iPad prototype sells for $10,200

Remember that iPad prototype from yesterday? It popped up on eBay showing one of the original iPads that Apple developed with two 30-pin connector docks, one in landscape, and one in portrait mode. The listing attracted a fair bit of attention, but the auction is finally over. In the end, the winner of the auction got to take away a little piece of history for the low, low price of $10,200.

Both dock connectors on the prototype are fully functional, and Apple is said to have tested such devices right up until the last minute of the iPad's debut. Apple ultimately scrapped the idea, most likely for aesthetics, leaving us with the single dock connector we enjoy on all the iPad models to this day.

Otherwise the iPad is working after the seller brought it back to life. The listing goes into detail about how Apple dismantles such devices and prevents them from working, but the seller refurbished the unit with mixed results. Everything works, but the touchscreen is said to be sporadic, and the battery is an OEM part rather than a prototype. Still, the seller gets to own one of the pieces that lead to the world's most popular tablet.