No iPad love for Apple retail staffers

Sometimes it pays to work in one of Apple's glass and aluminum retail shrines, other times it doesn't.

Several Apple retail store employees that I spoke to, under the condition of anonymity obviously, tell me that store staff aren't eligible to get their usual 10 percent discount on the iPad.

One tipster even told me that retail store staff aren't even allowed to reserve iPads at all so that Apple can make the prized inventory available to customers first.

Naturally this won't stop creative retail employees from ordering an iPad for at-home delivery in the name of their spouse or pet, Apple just doesn't want staffers scooping up iPads before the great unwashed masses.

From a customer's perspective, Apple's doing the right thing keeping the staff's grubby mitts off the inventory. Besides, staffers get to play with the display units all day while getting paid for it.