Apple just announced that they have sold over 1 million iPads.  I hope this data released by Apple and validated by consumers serves as a wake up call for Intel to start innovating fast because the much under-marketed Netbook initiatives are all but toast.  Intel does have a consumer marketing team and they need to wake up and smell the coffee.

Pretty amazing that in less than one month Apple reached this milestone. In addition Apple is saying that over 12 million applications have been downloaded from the App Store and over 1.5 million ebooks have been downloaded. Remarkable indeed for Apple.

What’s even more interesting is that most of those units are not the 3G versions. Estimates have been floating around that over the weekend 300,000 or so have been sold. If that number is accurate then 30% are 3G versions.

“One million iPads in 28 days—that’s less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Demand continues to exceed supply and we’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more customers.”

iPad allows users to connect with their apps and content in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before. Users can browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, all using iPad’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface. iPad is 0.5 inches thin and weighs just 1.5 pounds—thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook—and delivers up to 10 hours of battery life.*

Developers have created over 5,000 exciting new apps for iPad that take advantage of its Multi-Touch user interface, large screen and high-quality graphics. iPad will run almost all of the more than 200,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

My Angle:  New User Experience and Expectation – Sorry Intel and Netbook Dudes – You Blew It

What this means is that Apple can take comfort in knowing that there is a market for tablets of this nature. Additionally for folks like HP and Microsoft, who are getting ready to roll out their own versions, this market in no way yet has been “walked away with” by Apple.

My angle is that both the smartphone and tablet market represent a new lucrative market for hardware manufacturers. It reminds me of my youth in 1984. It’s all very exciting and I’m expecting some amazing creativity (and controversy) around the iPad. Just this weekend we bought one for my wife Linda for her birthday and my kids can’t put the thing down.

If I’m an old school PC manufacture like Intel I’d be worried that this new data might just put a major damper on the netbook market (SiliconAngle editor Mark Rizzn Hopkins posted on the netbook trend last month). The marketing and now validation around this new user experience is just to compelling