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So, any US HN user willing to send a european developer an iPad for a reasonable price? Exactly how are we supposed to debug our apps without access to hardware

by c1sc0 17y ago

So, any US HN user willing to send a european developer an iPad for a reasonable price? Exactly how are we supposed to debug our apps without access to hardware?

tialys 17y ago
If I could get my hands on one, I'd do it... but I can't find one nearby and they're 5-7 days online :\ It's sad to think the rest of the world is waiting (as far as developing goes).
fierarul 17y ago
Yes, it's a real shame that Apple treats developers this way. They are expected to develop top-quality apps but only using the Simulator. A more normal behavior would have been to provide international developers a way to order iPads from day one. Something like the ADC Hardware Purchase Program but for iPhone developers.
- colinplamondon 17y ago
  I think most folks who have serious iPhone development businesses ordered in the US and forwarded by FedEx overnight.
  - fierarul 17y ago
    Yeah, and then Apple would be surprised by the huge US demand, no ? Of course anybody wanting the iPad already did something similar but it's a drag and non-US developers/companies shouldn't "smuggle" iPads out of the country but buy them in their respective countries.
cubicle67 17y ago
Yeah, be nice if there were some provision for paid-up iPhone developers to jump the queue a bit.
dc2k08 17y ago
Haven't used them yet but there is a start-up called budlebox.com who will act as po box for you in the states and forward goods on to you.
- petercooper 17y ago
  I used Bundlebox on US pre-order day and received my iPad here in the UK four days after the US launch. They had to do some voodoo to make it work since Apple cancelled most orders to freight forwarders (I believe it involved getting them sent to 101 random people in the same neighborhood if the postage labels are any indication).. Ultimately, it all worked out fine - they're not scam artists. All that said, I bet they're getting some heavy demand due to this so if you want one, get in quick. People who ordered merely hours after me were disappointed as their orders had to be delayed due to Bundlebox's capacity to deal with the weird shipping arrangements. And it wouldn't surprise me if Apple is getting wise to these sorts of activities. (I know someone who cancelled their order upon delay and got a refund quick, so I can't entirely vouch for these guys, but they seem legit.)
  - petercooper 17y ago
    FWIW, I've navigated this thread a few times and every comment left was voted down to 0 within a few minutes of being made. I voted them all back up to counter it, but someone's playing silly beggars here. On the plus side, I've now been won over as to why down votes on stories aren't a good idea..
  - dc2k08 17y ago
    Out of interest, what was the charge on an ipad for their service? The rates are hard to figure out on their site.
    - petercooper 17y ago
      I paid £390 for the iPad itself (including US sales tax of 6%) and the Bundlebox fee. This is about equivalent to the anticipated UK price of £399 for the 16GB Wifi iPad. Then I paid £120 for the VAT (a necessary evil, alas) and 2-3 day delivery. With slightly slower delivery, it'd have been £100. So it was £500-520 in total. This seems reasonable considering I have an iPad almost two months early - gives me a nice head start on some things.
eelco 17y ago
I used MyUS.com to forward one, got it on April 7. It's not allowed by Apple, but I like to see them try taking it away from me now ;) (Hint, don't use 'Suite' in your shipping address, that's apparently a red flag, just the number will do.)
- jasonlotito 17y ago
  Wow! Did not know about that. And personal shoppers, too!
- jason_tko 17y ago
  How did you pay at the Apple Store? Do you have a US issued credit card?
  - eelco 17y ago
    Nope, Dutch credit card. I think there's a small chance they'll call you out based on a non-US card, but it worked for me.
Sam_Odio 17y ago
I bought an iPad about a week ago. It's lightly used (some scuff marks on the back). I'm willing to part with it and wait for the 3G model instead. Email me if you're interested. I paid $550 (incl. sales tax). first_name@last_name.com

by c1sc0 17y ago

So, any US HN user willing to send a european developer an iPad for a reasonable price? Exactly how are we supposed to debug our apps without access to hardware?

tialys 17y ago

If I could get my hands on one, I'd do it... but I can't find one nearby and they're 5-7 days online :\ It's sad to think the rest of the world is waiting (as far as developing goes).

fierarul 17y ago

Yes, it's a real shame that Apple treats developers this way. They are expected to develop top-quality apps but only using the Simulator. A more normal behavior would have been to provide international developers a way to order iPads from day one. Something like the ADC Hardware Purchase Program but for iPhone developers.

colinplamondon 17y ago
I think most folks who have serious iPhone development businesses ordered in the US and forwarded by FedEx overnight.
- fierarul 17y ago
  Yeah, and then Apple would be surprised by the huge US demand, no ? Of course anybody wanting the iPad already did something similar but it's a drag and non-US developers/companies shouldn't "smuggle" iPads out of the country but buy them in their respective countries.

cubicle67 17y ago

Yeah, be nice if there were some provision for paid-up iPhone developers to jump the queue a bit.

dc2k08 17y ago

Haven't used them yet but there is a start-up called budlebox.com who will act as po box for you in the states and forward goods on to you.

petercooper 17y ago
I used Bundlebox on US pre-order day and received my iPad here in the UK four days after the US launch. They had to do some voodoo to make it work since Apple cancelled most orders to freight forwarders (I believe it involved getting them sent to 101 random people in the same neighborhood if the postage labels are any indication).. Ultimately, it all worked out fine - they're not scam artists. All that said, I bet they're getting some heavy demand due to this so if you want one, get in quick. People who ordered merely hours after me were disappointed as their orders had to be delayed due to Bundlebox's capacity to deal with the weird shipping arrangements. And it wouldn't surprise me if Apple is getting wise to these sorts of activities. (I know someone who cancelled their order upon delay and got a refund quick, so I can't entirely vouch for these guys, but they seem legit.)
- petercooper 17y ago
  FWIW, I've navigated this thread a few times and every comment left was voted down to 0 within a few minutes of being made. I voted them all back up to counter it, but someone's playing silly beggars here. On the plus side, I've now been won over as to why down votes on stories aren't a good idea..
- dc2k08 17y ago
  Out of interest, what was the charge on an ipad for their service? The rates are hard to figure out on their site.
  - petercooper 17y ago
    I paid £390 for the iPad itself (including US sales tax of 6%) and the Bundlebox fee. This is about equivalent to the anticipated UK price of £399 for the 16GB Wifi iPad. Then I paid £120 for the VAT (a necessary evil, alas) and 2-3 day delivery. With slightly slower delivery, it'd have been £100. So it was £500-520 in total. This seems reasonable considering I have an iPad almost two months early - gives me a nice head start on some things.

eelco 17y ago

I used MyUS.com to forward one, got it on April 7. It's not allowed by Apple, but I like to see them try taking it away from me now ;) (Hint, don't use 'Suite' in your shipping address, that's apparently a red flag, just the number will do.)

jasonlotito 17y ago
Wow! Did not know about that. And personal shoppers, too!
jason_tko 17y ago
How did you pay at the Apple Store? Do you have a US issued credit card?
- eelco 17y ago
  Nope, Dutch credit card. I think there's a small chance they'll call you out based on a non-US card, but it worked for me.

Sam_Odio 17y ago

I bought an iPad about a week ago. It's lightly used (some scuff marks on the back). I'm willing to part with it and wait for the 3G model instead. Email me if you're interested. I paid $550 (incl. sales tax). first_name@last_name.com