iPad will be 'number one gift' this Christmas, says Dixons

Just in case you were hoping the iPad hubbub would quieten down, take heed for major UK high street retailer, the Dixon’s International, (DSGi), where senior figures fully expect iPad will be the gift of the year.

DSGi) owns 670 Currys and PC World stores in the UK. The company’s Jeremy Fennell at DSGi said:

“There is no doubt the iPad is going to be the number one Christmas gift this year… with even more accessories launching it’s only going to make a must-have technology even more attractive.”

This reflects the pattern as the giant iPod touch proves itself to be far more than many critics expected it to be — a book to some, a games console to another, a newspaper, a film, a magazine.

“Surging popularity of Apple’s iPad temporarily cannibalised mini-notebooks, as well as consumer notebook sales to some degree,” she said, but cautiously questioned whether this will continue given how much more expensive such media-centric tablets are in comparison to netbooks,” said Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa, in what seems to be a plea for the netbook industry.

“My phone is ringing off the hook with calls from people who want more supply,” said Apple COO, Tim Cook, last week.

iSuppli pegs 2010 iPad sales at 12.9 million units.