Apple is now selling more than 200,000 iPads per week, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky. In other words, sales of the new device have actually outpaced those of the Mac in the United States, and are fast approaching those of the iPhone 3GS. "Checks indicate that US iPad sales remain strong post-launch, driven by rising consumer visibility to iPad's user experience, sustained PR/word-of-mouth marketing, 3G iPad launch, and broadening iPad apps/content," Abramsky just wrote in a note to clients. "We believe Apple is now selling >200k iPads/week, greater than US Macs (est. 110k Macs/week) and just below …

Google unveiled Google TV at the Google I/O conference on Thursday in hopes of capturing some of the $70 billion dollars ad spend in the U.S. annually. The open platform will run on the Android 2.1 with an update soon to 2.2 announced today. The platform also moves the experience on the Web to the television set. Features will include a search box and the ability to personalize content. The demo operated by a wireless computer keyboard takes the user across the TV and Web. Partners include Sony (line of TVs), Logitech (companion box), Intel (Atom processor). Product …

Android has more than 100,000 activations daily, more than 1 billion miles navigated with Android on phones, and more than 50,000 apps in the Android marketplace.

The PepsiCo Foundation is extending and increasing its funding of Diplomas Now, a collaborative program by three organizations -- City Year, Communities In Schools and Johns Hopkins Talent Development -- to reduce the high school drop-out rate in select U.S. cities. During City Year's National Leadership Summit in Los Angeles this week, the Foundation announced that it will invest $6 million in Diplomas Now over the next three years, building on a $5 million grant to the program made in 2008. The new funding will support expansion within the program's current Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans …

Jumpstarted by the iPad, worldwide shipments of media tablets will grow at an annual rate of 57.4% from 7.6 million this year to 46 million in 2014, according to a new forecast by market research firm IDC. As the category matures and more specialized apps become available, IDC expects media tablets will evolve beyond nice extra devices to become necessities for many consumers. The firm defines media tablets as devices with 7- to 12-inch color displays and lightweight operating systems such as Apple's iPhone OS and Google's Android. This distinguishes them from tablet PCs, based on x86 processors …

Urbanspoon released an application Wednesday that lets restaurants manage reservations and tables, all on the iPad. The company says RezBook can help restaurants reach new diners on Urbanspoon, across the Web on sites like Citysearch, and on mobile devices including the iPhone, iPad and Android.

The nonprofit organization Consumer Watchdog said today that it has launched a new Google-tracking site, Inside Google, in order to "educate the public and opinion leaders about Google's dangerous dominance over the Internet, computing and consumers' online lives." The group says the blog aims to "expose the 'black box' at Google with an eye towards holding Google engineers accountable to social mores, ethical customs and the rule of law."

T-Mobile USA is giving away 2,010 soccer-themed and cash prizes as part of its "El Llamado del Futbol," marketing campaign. As part of the promotion, T-Mobile will host retail store events in several U.S. cities where soccer fans can meet some of the sport's most beloved players. --Aaron Baar

Market research firm IDC predicts U.S. online advertising will almost completely recover from the "great recession" this year, forecasting 19% growth to $31.5 billion from $26.4 billion in 2009. It projects the biggest gains will be in mobile online advertising (up 97%) and online video ads (40%). Worldwide online ad spending will increase 18% to $72 billion in 2010. Over the next five years, search advertising will enjoy the biggest increase in actual dollars, going from $13.8 billion to $27.3 billion between 2009 and 2014. By comparison, mobile ad spending will grow from $220 million to $1.8 billion. …

Southwest Airlines just opened at LaGuardia airport, with brand built on low fares. Sandra Howard, director of advertising for the airline opened her presentation at Wednesday's ANA Brand Innovation Conference with a message about rational and emotional plays into the "Bags Fly Free" program. The company is extending the message starting this week by branding all its airplanes with a "Bags Fly Free" decal placed above the baggage hatch in huge letters on the planes' fuselages. Luggage carts will also be branded with the message. The program was announced at Wednesday's shareholder meeting, per Howard, who said the airline's …