1st gen iPad prototype sold for $10,200, worth 20+ new iPads

The first generation prototype unit of the original iPad has been sold on online store eBay for a whopping $10,200, which roughly translates to Rs.5,67,307. The iPad was put up earlier at a selling price of $4,800 with an option for people to purchase it instantly at $10,000. Seems like the demand for this unit went through the roof and it fetched a cool $10,200. Looking at the pictures on the site itself, the unit appears to look pretty authentic. The most unique bit about this prototype is that it had two dock connectors, both functional and used for charging the iPad and connecting it to the computer. There were reports way back in 2010 that Apple was planning to get dual connectors to their iPad and while none of the mockups had anything substantial to be termed as concrete proof, the surface of this tester version of the iPad is proof that Apple indeed had planned something like this.

It's not just the hardware that's different with this prototype version, this iPad runs on Apple's software testing suite, called 'SwitchBoard', which the company uses to test the device's functionality. The 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad was manufactured in late 2009 or early 2010 and has the original parts retained, minus the battery. According to the seller, Apple had prototyped these iPads to include the second connector, but decided to remove them at the last minute. The best part is that the iPad is ‘fully functional’ minus the touchscreen, which the seller claimed that may or may not be fixed. Irrespective of these ‘minor’ problems, the iPad has just been sold for an insane amount of cash. The iPad was sold to a U.S. based buyer by the name n***r, which looks like a cloaked name.

Now, spending such a lot of money on the prototype of a device, which is now obsolete may be a different matter altogether, which only the buyer n***r may know. However, knowing Apple's policy of not letting their secrets out in the open, could it be someone from Cupertino coughing up the cash? Well, now that would be pretty interesting.