Analyst: Apple tablet could include 3G data connectivity

Fortune reports that Piper Jaffray senior analyst Gene Munster is exploring rumors that Apple will launch a portable tablet computer larger, yet similar to an iPod touch with the ability to run App Store applications, surf the Web, email, and more.

The device, according to Munster, could cost between $500 and $750, would include a 3G cellular modem, and could be subsidized by a network carrier. Munster also says that an Asian component supplier has received a large order of the device to be filled before the end of the year.

The Financial Times speculated last month that Apple is working on a tablet-sized device with a 10-inch touchscreen display, according to sources briefed on the project. It is working with major music labels to create interactive packing for music albums, the publication claimed.