How does Apple get this domain without trouble? ipad.com

Do they really need it? If I search for "ipad" in Google or Bing, information about the iPad comes up, not this site.

I think we're past buying every single domain name that might be relevant.

I don’t think they need it.

They don’t have iphone.de (German domain). Heck, Google doesn’t have gmail.de. Nobody cares (Google did, but lost that lawsuit).

I'm sure if they really wanted it Apple could make a massive donation to cancer research in return for the domain. That would be a win/win.

That said I don't think it's really all that important. That's the beauty of brand names like Apple or Google - you can have /groups and /mail instead of needing to own all of these domains.

They cure cancer. Fair swap I'd imagine.

They don't. See http://www.appletv.com/.

The $23 billion in short-term assets on their balance sheet—or rather, a small portion—could help, if they really care.

They're just going to go through the ICANN arbitration process and take it. They've done it to countless domains in the past.

I don't think so. One of the things you have to prove in a UDRP is that the domain had been registered in bad faith. Since it was registered in 1997, I don't think Apple would have much luck here.