If there are shortages, it should be just a short term problem. Japan is an incredibly resourceful country and can bounce back from incredible setbacks.
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Report Details iPad 2 Components Vulnerable to Shortages Following Japanese Earthquake
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Yea, I mean...this is clearly a news story when iPad shipments are a topic that is being HEAVILY discussed
Not sure how someone relates it to people mocking Japan
Actually...
I dunno, while I think it is insensitive, its realistic: There's a lot of lost productivity and a lot of people will pay for things that happened in Japan in terms of their income. Not just Apple.
I think the insensitive ones though are the ones who read this and think of someone like William Dudley saying that iPads matter really to the end consumer as much as food. Not really that much. But when you're dealing with a country that just experienced such a natural disaster, piling on lost opportunity income doesn't help.
I mean, let's say you were a factory worker who just lost his house. Then you found out you lost your job for a few months because repairs are being done on a component plant. Its true you're luckier than thousands of others, but at the same time, that's even more hardship than losing your house alone. And in Japan, good luck getting another job in the short term. The main problem here lays in the fact that the insurance adjusters are not going to complete their work for months.
So this "Shortage" means, for lack of sensitivity, that people are not able to work. And that's a massive problem that you have to be sensitive to.
I dunno, while I think it is insensitive, its realistic: There's a lot of lost productivity and a lot of people will pay for things that happened in Japan in terms of their income. Not just Apple.
I think the insensitive ones though are the ones who read this and think of someone like William Dudley saying that iPads matter really to the end consumer as much as food. Not really that much. But when you're dealing with a country that just experienced such a natural disaster, piling on lost opportunity income doesn't help.
I mean, let's say you were a factory worker who just lost his house. Then you found out you lost your job for a few months because repairs are being done on a component plant. Its true you're luckier than thousands of others, but at the same time, that's even more hardship than losing your house alone. And in Japan, good luck getting another job in the short term. The main problem here lays in the fact that the insurance adjusters are not going to complete their work for months.
So this "Shortage" means, for lack of sensitivity, that people are not able to work. And that's a massive problem that you have to be sensitive to.
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My heart goes out to those in Japan, but that doesn't mean everyone's lives should stop. It doesn't mean we shouldn't want an iPad 2, or a new car, or whatever.
There has always been world hunger and other issues, but that didn't keep us from buying our iPods, macbooks, etc before.
This is just news, don't read too much into it.
There has always been world hunger and other issues, but that didn't keep us from buying our iPods, macbooks, etc before.
This is just news, don't read too much into it.
Dear MacRumors Friends,
I am a Tokyo resident and went through the worst earthquake I have ever experienced here in the 20 years of being in Japan. Of course, my experience is nothing like that of the people of Tohoku. Immediately after the earthquake, communications were almost only possible via the internet. FaceTime actually was used by myself and my partner to communicate for real for the very first time. Today, there haven't been any aftershocks, but we remain jittery - especially due to the Fukushima situation.
Many have voiced their concern for the taste of this article and there have been opinions both for and against. Although I am not a representative of the Japanese people or in any position of the kind, as someone that has gone through this, I took no offence to the article in the first instance and consider it to be legitimate economic news. Secondly, I am encouraged and highly appreciative of the strong display of concern and sensitivity shown.
By all means, discuss these things. We can't avoid reality and life must go on.
Your sincerely,
One, insignificant individual in Tokyo.
Your post came across as confusing/misleading. This is a thread about the parts sourced & produced in Japan.
In addition, if the parts were made in the US, the iPad would double or triple in price to cover the immensely high costs to not only relocate, but have to pay double the amount of staff a higher wage to get the job done. Finally, Apple don't produce the iPads, they pay other companies to mass produce them.
There is nothing insensitive or callous about either the story, or being interested in how the earthquake may disrupt iPad production.
I think like most people, I'm horrified by the devastation and loss of life that has occurred in Japan. I've done what little I can (a small donation through the iTunes site - prompted, in no small part, by the story here at MR.)
But in the meantime life has to go on. We would not be doing the people in Japan any favors by, for example, boycotting viewing the NCAA basketball tournament (How can you be so uncaring as to watch basketball at a time like this...)
In the meantime, its worth recognizing that Japan will need economic activity to generate the wages, profits, and taxes that are going to pay for the country's reconstruction. The sooner Japanese businesses can get back in business, the sooner life itself will return to normal. And if part of that involves Apple working closely with its Japanese suppliers, employees, and partners to help THEM get back on their feet - then I consider that a WIN-WIN all around.
I think like most people, I'm horrified by the devastation and loss of life that has occurred in Japan. I've done what little I can (a small donation through the iTunes site - prompted, in no small part, by the story here at MR.)
But in the meantime life has to go on. We would not be doing the people in Japan any favors by, for example, boycotting viewing the NCAA basketball tournament (How can you be so uncaring as to watch basketball at a time like this...)
In the meantime, its worth recognizing that Japan will need economic activity to generate the wages, profits, and taxes that are going to pay for the country's reconstruction. The sooner Japanese businesses can get back in business, the sooner life itself will return to normal. And if part of that involves Apple working closely with its Japanese suppliers, employees, and partners to help THEM get back on their feet - then I consider that a WIN-WIN all around.
But could they not use (not Made) parts from a U.S. company? Doesn't Micron, Intel, Kingston or ti make flash memory? Also Gorilla glass from Corning. Used and especially made in Japan or Korea by Japanese companies and Korean companies are not cheap either. If Not U.S. manufactures, get the lowest prices, use Chinese companies.
Of course MacRumors cares about Japan. They're just posting Apple news, like they always do. They are in no way suggesting that this is more important or as important as the crisis in Japan, just because this happens to be related to it.
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Hardly in poor taste, the author is just stating a fact. Also, lack of exports will be one of Japan's major worries of the crisis, That's where a big part of it's economy comes from. Just because you're ridiculously over-sensitive and find this article in 'poor taste' I'm sure the people of Japan won't be greatly offended by it...
Having read both sides of the argument in the comments, I agree that there is no need for this article. While both sides make valid points, MacRumors is really generating clicks by posting second hand information. iSuppli can leave the article on their site since it's their report but linking to it and collecting money is unnecessary.
Maybe you can donate the $XXX you made from our collective clicks to:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsr...room/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-how-to-help
Then at least all sides are covered.
Maybe you can donate the $XXX you made from our collective clicks to:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsr...room/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-how-to-help
Then at least all sides are covered.
Glad to hear you are hanging in there and hope Japan recovers to be stronger than before.
Appreciate you weighing in as it is nice to know first hand comments. Although I thought the article was not totally necessary, often times media sites and TV networks will donate certain proceeds to relief efforts as they are aware that their increased revenue may be coming at the expense of others. We saw that in Haiti most recently.
In any event, glad to hear FaceTime has helped in your situation.
But the global economy is being affected
I agree that this talking about iPad 2 shortages because of Japan's tragedy is not really that important. it isn't.
The real importance though is due to this catastrophe, japan's economy (and therefore it'[s people) will suffer greatly. Most electronics components (and a great majority of auto parts) are produced in japan. And even if factories were not affected directly, basic services like electricity have been interrupted through the country.
It is important here because as these factories are unable to produce anything in the next few weeks, US factories will start shutting down as well. GM just announced that they are shutting down their Shreveport factory due to missing components from japan.
I agree that Ipad 2 shortages is not an important issue right now, but please see it as template of how interrelated we all are. And how one missing link in the supply line affects so many industries down the line.
I agree that this talking about iPad 2 shortages because of Japan's tragedy is not really that important. it isn't.
The real importance though is due to this catastrophe, japan's economy (and therefore it'[s people) will suffer greatly. Most electronics components (and a great majority of auto parts) are produced in japan. And even if factories were not affected directly, basic services like electricity have been interrupted through the country.
It is important here because as these factories are unable to produce anything in the next few weeks, US factories will start shutting down as well. GM just announced that they are shutting down their Shreveport factory due to missing components from japan.
I agree that Ipad 2 shortages is not an important issue right now, but please see it as template of how interrelated we all are. And how one missing link in the supply line affects so many industries down the line.
You think this may be ill timed? Then check out this piece in the New Zealand Herald not 6 days after the quake. 5th stongest earthquake in recorded history, well over 10,000 dead and likely to break 20,000, and not one but three nuclear reactors on the brink of meltdown, and someone is worried about the implications for used cars. WTF?
Personally it would be a nice surprise if you forgot about it then it arrived on your doorstep one day
I'm here in Tokyo, and I have employees in the tsunami and nuclear zones. And I totally agree with you this is a legitimate business news story.
I also am very happy to see so many comments from people saying that they don't mind the potential delays in the shipments of their iPads, given the situation here in Japan.
Thank you.
Yeah, considering there's a food and water shortage, 400,000 homeless, 100,000 missing, 30,000 dead and 200 billion in damages a little wait for the iPad2 isn't a big deal.
I got an iPad for Christmas and returned it in anticipation of the iPad2. Glad I waited. I'd wait a lifetime if it would give one Japanese person a moment of peace.
Maybe even more so. If Apple has a slow down in production due to lower component production, that means even less available for the bottom feeders.
I don't know Japan was already on the decline before the earthquake/tsunami/meltdown. The Chinese and especially the Koreans were already chipping away at Japans auto and electronics industries. I'm sure they'll recover but they'll never be the economic power they once were.
You ask Macrumors to stop because they are "insensitive" and yet you should be allowed to continue displaying your insensitivity on this subject ?
The economic impacts of the Japan crisis will have repercussions the whole world over. Many automotive manufacturers are having to shut down plants and lay workers off in the US and Canada because of a lack of parts coming in from Japan.
Are these worker's plight as bad as the plight of the Japanese people that are currently homeless ? Probably not, but it does not mean that news about their troubles should be ignored.
Yet there you are, asking for it to be ignored. There's a real human crisis going on here and it stretches way beyond the borders of a single country. News items on this crisis should not be censored. There is nothing insensitive about covering all aspects of the crisis, including economic, humanitarian and scientific aspects. Next are you going to ask censoring articles about the seismic activities that lead to the earthquake ? Marine biology articles about the effects of the tsunami in the pacific ?
Seriously. The only insensitive people are the ones that have a narrow view of the crisis and want everyone else to have the same narrow view.