eBay resellers making huge profits on iPad 2 sales

By: Aseem Gaurav, April 1, 2011 (New Delhi)

Apple's iPad 2 tablets have been on the market for quite some time now but the eager consumers are hard pressed to find them in any kind of retail store. On Apple's US online store, the delay between ordering and shipping presently stands at three to four weeks. But all this doesn’t mean that you just can’t get your hands on it as long as you’re willing to fork out more cash.

One of the most popular sources to find an iPad 2 is sites like eBay. For an iPad 2 order you may have to pay up to $406 over the retail price for the most expensive 64-gigabyte version, which retails for $829.

Data released by eBay showed that the average selling price of a 16GB Wi-Fi iPad 2 has been $697, $198 over Apple's retail price. This means resellers are getting whooping 40 per cent profit.

Similarly, the most expensive 64GB iPad 2 is also proving to be more lucrative for resellers. The average auction price of the 64GB Wi-Fi model has reached $963, or 53 per cent above retail, while the 64GB Wi-Fi/3G iPad 2 averaged $1,235, 49 per cent higher than the list price of $829.

Apple's iPad 2 remains in very short supply in the US and in more than two dozen other countries.

In stores the iPad 2 is available between $499 and $699 for the Wi-Fi model, and between $629 and $829 for the Wi-Fi/3G version of the tablet.

According to eBay, 65 per cent of the consumers buying iPad 2 from resellers are US citizens, which is a dramatic reversal from the 35 per cent of eBay’s iPad sales in the US last year.

After the US, the country with the largest number of imported iPads is Russia, with Canada a close second. These countries are followed by Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, France and Poland. Russia has received 500 iPad 2s, compared with 215 of the original device during the same time in 2010. But one of the big droppers was Australia, which went from 317 units in last year's iPad to 110 with the new model.

The statistics released by eBay throws up another interesting fact which says 30 per ent of iPad 2s bought on the site were the 16GB WiFi-only model with the top of the line 64GB 3G version coming second with 23 per cent. It means people are either looking for the cheapest or very best iPad 2, but nothing in-between.

Barack Obama proudly admits of owning an iPad

By: Aseem Gaurav, March 30, 2011 (New Delhi)

The gadget loving US president, Barack Obama, has joined the legion of iPad users. Well, he hasn't thrown away his BlackBerry aside for Apple products.

Obama detailed that fact during a town hall meeting in Washington with Spanish-language network Univision.

During an interview with Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, he was asked: “Do you have an iPad?”

“I do have an iPad,” Obama replied, joking later about also having his own computer.

“I took my BlackBerry off for this show, because I didn’t want it going off, and that would be really embarrassing,” Obama said.

Surprisingly the US president is not alone in owning an Apple iPad. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and several Japanese ministers were also seen using the Apple’s highly popular gadget device.

Apple founder Steve Jobs says the company has sold more than 15 million of the devices. Apple’s second-generation iPad 2 starts at $499. But the president didn’t mention which version he owns — or what he uses it for.

Thousands go iMad for Apple's iPad2: What consumers have to say

By: Aseem Gaurav, March 28, 2011 (New Delhi)

Apple's iPad 2 has had a blockbuster launch across the world last week, with the flagship stores running out of the next generation iPad within 24 hours. Hundreds were queuing through the night to get their hands on Apple's 'Jesus tablet' - the iPad 2. Lines had formed in cities including London, Toronto and Luxembourg.

iPadfanzz looks at what end-users are saying about their wait and finally owning an iPad 2.

Finance executive Jewels Lewis based in West London, who waited for 33 hours, said: "There's no medal for fourth. This year I got the gold."

Geoff Goddard said he drove past the store on March 25 and decided against waiting in line, but read on a blog about shorter waits Saturday and decided it was worth it.

“I was looking forward to using the device. A short wait was worth it for a "very good" product,” said Ying Wong.

"If it wasn't for the iPad, I wouldn't be in Australia right now," said Lee, who had already bought an iPad 2 in the US. "It's like a habit. I've also lined up on Regent Street in London for the iPhone."

Canadian backpacker Alex Lee, a veteran of Apple product launches, was the first to claim his iPad 2 at the Apple store in Sydney, where he had been in line for two nights.

So were you one of the lucky few to pick up your iPad 2 before stocks depleted? If so let us know.