i Would Pad Gently Across The Pond
By Steve Hill
I have been looking at the Apple iPad and think how useful it would be to buy in to the latest sensation from Jobs and co.
I have many blogs to write and have daily news feeds to write - this would free me up from carting around a laptop, giving me greater freedom.
I use Macs and PCs, and I will not get into an argument about which is best as they both have their strengths and weaknesses believe me, I have an iPhone and love it, I have had iPods since they first arrived, but I am not an Apple maniac (like some are within the Enigin fold).
The iPad has been a huge success globally and several at Enigin wander in with it under their arm but I have always tried to shy away form buying such an expensive piece of technology when it first appears - the same goes for software.
I often find the little bugs and required fixes all happen within the first few months and a little patience brings better consistency of use and service.
As an example look at the latest iPhone 4 - a lot of media hype I know about the signal problem and a few jokes about applying Duck tape to the outer metal frame to prevent the signal drop off, but already third party suppliers are selling covers that will prevent the problem.
So I have held off from the iPad rush of blood, that many have suffered from. What also puts me off is that in the UK, and Europe as a whole, we have to pay more than in the US, Asia or Australia.
A lot will moan and say I am Apple bashing, here in the UK we include the Value Added Tax (VAT) of 17.5% to the price, compared to the US where the sales tax is generally added afterwards, and can vary from 0% to 20% dependent on State.
The sales tax issue needs to be taken out of the equation but the iPad is still more expensive here - for the 64GB WiFi version, in fact allowing for tax etc it is almost $100 dollars more.
If at Enigin PLC we had got our heads together we could have paid for someone to fly across the pond to Boston or New York and bought five or six and saved money, illegal of course because of customs duties when you arrive back in the UK.
I know I bought my first iPod in San Francisco and saved a little bit - I never even thought about the customs when I arrived back here. When it broke down I called Apple UK and they replaced it without any problems. I wonder if it is the same with the iPad.
If you are travelling to the US, Asia or Oz wait until you arrive before visiting the Apple store to buy your latest gadget, but check it is covered by a worldwide Guarantee - that way you will save.
For me - I want an iPad but do I need one? I am not planning of travelling to a “cheaper” selling country so I will have to take the extra on the chin if I buy one.
Mind you, if we all refused to buy on until the price difference was less I think we may see some action. But many technophiles have to be first to have one, or at least early on, meaning that Apple and others get away with charging more when they can - hey it’s business I guess.