Israel Repeals iPad Ban 180
SillySilly writes "The ban has been lifted: The Communications Ministry announced Saturday evening that starting Sunday it will allow Apple's iPad tablet computer into the country, following two weeks of confiscations and confusion."
US made laptops? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I swear (Score:5, Interesting)
Sometimes it seems like Slashdot posts stories about Israel for no other reason than to get people to start arguing. Come to think of it, the same goes for Apple
No maybe about it, Slashdot does post stories--and not only about Israel--for no other reason than to get people to start arguing. In fact, I've learned that if I purposely word a submission in a way that will stir up a controversy, it's much more likely to get used. I did exactly that this past week with a submission about Apple possibly buying ARM Holdings by adding a slightly paranoid-sounding sentence about Apple being "able to control who gets to use the processors (and, more importantly, who doesn't)." Totally unnecessary, but I knew that it would help get the submission chosen, and it was.
Re:What, why? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:What, why? (Score:3, Interesting)
Shimon Peres - Israeli President, Chemi Peres - son of Israeli President who happens to run iDigital, iDigital - Apple's Israeli distributor
If you're prone to think such thoughts it appears that there would an ulterior motive ($$) for the ban on the iPad. I live in Beirut and the iPad has been here for a couple of weeks now, but the prices are astronomical, they're basically double of what the US retail price is. Best as I can figure is that people are purchasing them from the US and shipping them over to Lebanon. Add on VAT and import fees and double the price so a profit is made and you get as 16GB model for just over $1,000 USD. I almost gagged when I heard the cost for the 64GB model. I am not sure when the iPad will officially make it to Lebanon through the handful of shops that retail Apple products but I sincerely hope the prices go down when it does.
Re:I swear (Score:3, Interesting)
This happens all the time with laptops and cell phones. I've had a cellphone confiscated when it was shipped over, friends had laptops confiscated the exact same way.
Wait what? We're talking about it being confiscated at the border when being carried through by an airlines traveller. That's not the same as being confiscated when shipped through the mail, although I've never had that happen either. Seriously, I used to do a lot of traveling and I'm pretty sure my cellphone back in the day only worked in the US and was approved there, but no one ever tried confiscating it. No one I've worked with ever had that problem either and a lot of them went to Israel regularly.
Do you have anything to back up your claim that other brands of devices are regularly confiscated or is that just your surmise based upon your experience with the mail?
Maybe you didn't hear about it because no one cares when an anonymous Taiwanese manufacturer has its products confiscated?
A lot of people care when laptops are being seized at the border, regardless of the manufacturer, because a lot of people cross those borders. I've never heard any fellow road warriors warn about this problem.
Re:What, why? (Score:3, Interesting)