You can now pre-order your UK Apple iPad for delivery on Friday 28 May. All versions are available, micro-sim data cards and accessories can be pre-ordered at the same time.
Apple iPad Pre-Order Day
Suzie Automatic iPad and MacBook Transfers
I found some great transfers (“decals” in American English) on the web and ordered this one. It’s a Canon 5D Mk II Mode Dial and it’s really easy to apply. It also comes off cleanly if you change your mind.
The decals come from Suzie Automatics and are listed on Etsy.com. The iPad ones are the same size as the MacBook/MacBook Pro versions as far as I can see. This one cost US$15 with $3 shipping and it arrived about four days after ordering.
MacBook Pro Natural Disaster?
The is a screenshot of JuneCloud’s Delivery Status Touch running on my iPad. The Apple status panel says my new MacBook Pro will be delivered tomorrow, the UPS panel says it’s stuck in Shanghai due to a natural disaster. Interestingly, yesterday UPS were reporting that it had arrived in Cologne, Germany.
We’ll see.
The iPad’s Here!
I picked up a trip to New York last week, four days after the Apple iPad was released. The SoHo Apple Store only had the 64GB models in stock – luckily that was the one I wanted. I also bought a second AC charger to keep in my travel bag, a Belkin case (they’d sold out of the Apple one) and a dock.
I’ve now had a few days to set it up and play with it. It is simply a wonderful machine. Reading on its LED screen is a joy, photographs look fantastic and there are already something like 2,500 iPad specific apps available. I imagine I’ll be carrying this more often than my MacBook Pro.
UK prices and release date haven’t been announced yet but the iPad is expected here by the end of April. The 3G and WiFi-only models should both be available then. I’ve obviously got the WiFi-only model, but despite the lack of GPS, it always seems to find my location. On the move I’ve got a Three MiFi to provide mobile internet access. Three are replacing it with an unlocked version this week which I plan to use overseas.
Here are some images and screenshots of some of my favourite apps:
O2: Simplicity for iPhone 20
Are you an iPhone user with an O2 contract? Is your contract about to, or already, expired? You should consider switching to the O2 Simplicity for iPhone 20 contract.
I’ve paid £35 per month since the iPhone was released on the O2 network in the UK, receiving for that 500 minutes, 600 texts, unlimited data and the Visual Voicemail service. If you’re within one month of your contract expiring O2 will let you switch to the Simplicity for iPhone 20 contract. Your monthly fee will drop to £20 per month, it becomes a rolling 30 day contract, and your text allowance doubles to 1200. Everything else, data, voicemail etc. remains the same.
O2 are keeping this a bit secret. They’re not calling people as they approach the end of their contracts. The O2 Simplicity page says nothing about the iPhone and if you sign up online you won’t be on the special iPhone contract and you’ll lose your data allowance and visual voicemail. So if you want to make the switch make sure to call them and emphasise Simplicity for iPhone 20.
Thanks to Don McAllister of ScreenCastsOnline for pointing this out.
Is This What We’re Getting This Week?
How to (partly) avoid the O2 iPhone 3G S upgrade rip-off
So you bought the original iPhone when it was released in November 2006 and upgraded it to the 3G in July 2007 on an 18 month contract. Now you want to upgrade to the new iPhone 3G S on the 19th of June.
The problem – you’ve got six months left on your contract and O2 are going to charge you 6x £35 = £210 to get out of the contract, then £274.23 for the new 32GB iPhone and a new 18 month contract. Grand total £484.23.
A better way is to buy the new Pay & Go iPhone at £528.30, swop your old sim card into it, and sell your old 16B iPhone to MazumaMobile for £200. Grand total £338.30. A saving of £145.93.
As pointed out in this thread on Macworld UK, you’ll be able to continue your old contract until July 2010 and then be able to upgrade to the inevitable next iPhone release. O2 have confirmed to a couple of customers that your current sim card will work in a new Pay & Go iPhone.
Anything wrong with this logic?
[Update] Apparently not, as O2 confirm at the bottom of this page that your current sim card will work in a new Pay & Go iPhone.
[Update 2] Apparently yes. @rickythegeek (thanks Ricky) points out on twitter that you can sell the old iPhone to MazumaMobile whichever route you take. That brings down the price of paying off your old contract and taking out a new one to £284.23, the better deal by £54.
On further reflection I think I’ll stick with Plan A and buy a Pay & Go iPhone and continue the old contract. Although it will be £54 more expensive the contract will have expired by July 2010 making the next upgrade cheaper and easier.