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Apple to delay iPad 2 sales in Japan

Apple will delay the launch of the iPad 2 in Japan as that country reels from impact of the March 11 earthquake and the continued aftershocks.

Brooke Crothers Former CNET contributor
Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.
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Apple will postpone the start of iPad 2 sales in Japan owing to the earthquake and the human tragedy that has followed in its wake.

"We are delaying the launch of the iPad 2 in Japan while the country and our teams focus on recovering from the recent disaster," Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said in an e-mail. "Our hearts go out to the people of Japan, including our employees and their families, who have been impacted by this terrible tragedy."

 
The front door of Apple Japan's Web site expresses the company's deepest sympathies for the victims of the earthquake.
The front door of Apple Japan's Web site expresses the company's deepest sympathies for the victims of the earthquake. Apple

Sales of the iPad 2 were slated to begin there on March 25, along with 25 other countries around the globe.

In the U.S., the second-generation Apple tablet appears to be a certified hit, with analyst estimates of sales ranging from half a million to as much as 1 million.

The iPad 2 is also getting its share of positive reviews, with many citing increased performance and new features like dual cameras and iMovie software.