The State of Israel has officially banned Apple’s “magical” iPad from entering the country. But why?
Well, according to Ha’aretz, the (American version of the) iPad was deemed “incompatible” with Israeli standards by engineers at the omnipresent and monolithic Communications Ministry.
“The iPad device sold exclusively today in the United States operates at broadcast power levels [over its WiFi modem] compatible with American standards,” an official told Ha’aretz.
“As the Israeli regulations in the area of WiFi are similar to European standards, which are different from American standards, which permit broadcasting at lower power, therefore the broadcast levels of the device prevent approving its use in Israel.”
Sounds reasonable? Perhaps to the uninitiated. But not to this cynical journalist.
Indeed, it is worth noting that Apple’s Israeli distributor, iDigital, is run by Chemi Peres, the hyper-entrepreneurial son of Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Clearly, iDigital wants its lucrative cut of every iPad brought into the country – which it will undoubtedly receive when a modified European version of the iPad is approved for import over the next two or three months.
But in the meantime, iDigital can’t make money off the slow trickle of iPads entering the country via private citizens, tourists and international businessmen.
And if iDigital can’t get its cut, well, then, no iPad for you!
