Headline PH: iPad-mania as thousands queue for global roll-out

SYDNEY (AFP) – Thousands of excited and sleep-deprived gadget fans mobbed shops in Australia and Japan Friday as Apple's iPad, touted as a revolution in computer use and publishing, began its international launch.

A queue some 200 metres (yards) long stretched round the block at Apple's flagship central Sydney store, flummoxing commuters bemused by the hype, while similar scenes were witnessed in downtown Tokyo.

The iPad -- a flat, 10-inch (25 centimetres) black tablet targeted at the leisure market -- was also going on sale in Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on Friday as part of a staggered global roll-out.

In Sydney, security guards had to quell pushing and shoving amongst media as Rahul Koduri, who queued for some 30 hours from 2:00 am Thursday, became the first to buy the touch-screen computer.

"It's fantastic, it was so worth the wait," said the 22-year-old, brandishing two iPad boxes.

In Japan, more than a thousand tech fanatics lined up in front of Apple stores and outlets of its exclusive local partner, mobile phone carrier Softbank, as well as major electrical shops.

Kazuki Miura, a 38-year-old freelance technology writer wearing a home-made iPad headpiece, was the first to get his hands on the brand-new gadget at Softbank's main Tokyo store.

"Now the time has come for us to hold an iPhone on the right (hand) and iPad on the left -- just like the samurai with two swords!" Softbank president Masayoshi Son told Miura.

The multi-functional device is tipped to revitalise media and publishing with The Australian newspaper and public broadcaster ABC both launching applications, along with satellite and cable TV network Foxtel.

But in Japan, content providers including powerful newspaper groups -- unaffected by the market downturn that is roiling media groups in the West -- are taking a wait-and-see approach about rolling out iPad "apps".

by Talek Harris
AFP

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