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Israel Repeals iPad Ban
SillySilly writes "The ban has been lifted: The Communications Ministry announced Saturday evening that starting Sunday it will allow Apple's iPad tablet computer into the country, following two weeks of confiscations and confusion."
Because Israel either (1) realized that it didn't really violate their standards as they thought or (2) realized that their standards are not enforceable because they are incorrectly set. The iPad follows the same Wi-Fi standards as other devices like laptops. Some test after the whole fiasco that the iPad actually emits less than an average US laptop. So if the iPad was in violation then Israel should be confiscating all US made laptops at the border.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Israel has been doing this "War on Terror"(TM) stuff for many years... and as a result some things that we consider harmless are "security threats" until they're proven otherwise. Anything that could emit a wireless signal could trigger something harmful, so there has to be limits on those things.
If the device violates their wireless standards then why the hell should they allow it to operate in their country?
It shouldn't. But it doesn't.
The whole issue was that it was untested. That was it. As with any bureaucracy, rules must be obeyed even if in the end the result is the same.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Everything that intentionally emits a wireless signal has to have a prototype sent to the FCC here in the USA. We typically learn of new Apple iPhone/iPad products just before they're submitted to the FCC because once they hit the FCC they'd become public record at that point anyway.
Israel's complaint was mostly due to a lack of a seal of approval that the iPad now has. Nothing wrong with the device, just need to show one to the approved lab and pay the fee.
So anyone with an iPad would be very interested to know that Israel was stealing these computers at the borders.
FWIW, the iPads were not being stolen. The rightful owners could reclaim their property when they exited the country.
They don't grade fathers, but if your daughter's a stripper, you fucked up. --Chris Rock
We typically learn of new Apple iPhone/iPad products just before they're submitted to the FCC because once they hit the FCC they'd become public record at that point anyway.
Actually the FCC will handle equipment testing and acceptance confidentially. The process takes quite some time (months) so confidential testing and processing helps prevent early disclosure of products. Also, many devices like the iPad do not require new certifications because they will simply integrate a pre-existing radio module that has already been though the process.
I am a geek attorney, but not your geek attorney unless you've already retained me. This is not legal advice.
As an Israeli I assure you, the "national security" reasons given by the ministry were nothing but poor excuses after the fact. Just like in america (or even more so) words of "security" are just the joker cards used by the government to confuse and distract. I also don't buy the conspiracy theories about corruption related to this case.
The story, as I understand it, is a very simple story about a bureaucracy making a wrong decision, finding excuses to that decision and finally backs down after what it perceived as a sensible damages control strategy.
The order of events ( in my opinion ):
1) The custom personnel didn't know how to handle imports of the iPad.
2) They contacted the office of ministry of communications.
3) The incompetent office tried to obtain official details and specs of the device, failed to do so and decided to default to banning the device until further notice. When ignorant, Israeli bureaucracy always defaults to the lazy option and takes the "better safe than sorry" stance, whatever the cost is to the individual.
4) Headlines rightfully ridiculing the decision popped up in Israeli online news sites, followed by a world wide criticism and ridiculing.
5) The office understood the mistake but tried any tactic not to loose face. Then all the stupid excuses came out: the babble about national security, about the office protecting the convenience of the local populace, the lack of compliance from iDigital (apple products importer in Israel) and more excuses. Nothing more than "security", "what about the children" and "look a chubaka!" to confuse and distract.
6) The office waits awhile for everything to settle down and lifts the ban with remarks about "sophisticated lab testing" etc. Sounds very scientific. Very hi-tec. I'm glad we have such sophisticated people in our government.
once they hit the FCC they'd become public record at that point anyway.
You can actually pay extra to the FCC to have them keep it a secret until the product is released. Apple doesn't trust the FCC to be able to keep a secret, so they do announce the products before sending them to the FCC. And frankly they don't trust the FCC for a good reason: the FCC really can't keep a secret, someone will get a secret picture of it or something.
Qxe4
I think the bigger question is how 1,000's of other foreign products go in without any problems. Why was the iPad singled out? If I take my new HTC phone fresh from Taiwan and unlicensed in Israel, they are not going to seize it.
Time offers an explanation:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1983236,00.html
"It is worth noting," Etengoff wrote, "that Apple's Israeli distributor, iDigital, is run by Chemi Peres, the hyper-entrepreneurial son of Israeli President Shimon Peres.
"Clearly, iDigital wants its lucrative cut of every iPad brought into the country — which it will undoubtedly receive when a modified European version of the iPad is approved for import over the next two or three months.