Quite understandably, developing for a device that isn't even out yet is a challenge. As for the iPad, while most developers are indeed developing "blindfolded" for now, some "key" developers, according to
Businessweek, were however provided by Apple with testing units.
Well, this is of course not much of a surprise, we already knew
the WSJ had one and we didn't really expect EA games to develop using the simulator. The conditions under which these are handed out however, are quite interesting. Indeed, in exchange for the honor, these lucky developers got a taste of Apple's secrecy medicine.
For starters, these testing units must be kept isolated in a room with blacked-out windows, as well as tethered to a fixed object so they can't be removed. Actually, swearing and signing Apple's 10-page long pact is just the start. Before getting the delivery, developers must also provide Apple with "photographic evidence" that they can indeed meet these standards.
Is this too much? Well, not really, it's actually just a very little price to pay when you think of the financial impact of having a full-tested day-1 iPad application on the store and anyway, this is nothing compared to the procedures concerning Apple's prototypes.
I wonder how many broom closets have become iPad-volts over the last couple weeks...
