Using an iPhone & iPad in Thailand Tips, App Reviews and News for the iPhone and iPad by Richard Barrow

iPad 2 now for sale in Thailand from 15,900 Baht

Today sees the official release of the iPad 2 in Thailand. It is being sold in Apple authorized stores around Bangkok and also online (see here).  If you buy online, it will be shipped to you within 1-2 weeks.

Here are the official prices:

iPad 2 WiFi: 16GB 15,900 Baht, 32GB 18,900 Baht and 64GB 21,900 Baht
iPad 2 WiFi + 3G: 16GB 19,900, 32GB 22,900 and 64GB 25,900

The Smart Covers are priced at Polyurethane 1,590 Baht and Leather 2,790 Baht.

The Apple Digital AV Adaptor, which allows mirroring onto a big screen, is 1,290 Baht

The Apple iPad 2 Dock is 890 Baht

iPad 2 to be sold in Thailand this Friday at 13 Power Buy shops

The news has just been announced officially that the iPad 2 will be sold in Thailand from Friday 6th May 2011 from 11 a.m. The iPad will be sold in the Apple Shop at 13 different Power Buy shops around Bangkok as well as at iStudio. For example, Central Chitolom, Central Bang Na, Central Rama 2, Central Rama 3, Central Pinklao, Central Chaeng Wattana, Central World, Central Rangsit, Robinson Srinakarin.

More information at Power Buy >>>

iPad 2 Launches in Thailand on May 6 – Full Price List

As predicted, iPad 2 is being launched in Thailand officially on 6 May 2011. Here are the prices which look good.

iPad 2 WiFi
16GB 15,900 Baht
32GB 18,900 Baht
64GB 21,900 Baht

iPad 2 3G
16GB 19,900 Baht
32GB 22,900 Baht
64GB 25,900 Baht

Source: Siampod.com

iPad 2 now featured on front page of Apple Thai Website

Still no official news of when iPad 2 will come to Thailand. However, the front page of the Apple Thailand website (see here) are now advertising the iPad 2. This could mean that iPad 2 could be released in Thailand as early as May 2011. Prices of the iPad 2 in the grey market are already coming down in anticipation of an official release. If you are in Thailand, and want to buy an iPad 2, then you might want to wait now.  The Apple store have a page where you can sign up to receive news of the release (click here).

IPad case with built in Keyboard seen at MBK

At MBK in Bangkok many stores are selling this Bluetooth keyboard which is built-in to an iPad case. It makes it a little bit bulky but not by too much. The vendor was a little vague about battery life but suggested 6 hours depending on use. Her asking price is 1,700 baht but she was willing to knock it down. What do you think?

- Posted from my iPhone

Price of iPad 2 at MBK: April 2011

These are the latest prices of the iPad 2 being sold in the grey market at MBK. The cheapest iPad in the US is just under 16,000 baht. We won't get that price until it is officially released in Thailand. At the moment we still don't have a release date here.

The following prices are for the black model. The White version is on average 500 baht more.

MBK prices for iPad 2 WiFi
16GB 20,500
32GB 23,500
64GB 27,000

MBK prices for iPad 2 3G
16Gb 27,500
32GB 31,500
64GB 34,500

I got these prices from the #BLINK7 shop where I bought my iPad last year (087-777-7877). Use them as a benchmark.

- Posted from my iPhone

When is iPad 2 Coming to Thailand?

Today saw the announcement of details about the new iPad 2. The release date is expected to be 11th March 2011 in America and about 25th March 2011 for 20 or so countries internationally. No news yet about an official release date for Thailand. The iPad 1 was released in USA in April 2010. We all expected it to then come out in Thailand by June 2010. Although we were able to buy marked-up versions in the grey market at MBK shortly after people in the US, we didn't get an official release of the iPad in Thailand until December 2010. Personally I think the delay was due to the problems with the Thai keyboard. As we now have an official Thai keyboard, hopefully this time we won't have to wait so long. I will post news on release dates here for Thailand as well as prices as soon as I get them.

Although we don't have the iPad 2 in Thailand just yet, they have interestingly reduced the price of iPad 1 in the Thailand Apple Store by 3,000 baht.

New Prices of iPad 1 Wi-Fi version:

• 16GB Price 12,900 Baht (originally 15,900 Baht)
• 32GB Price 15,900 Baht (originally18,900 Baht)
• 64GB Price 18,900 Baht (originally21,900 baht)

New Prices of iPad 1 3G+WiFi version

• 16GB Price 16,900 Baht (originally19,900 baht)
• 32GB Price 19,900 Baht (originally22,900 baht)
• 64GB Price 22,900 Baht (originally25,900 baht)

The iPad 2 looks really great but it doesn't really hold any surprises. It has two cameras, including front facing, so you can now do video conferencing more comfortably. It is also thinner, lighter and of course faster. One thing that is the same is the 10 hour battery life which is obviously great. Some things that didn't make it, but which might be in iPad 3, is the retina screen similar to the iPhone 4 and USB ports.

Now comes the question, are these new features enough to make me go out and buy iPad 2 once it is released in Thailand? Personally I think not. I like the idea of the two cameras but I don't think I would use it enough to justify buying another iPad. The speed is obviously good, but I think I am happy sticking with the original iPad until at least when the iPad 3 is released. If rumours are true, this might happen as early as the end of the this year. But, even if it doesn't, I think I can wait another year or so.

Now comes the question for people who have been waiting to buy their first iPad. Is it best to buy the iPad 1 now at the reduced price or wait for the iPad 2 to be released in Thailand? We don't have official prices for the iPad 2 in Thailand yet, but we are going to presume that they will be released at the same price as the old iPad 1. So, we could be looking at prices like the following. (Of course, this might change if there is a delay in the release and if there is a change in exchange rates.)

Expected iPad 2 Prices for Wi-Fi version:

• 16GB Price 15,900 Baht
• 32GB Price 18,900 Baht
• 64GB Price 21,900 baht

Expected iPad 2 Prices for 3G+WiFi version

• 16GB Price 19,900 baht
• 32GB Price 22,900 baht
• 64GB Price 25,900 baht

If you haven't bought your first iPad yet, I would actually suggest that you buy the cheapest iPad 1 version that starts at 12,900 baht and then wait until iPad 3 like me. Although the cheapest iPad 2 is expected to be 15,900 baht, we might not see it here for another 8 months if it turns out to be the same story as last time.

What about you, are you going to buy the iPad 2?

Thailand 2010: Top Free iPad Apps

Looking for some good iPad apps? Here are the Top 10 lists of iPad apps in the Thailand iTunes store for 2010.

Top Free iPad Apps in Thailand 2010:

1. iBooks
2. Google Mobile App
3. City Story
4. Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD
5. Hot Tennis 2
6. Adobe Photoshop Express
7. Restaurant Story
8. Vuvuzela 2010
9. EC Dict
10. VLC Media Player

Want some more? Here are a few from the US charts: Solitaire, IMDb Movies & TV, Kindle, Pimple Popper Lite, Pocket Frogs, Shazam for iPad, BBC News and Twitter.

Top Paid iPad Apps in Thailand 2010:

1. GoodReader for iPad
2. Angry Birds HD
3. Pages
4. Keynote
5. Numbers
6. Slice It!
7. SoundHound
8. Documents to Go
9. Prince of Persia Retro
10. Crystal TV

Looking for some more? Here are some of the top paid iPad apps from the US iTunes store: Glee Karaoke, Wolfram Alpha, Pinball HD, Friendly Plus for Facebook and Star Walk for iPad.

Post in the comments if your favourite iPad apps from this year are not here.