Apple announces a record quarterly profit - but how much of that comes from ripping off Australian iTunes customers?

IT gadget company Apple singled out the Australian market for an honourable mention while announcing its record quarterly profit of $3.8 billion. A pat on the head for our increasing i-with-everything habit is the least we should expect given the on-going iTunes rip off.

With Apple to announce another major i-product tonight – a “slate” e-book reader/video viewer/iTV/web watcher/personal vibrator/whatever – Australia's love affair with the brand continues to lock customers into Apple software.

And the cost of that is nowhere more obvious than the massive iTunes store, the world's biggest digital music shop which routinely charges Australians 40 per cent and more than it does Americans. And that's after allowing for the addition of the 10 per cent GST to the American prices.

Apple has announced it will unveil its "latest creation" in San Francisco on January 27, an event expected to feature the release of a long-awaited tablet computer.

"Please join Apple on January 27 for a special event," said a typically cryptic email invitation to journalists from the company behind the Macintosh computer, the iPod and the iPhone.

"Come see our latest creation," said the invitation.

The California-based company did not supply any further details about the event to be held at 10am local time (0500 AEDT January 28) in San Francisco.

Silicon Valley has been buzzing for months with rumours that Apple plans to release a touchscreen tablet computer that resembles an oversized iPod Touch.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the colour multimedia device will allow users to browse the web, watch movies or television shows and also serve as an electronic book and newspaper reader.

Apple routinely refuses to comment on products ahead of their release and - true to form - the company has ignored the rumours sweeping technology blogs.

The spectre of an Apple tablet, however, hovered over the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month, with manufacturers of tablet computers jockeying for a head-start in the marketplace.

Computer giant Hewlett-Packard was among the companies seeking to get a jump on Apple and Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer provided a glimpse on stage of an HP "slate" computer during an appearance at the annual gadget show.

But few companies generate the buzz of Apple and a tablet computer would be the company's first major product release since it came out with the popular iPhone three years ago.

Only two days after the release of Google's Nexus One phone, Americans are using eBay to turn a tidy profit by targeting Australians. This is a repeat of the first generation iPhone when it was released in the US.

American prices have been set to undercut other smartphone competitors, with Google charging US$529.99 for an unlocked handset and a subsidised US$179.99 price tag for a handset under a two-year T-Mobile contract. These prices beat both Apple's iPhone and Motorola's Droid offerings by over US$1000/year on a contract; however, Google's limited distribution plans are frustrating potential customers.

Australians looking to get their hands on the Google phone can expect to pay almost double that of their American counterparts for the time being. With eBay being one of the only avenues to buy Google's debut mobile offering, users are taking advantage, listing the Nexus One phones for up to US$1000 on eBay (USA) and up to AU$1149 on eBay Australia.

The HTC-made phone is currently available to customers in the US, Great Britain, Hong Kong and Singapore for the standard US$529.99 (not including extra shipping/tax charges). A Google Australia spokesperson told ZDNet.com.au that it currently does not have a time frame for Nexus One's release in Australia.

Every day from 15^th until 26^th December, smh.com.au and The Sydney Morning Herald are giving away a FREE* iTunes download.

Here is today's offer:

Kylie Minogue joins the Timelord on a spectacular journey as the RMS Titanic crashes into the TARDIS on Christmas Eve 2007. When disaster strikes plucky waitress Astrid joins forces with the Doctor to do battle with a host of homicidal angels but who will survive the voyage?

If you have iTunes installed, click here to get your free* download.