Everything iPad

According to The Wall Street Journal, that’s exactly the case. They’ve been in talks with those lovely “people familiar with the matter” again, and what we have here is some pretty interesting news. If you’ll remember, Sony came out a few weeks ago and confirmed that they are interested in the tablet/netbook/eReader market, even if they are late to the game. However, if these people are right, and Sony is indeed working on this project, the iPad could certainly have a multimedia juggernaut heading to Cupertino’s doorstep.

The new product, whatever it may be called, is scheduled to launch this year. And yes, we’re still missing quite a few pieces of information here, such as specifications (of any kind), and the price. There’s no reason to think the price would come first, obviously, but it would be a nice way to judge what’s coming. The PlayStation “tablet”-thing will take advantage of Sony’s upcoming online media platform, which will sell digital media in much the same vein as Apple’s iTunes. Of course, they’ll have a leg up simply because they’ll have PlayStation titles at their full disposal.

There’s no doubt that other companies around the world are working on iPad rivals, even if they aren’t marketed as tablets, or even slates for that matter. There’s no doubt that entities such as Nintendo and Sony are watching the iPad closely, because it is indeed another media device, where gaming is a very real possibility. (As was shown with Need for Speed at the iPad keynote.) Video game publishers such as EA, Gameloft, and others are likely to continue their presence in the Apple ecosystem, and create excellent titles. And simply put, these titles would probably pale in comparison if ported to the PSPgo! So, Sony, the ball is in your court.

[via Wall Street Journal]