’somewhat satisfied’. Apple has always done well on the customer satisfaction so we’re not surprised with these results. In addition to high customer satisfaction ratings, it looks like the iPad has continued to steal market share from eBook readers like the Amazon Kindle and further suggests the iPad has had a growing impact on netbook and notebook sales.

What does this all mean for Apple? Lack of competition for the original iPad meant their was nothing to stop them from establishing a dominant position in the tablet market. While the survey was conducted just as real competition began to show up, it was also before Apple even announced the iPad 2. So we have a strong suspicion Apple won’t have any trouble keeping a strong position throughout 2011.

With the iPad 2 launching tomorrow in the US and other countries shortly after, do you think Apple has anything to worry about going forward? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

[InvestorPlace]

Apple iPad crushing competition in consumer demand and customer satisfaction ratings is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

iOS 4.3 means you no longer have to worry that your little ones might spend away your fortune on Smurfberries and other in-app purchased goodies. According to the Washington Post, Apple’s latest iPhone, iPod touch and iPad software updates requires a password to be entered each and every time an in-app purchase is made. Under the old system iOS would remember your password for a short period of time meaning your children (or significant other!) could tap away at potentially costly in-app purchases with impunity. No longer.

However the new system doesn’t help if the young hacker in your house has guessed or been given your iTunes password. So make sure you keep it secure and keep it strong (no using password as the password!)

For more see our complete iOS 4.3 walkthrough.

Are you relieved by this change? Will the FTC now call off their investigation? Or do you think Apple needs to do more?

[Washington Post]

iOS 4.3 features: In-app purchases always require password is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Last night I sat down with my iPhone running iOS 4.3, tapped on the freshly updated version of Air Video, connected to my Mac Pro running the beta version of Air Video server, cued up some AVI and MKV files, and streamed them flawlessly to my Apple TV via iOS 4.3’s AirPlay. My iPhone wasn’t Jailbroken. My Apple TV wasn’t Jailbroken. But with a huge geeky grin plastered on my face I was finally watching all those old home videos and DVD rips that were never before supported, in any way, by Apple and their luddite Hollywood licensors.

iOS 4.3 might be a minor update in many ways but it’s also a game changer for Apple and iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users. It turns every one of those devices into a media server (AirPlay) and viewing client (Home Sharing or apps like Air Video) at the same time. And it cuts the tether of iTunes and the shackles of sync to do it.

That an iPad or iPhone had to be the intermediary was cumbersome, that the setup required an on-PC server component was complex, but it was all doable and once done it just worked. If you want to try it out, follow on after the break.

Here’s what you need:

1. iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad running iOS 4.3
2. Latest version of Air Video [$2.99 - App Store link]
3. Air Video server 2.4.5 beta [Free - Web link]

Set things up the same way we outlined in our how to use an old iPod touch as an Apple TV tip, but say goodbye to the wires because this is the future and the future is streaming.

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to news@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

Daily Tip: How to stream AVI and MKV via iPhone or iPad to Apple TV is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Apple has updated iMovie for iPhone to a universal app to support the iPad 2 and also brings new themes and HD sharing directly to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and CCN iReport.

• Universal app designed for iPad 2, iPhone 4, and iPod touch (4th generation).
• Multi-Touch Precision Editor (iPad only).
• Multitrack audio editing with 8 themed soundtracks and over 50 bundled sound effects.
• Audio recording directly into the timeline.
• Audio waveforms (iPad only).
• Three new themes — Neon, Simple, and CNN iReport.
• HD sharing directly to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and CNN iReport.
• AirPlay support for sharing to Apple TV (compatible only with second-generation Apple TV; requires iOS 4.3 or later).
• Project transfer to your computer and compatible iOS devices through iTunes.
• Ability to add titles on photos.
• Option to add fade-in from black and fade-out to black.
• Numerous enhancements, including trimming in Video Browser, in-use markers, video rotation, and more.

If you have an iPhone 4 and pick this one up, let us know what you think! And if you pick up an iPad 2 tomorrow, come back and let us know what you think of iMovie on the iPad 2!

[$4.99 - iTunes link]

iMovie now universal app for iPhone 4, iPad 2, and iPod touch 4 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Apple has released GarageBand for iPad today. Create music with virtual instruments, or plug in your own and record, edit, and share your music.

Play your iPad like a musical instrument.

• Perform on dozens of musical instruments on the innovative Multi-Touch keyboard.
• Tap out beats from the seat of acoustic and electronic drum kits.
• Recreate legendary guitar rigs on your iPad with 9 amps and 10 stompbox effects.
• Record your voice using the built-in microphone, and apply fun sound effects.
• Use the Sampler to create an instrument from sounds you record, then play them on a keyboard.

Sound like a virtuoso with Smart Instruments.

• Tap chords to instantly create keyboard grooves with the Smart Keyboard.
• Strum chords on acoustic and electric Smart Guitars, or trigger fingerpicking patterns for popular chords.
• Groove with an onscreen electric or upright Smart Bass by tapping on chords.
• Drag drum instruments onto a grid to create your own beats with the Smart Drums.

Create a song anywhere you go.

• Arrange and mix your song with up to eight tracks using Touch Instruments, audio recordings, and loops.
• Trim and place musical regions exactly where you want them to play.
• Use the Mixer to fine-tune each track's volume – solo or mute any track, or adjust pan, reverb, and echo.
• Use over 250 professionally prerecorded loops as a backing band to your song.

Share your songs.

• Email songs right from your iPad (AAC).
• Export your song and add it to the iTunes library on your Mac or PC.
• Send a project to your Mac and open it in GarageBand to continue refining your song.

If you pick this one up, let us know what you think!

[$4.99 - iTunes link, thanks @MrJR84 for the tip!]

GarageBand for iPad now available in App Store is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Apple has sent out a press release reminding us — as if we needed it! — that iPad 2 will go on sale tomorrow in the US. Online orders via store.apple.com begin at 1am PT/4am ET so it’ll be early to rise for internet buyers. Retail sales start at 5pm local time but if you plan to get one in person be aware the lineups will probably start much earlier!

iPad 2, the next generation of its magical device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading ebooks and much more, will be available tomorrow at 5 p.m. local time at all 236 Apple retail stores in the US and through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) beginning at 1 a.m. PT. Every customer who buys an iPad 2 at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPad 2 by setting up email, loading new apps from the App Store℠ and more, so they'll be up and running with their new iPad 2 before they leave the store. iPad 2 will also be available beginning at 5 p.m. local time at AT&T, Best Buy, Target, Verizon Wireless, Walmart and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

If you’re outside the US, the story hasn’t changed:

iPad 2 will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on March 25; and in many more countries around the world in the coming months. Further international availability and pricing will be announced at a later date.

If you still haven’t decided if iPad 2 is for you, check out our iPad 2 buyers guide. So who’s waking up early to order online and who’s getting there early to stand in line?

[Apple PR]

iPad 2 launches tomorrow in the US is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Apple has released some new guided tours for the iPad 2, which goes on sale tomorrow in US and on the 25th in additional countries. The guides are pretty in depth and cover existing features of the original iPad like iBooks, AirPlay, Mail, Safari etc, but also now cover GarageBand, FaceTime and iMovie which are new to the iPad 2.

There are a total of fourteen guided tour videos. If you are planning on picking up an iPad 2 tomorrow, you really should check them out. Get ready to enjoy your new iPad to the full!

[Apple]

Apple publishes guided tour videos, get ready for iPad 2 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Apple is set to open a temporary store this Friday in the Scarbrough Building at the SXSW (South by Southwest Interactive Conference) in Austin.

Earlier this week construction workers started retrofitting a 5,000 square foot area of the building which Apple has leased for two weeks only.

Rance Wilemon, a partner in Plat.Form Real Estate said, "Apple real estate representative notified him Monday that the company had settled on Sixth and Congress for the location. “They came in town on Monday, did a quick tour, found a spot, and they’re in there working and will open by Friday.”

The store, classed as a popup store is interesting to retailers due to the low setup costs and short term commitment. This allows a retailer to test the water prior to making a large investment. In this case however, it is more about having a brand recognition presence at the SXSW event and to coincide with the release of iPad 2.

[Statesman]

Apple to open temporary store at SXSW is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you!

• Foursquare: 3.0 update brings personalized recommendations, a whole new leaderboard, and more types of Specials! [Free - iTunes link]

• Flipboard: New 1.2 update brings Instagram integration, social and blog search, curated discovery sections, and a performance boost. [Free - iTunes link]

• Contracts HD: Create new contracts, sign them, and email the completed contracts all from your iPad. Now with new contracts and space for an addendum. [$9.99 - iTunes link]

• fone: Previously known as Facebook Messenger, this app lets you chat and call your Facebook friends for free wherever they are and now has a new audio component with improved call quality, call quality indicator, and clickable badge with unread messages counter. [$1.99 - iTunes link]

• Hercules – Curse of the Hydra: Play as Hercules and take revenge on the Gods – fight your way across ancient settings, battle mythical monsters, and unlock special rewards and powers. [$1.99 - iTunes link]

• BallFallDown Deluxe (SALE!): Construct your own marble run or build brand new toys. Control the pieces and balls: make pieces longer or shorter, rotate them and drag them around your play area. [$0.99 - iTunes link]

Any other big apps or game releases or updates today? If you pick any of these up, let us know what you think!

New and updated iPhone and iPad apps for Thursday, March 10 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

It occurred to me recently that Apple is successfully reframing the market so their competitors look like they’re bringing specs to an experience fight. From hammering “post PC” in their iPad 2 introduction to the time spent on GarageBand and iMovie, Apple was clearly trying to not only raise expectations for what mobile devices should look and work like, but how they should be considered. They’re a feeling, an interaction, a smile, a riff, a clip. They’re jazz.

2x faster, 9x better graphics, thinner, lighter. Apple said that much but beyond dual core and Apple A5 we didn’t get the name of the CPU or GPU, much less how much RAM was wrapped around them. Contrast this to the Tegra-touting, Qualcomm-carrying on competition and they’re pretty much having two different conversations at this point.

It’s safe to say everyone is beginning to understand the velocity of tablets but so far only Apple has proven to understand the direction. That may soon change but until it does, checkboxes won’t be sufficient to differentiate from or compete with the feeling of using an iPad. At least not for the tens of millions of consumers that make up the mainstream.

Bringing specs to an experience fight is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog