iPad air goes on sale

The wait is over for gadget freaks who absolutely must have the latest, greatest Apple device, dpa reported. The iPad Air went on sale Friday in 42 countries with eager fans from around the world posting YouTube videos of their success at landing the latest Apple gadget. The device is Apple's main bid to deflect competition in an increasingly crowded market for tablet computers with new offerings from Samsung, Microsoft and other makers appealing to buyers at the start of the crucial holiday shopping season. Apple's market share is down to 29.6 per cent compared to 40 per cent a year ago, according to research firm IDC, despite Apple selling a record 14 million iPads in the most recent quarter. At the same time Samsung's share has grown from 12 per cent to 20 per cent.