I got my iPad from the U.S., and am currently having fun with it. I was really trying to avoid buying yet another gadget that would complicate my life, but one aspect in particular attracted me to Apple’s shiny new toy: the ability to buy a month of Internet access a la carte without signing up for any two-year contracts, which is a Godsend for expat-types like me who only travel to the U.S. occasionally. The official release of the iPad in Japan is at the end of the month, and so far it’s looking like it’ll be a successful launch — Softbank actually had to stop taking preorders due to receiving too many of them. Still, as I wrote in my post on TUAW, I think the iPad might face an uphill battle here in Japan. While the iPhone has become a hit with Japanese keitai users, the conservative nature of Japan’s corporate world means that a lot of media that would go great on the iPad will likely not be available, since Japanese companies are focused on preserving their current profit centers rather than heading off in new directions. I just can’t imagine the publishers of Shonen Jump, which sells a whopping 2.8 million copies per week, being in a hurry to embrace digital publishing in a big way. Whatever interesting developments we’ll see with the iPad in Japan, you can join in, thanks to the iTunes Japan Prepaid Cards J-List sells, which allow you to buy JPOP and anime soundtracks as well as Japan-only applications like those Love Plus mini-games (note, you may need to change the store to Japan for this link to work). The cards are compatible with all iPhone/iPod/iPad devices.
If you need me I’ll be playing with my iPad.
