As you know I am an iPad fan.
So nobody can say that I have doubts about the success of the new tablet.
But at the same time, as a journalist, I don’t buy the way that the launch of the iPad is being covered by the media or the market analysts.
Because they are NOT covering this issue at all.
Period.
We just believe or not the press releases of Apple.
Apple plays a hard ball with the media.
And the media follows what Apple says with no further research or leg work.
The first selling numbers of the iPad is a perfect example.
During the launching days there were two sides in this battle:
1. The critics of Apple that will deny the reality of the lines across the country.
2. The fans of Apple that were in the lines o would like to be in one of them, including me.
Then, Apple comes and releases the first figures: 300.000 iPads sold on the launching day, and 500.000 for the first seven days.
And now the Apple PR strikes again telling us that the iPad is almost a sold out tablet in the USA and, for this reason (are we sure?) they need to postpone one month the launch around the world.
We, the media, including this fan and blogger, spread the official version and Apple must be very happy.
But here it comes: have we double-check the facts?
No.
Have we done any research outside the Apple loop?
No.
Have we really check the lines of the stores?
No.
If Steve Jobs said that the iPad was going to be “a magical and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price” (and it is indeed) why they didn’t have enough tablets ready?
And, wait a minute!, they told us in January that the first tablets will be available at the end of March: the Wi-Fi versions of the iPad in 60 days, March 29, and the 3G models in about 90 days after January 27
Well, my dear, April 3 is not the end of March, but the begining of April.
So as I wrote here during the launch of the iPhone, the Apple spin rules again.
The lessons of “Mr. Shawn” (“first the facts, at any cost”) still apply.