Yes.

I may seem cynical, but this wasn’t an accident.  Apple purposely instructed that guy to leave his prototype at the bar.

Apple is in the zone right now.  They are dominating everything they do.  The iPad is a runaway success, despite the menstrual name.  The iPhone sales are through the roof and profits are huge.  Their market capitalization is redonkulous.  This wasn’t a horrible mistake.  This was planned and it’s working exactly as they wanted.  Here are something points to think about:

1. Are you really allowed to take the prototypes of the next generation of the most important product Apple has with you to the bar?  Really?  You just say, “Hey, I’m going drinking…oh and I’m taking a prototype with me.  Have a good night!”  Bullshit.  They have rules that you are not allowed to take devices off campus.
2. Apple hasn’t said anything.  Why should they?  We are all talking about them!  We are all talking about this new product!  Apple is dominating the conversation.  Through masterful PR and marketing, they are controlling the discussion.  Google and Microsoft are not in the conversation at all.  (I bet Microsoft leaks a prototype of a Windows 7 device in 3 weeks)
3. The device is kinda ugly.  I bet this was a specifically designed device to set expectations low because they are going to release with something much snazzier.

Again, Apple isn’t saying anything or doing “damage control”.  That’s exactly what Universal Studios did after I called Bullshit on them for the Duck World!  News.com story.

I like how they signed it at the bottom.  “Hackers”.  So classy.  Plus, they left the “Universal” logo on the left.  So clever.  Hack your own site, but run it through the legal department first.  And make sure the graphic artists do a good job.