After two weeks and three days of "The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat," the dream state of the Vancouver Winter Olympics is over and we must come back to reality and focus on displays. Wasn’t Google supposed to bow its own smart phone? Didn’t someone just launch a new 3DTV? Isn’t Apple’s new tablet supposed to launch soon?

Steve Sechrist
Senior Analyst and Editor

After pulling myself away from the HD Olympic from the comfort of my prime-time family room, I have learned the respective answers are: yes (Nexzus One made by HTC), yes (Samsung 7000 series selling at Sears with Panny PDP soon to follow in the channel) and Maybe…

Turns out (according to Reuters) Apple’s tablet production "…may delay or limit the size of the launch of its anticipated iPad tablet computer because of an unspecified production problem," Reuters attributed the source to Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek, who wrote the following in a research note yesterday.

"An unspecified production problem at the iPad’s manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision, will likely limit the launch region to the U.S. and the number of units available to roughly (300,000) in the month of March, far lower than the company’s initial estimate of (1 million) units. The delay in production ramp will likely impact Apple’s April unit estimate of (800,000) as well," Misek wrote.

But could this simply be the Apple marketing machine jump starting the buzz in the post-Olympic media, with what Paul Simon calls "hints and allegations" (along with "incidents and accidents") to get our attention back on what is "important" to Apple? Truth is, money talks, and the prospect of making money (like Apple stock on Wall Street) is one quick and easy way to stir up things. And PC World notes that this the same source (Misek) got it wrong with other Apple (iPhone) predictions.

But let’s suppose he is right, and production is down by 2/3’s. Short supply only tends to heighten interest, particularly in something as highly anticipated as the new iPad, the device some are calling the most overhyped tech product of all time…

And for the record, there can’t be an official delay until there is an official launch date, and as the AP notes in their coverage of the issue: "Apple has not publicly stated an official release date or how many models it is expecting to put on sale. It has said that Wi-Fi models will ship in ‘late March,’ while 3G models will ship in April in the U.S. and selected countries."

So get ready folks, the media has descended from Mt. Olympus and time with the athletic gods, waking from the dream state of a fantastic seventeen days where even the rainy Northwest weather yields to greatness in the making.