Apple to release tablet PCs

Apple expects to sell 10 million tablet PCs in 2010, which will begin its rollout this month, states eWeek.

Lee Kai-fu, former president of Google, Greater China, says Apple will release the device in January for less than $1 000, and it will feature a 10.1-inch multi-touch screen with 3G graphics.

Piper Jaffrey analyst Gene Munster says in a report: “We expect Apple to fill the gap between the iPod Touch and the MacBook, with a new tablet device (not a netbook) priced at about $500 to $700.”

The first effects of France's new law against Internet piracy will begin to be felt as the new year begins, says BBC News.

The Creation and Internet Bill sets up a new state agency - the Higher Authority for the Distribution of Works and the Protection of Copyright on the Internet. The law is backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy and the entertainment industry.

Illegal downloaders will be sent a warning e-mail, then a letter if they continue, and finally, they must appear before a judge if they offend again.

NASA's Spirit rover has celebrated its sixth year based on Mars; however, NASA predicts that the rover will not last after May this year, reports The Register.

Unless Sprit can angle its solar arrays to capture the maximum possible sunlight, it faces the prospect of freezing when winter arrives in five months, since it won't be able to power the internal heaters, which protect its electronics.

The NASA rover team is hoping that Spirit's mission is not yet done and dusted. Ray Arvidson of Washington University, deputy principal investigator for the rovers, says: "Spirit could continue significant research right where it is. We can study the interior of Mars, monitor the weather and continue examining the interesting deposits uncovered by Spirit's wheels."

Microsoft's Windows operating system's usage share dropped in December by about a third of a point, despite Windows 7 posting a second straight month of impressive gains, says PC World.

Although rival desktop operating systems, Mac and Linux, essentially remained flat, mobile operating systems, including Google's Android and Apple's iPhone have gained market share and now power 1.3% of all the hardware that surfs the Internet.

Windows finished the year with a 92.2% share, down 0.3 of a percentage point. It was the eighth month in 2009 during which Windows lost share.