It has only been one weekend since the official worldwide launch of the Apple iPad and there are already plenty of people who are celebrating being among the first to try out the international version of the touch screen tablet.
Apple originally launched the iPad last April 3 in the US where it had a very successful release, in fact, it was believed that over the first weekend of sales, the device might have reached up to 250,0000 sales. In any case, US sales figures reached a full million by the end of the month.
Sadly, the unexpected demand in the US also led to a delay in the release of the iPad internationally –pushing the end of April release date to an end of May launch. While disappointed, the market was not deterred, and judging from the lines that formed up last Friday, Apple’s delay did not affect anything at all (though some experts simply believe this to be due to the fact that the iPad has no existing competition at the moment; had the Android tablet been available, things would have been different).
Stephen Fry was spotted among the crowds at Regent Street. While the known Apple supporter was not there to make a purchase, he was certainly taking delight in the fact that so many people are eager to get the touch screen tablet. According to Fry, lining up for a launch is more than just buying a product; it is a cultural thing.
In many ways, Apple pulled it off. The iPad is an impressive device with its 9.7 inch touch screen, WiFi, eBook reader, apps and media playback features. While the browser lacked Flash, many still felt that the iPad changed the way the internet was being brought into the home environment –making web access available to all as opposed to being limited to the computer room.
