4.5 million media tablets shipped in 3Q 2010, says ABI research.(MARKET INTELLIGENCE)

The shipment, price, and revenue data for media tablets, e-book readers, and netbooks are in for the third quarter of 2010. Published in ABI Research's "Netbooks, MIDs, Media Tablets, and Mobile CE Market Data," they show that media tablets were indeed the "promising new talent" they appeared to be: some 4.5 million of the fashionable devices shipped during the quarter.

Of those, about 93 percent were Apple iPads. Senior practice director Jeff Orr noted, "Over time, Apple's first-to-market iPad advantage will inevitably erode to some extent. ABI Research has been tracking media tablets since December 2009; future quarterly editions of this Market Data product will include market share tracking of all the major media tablet vendors."

E-book reader vendors continued to do well in their market, bringing new products to consumers in time for the 2010 holiday shopping season. "The US continues to be the leading market for eBook readers," says Orr, "and the three top vendors, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony, are comfortably maintaining their top positions in it."

Barnes & Noble introduced a color version of its Nook reader--the first color model from a leading vendor--while Amazon debuted a third-generation Kindle. Along with their new capabilities, these products also introduced lower MSRPs than earlier generations of devices.

The first half of 2010 was slow for netbooks, as relatively few new products were introduced. However, Orr pointed out, "The third quarter saw PC OEMs again breathe life into the segment by introducing new platforms that offered dual-core processors, and lighter/thinner devices with significantly better performance, sleek styling, and visual appeal."

ABI Research's "Netbooks, MIDs, Media Tablets, and Mobile CE Market Data" (http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1003389) includes forecasts for all ultramobile devices (UMDs) including media tablets, netbooks, UMPCs, mobile Internet devices (MIDs), and mobile broadband-enabled consumer electronics (CE) devices. Shipments, ASPs, and revenue for these devices are provided, including shipments and revenues for each type of UMD by region, platform, operating system, and connectivity attach rates.