Ipad 2 - Bringing home from the US

Lostinspace

Hi,

My parents are going to the US in the next month and I was thinking of purchasing an Apple iPad 2 on apple.com for them to bring home with them. As they won't be near an apple store I thought it might be easier to get it delivered to their address in the US so they can bring home. I was going to purchase the 16GB Wi-fi only iPad, so I presume that should work here without any problems?

Also, is there anything else I should be concerned about with regards buying this in the US? I presume I can get an adapter here that will charge the iPad?

Any advice/thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

whiterebel

Lostinspace wrote: »

Hi,

My parents are going to the US in the next month and I was thinking of purchasing an Apple iPad 2 on apple.com for them to bring home with them. As they won't be near an apple store I thought it might be easier to get it delivered to their address in the US so they can bring home. I was going to purchase the 16GB Wi-fi only iPad, so I presume that should work here without any problems?

Also, is there anything else I should be concerned about with regards buying this in the US? I presume I can get an adapter here that will charge the iPad?

Any advice/thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

It'll work here, but I don't think you can buy on the US Store with an Irish Credit card?

jack presley

Can't the Ipad be charged by connecting to you computer?

Regarding the Apple online store accepting non-US credit cards, if that is true you can buy pre-paid credit cards in the States so if the worst comes to the worst you could get one of them

Lostinspace

whiterebel wrote: »

It'll work here, but I don't think you can buy on the US Store with an Irish Credit card?

I haven't tried it but you're probably right. I'll give it a go anyway.

Lostinspace

jack presley wrote: »

Can't the Ipad be charged by connecting to you computer?

Regarding the Apple online store accepting non-US credit cards, if that is true you can buy pre-paid credit cards in the States so if the worst comes to the worst you could get one of them

Yes you're right. I think I'll just get it here to be honest. It seems like a lot of hassle and I forgot they add on tax upon checkout on apple.com whereas the price on apple.ie is including VAT. I'm self employed as well so I'll claim back the VAT. Thanks for your help.

BBMcQ

jack presley wrote: »

Can't the Ipad be charged by connecting to you computer?

Yes and no. You get a "classic" big iOS charger with the iPad 2. And when you plug it into a regular laptop, it will say "not charging". Only high end laptops or similarly high end desktops will charge it from a USB connection.

cgarrad

Get one of these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/UK-3-pins-figure-8-adapter-Apple-Mac-Laptop-iPad-i6-/250797417067?pt=UK_Computing_Apple_Mac_Accessories&hash=item3a64b0e26b#ht_1885wt_1139

and throw away the packaging. Turn on and use the ipad in the us and say you brought it to the us with you.

If its new its liable for duty coming back

Solair

Apple chargers are actually globally identical, except for the plug which snaps off. They support 100V to 240V 50Hz or 60Hz. So, the adaptors sold in Ireland are actually identical to those sold in the US, other than the plug is different.

Ireland, like all of Europe, Australia, NZ, China, and in fact most of the planet other than North America and Japan, uses 230V 50Hz. So, the adaptor will be fine and is even CE (conformité européenne, European standards) approved even those sold in the US.

So, you can get one of these : http://www.adapterstore.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=16_20&products_id=2867



You can very easily get an Irish/UK charger online www.apple.com/irelandstore or by calling into any Apple dealer, there's one in most major city in Ireland.

Or, if you're not too concerned about aesthetics, You can also just use one of these :

A standard "Figure of 8" IEC connector, the same as used by every radio, dvd player, satellite box, cable box etc that has been made since about the 1970s.



Available almost anywhere that sells electronics.

Not as pretty as the official!

Insert like so :



Quite handy if you're traveling abroad, as you can always get a local figure of 8 connector anywhere.

coylemj

Lots of retail stores like Best Buy sell iPads in the US, you don't have to go to an Apple store.

Get the zipcode of the hotel where your parents will be staying from the hotel's website, then go to http://www.bestbuy.com/ and click on 'store locator'.

Creamy Goodness

apple retail stores will take irish credit cards, it's just the US web store that don't.

you'll probably have to explain what that fancy looking chip in your credit card is to the sales clerk though, they were fascinated by mine.

Solair

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

apple retail stores will take irish credit cards, it's just the US web store that don't.

you'll probably have to explain what that fancy looking chip in your credit card is to the sales clerk though, they were fascinated by mine.

Yeah, they're still on "Swipe n' pray" in the US.
Chip & PIN seems to be suffering from a "NOT-MADE-HERE" problem in the USA, so it hasn't been adopted, while the rest of the world is rolling it out.
They were the same with GSM phones!

If the US, and a few other nations that are dragging their feet on credit card technology, would move with the times, we could have phased out magstripe bank cards entirely by now and ATM skimming would be virtually impossible!

inkogneetoe

A mate used a site called bundlebox.com .They act as a proxy to buy stuff in US stores and have it shipped over to you. If the US store wont accept your card then they will buy it for you and you pay them.

Mate got his stuff pretty quick too.

Worth a look

3rdDegree

cgarrad wrote: »

and throw away the packaging. Turn on and use the ipad in the us and say you brought it to the us with you.

If its new its liable for duty coming back

I was under the impression that there was no duty on computers or computer parts from the US. If that is true, then surely the iPad is a computer?

Bigcheeze

3rdDegree wrote: »

I was under the impression that there was no duty on computers or computer parts from the US. If that is true, then surely the iPad is a computer?

Correct but there is VAT.

Bigcheeze

Solair wrote: »

Yeah, they're still on "Swipe n' pray" in the US.
Chip & PIN seems to be suffering from a "NOT-MADE-HERE" problem in the USA, so it hasn't been adopted, while the rest of the world is rolling it out.
They were the same with GSM phones!

If the US, and a few other nations that are dragging their feet on credit card technology, would move with the times, we could have phased out magstripe bank cards entirely by now and ATM skimming would be virtually impossible!

Chip and pin isn't secure so maybe they're looking for a better solution before investing billions in rolling it out.

Solair

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Chip and pin isn't secure so maybe they're looking for a better solution before investing billions in rolling it out.

There are actually very very few problems with Chip & PIN other than a theoretical hack which is not even an issue as they constantly upgrade the encryption etc with every card reissue. The biggest risk is a fake Chip & PIN pad which is only an issue if the cards can be cloned.

The cards still cannot be cloned for Chip + PIN used, what generally happens is the legacy magstripe is cloned and the PIN is used to withdraw cash with a copied card on an ATM, usually in a non-chip and PIN country.

If banks issued cards without magnetic stripes at all, they'd be vastly more secure.

For use within Europe, there's no longer any reason for cards to retain magnetic stripes other than for backwards compatibility with obsolete technology.

It's a bit like installing a really complicated high tech security system on your house, and then leaving all the windows open and the doors unlocked when you go on holiday so that it's easier for the neighbours to borrow milk because that's what they've always done.

Non-physical theft of credit card details is a whole other issue and I think the concept of credit cards being used over the web / on the phone with 'cardholder not present' transactions will have to change entirely. It's just too risky.

3rdDegree

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Correct but there is VAT.

So you pay the VAT of 25% on top of everything else? Hmm, I didn't know that. Learn something new every day!

whiterebel

3rdDegree wrote: »

So you pay the VAT of 25% on top of everything else? Hmm, I didn't know that. Learn something new every day!

Irish VAT rate is 21% at the moment

pmsurveys

Just a few comments. 1. An adapter will work fine. 2. When plugged in by USB and screen says not charging it actually is charging. Leave it plugged in for 10 mins and check. 3. Most important. If your parents can get them to activate the iPad over there. I was stopped bringing one back for a friend and customs checked to see if it was activated. Luckily enough I had done this in the US to make sure everything was working. If it's not activated you will have trouble convincing them that you didn't buy it iver there and get caught for vat !!