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Topic: iPad

UPDATE: After a few hours Apple iPad 2 shipping drops to 2-3 weeks

Summary: The Apple iPad 2 is now available for ordering online, but there are no alternative shipping options.

Matthew Miller

By for The Mobile Gadgeteer |

I am currently in Alaska on business (actually saw a tsunami watch notice on my hotel TV) and thus placed an online order for an iPad 2 (Apple opened the store about 10 minutes early). I fly home this afternoon and will try to go pick an iPad 2 up at a local store, but wanted to place the online order as a backup in case the lines are long or they sell out. The ONLY available shipping method is the free one that Apple's site shows as shipping in 3-5 business days.

I tried finding an expedited shipping options, but there is nothing available for online orders. I imagine we will see shipping sooner than this given that they do not even offer expedited shipping options so orders today could arrive on Monday or Tuesday, if we are lucky. BTW, I went with just a 16GB WiFi model in white with an orange Smart Cover. I am still debating picking up a 32GB model or 16GB 3G model at the store later today and figure I could then compare the two and decide which one I really want to go with.

Any readers order their iPad 2 online?

UPDATE: After a few hours, we already now see iPad 2 status change to a 2-3 week shipping period. Good thing I ordered mine right away. Lines could be longer now with the online delays.

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Topics: iPad, Apple, Hardware, Mobility

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69 comments
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  • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

    i ordered a 16gb white the funny thing is im getting my smart cover in 1-2 days and my ipad2 in 3-5 withe estimated delivery date of march18-25
    mchavez703
    Reply Vote

    • I'm sure you and your smart cover

      will enjoy each other's company for 2-3 weeks...
      cruzy42
      Reply Vote

    • Smart covers may be made here... instead of China!

      @mchavez703 That may be the reason for that date difference. I also got an ominous sense of deju vu. Thinking of how thin this device is and like the rubber bumpers, may provide a clue for why they are supplying a cover with iPad 2! :O ...just hope this thing isn't so fragile it snaps the glass just by looking at it! lol... I'd take durable over thin any day!!!

      Oh.... and while browsing those pleather & leather smart cover choices, I found it interesting that they use FLASH to demo it. Noticed it first on my friend's iPad (w/o FLASH naturally), as I'd already opened the site up on my netbook and saw the cool FLASH cover presentation on Apple's site.

      Can't that be done in HTML5 somehow? Well I guess not.... and how do they get real leather so thin? (....odd supplying those covers with iPad 2 though.)

      It Really Needs FLASH IMHO!!! Since even my cheap netbook is running the new developer build of 3D Molehill FLASH 11. It just runs so smooth and slickly on it as well as my desktop. Just saying, I hope Apple changes their mind about FLASH. Since Adobe just released these super fast GPU accelerated 3D API's.

      Been running these game demos that use desktop/console game controllers and steering wheels in online games when FLASH 11 release comes out. This is a completely new breed of FLASH, that'll even be available on mobiles. In fact..., in the Adobe Incubator Lab they are using a Xoom tablet to set up touch and gyro/accelerometer controls for mobiles right now for FLASH release on Android Honeycomb.

      Check out the full desktop quality game demo Max Racer w/ steering wheel online. Runs so sweet n smooth using hardly any CPU cycles and iDevices could do this... I think:
      http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplatformruntimes/incubator/features/molehill.html

      Max Racer Demo running online:
      http://alternativaplatform.com/en/demos/maxracer/

      iPad 2 would be a more complete package for me if.... yes IF Apple got back into the World of FLASH's obvious Future!
      Monarky
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        @Monarky Just speaking for myself I don't want Flash on the device. On the Android tablets I've tried it on, Flash either brings the device to it's knees with performance or doesn't display right (except for some ads and simple demos). I hate seeing sites on my iPad that don't even try to display because they still use Flash, and I feel for Adobe that they're losing their main product in this transition to HTML5. The reality is though that it's time to move away from what I would call "core plug-ins" because it puts too much development in a single company. No matter how many resources Adobe throws at all the different versions of Flash, they will never equal the combined development effort and competition we all benefit from with Safari, Firefox, and Chrome all working on making the best HTML5 browser. Adobe simply can't keep up. They have already missed deadline after deadline with the Android Flash and what they have delivered is mediocre compared to what you see on the desktop. HTML5 is simply the child of the incomplete HTML4 platform and Flash (and other core plug-ins). The faster Adobe, Android and other platforms accept this, the faster we can get through the transition. It hurts short term, but Apple is forcing companies to move to HTML5 on their web sites and I think it's going to be good for us all. BTW: As anyone who tried to use Flash on WinMobile, it's better to have no Flash than half-baked Flash.
        timothyt@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        @timothyt But why not include Flash and let the user decide whether to use it or not? If the user wants to "drain" their battery quicker because they want to play a cool game they like at any given moment so be it.
        mrxxxman
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        @Monarky <br><br>Flash works just fine on my Android device as far as performance is concerned and I have seen absolutely no degredation of battery life using it either. But not having Flash on my iPad frustrates me to no end. I am a big boy. Let me decide whether or not I need it and whether or not I can live with battery life limitations (if any). When I am tired of this version 1 iPad, I will seriously consider another product. The Flash thing is an insult and I don't need to accomodate Steve Jobs' ego anymore.

        As to the shipping times, is it possible that the orders placed online come from a warehouse in China, while the oprders placed at retailers come from local US stock? The retailers could have built up some inventory. The original iPod I got came from China and it took a while. It's jsut a theory...
        Rich_F
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        @mrxxxman,

        Because the typical user will not understand that it is FLASH that is draining their battery and truning the user experinece into crap. Instead the users will complain they do not get 10 hours of battery life or how apps that use Flash crach, which would in turn would cause a blogger to do a story how the iPad does get 10 hours of battery life. The story would become the iPad only gets 5 hours of life when watching movies on a Flash based movie player or playing flash based games and how Apple sucks for not fixing that problem. Thats right, Apple would get the blame for Adobe's crap. So Apple picked the battle field it wanted to fight on, and that is the one that does the least amount of damage to Apple.

        Ask yourself why the Xoom did not ship with Flash. The answer you should have come up with is that current state of Flash would have done more damage to the Xoom's market position than not shipping Flash as promised. A very smart move I would say.
        YaBaby
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        @timothyt _ maybe you don't realise it, but you whole comment about flash etc is so apple fanboy.

        point one: A hell of a lot of people use flash daily and are happy with it, and until (if ever) HTML5 reaches the point of being a universal suitable common replacement, flash is still the most used.
        Point two: What gives anyone (Steve Jobs in this case) the right to dictate that we can't use a product we may want to? If apple had shipped the iPad with the flash function turned off by default but able to be turned on if the user wanted to use it then that would have been reasonable.
        But designing a device that deliberately won't use a product that still doesn't have a real in place all the time alternative and thus will prevent the user from access to some sites etc is just plain dictatorial!
        Is it any wonder that many are waiting for an alternative tablet despite the "wonders of the iPad" not all people are comfortable with being sheep, which to some extent following Steve Jobs entails.
        All in all your rant about how wonderful it is that apple doesn't allow a product from a company that stood up to apple and refused to bow down is misplaced.
        toviz@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        <i>toviz@... maybe you don't realise it, but you whole comment about flash etc is so apple fanboy.</i><br><br>So what.<br><br><i>point one: A hell of a lot of people use flash daily and are happy with it, and until (if ever) HTML5 reaches the point of being a universal suitable common replacement, flash is still the most used.</i><br><br>Most people don't even know what Flash is. They know what the little dancing bears and sh!tty pop animations are, but they don't associate that with Adobe or Flash. I expect only the hard-core Apple haters 'miss it' and use it as another excuse to bash Apple.<br><br><i>Point two: What gives anyone (Steve Jobs in this case) the right to dictate that we can't use a product we may want to?</i><br><br>Is his vision. It's his product. That gives him the right. You don't like it, don't buy it. It's that simple.<br><br><i>If apple had shipped the iPad with the flash function turned off by default but able to be turned on if the user wanted to use it then that would have been reasonable.</i><br><br>No it's not, given the abuse of Flash by many web developers who insist on loading all kinds of crapware applets into the web pages that they build. If the iPad cause any change in the mentality of this ecosystem, then so much the better. <br><br><i>But designing a device that deliberately won't use a product that still doesn't have a real in place all the time alternative and thus will prevent the user from access to some sites etc is just plain dictatorial!</i><br><br>Oh puh-leease. Spare us. If wasn't this, you'd come with some other excuse. <br><br>I don't miss Flash at all. Nada.<br><br><i>Is it any wonder that many are waiting for an alternative tablet despite the "wonders of the iPad" not all people are comfortable with being sheep, which to some extent following Steve Jobs entails.</i><br><br>Which only confirms your juvenile "let's look for another excuse" rant up above.<br><br><i>All in all your rant about how wonderful it is that apple doesn't allow a product from a company that stood up to apple and refused to bow down is misplaced.</i><br><br>Well fine, then go with an Android tablet or a windoze swivel screen band aid. I'll bet Apple & Steven Jobs can get along quite nicely without you.
        LTV10
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        @LTV10 - typical fan boy response - raise a few valid points, thereby threatening to burst the illusionary bubble that all apple products are perfect and the response is a nasty personal attack.

        I buy the apple products that I think give me what I want and I avoid the ones that don't..thats called thinking! baa baa
        toviz@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        <i>@LTV10 - typical fan boy response - raise a few valid points, thereby threatening to burst the illusionary bubble that all apple products are perfect and the response is a nasty personal attack.</i><br><br>toviz@... I never said they were "perfect" so don't put words into my mouth. I said if you don't like what Apple does than stay away from them. Nobody's forcing you to buy their products. Is Steve Jobs holding a gun to your head? Doh.<br><br><i>I buy the apple products that I think give me what I want and I avoid the ones that don't..thats called thinking! baa baa</i><br><br>Based on that ridiculous statement, I can tell you don't buy anything from Apple and have probably never used an iPad before. Which is typical of the NBMer narrow-minded crowd, who are too scared to try anything different.<br><br>Now go back and hide in Ballmer's cave. You'll be safe there. ;)
        LTV10
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

      @mchavez703 I ordered my iPad2 early this morning online and received my order confirmation it tells me it will be here 15 Mar. Not bad. Glad I ordered early this morning at 4am Central Time.
      sherylj
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

      thats nice ,
      www.awwgame.com
      lariosshow
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

    Not happy about the ship times - and lack of shipping options. What's up with that? I may be canceling the online order and getting it in store. Oh well...
    richbon
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

    Yes I ordered mine at 2:30am CST. When Apple was stating ahead of time, on the site, fast shipping, I was disappointed at the delivery time after I placed the order- I do not consider this fast shipping. My confirmation email is showing delivery the 18th to the 25th of the month. I was really hoping to receive it on Saturday.
    rongiles@...
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

      @rongiles@...
      You actually want v1.0 of the ipad 2??
      It'll have all the early manufacturing bugs...
      Wait 3 months and get a better model.
      ProfQuatermass
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

    This is intentional to increase foot traffic in Apple stores today after 5:00 PM, just in time for the evening news. Apple is brilliant, especially at marketing. Why not use the hype for free publicity. Like the iPad 2 needs anymore press :)
    Plogpower
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

      @Plogpower Bingo! We have a Winner!!!
      AboveAverageJoe
      Reply Vote

    • or...

      @Plogpower
      ... it could simply mean, they sold way more then they expected. but why bother, a ridiculous conspiracy theory is always more fun!
      banned from zdnet
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple iPad 2 shipping in 3-5 business days for online orders

        @banned from zdnet It could also mean they don't have that many and knew that going in. They had enough to have a few at stores, but that's it. So technically they can say they met the delivery date. It also now makes sense why it's not "officially" available outside the US until the end of the month.
        mrxxxman
        Reply Vote
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