ot - iPad2 available in T5
 

A little off track here but does anyone know if there is a retail outlet in T5 selling the iPad2? Off to Doha tomorrow morning and would like to pick one up on the way out if possible...

There is a Dixons that has an Apple section that sells iPads. Whether they've got stock is another matter.

You can call them and arrange for them to keep one for you if they've got stock.

http://www.dixonstravel.co.uk/

Cheers,
Rick

It is listed on the Dixons Travel website:

However it does say that stock is limited and the item cannot be reserved. I imagine this would apply to both Dixons Travel and PC World as they are owned by the same company.

I'd suggest you give Dixons Travel a ring. If you are in luck you may pick up one at T5 or at one of the other Heathrow terminals. Telephone numbers for the Heathrow stores can be found here.

Don't forget to take your laptop. These iDevices absolutely need to be unwrapped immediately, but they are dead weight until you sync them with an iTunes enabled PC/Mac.

The only real advantage that will give the user is access to items already downloaded and/or managed through iTunes. My iPad2 didn't get synced until I became concerned about backing up data I was storing on it. That occurred maybe 30 days after I purchased it.

That's not to say that one's experience won't be enhanced by quickly syncing a new device with iTunes; rather I'm pointing out that the device is quite usable and functional even without a sync.

on a similar note, anyone know if iPhones are available for a tax free discount anywhere in T5?

Thanks for the advice. I'll hope for the best in the morning - nobody seems inclined to answer Dixon's phone tonight...

Two things:

1. Don't expect to save the full VAT. The price is only modestly cheaper (see a thread on this, perhaps it was on the BMI board?), £20 or so I think. You may find it easier and more profitable to order it via Tesco Direct and bag the Quidco cashback and the clubcard points!

2. If you do buy it, make certain you use a BAA WorldPoints reward card - if you don't have one, join online tonight and print out the membership number, they can input it manually or you can retroclaim the points as long as you were a member at the time of purchase. You should enough points for 750 BMI miles (500 WP needed).

To the best of my knowledge (certified apple fanboi since 1984) you cannot even boot up any iDevice (iPhone, iPad, iPod) until you plug it into iTunes on a computer. When you turn on a new device, or even one that has had a total reset, you get the "Plug into iTune" message on the display.

i have two iPads (original and 2) and two iPhones (3G & 4) and this was the case with all of them as well as everyone else i know who has bought any iDevice.
if you do not get this message, then the machine has already been registered.

Correct. The process registers it with apple.

Its scary how much information they check against when you register your device. I had to take my iPhone into see the 'geniuses' in our local apple store the other day as the latest update had mucked it up. They plugged it in, it booted up, and there is more personal date than you can imagine. The company we use for phones, our account manager, my company, my name, my job title, .....

No, no iPhones for sale anywhere in T5, sorry!

Never was a truer word said. I'm currently in the market for one myself, and thought I'd check Dixons prices at LHR T5 last Saturday (one week ago).

For the 64GB, WiFi + 3G model Dixons T5 price was GBP639. I believe the UK high street price is GBP659, reduced to GBP549 when the 20% VAT is deducted. As I can legitimately purchase VAT-free it's a no-brainer for me - I'll avoid Dixons T5 like the plague!

Good advice from PtF - however should you be after a humble iTouch, the current Dixons travel price of £190 for a 32gig is a reasonable saving

To be fair to Dixons (at least in T5) - if the traveller is not flying outside the EU, Dixons has to pay the VAT. And the margin on Apple stuff is tiny. They can't afford to offer the full discount because they would then be losing money on every customer who wasn't flying outside the EU.

(And with ipads, you are more likely to buy one when travelling short-haul anyway, since its a bit too expensive to be sitting around some dodgy foreign hotel for a week or two!)

[QUOTE=Raffles;16384196]To be fair to Dixons (at least in T5) - if the traveller is not flying outside the EU, Dixons has to pay the VAT. And the margin on Apple stuff is tiny. ]

I can' say I agree with what is written above. about margins etc etc.

I bought my Ipad in the US 2 weeks ago ( fabulous bit of kit) I bought the 64gb version with wifi and no 3G. I also bought one of thos new covers which is also brilliant (imho)

Total costs including 9% sales tax was £490. Here the Ipad alone is £549 and the cover a further £35. Total £584 a saving of £94 or 16% on the UK prices even with tax.

No matter the mark up from Apple the prices of Apple goods in the UK and in the alledged tax free stores of LHR are simply further evidence of "Rip Off Britain" Why else would Dixons taxfree website not advertise prices of goods other than beacuse they cannot compete with the high street minus the VAT.

If however you are not a resident of the EU then I would urge you to buy on the high street and then claim back the 20% VAT. Aside from the VAT saving due to the appalling value of the £ the savings will be significant.

Example Australia 64gb version is AUD $799 at current exchage rates this is £532. If bought on UK high street and VAT reclaim made then costs is just £457 approx or $AUD685. The saving in Dixons tax free however is just $45AUD.

LHR may have extensive shopping to help relieve the boredom of hanging about its terminals, but they are also some of the most expensive places to shop in the UK and certainly not tax free, no matter where you are from.