Apple Unveils New Tablet Computer - The iPad

9:08am UK, Thursday January 28, 2010
Adam Arnold, Sky News Online

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs has unveiled his new touchscreen computer called the iPad.

He said it was a "revolutionary" product that was between a laptop computer and a smartphone and was "awesome" for watching films and TV shows.
The device will be available to buy worldwide from late March, with prices starting from $499 (£308) for the 16GB model, Apple said.
But the Wi-Fi and 3G models of the iPad will cost about a fifth more, and will be delivered in the US and "selected countries" in April.
Speaking at a news conference in San Francisco, Mr Jobs said: "We want to kick off 2010 by introducing a truly magical and revolutionary product.
"All of us use laptops and smartphones now.
"The question has arisen lately - is there room for a third category of device in the middle, something between the laptop and the smartphone?"
And then, to a round of applause, he showed off the new iPad, which has an on-screen keyboard, is half an inch thick (1.3cm) and weighs 1.5lb (0.7kg).

A Look At Apple’s New iPad

Mr Jobs said the device, which has a 25cm colour screen, is "so much more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smartphone."
Dressed in his trademark blue jeans and black turtleneck, Mr Jobs demonstrated some of the features of the iPad.
He said they include browsing the internet, playing games, listening to music and watching high-definition video.
"We've got movies, videos, TV shows," the chief executive added.
"We have been able to achieve 10 hours of battery life," he said. "I can take a flight from San Francisco to Tokyo and watch video the whole way on one charge."

A Closer Look At Apple’s Evolution

The 32GB model is set to cost $599 (£370) and $699 (£431) for the 64GB model.
An Apple statement added: "The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model and $829 for the 64GB model."
Website Mashable reported the iPad: "Can be held in any direction you want. It looks like a giant iPod."
Also at the event, Mr Jobs announced the launch of an online bookstore dubbed "iBooks" for the iPad and is set to take on Amazon's Kindle device.
"We've got five of the biggest publishers in the world supporting us and will open the floodgates for the rest of the publishers starting this afternoon," Mr Jobs went on.
Earlier in the day, Sky News revealed that an official prototype of the device has been used by a UK design company to develop software.

Brandwidth were given the device to help them develop applications for Guinness World Records using some of the confirmed software features.

Bookmark the story

Apple Unveils New Tablet Computer - The iPad

help
Bookmark story form
CANCEL

STORY TRACKER

Apple Unveils New Tablet Computer - The iPad

story tracker
homepage with tracker highlighted You are about to track this story.
It will be added to your story tracker in the right-hand panel.
To "untrack" this story, click on the UNTRACK link on the article or the REMOVE link in your story tracker.

Help

  • Bookmark the story

    You can add this story to your favourites or submit it to a social bookmarking site so other people can see it.
    Social bookmarking lets you save

  • Email the story

    When you press "submit"

  • STORY TRACKER

    If you want to track a story, you need to log in to the Sky News website.
    A Sky News account will also allow you to comment on blogs and take part in online discussions.
    Once you have logged in and you have tracked a story, by clicking on the red icon the updates will display in the highlighted panel.
Close

MORE ON THIS STORY: Technology

Comments to the story

  • Too big to be truly portable and too small to be a usable laptop. A total waste of time and I predict it will flop big time.
    Posted By :David Report This
  • i think its a great technological advance. i suspect the people who bemoan it are those stuck in the dark ages or those with no money to afford one. I can afford it and I have 3 lap tops and 3 descktops.
    Its just a big expensive I pod with no where near enough memory
    and will eat power like a Russian submarie.
    I was really sorry to see Steve jobs in such a rough state,rally sad
    Posted By :GMKOMD Report This
  • If it is half as good as the iphone, then it will be great! I would buy one of these over a laptop anytime.What I am laughing about though is all the muppets who were bleating yesterday morning that it was a fake.
    Posted By :Jon Report This
Read more comments (Page Expands)
  • So much more capable than a smart phone??? How is that if you cant make calls on it?
    Posted By :paul Report This
  • Apple inventing the wheel again lolIts a tablet laptop with itouch software on it.
    Posted By :UK Report This
  • Lets hope it doesnt just 'switch off' without touching it like my Iphone did last night. the only way i got it back to life was to do a complete restore. Photos and contacts lost grrr
    Posted By :Rick Report This

Have your say

Enter your Comment
We will not publish your email address. Comments on news stories are pre-moderated. Please remember that by submitting material you agree to Sky's Terms & Conditions.

Choose Your News

COMPETITION

Kodak printer

ADVERTISING FEATURE chevron

Win a brand new printer from Kodak and find out how much ink you could save!

Today

Sunny intervals
6°C
4°C

Fri

Sleet shower (Day)
4°C
-2°C

Sat

Sunny (Day)
3°C
-2°C

Sun

Sunny intervals
3°C
-1°C

Mon

Sunny intervals
4°C
0°C

SKY NEWS ONLINE TOOLS


Sky News Interactive

Get our Sky News iPhone App


Hillary Clinton raises prospect of resignation

Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, has complained of the tiring natue of her job and said she will step back from the role before the end of Barack Obama's presidency. 

Mrs Clinton said she would not serve a full eight years if President Barack Obama is re-elected in 2012. There has been speculation in America that Mrs Clinton could resign to run for the governor's post in New York but she said she wanted to retire to writing and teaching.
The former First Lady, who has spent two decades in the national spotlight and narrowly lost her own bid to be president in 2008, said she enjoyed her job as the top US diplomat but found it physically grueling.
 

Related Articles

Asked if she would serve eight years, she replied: "No, I really can't."
"The whole eight - that would be very challenging," she said in the interview broadcast on television.
"It's a 24-7 job and I think at some point, I will be very happy to pass it on to someone else."
Mrs Clinton repeated that she would not run again for president, saying she wanted a private life.
"There are so many things I'm interested in, really going back to private life and spending time reading and writing and maybe teaching. Maybe some personal travel - not the kind of travel where you bring a couple of hundred people with you," she said.
Mrs Clinton said she also hoped throughout her life to be a strong advocate for the rights of women and girls.
Secretaries of state have rarely served more than one presidential term, although George Shultz was in office for six and a half years under Ronald Reagan.

 

Rooney sends Utd to Wembley


Rooney: Dramatic winnerayne Rooney headed home in second-half injury-time to book Manchester United's place in the Carling Cup final after they inflicted a 4-3 aggregate victory over bitter rivals Manchester City.

City went into the second leg at Old Trafford boasting a 2-1 lead and they looked good value for next month's showpiece after restricting United in the opening 45 minutes.
However, Paul Scholes was on target early in the second period to draw United level on aggregate before Michael Carrick handed the holders the edge as his strike clipped the post on its way into goal.
City, though, would not go down without a fight and former Red Devils forward Carlos Tevez restored parity overall as he angled in a classy effort that looked set to send the match to extra-time.
But two minutes into injury-time, Rooney, who earlier missed a golden opportunity to wrap up the game, headed in from close range to set up a clash with Aston Villa at Wembley on 28th February.

History

City were attempting to "change history" in manager Roberto Mancini's words.
In pure domestic and European terms alone, United had made 21 cup final appearances and won 11 league titles since the Blues last reached Wembley in 1981.
Tevez was the clear focal point for City from the start. The South American flung himself at a Craig Bellamy cross and Edwin van der Sar needed Jonny Evans' help to ensure there was no trouble after he had dropped what seemed to be a routine save.
Rio Ferdinand got away with a despairing lunge at Tevez that left the former United man on the deck. If referee Howard Webb had been feeling in a stricter mood, the gamble of playing Ferdinand this evening and leaving the consequences to be faced on Thursday when he goes before an FA disciplinary panel could have backfired disastrously.
As the teams trooped in for their half-time pep talk, the feeling persisted that the game was destined to explode.
The firecracker went off seven minutes after the restart, and following a brief stoppage after Bellamy had been hit on the back of the head by a coin as he went to retrieve the ball for a City corner.
United quickly countered as City conceded possession. Rooney delivered a superb pass for Ryan Giggs, who would have had a clear sight of goal if City goalkeeper Shay Given had not been so quick to react and push him out wide.
The veteran Welshman did not panic and delivered the ball back into the City area and, after, Nani had run into a wall of defenders, Carrick prodded the ball back for Scholes, who drove his shot into the bottom corner.
Perfect
United had the scent of Wembley in their nostrils and when Nani flicked a superb pass through to Darren Fletcher inside the City box, the Scotland star had the awareness to lay a pass off to Carrick. The England midfielder does not score many, but he is an accurate striker of the ball and his shot was perfectly placed into the bottom corner with the aid of the post.
If Rooney had tapped home Patrice Evra's cross when he was completely unmarked three minutes later, the tie would have been over. Inexplicably, he put it wide.
It was virtually certain Rooney would be made to pay almost instantly. After playing a pass out to Bellamy, Tevez continued his run and somehow managed to squeeze the ball beyond Van der Sar from the most unlikely angle.
United could feel aggrieved but relief should have arrived 10 minutes from time when Vincent Kompany's block offered Carrick a second chance. On this occasion though his snap shot flew wide.
But Rooney still had one more trick up his sleeve. And with it came a very large slice of humble pie for Garry Cook, with the City chief executive having been bullish of reaching the final on a trip to New York last week.

Teenage Girl Saved 15 Days After Haiti Quake

A teenage girl has been rescued from the rubble in Haiti - 15 days after the earthquake.

Darlene Etienne, 17, was found in the rubble of a house near College St Gerard school in Port-au-Prince.
She was covered with a thermal blanket and given oxygen as rescuers rushed her on a stretcher to a French-run field hospital for treatment.
She was severely dehydrated and appeared to have a leg injury.
According to rescue workers at the scene she was happy, shocked and crying.

Haiti rescue
Darlene said simply 'thank you'
"She just said 'Thank you,' she's very weak, which suggests that she's been there for 15 days," said Commander Samuel Bernes, of the rescue team.
"She was in a pocket surrounded by concrete."
Neighbours who heard a voice coming from the rubble called authorities who brought in the search and rescue team.
Rescuer Claude Fuilla walked along the dangerously crumbled roof, heard the voice and then saw a little bit of dust-covered black hair in the rubble.
He said he cleared some debris, managed to reach the young woman and could see she was alive.

Swine Flu
The team then dug out a hole big enough to give Etienne some oxygen and water.
She had a very weak pulse, but within 45 minutes they managed to remove her, covered in dust, from what appeared to be the collapsed porch area of the home.
Etienne's family said she had just started studying when the disaster struck, trapping scores of people in the rubble of university buildings, hostels and homes.
"We thought she was dead," her cousin, Jocelyn A St Jules, said from Marche Dessalines, a town north of the capital.

Haiti Earthquake Appeal
The last confirmed rescue of someone trapped by the initial quake was on Saturday, 11 days later, when a man was pulled from the ruins of a hotel store.
A man rescued on Tuesday from another store was said he had been trapped in an aftershock.
More than 100 people have been found alive since the January 12 quake, but most of those were in the immediate aftermath and authorities say it is unlikely for anyone to survive more than 72 hours without water.

Animal rights group unhappy with Weir wearing fur

CHICAGO (AP)—Friends of Animals posted an open letter to U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir criticizing him for having fox fur on one of his costumes and asking him to stop wearing fur.
The animal advocacy group also contacted his costume designer, Stephanie Handler, on Tuesday.
“I totally get the dirtiness of the fur industry and how terrible it is to animals. But it’s not something that’s the No. 1 priority in my life,” Weir said on Tuesday. “There are humans dying everyday. There are thousands if not millions of homeless people in New York City. Look at what just happened in Haiti.
“I tend to focus my energy, if there is a cause, on humans. While that may be callous and bad of me, it’s my choice.”
Weir loves fashion, and his costumes tend to be on the avant-garde—some would say extreme—side. When the three-time U.S. champion redesigned his free skate costume before the U.S. champions, he had Handler add a tuft of white fox fur to the left shoulder.
Weir said he thought the costume was “lovely,” but Friends of Animals disagreed. Foxes are electrocuted or beaten, and their pelts are obtained by skinning the animals alive, said Anai Rhoads, spokeswoman for the group.
“He’s a role model for a lot of people, including other skaters,” said Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals. “When he makes fun of the suffering of animals that are consumed for this frivolous fashion industry and whose lives are sacrificed so he can wear little tufts of fur on his outfit, that’s fair game for comment.”
Weir finished third at the U.S. champs, qualifying for his second Olympic team.
Friends of Animals was not the first group to target Weir. He said he’s gotten letters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and people have sent him videos depicting how animals are treated by the fur industry.
But Weir said this was the first time someone has contacted Handler.
“She did what I asked her to. It wasn’t her choice to make me a costume with fur,” Weir said. “At least directly come to me and yell at me. Don’t attack my peeps.”
Weir said he understands the groups’ objections, but he doesn’t share their point of view.
Besides, he’s not the only skater wearing animal skin products.
“Every skater is wearing skates made out of cow,” Weir said. “Maybe I’m wearing a cute little fox while everyone else is wearing cow, but we’re all still wearing animals.”

Apple's Ipad is finally revealed

Steve Jobs announces a big Iphone, without the phone
By Brian Wilson
Wednesday, 27 January 2010, 20:00
SURPRISINGLY to absolutely no one, Apple today launched the Ipad, which is an oversized Iphone.
Quite like every other tablet under development, the unit is effectively an advanced etch-a-sketch, with a large 9.7-inch IPS touch screen and no keyboard. We're not quite sure who would want such a device, or where it would be used, but the dazed crowd that shuffled into Apple's event today in San Francisco seemed quite excited by the announcement.
The cappuccino company managed to snag the second division footballer Steve Jobs to play host at the event.
"As you know, Apple builds the best capacitive multi-touch sensors in the world. Married to our great display, it's super responsive and super precise," said Jobs, speaking as if he owned the company.
After spewing a stream of Bay Area marketeering buzzwords Jobs finally revealed that Apple's next world-beating device is called the Ipad and looks like an oversized and ungainly Iphone.
Most significantly of all, it runs a 1GHz proprietary Apple processor dubbed A4. The chip is also responsible for all graphics processing on the device.
"Everything is one chip, and it screams," Jobs said. But he didn't let his rapt audience of the Apple faithful and reporters drawn to the most hyped Apple event in years hear it scream.
The device will come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB memory capacities. It also comes with a speaker and built-in microphone, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, an accelerometer, a compass and a standard Apple docking port.
ipad
In keeping with Apple's firm 'users can't be trusted' policy, the device has no removable battery, but it does promise up to 10 hours of actual use and will allegedly last over a month on standby.
It weighs in at 685 grams or about 1.5 pounds and is about 1.27cm or half an inch thick.
It looks to us like Jason Calacanis decided to shoot his credibility to hell earlier this morning, with what are now obviously fake updates about Apple's new Ipad.
It appears to have the standard set of apps - Safari, Mail, Photos, Ipod, Itunes, Contacts, Notes, Maps, Youtube, and a nifty calendar app built right in that Jobs seems quite enamoured with.
Additionally Ibooks was introduced - adding a much talked-about e-book reading capability to Apple's own array of apps. The Ibooks application features a virtual 3D bookshelf, with samples being able to be viewed before purchase.
If this array of built-in Apple applications isn't enough, its existing App Store will work happily with the new Ipad.
Along with high-definition movie clips from Itunes, a New York Times e-newspaper reader was also demonstrated, a tie-up often speculated about before the unveiling.
The Ipad contains a micro SIM slot for 3G data. Pricing details were sketchy with only US plans announced, including $29.99 for unlimited data and $14.99 for up to 250MB per month.
The device itself will be purchasable in a variety of different ways - $499 for a 16GB WiFi-only base model, 32GB at $599, and 64GB at $799. 3G models will cost an extra $130 apiece, that is, $629, $729, and $829.
As far as availability is concerned, the WiFi-only Ipad will be available in 60 days with the 3G model shipping 30 days later.
Jobs also demonstrated a dock, a case, and a keyboard attachable to the docking device, for the Ipad.
For your money, it appears you won't receive a device that can work as a phone or accomplish any multi-tasking.
Steve Jobs must be aiming for the slack-jawed couch-potato, video watching, minimally literate Twitter using demographic of American people with a lot more money than sense - his favourite set of people.

Can Curiosity Be Programmed?

AI researcher Jurgen Schmidhuber says his main scientific ambition 'is to build an optimal scientist, then retire.' The Cognitive Robotics professor has worked on problems including artificial ants and even robots that are taught how to tie shoelaces using reinforcement learning, but he believes algorithms can be written that allow the programming of curiosity itself. 'Curiosity is the desire to create or discover more non-random, non-arbitrary, regular data that is novel and surprising...' He's already created art using algorithmic information theory, and can describe the simple algorithmic principle that underlies subjective beauty, creativity, and curiosity itself. And he ultimately addresses the possibility that the entire Universe, including everyone in it, is in principle computable by a completely deterministic computer program."

Ubuntu teams up with Yahoo

OPEN SOURCE OUTFIT Canonical has posted an announcement on its mailing list that its Ubuntu Linux default search engine will shift to Yahoo as part of a revenue sharing deal.
Rick Spencer, leader of Canonical's desktop team, announced the Yahooo deal yesterday. The deal is scheduled to take effect in April and means that the FireFox web browser will default to using Yahoo's search engine under Ubuntu.
"I am pursuing this change because Canonical has negotiated a revenue sharing deal with Yahoo and this revenue will help Canonical to provide developers and resources to continue the open development of Ubuntu and the Ubuntu Platform. This change will help provide these resources as well as continuing to respect our user's default search across Firefox," he wrote.
Spencer continued, "This won't in any way effect the ability of a user to choose and use the search provider of their choice. It's literally two easily discoverable clicks to change this setting, a simple matter of switching to that search provider in the chrome by clicking on the icon and choosing the desired provider."
While the agreement was reached with Yahoo to help Canonical increase revenue it might not be welcomed by the majority of Ubuntu users, many of whom might end up switching to alternate search engines, negating the benefits of the deal.

Federer and Serena advance after Venus falls


Main ImageMELBOURNE (Reuters) - Roger Federer and Serena Williams needed all their fighting qualities to stay in the Australian Open on Wednesday after Li Na stunned Venus Williams to become the second Chinese to reach a grand slam semi-final.
Sports
Federer reeled off 13 games in a row to dig himself out of trouble and beat Russia's Nikolay Davydenko 2-6 6-3 6-0 7-5 in a wildly fluctuating match.
Serena was also staring down the barrel in her quarter-final against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus before she recovered to win 4-6 7-6 6-2.
Her elder sibling might have joined her but threw away a comfortable lead in her 2-6 7-6 7-5 loss to Li, one of two Chinese women through to the last four at Melbourne Park.
Federer made it through to his 23rd consecutive grand slam semi but only after a titanic struggle with Davydenko, who won the opening set then got an early service break in the second.
"It's incredible, looking back," Federer said.
"For some reason I was just a bit worried I wasn't gonna make it this time.
"You always believe the streak is gonna be broken but I stopped thinking about it after the second round and just started focusing on the tournament."
The world number one was struggling to stay with Davydenko as the sun started setting and shadows began creeping on to the Rod Laver Arena but seized his opportunity when the Russian suddenly went off the boil.
"I had so many chance to win, many breakpoints," Davydenko said.
"I lost the second and third set, and so easy. I cannot explain what happened.
"You need to be talented. You need to be like Federer.
"You need to be perfect. He's number one."
Federer's next opponent will be Jo-Wilfried Tsonga after the Frenchman beat Novak Djokovic 7-6 6-7 1-6 6-3 6-1 to avenge his loss to the Serb in the 2008 Australian final.
Djokovic was heavily criticized after he retired with heat exhaustion while trying to defend his title last year and the world number three said he was sick again against Tsonga.
"It was unfortunate that I couldn't perform on the level that I wanted to in the fourth and fifth set," Djokovic said.
"I don't want to find excuses for my loss but I went to vomit and I had diarrhea before the match. Just a terrible feeling."
Djokovic dashed from the court as soon as the match was over as Tsonga leapt into the air and starting blowing kisses to the center court crowd.
"I think I was in good shape, maybe better than him," Tsonga said.
"I saw he was not very good. But sometimes, you know, he does that and he wins ... I have a lot of sympathy for him."
SERENA COMEBACK
Serena showed why she remains the toughest woman in the world to beat, battling back from the brink of defeat to remain on course to defend the title she won for a fourth time last year.
The American lost the opening set to Azarenka then went behind 4-0 in the second as she started to doubt herself before she rediscovered her self-belief and found a way to win.
"I'm surprised. I didn't expect to win when I was down in the second set," she said.
"I thought if I lost the singles and the doubles, I could catch a flight on Friday. It's not what a champion is supposed to think but I did."
Venus was two points away from wrapping up a straight-sets win when she stumbled on her serve and allowed Li back into the contest.
"In tennis you have to close it out. It's not like there's a clock ticking and then suddenly it's over," Venus said.
"You just have to close it out. I didn't do that today."
The once unimaginable prospect of an all-Chinese final is suddenly looming as a real possibility after Li followed Zheng Jie into the semis.
Zheng, the first Chinese to reach a grand slam singles semi when she made the last four at Wimbledon in 2008, beat Maria Kirilenko 24 hours earlier and plays Justine Henin in Thursday's semis while Li faces the daunting prospect of playing Serena.
Millions of people in China have been following their matches on television and Li said she was adopting a philosophical approach to her match against Serena.
"In China we say if you have a tough time and then you return back, maybe you have good luck for after," she said. "So I still believe that."

First Tweeting, Bill Gates Now Gets His Own Site

On Tuesday, Bill Gates began tweeting. A day later, he launched his own personal Web site.
But what does the co-founder and chairman of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) as well as the richest person on earth have to say?
Titled The Gates Notes, the site dwells on topics that Bill Gates, philanthropist, spends his time thinking and learning about. He and his wife, after all, head the world's best endowed charity organization -- the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
"Since leaving my full-time job at Microsoft to dedicate more time to our foundation, a lot of people have asked me what I'm working on. It often feels like I'm back in school, as I spend a lot of my time learning about issues I'm passionate about," Gates said in a "welcome" note on the new site.
Gates launched his own Twitter account on Tuesday, and his initial tweets were about the situation in Haiti.
His Twitter account was immediately mobbed and, by Wednesday afternoon, Gates had garnered nearly 250,000 Twitter followers.
Gates left his full-time position at Microsoft as chief software architect at the end of June 2008, and since that time has worked full-time at the Gates Foundation. As the company's largest stockholder, he remains Microsoft's chairman.
Since then, he has worked to promote ways to eliminate malaria and other tropical diseases in developing nations as well as increasing teaching excellence.
In one dramatic demonstration meant to capture his audience's attention regarding the debilitating nature of mosquito-borne diseases, Gates let loose a jar of mosquitoes during his keynote speech at a conference last February. His spokesperson said later the bugs were all disease-free, but he made his point.
While the Haiti earthquake and its aftermath have been the focus of Gates tweeting so far, the Web site has a larger goal -- one that complements the foundation's aims.
"Every January, Bill writes an Annual Letter, which includes his thoughts on the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and progress it is making toward achieving its goals. Interest in the 2009 Annual Letter was one reason Bill decided to create the Gates Notes Web site," said a post on the site Wednesday.
Other posts on the site so far are varied, including discussions of sustainable energy, education reform, health care for the global poor, the H1N1 flu and, of course, Haiti relief.

Stuart J. Johnston is a contributing writer at InternetNews.com, the news service of Internet.com, the network for technology professionals.

Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 0- Wengers long-ball dig after Vermaelen breaks leg

Thomas Vermaelen suffered a suspected broken leg as a furious war of words between Arsene Wenger and Martin O'Neill soured an engrossing night at Villa Park.
The Arsenal centre half will go to hospital this morning with his manager fearing he has cracked his fibula during a night when the Gunners' title credentials were given a severe examination.
But no sooner had Wenger confirmed the probable prognosis is either a broken leg or damaged nerve than a slanging match broke out between himself and O'Neill.
Huge blow: Injured Arsenal striker Eduardo leaves the field
Asked for his comments on a fiercely contested 90 minutes, Wengersaid: 'It was a very difficult game because they stopped us playingwhen we had the ball.
'They played a very long-ball game. So we couldn't find our passinggame. You know when you come here what you get and we were notdisappointed.
'We got a very English game, very physical, counter-attacking with their fast forwards. They want the ball and they are quick.
'That's why it was always us creating chances and then them trying to get Agbonlahor or Heskey away with a long ball.'
Villa manager O'Neill did not take kindly to the perceived slur andhit back with a barb of his own as the heat rose after the finalwhistle.
He said: 'If that's what he saw tonight, that's as ridiculous astatement as I've heard. He's made a few ridiculous statements in histime here and that's probably as good as any.
Fall guys: Arsenal defender William Gallas tangles with Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor
'It's an annoyance at the end of it all. Anyone who saw the game wouldn't take that viewpoint.
'If Ashley Young played some long balls tonight, well he didn'thave the time to play long balls when he was taking Arsenal's left backto the cleaners, did he? It's an appalling insult.
'Arsenal caused us problems and we had a bit of luck when they hitthe post and crossbar but we did not deserve to lose in this game.'
Tensions between Wenger and O'Neill rose last season whenaccusations flew that Villa had tried to influence the referee duringhalf time. That had left a bitter taste in the mouth and clearly therelationship has become strained further. And like the two managers,neither defence was prepared to give way, either.
Wenger was the more disappointed, although there can be little doubt that the outcome was fair.

Arsenal, who brought their big names back after the FA Cup defeat atStoke on Sunday, wanted to go into a run of fixtures against ManchesterUnited, Chelsea and Liverpool with victory at Villa Park.
But that was easier said than done on a night when his injury woes worsened.
Despite hitting the woodwork in each half, the overwhelming pressurewas thrust upon Manuel Almunia's goal and Vermaelen's injury, alongwith a hamstring strain suffered by Eduardo, means the Arsenaltreatment table will once again be taking the strain.
Confirming the news about Vermaelen, Wenger said: 'He will have anX-ray. He is on crutches at the moment. It's either his fibula or it isa nerve. We should find out in the morning.'
Sol Campbell slipped effortlessly into the void left by the Belgian10 minutes before the interval and now faces the daunting prospect of athird match in a week against the current champions on his return tothe Emirates this Sunday.
Keep sake: Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel dashes out to block Andrey Arshavin
He acquitted himself well during the defeat at the Britannia Stadium and showed great composure after replacing Vermaelen.  
But it will be an entirely different matter against Wayne Rooney andCo this weekend, although the Manchester United striker won't be toohappy to see Campbell's return. He has been quoted as saying the veteran defender was among his most difficult opponents.
For long spells last night Campbell and William Gallas had to be attheir best. O'Neill was correct in his assessment of Young, who swungover a number of teasing centres that needed prompt action.
Suspected leg break: Sol Campbell replaces Vermaelen at Villa Park

But Arsenal twice went closest. Just as the first half drew to aclose, Fabregas reminded everyone of his talent after what was, by hisstandards, a quiet opening. He picked up the ball 35 yards from goal,slipped past James Collins and his low shot bounced into the foot ofthe post. To add to the visitors' frustration, two Arsenal playerscollided with one another as they chased the loose ball.
After Stewart Downing headed one delicious Young centre wide, Arsenal again hit the goal frame.
Andrey Arshavin had been little more than a peripheral figure untilhe received the ball at pace down the left flank. He drifted insideCarlos Cuellar, then around Collins and it was only Friedel'squick-thinking that blocked his shot. The ball fell to Fabregas, whoshowed fantastic presence of mind to side-foot the ball to TomasRosicky with Friedel struggling to race back to protect his goal.Rosicky controlled and then slammed a shot into the underside of thebar.
From then on, Arsenal were content to allow Villa to make most of the running, with Young eager to take a starring role.
'I believe we dropped two points,' added Wenger.
'We had the chances. On the other hand it keeps our run going. It maintains the positive vibes.' Try telling that to O'Neill.
 Arsenal target Klaas Jan Huntelaar pleads for playing time anywhere in EuropeCraig Gardner seals £3m dream move from Aston Villa to BirminghamASTON VILLA FC

Facebook is big on the mobile web

ACCORDING TO LATEST FIGURES from browser firm Opera, the majority of people using the mobile web do so to check and visit their Facebook profiles.
"Facebook is now the most-visited social network on the mobile Web," write the report authors. "Unique users of Facebook grew more than 600 per cent during 2009, helping the site surpass VKontakte, formerly the most popular social network among Opera Mini users. Twitter saw its usage increase more than any other social network, surging more than 2800 per cent in just one year."
VKontakte is a Russian social networking site, and in previous reports it has always been a big winner in terms of usage because of the sheer number of web users that speak the language. Usually nestling at the top of the list for most users, this report sees it sitting in second place behind your fake friend and ours, Facebook.
Jon von Tetzchner, co-founder of Opera Software, added, "During the four years Opera Mini has been available, things have changed. People are accustomed to downloading all manner of applications to their phones. People want the Web on their phones, not its distant cousin, WAP."
Reflecting this, Opera Mini has grown dramatically in use over the last four years, and now over 46.3 million people use it each month, according to the report, which explains that is as many as use the grown-up desktop version.
In the UK the three most popular sites for people that walk around bumping into lamposts are, predictably, Facebook, followed by Google and the BBC. Because this report covers the month of December, Amazon popped into the top ten, Opera said, presumably because people chose to do their online holiday shopping while being out and about.
Opera's full report is available here.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)