Apple announces iPad's release date

A few days late, but still sports same features and prices

And the Applet tablet story continues.  This morning, the Cupertino company announced its much anticipated iPad will hit store shelves in the US on April 3.  

Don't get your hopes up if you're looking for a 3G model, only the Wi-Fi version will be available on that date.  Apple said the Wi-Fi + 3G version won't be available until 'late April.'  Also, for those living in other parts of the world where the iPad will be available, don't expect to buy one on store shelves until late April as well.

The release date comes a bit later than expected.  When Apple announced the iPad back on January 27, Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO said the iPad should be available in 60 days, which would have put it on store shelves sometime in late March.  The exact reason for the delay hasn't been explained by Apple but some rumors across the Web speculate Apple simply couldn't put together enough units to sell that early.  

As for pricing, nothings changed - the device still starts at $499 for the Wi-Fi only model.  Wi-Fi + 3G models will start selling at $629.  Prices go up as users add more hard drive space.  

Apple said the iPad would come with 12 new apps designed especially for the device.  The iPad will also be able to run 150,000 apps already available in the App Store (those that you have on your iPhone and iPod touch already.)  

Developers were given access to Apple's new iPhone SDK on the date of the iPad's announcement in order to get their apps optimized for the device, as well as build completely new ones.  Data released by Flurry back in February said around 1,600 apps, which is a surge of new applications in comparison to months before, were started in January right after Apple announced the iPad.

And let's not forget about iBooks, which Apple thinks will change the book and print industry.  The app will let users buy digital books from the New York Times Best Seller list.  Publishers on board so far include, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group and Simon & Schuster.

Alright so what are you waiting for, if you really want one, you can pre-order on March 12.  I'm still undecided on this thing.  When it was first announced, the lack of Flash support really turned me off.  But being I'm a digital music geek, in discussions with other fellow musicians, the iPad is looking to be an excellent controller for applications we use like Ableton Live, at a very decent price.  I'm sure we all have different reasons, I'd love to hear yours.