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Word from Electronista is that MobileMe might become an entirely free service as Apple bids to directly compete against Google’s similar package of free offerings for Android users.  Sources cited indicate such an change to the service will come sooner rather than later, which makes a certain amount of sense, considering

• the next release of the iPhone OS will arrive soon, along with the iPhone
• Lala was shuddered and is almost certain to be replaced with a similar free music streaming service from Apple
• the iPad offers a compelling frontend to a file service like iDisk
• Apple’s new North Carolina mega-datacenter is rapidly approaching online status

Despite Apple’s propensity to charge for pretty much everything they touch, the promise of increased revenue through their iAd advertising service, the App Store sales explosion, and an inevitable shift to increased uptick in what’s now being termed ‘really personal computers’ like iPad certainly offers Apple a chance to drive a seamless package of mobile services that’s highly competitive with Google while taking away the need for their newest customers to go anywhere else for their needs.

• Apple has finalized a deal to acquire a small chip company called Intrinsity, Apple confirmed. Intrinsity, of Austin, Tex., made a name for itself by creating a fast chip for mobile devices in cooperation with Samsung, both a partner and competitor to Apple.

Intrinsity’s the company responsible for developing, along with Samsung, the Apple A4 processor.  The A4 is already in the iPad and almost certainly will be coming to an iPhone and iPod touch near you.

More at NYT: Apple Buys a Chip Maker Thought to Be Behind the iPad Brain.

Wanna make your Apple iDevice old school?

If you’re a business app developer, you’d best be developing for the iPad right now.

The Apple Blog posts this walkthrough of the initial iPad setup.  Not much new here.  Perhaps the only surprise is the need for activation but it’s seamless to users.

We were most surprised by the amount of time it took to move all that media across, but then again we’ve never moved so much stuff over a lame USB connection before in our lives.

The Christian Science Monitor’s iPad reviews summary unspurprisingly reveals a large chorus of applause for Apple’s iPad.

But honestly, who wants to be remembered as the guy that said this thing sucks?

If you’re wondering why your iPad isn’t charging despite being plugged into your computer and communicating with it, iPhone Central’s got the full explanation.

We were a little mystified ourselves when attempting to inhale about 16 gigs of junk to my daughter’s new magical device.  I’d assumed we were up against an unpowered USB port but thankfully the amazingly long life of this beast kept us in the black.

Was there really ever any doubt?