Technology media is centered in the US. As a result, anyone reading the tech press or even the popular press who take the lead from the tech press would be of the impression that Apple released a new and exciting product on April 3rd and that users everywhere love it. There's one small detail missing from this picture and that is that the product, the iPad, has only been released in the US. When I tweeted about and discussed the iPad on Facebook, several of my American friends were surprised to learn that they were among the select few (if you can call 500 thousand few) in the world who were able to buy an iPad. I was at my local Apple store on April 3rd to buy replacement earbuds but was surprised to see many more than usual customers in the store. When I asked a staff member, he said that there had been lines out the door earlier of people who thought they could buy the much talked about iPad in Canada.

So, what's going on here? I fully understood that the iPhone had to be delayed worldwide because it involved special arrangements with cell/mobile phone companies in each country. However, that isn't the case with the iPad, at least not the WiFi version that is the only version that is available now in the US. While the user experience is amazingly superior to that of a computer, the basic componentry makes it no different than a computer for the purposes of worldwide release. I don't get it. And, I can't get it, an iPad that is, for another few weeks. There is no firm date nor price yet. Very frustrating for customers wanting to spend their money with a company that is so confident that they will that the company can disregard their worldwide market.