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Free iPad 2? Really? To who? Oh, so sorry to hear your family died, but here, have a free tech toy! C'mon, let's be real here.



Apple's a private corporation made up of thousands of employees, many of whom, I'm sure, are giving money to Red Cross or other relief organizations.

As a corporation, the reports have shown that they are certainly taking a hit by allowing people to bunker at Apple Stores, providing free connectivity services so people can contact their families, and buying food and water for people. They are also pledging to reimburse the cost of travel and hotel stays for employees and family members.

Not to mention the fact that they are absorbing all costs involved with collecting and distributing these donations. I bet Visa still takes their 3%.
 
This is bad news! I am in Japan and was waiting to get the iPad 2!!

Doh.

My local KFC was shut down today so I couldn't get a chicken sandwich for lunch. That's when I knew things were really abnormal.

Not that I know cause I'm not there but judging from all the news stories I've been hearing, if that is your only concern you are luckier than a lot of people in your area (I'm hearing even in Tokyo you have food shortages and such and that is some of the milder stuff I've been hearing but that is what I've heard about Tokyo in specific which is where you have listed yourself as being).

I'm just curious cause I know the media here (in the US) tends to love really dramatizing stuff (Seattle had a pretty large earthquake a week before I moved up here. They were making it sound like the area was devastated. I don't think we even saw signs of an earthquake when we got here. Though I think the area here is lucky that the earthquakes are very deep underground so even high level ones aren't felt as strongly on the surface).
 
Not that I know cause I'm not there but judging from all the news stories I've been hearing, if that is your only concern you are luckier than a lot of people in your area (I'm hearing even in Tokyo you have food shortages and such and that is some of the milder stuff I've been hearing but that is what I've heard about Tokyo in specific which is where you have listed yourself as being).

I'm just curious cause I know the media here (in the US) tends to love really dramatizing stuff (Seattle had a pretty large earthquake a week before I moved up here. They were making it sound like the area was devastated. I don't think we even saw signs of an earthquake when we got here. Though I think the area here is lucky that the earthquakes are very deep underground so even high level ones aren't felt as strongly on the surface).

Things here in Tokyo are fine. Our biggest problem is hoarding, so almost all stores are out of food, water, and toilet paper. Besides that, no major issues. Power, water, gas, and internet all work fine, thankfully. The folks up north, around Sendai and on the Pacific coast, really took it hard. My prayers are with them.

There is alot of hype and bad information in the news, especially regarding radiation. Tokyo is fine and not at any risk for radiation.

I was really looking to rewarding myself with the iPad 2 for my birthday, however, and am really disappointed that it is delayed in Japan :mad: It could have been a good thing in the midst of these times here. Apple is really big in Japan and has a large loyal following, with many local fan clubs and meetups. However, I understand Apple's reasoning.
 
Things here in Tokyo are fine. Our biggest problem is hoarding, so almost all stores are out of food, water, and toilet paper. Besides that, no major issues. Power, water, gas, and internet all work fine, thankfully. The folks up north, around Sendai and on the Pacific coast, really took it hard. My prayers are with them.

There is alot of hype and bad information in the news, especially regarding radiation. Tokyo is fine and not at any risk for radiation.

Heh, people here (like my local city) hoard when they hear news of the next snowstorm (always milk and eggs). And I mean like if the news even mentions a snowflake. Granted they don't usually clean out the grocery store but all the sudden milk and eggs disappear (and it's always the milk and eggs :rolleyes: ). People where I live are silly.

Glad to hear that's your only problem (though lack of food and water at the stores could become a problem if it doesn't eventually get replenished... hopefully that's a short term thing).
 
Things here in Tokyo are fine. Our biggest problem is hoarding, so almost all stores are out of food, water, and toilet paper. Besides that, no major issues. Power, water, gas, and internet all work fine, thankfully. The folks up north, around Sendai and on the Pacific coast, really took it hard. My prayers are with them.

I was really looking to rewarding myself with the iPad 2 for my birthday, however, and am really disappointed that it is delayed in Japan :mad: It could have been a good thing in the midst of these times here. Apple is really big in Japan and has a large loyal following, with many local fan clubs and meetups. However, I understand Apple's reasoning.

I'm with you. I'm down in Shizuoka prefecture and was really looking forward to getting the iPad next week. I bet they push it back to something ridiculous like June now. The sinister side of me says Apple is doing this also because the device wouldn't get the press coverage they want here.

There is alot of hype and bad information in the news, especially regarding radiation. Tokyo is fine and not at any risk for radiation.

This event has really shown me how bad western media truly is. I can't watch it here but from the mail I get from relatives back in the states it seems like they all have the idea that everyone here is doomed to a horrible death.
 
Disagree. Their economy has been a shambles since the 90s. Currency deflation, the extremely high debt-to-GDP ratio (already mentioned by somebody else), and the shrinking workforce in tandem with the increasing strain on social welfare programs are all grave concerns. So no, they don't really have the money either.

Japans economy is the way it is because of their exports. They make a great effort to keep the Yen valued at the rate it does to allow for greater export, if the value changes then the cost of the product increases affecting the customers who import their product. In other words, if the value of the dollar compared to the Yen were to change then a product with Japanese parts and labor would cost more.

It is tragic that they have been beaten the way they have but it is unrealistic to expect those that have not been directly affected to stop their regular lives and seek the iPad 2 when launched. Simply because Japan is troubled and the people are searching for loved ones does not mean I will stop searching for my iPad or any other product I desire. It is also unrealistic to expect that I would not take this opportunity to my advantage and short the Yen when the earthquake first was announced. It's is sad but true that one persons loss is anothers gain. I did my part of donating to the Japanese but I also did my part and set a profit for myself at their expense.
 
Helloooo, apple always underclocks their CPU's.

Apple always underclocks their CPU's. They do it with every computer. Your 2.0 Ghz macbook is not really 2 ghz, and so forth.

What are you going to do with an extra 100-200 mhz? Multitask? edit video? Um, I have a real computer to do all that on. lolololol!!!
 
I'm with you. I'm down in Shizuoka prefecture and was really looking forward to getting the iPad next week. I bet they push it back to something ridiculous like June now. The sinister side of me says Apple is doing this also because the device wouldn't get the press coverage they want here.



This event has really shown me how bad western media truly is. I can't watch it here but from the mail I get from relatives back in the states it seems like they all have the idea that everyone here is doomed to a horrible death.

Thanks.

But actually I was not referring just to Western media. Japanese media and the Japanese people are not better. You should see some of the emails going around in Japanese about radiation and whatnot. Just ridiculous stuff. Probably worse than English stuff.
 
This SUCKS

Why are people giving this a positive rating?

What in the world makes anyone think that the earthquake would make people in Japan with a use for these would want them less? Doctors like iPads. Would Doctors who use them have less use for them because they are now getting flooded with earthquake casualties?

I am a music professional and I have specifically been waiting for the iPad 2 because it will be more useful for me in my work and yes I am still working.

I am living in Tokyo, my wife abducted my son to a location 600 air miles away. I am finally getting some access to him but not as much as I would like, I was really looking forward to getting him an iPad 2 so I could send it to my son to let stay in better touch with him via face time, well skype actually since face time does not work via 3g and they do not have a regular internet connection.
 
This would be news, how? I mean look a the country. Heartbreaking. Does anyone really think they give a crap about the iPad 2 showing up right now?

Actually many people in Japan are looking to buy an iPad 2. The earthquake and tsunami were devastating but they didn't affect most of the country. I live here and we didn't feel a thing. Didn't even notice what was going on until I turned on the news.

Also judging by the high amounts that the iPad 2 are fetching on Yahoo! Japan auctions I would say people are not only interested in the iPad 2 but they are also willing to pay a premium. See for yourself

http://auctions.search.yahoo.co.jp/...uccat=0&tab_ex=commerce&s1=bids&o1=a&slider=0
 
Why are people giving this a positive rating?

What in the world makes anyone think that the earthquake would make people in Japan with a use for these would want them less? Doctors like iPads. Would Doctors who use them have less use for them because they are now getting flooded with earthquake casualties?

I am a music professional and I have specifically been waiting for the iPad 2 because it will be more useful for me in my work and yes I am still working.

I am living in Tokyo, my wife abducted my son to a location 600 air miles away. I am finally getting some access to him but not as much as I would like, I was really looking forward to getting him an iPad 2 so I could send it to my son to let stay in better touch with him via face time, well skype actually since face time does not work via 3g and they do not have a regular internet connection.

Is this for real? :eek:
 
I'm not surprised, they'll wait for things to get a little better. Too much going on right now. There are a lot of hype and bad information in the news, especially regarding radiation. Japanese who stashed their money in your house in metal safes are finding the tsunami may have washed their homes away and deposited the safes at random in the debris. People sifting through the rubble are finding safes and cash that are being turned into authorities. The catastrophe and its aftermath; points to the danger of keeping large amounts of cash around, even if it is in a safe. These people might now be forced to take out personal loans due to the money they lost.
 
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