Oy vey. Once again Israeli buyers of a hip gadget are about to get ripped off – with the “authorities” doing everything they can to make sure they get “theirs” (as in their money) out of the pockets of the schnook customer.

I know it sounds cynical, but it’s the only logical explanation I can come up with for why the Communications Ministry is banning iPads from Israel. In this age of instant communications, fast and efficient shipping, and open markets (ie nearly zero customs duties), getting a device like an iPad should be a piece of cake. For example, at this site, with shipping costs and taxes, you would be able to have a $499 iPad delivered directly from Apple in the U.S. to any Israeli address for $660 – a pretty reasonable price.

But like with so many other items (coincidentally, mostly from Apple), the markup is going to be much higher, because “they” are going to do their best to prevent customers from getting reasonably priced iPads – basically forcing Israelis who want one to get it from the local Apple license-holder (the iDigital retail store, which is NOT an Apple store!) for a premium price, just like they did with the iPhone. The difference is that the iPhone was a lot easier to hide, so the customs people have a much better chance of nabbing iPads when people try to smuggle them in!

So why can’t you bring an iPad into the country? According to this article in Ha’aretz (the same story appeared in numerous Hebrew publications),

the decision follows the refusal of the ministry’s engineering staff to compromise on testing the device’s suitability and compliance with Israeli wireless networks… For now, the ministry has not given the device categorical approval required for wireless devices; and ministry officials say its wireless technology is not compatible with Israeli standards.

“The iPad device sold exclusively today in the United States operates at broadcast power levels [over its Wifi modem] compatible with American standards,” explained the officials. “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,” said the officials.

Huh? Doesn’t the whole world – U.S. and Europe included – use IEEE 802.11 Wifi standards? Aren’t there all sorts of Wifi-based devices produced all over the world that can be used internationally? What do they mean by “broadcast levels?”

Here’s the picture I have been able to put together – and it ain’t a pretty one. Without getting too technical: The Wifi chipset used by the iPad is BroadComm’s BCM4329 Low-Power 802.11n with Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR and FM (Tx and Rx). 80211N is a relatively new addition to 802.11 standards, and it’s relatively rare in Wifi devices, so far. The fact that it is “low power” is also apparently behind complaints by many users that the iPad drops out of networks more readily than other devices, like Macbooks. This chipset includes Wifi and FM radio reception and transmission capabilities (in order to allow you to, for example, use your car FM radio to listen to music from your device while driving).

So, it’s possible that this is what the engineers meant when they said there were “different standards,” although 802.11n is in use in Europe as well. It would seem to me that they main bugaboo here is the chipset’s ability to broadcast, usually frowned upon in Israel.

But here’s what gives the game away: The BroadComm BCM4329 chipset is the SAME ONE in use in the latest editions of the iPhone and the iPad Touch – both of which are sold right here in Israel, by iDigital! Get it? If the problem is the Wifi chipset, then what difference does it make if it’s installed in an iPhone, iPod, or iPad? None! It only makes a difference to someone (or some entity) that has an interest in carving out for itself as much of a monopoly as they can get away with!

Now, I’m no engineer, but I do know how to Google – and it took me about 45 minutes to come up with this data (the things I go through for you people!). But certainly one would expect engineers from the Communications Ministry to have put two and two together and realized that they had already approved use of this Wifi chipset in Israel! If I could figure it out, they could too.

The thing is, there is no one to lobby for approving the iPad, no one to point this out to – and now that the engineers have made their decision, any change is going to have to go through “channels.” And where will those channels channel through? Why, right through iDigital, the Israeli “experts” on all things Apple. And what do you think iDigital is going to say when asked if they recommend unfettered importation of an item they are planning to sell eventually, for more money of course? I may be a cynic, but I know how the game is played!

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• iPad has same Broadcom BCM4329 FM Tx/Rx radio capabilities as iPhone, iPod touch (9to5mac.com)
• Apple delays international iPad launch by one month (network.nationalpost.com)

Don’t hold your breath! Considering how long it took to get the iPhone here, it’s unlikely that the iPad’s path to Israel will be much faster. Here’s why:

1) From the presentation by Steve Jobs introducing the device, it appears that they will be having a deal with AT&T in the U.S. for the 3G network connection (confirmed, as AT&T announced that it will be offering unlimited iPad connection for $15/$30 a month). On the other hand, the iPad does have wifi, so you can easily bring one in and use it on any wifi network.

2) The new device is apparently unlocked as well, meaning you should be able to use any SIM card you want – but you may not be able to, because it will be using a new “micro” (3FF) SIM that you may not be able to get from other carriers. According to Engadget, “In fact, from AT&T’s perspective, this is better than a software lock in some ways — you’re not going to be able to download a hack that gets you on another network, so you’re totally at the mercy of your carrier at choice for providing a compatible card.”

3) Meaning that when considering official imports of the iPad, iDigital, Israel’s authorized distributor (which is NOT an Apple Store!) will have to work out deals with Apple for the import of the device, deals with one (all) of the cellphone companies for the 3G network (it’s hard to imagine Apple authorizing the imports without that, even though there is a wifi only version), and deals with someone to manufacture a SIM card for the Israeli market.

4) And, since the content you will be able to download, sync and use will be coming from the iTunes store (with Kindle-like book syncing probably to be added to music and video downloading, which will be an issue EVEN with the wifi-only version of the iPad) – access to which Israelis still don’t have even on “ancient” iPods and already old-hat Kindles – don’t look for the iPad to be officially sold here any time soon.

According to Apple, deals for many international markets could come as soon as the summer. An email from iDigital I received the morning after the iPad release says the following (after of course chatting up Apple’s “innovations in the digital lifestyle”):

“Regarding [the iPad's] reaching Israel, it is still too early to determine [when, how and if that will happen]. We are acting in accordance with Apple policy, but we are working with the world [Apple] organization in regards to localization.”

As if localization were the biggest issue!

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• Let’s try this again….. iPad (wisniewski.tumblr.com)
• Apple Keynote: It’s the iPad (slog.thestranger.com)
• With iPad, Apple Still Has a Fatal Attraction for AT&T (wired.com)