iPad Coming to Japan

[TokyoSpirit]

How many more monthly bills can you possibly endure? Here's another one if you're an iPad lover and need to have access!

http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/ipad/ - Softbank iPad Site

http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/ipad/price_plan/chart/ - Detailed Price Chart

http://mobileinjapan.com/2010/05/08/softbank-reveals-ipad-and-3g-data-pricing-for-japan/ -- Good Detailed Article about the cost for each model.

TOKYO (Dow Jones)--Japanese mobile phone operator Softbank Mobile Corp. said Saturday that it will start offering Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPad from May 28 under a partnership with the U.S. company.

Japan's third-largest mobile phone operator in terms of subscribers, which is a unit of Softbank Corp. (9984.TO), will start taking preorders from Monday at its outlets. A basic model is priced at 58,320 yen.

The latest partnership will likely elevate Softbank's position in the fierce battle to win subscribers in Japan with such rivals as the nation's biggest mobile phone carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. (9437.TO). Softbank has already established a partnership with Apple as it has been selling Apple's iPhones since 2008.

The move could score a blow against NTT DoCoMo, which said it was preparing for the launch in late May of Apple's iPad in Japan. NTT DoCoMo President Ryuji Yamada said last month that the company would be ready to sell in Japan the specific type of subscriber identity module, or SIM, card that can be inserted into the iPad.

Aple said Friday that the iPad will become available in Japan and other eight countries including France and Germany May 28. Additional countries are set to receive iPads in July.

The product is the electronics giant's latest hit, with U.S. sales surpassing one million units within a month. But the response caused the international debut to be delayed.

-By Hiroyuki Kachi, Dow Jones Newswires; 813-6269-2789; Hiroyuki.Kachi@dowjones.com

Apple is obviously Softbank's cash cow!

 

[TAG Administrator]

I'll pass. I can't think of any function that the iPad can do that I can't do on-the-go with my netbook PC. Remote desktop access is critical for me, iPad doesn't have it.

-Eliah

 

[Xeryu]

it has its purpose for certain people i guess.
i won't be getting one, just seems useless to me. i heard some japanese girl today say that it was 'cute' and she wanted to get one, then complained about the color selection.
hmm.

 

[Kias]

Yeah.... no.

 

[Karen]

@Kias, LMAO!!!!

One of the other ladies in the office returned from America with an iPad last week. I have to say, it is sleek looking but I don't think I'll be buying one. I just bought a mini-notebook this weekend for about the same price as an iPad. My little PC can do more than the iPad can, so I'm happy.

LOL @ the people waiting in line just to reserve one, haha.

 

[TokyoSpirit]

Mul-tee-pass....

 

[TAG Administrator]

Mul-tee-pass....

You can't possibly mean...

 

[TokyoSpirit]

Hahahahahaha.... I was thinking more about the pass part, after seeing that comic strip above. I'll PASS on the iPad....

 

[TAG Administrator]

Oh, lol.

 

[Karen]

Ok.

So, someone in the office got an iPad. I'm just....

...not impressed.

Sure, it has a small number of benefits. I do like the magazine and newspaper reading feature. It sure would be nice to just to carry around that one device and not 5-6-7 different magazines.

However, I still cannot find a more legitimate reason to have one.

Anyone else played with one yet?

 

[TAG Manager]

I got to play with an iPad over this past weekend, wasn't overly impressed.

The best benefit is getting newspapers and magazines on the device. Nothing else it does is all that impressive.

Still not getting one, for now.

 

[TAG Administrator]

Yesterday, I went to Yodobashi and stopped by the Apple products area to play with one for awhile. There are some neat things available on it, but I'm still not convinced that I will buy one. It was something like 78,000 yen for the 64GB model...

I'm more focused on the new iPhone that will soon be released.

 

[Kias]

There's a new iPhone coming out?

Link?

 

[TAG Administrator]

Lazy Ass...

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

It looks like hot sex to me. I'm just waiting to see what Softbank will do with the pricing structure. I own my current iPhone fully...

 

[Kias]

Lazy Ass...

You know it!!!