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As the Internets buzz with Apple tablet rumors, bloggers everywhere are trying to dig up evidence to finally put these rumors to rest. Afterall, we've all been down this tablet rumor road before... several times.

Apple "tablet" rumors usually start with a clever Photoshop mockup or an anonymous quote from an Apple supplier in Taiwan who claims to be producing tablet technology for Apple. But after the latest batch of rumors attached the name iSlate, not MacBook Touch to the rumors. So who owns iSlate.com? We did a little digging in the WHOIS registries. Take a look at the image below to see what we found:




Did Apple quietly register iSlate.com through a third party? It wouldn't be the first time the Cupertino based company discretely grabbed a domain in advance of a new product announcement. Apple frequently uses a consulting firm called Mark Monitor to secure their domains. Mark Monitor's specialty is "enterprise brand protection." Mark Monitor handles domain name registrations and brand protection for many companies, including Apple. Apple.com, iPod.com, iPhone.com and iSlate.com are all registered under Mark Monitor.

The blogosphere has been speculating and following rumors of an Apple tablet for years. Here's a brief headline roundup that goes back to February 2006:

• 2006-02: What is Apple's Big Surprise? A Tablet?
• 2008-07: Rumor: "MacBook Touch" Coming in October 2008
• 2008-10: Apple Plans MacBook Event as $800 Laptop Rumors Clog the Blogosphere
  
• 2009-07: Rumor: $800 Apple Tablet Due in October
• 2009-07: iTunes Digital Album Covers and MacBook Tablet Rumors
• 2009-08: Apple Tablet Rumors Intensify
• 2010-01: iSlate Rumor Roundup [video]
  

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Labels: apple, tech news