It seems that Steve Jobs is lucky when it comes to seeing off competition for his over priced keyboardless netbook, the iPad.

As rivals had been set to release their own cheaper versions of the technology, they have been effectively shut out of the market because they cannot get the parts. According to Digitimes the global supply chain for tablet PCs is expected to brace for acute shortage of parts and components, including memory chips, gyroscopes, capacitors, chip-resistors, cover glass and even bismaleimide-triazine (BT) resin.

Everyone had been expecting things to be bad following the Japan earthquake but it looks like there will be a serious interruption of the supply chain in the second half of May. Supplies of gyroscopes from STMicroelectronics and AKM, high-end capacitors and resistors from Japan-based makers, BT resin for IC substrate production and other types of chemicals all will fall short, according to Digitimes.

This will only really cause problems for Apple rivals as Jobs' Mob had made sure he roped in all his suppliers.  Anything out there will have to go to Apple first while his rivals will get the left overs. This could stuff up sales for the Galaxy Tab from Samsung Electronics, the Eee Pad Transfomer from Asustek Computer and even the Xoom from Motorola Mobility.

More here.