Over the last few weeks, the rumors about an Apple tablet have been flying. At this point I think it's clear that Apple has been working on such a device; the only thing to speculate on is whether they'll pull the trigger, and whether they'll parttner with a wireless provider on it. The Street thinks Verizon is up:

An initial version of the long-anticipated Apple tablet will be subsidized by Verizon, but Apple and Verizon "won't be as tightly integrated" as Apple's iPhone exclusivity deal with AT&T, says one source familiar with the companies, who asked not to be named.

Apple never really likes to lead into a market at discounted prices, so I wonder about the idea that they would jump in with a device that's subsidized. Personally, I think a tablet would be an awesome device for Apple to release - it would fill the "netbook niche" for them. We'll have to wait and see what they come out with.

The hardest part of this might be getting the right 3G deal. Existing iPhone owners might be loathe to get another monthly plan from a separate wireless vendor; on the other hand, AT&T, fairly or not, is seen by a lot of Apple fans as the wireless incarnation of the dark side.

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