The lack of significant inventory for Apple’s latest flagship products should be a familiar story by now. Over the last few years, we have seen multiple iPhone and iPad launches that have ended in disappointment due to stock related issues for those looking to get in on the action on day one. A large percentage of consumers who tried to get their hands on the gold iPhone 5s on launch day ended up extremely disappointed, and it looks like the same situation is occurring for those wanting to purchase the new iPad mini 2 with Retina display. To make sure we don’t make a trip to the Apple Store only to be left disappointed, there is now the option of an unofficial tracking solution that shows in-store pickup stock of the new iPad mini 2 with Retina display.
The extremely handy little tracking tool is a Web based solution that lets consumers immediately see whether or not a device is available for an in-store pickup at their local Apple Retail Store. The origins of the tool however are more than a little bizarre. Rather than being put together by a technology enthusiast who is tired of making wasted trips to various Apple outlets, the service is actually part of the iDevice Availability Notifier service offered by a Sea Turtle conversation website. Yes, you read that right. The Sea Turtles are now offering us local iPad mini availability information.
Using the device availability checker is as simple as something that is listed on a Sea Turtle website should be. Users can simply enter their ZIP code, choose a product from the extensive drop-down list and then hit the submit button to perform the lookup query. It’s currently unknown how Seaturtle.org actually pull in the stock information from each outlet to present it to the user, but it doesn’t look good for those wanting to pick up certain iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular models in store. It’s highly like that Apple will substantially pack out their inventory in time for the chaos of the holiday shopping season.
You might be asking yourself why a website that is dedicated to the important issue that is Sea Turtle conservation has a tool of this nature. Well, the owners of the site are self-confessed “Apple Fanboys” who run the entire website from an iMac and an Xserve so it stands to reason they want to check stock levels of other hardware. Check out the unofficial tool for yourself from here and see what stores in your local area have in stock.
You might want to hurry though, it’s highly likely that Apple will take the site down, as it did for the iPhone 5s and iPad Air.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.