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Apple won't take cash for iPads

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ljbirns:
Someone said " Never pick a fight with a man who buys ink by the barrel "

daddydave:
And Apple has reversed its stance.  -wraith808 (May 20, 2010, 10:45 AM)
--- End quote ---

She said a clerk told her it was to prevent iPads from reaching the black market.
--- End quote ---
What black market? Is that what they're calling ebay now?

EDIT: On second thought, weaponized iPads? And seriously, this was probably just a clerk's "off top of head" comment,  I didn't notice it before.

40hz:
UPDATE: Apple has since recanted. They are now accepting cash provided you activate your online account (which is needed to use an iPad anyway) before you leave the store.

To which I can only say: Meh

On a scale of 1 to 10 I'll give Apple 7 BFDs for their bold and innovative decision.  :P

wraith808:
^ I didn't see the part about the activating online account (it wasn't in the ABC article).  Where is that?  And why do you need any online account to use an iPad?

40hz:
^ Saw it in a few different places, but here's one link that spelled it out:

Link: http://www.macnn.com/articles/10/05/19/apple.says.tv.story.changed.view.on.cash/

(I emphasized the relevant text.)

Apple reverses no-cash iPad policy
updated 10:40 pm EDT, Wed May 19, 2010

Apple says TV story changed view on cash

Apple in a surprise move tonight reversed its no-cash policy for iPad sales. Responding to a TV news story of Diane Campbell being unable to pay for the tablet after saving up cash, the California company said it would allow cash at any of its stores as long as customers agreed to setup their Apple IDs at the store.
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You need an Apple ID to install, sync, or put anything on the iPad since Apple insists that everything go through iTunes. You can't just do a drag-copy via USB like you can with virtually every other device on the planet.

You get an Apple ID when you register your device. AFAIK it has to be done online. In addition to giving you access to warranty support, it's also your gateway to the AppStore and iTunes.

You need this ID and a web connection for OS updates since Apple does that through iTunes too. You can't download and save them like you can an MS Service Pack.

There is some support for a clunky file/print service (of sorts) via WiFi and a PC on your home network - but it's kinda a hack. It basically works by requiring you to load some mini-server software onto a host PC. Probably much more seamless in an all Apple environment thanks to the bonjour service - which is Apple's riff on Zeroconf -  but on the PC side, it's a pain. And you still can't print via USB.

The iPhone works the same way. The only app I knew that let you circumvent iTunes and load files directly via USB was Stanza. The last update to Stanza removed that capability "to comply with Apple's app policies." So now you're stuck going through WiFi if you want to put a new ebook into Stanza.

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