iPad: Transitioning to Hebrew
Photo: AP
Apple releases Hebrew iPad
New Hebrew version of iPad operating system, though not perfect, is bound to expand import of tablet to Israel
The iPad,
which like any innovation had trouble adjusting to the Hebrew language, is getting an upgrade: Apple has launched a Hebrew-compatible version of its operating system for the tablet.
Israeli users of the gadget were previously forced to pay for a Hebrew keyboard application, a cumbersome feature that didn't always work. The new, free application can now be used for almost every task. Most of the menus were translated as well, save for some options that stayed true to the origins, like Bluetooth and Safari.
Computer Business
Itai Smuskowitz
Apple has yet to set the Israeli launch date for its tablet PC, but local cell phone companies are already exploring marketing of mobile version
The new version is a helpful tool for those who haven't mastered the English language, and had trouble maneuvering the options.
Moreover, the upgrade is bound to broaden the import of the iPad to Israel, which has been limited so far; the tablet is sold neither by iDigital, which represents Apple in Israel, nor by the cellular companies. The only versions that are available to buy are the WiFi ones; the versions that connect to a cellular network are yet to arrive here.
Hebrew support is not yet applicable to all iPad software. Pages, the word processor that aims to turn the iPad into a full-blown work tool, not only hasn't been translated into Hebrew, but isn't even fully Hebrew-compatible: When a user presses enter in the end of a sentence, the first letter of that sentence disappears.
Even without fully supporting Hebrew, the iPad is a versatile device for playing games, watching movies and surfing the web – if you're in a wireless internet hospot.
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