Was The iPad Supposed To Debut At $399?

The rumors indicated that the iPad might be priced at around $800-$999 without a contract, so when Steve Jobs unveiled its $499 pricing, the crowd literally went wild, and the stock price soared. Everybody is happy, right? Well, it seems that some aren’t too happy with that pricing, because there are unconfirmed reports that some folks close to the product had been told that it would be going for $399. There isn’t any way to confirm this at the moment, so we’ll just have to take it as it is, and with a pinch of salt. What do you think the response would have been if Apple released it at $399? Would it turn the market on its head? Would all the other tablet makers be too scared that they’d adjust their pricing too?