Christmas has come early for some Apple fans, as the iPad 3G is being released today at 5pm. In preparation, Apple stores will close from 4 pm to 5 pm to prepare for the onslaught.
Apple will only be filling pre-orders for the iPad 3G today, but more will be available on May 7. Some Apple stores are already reporting that fans are lining up to wait for the release, but lines are not expected to be as intense as the April 3rd release of the iPad. Apple has not released the sales numbers yet, but it is expected to be another strong release for the Cupertino company.
Since its release, Apple has sold 450,000 iPads in the U.S.
Pricing for the 3G is as follows:
16GB $629.00
32GB $729.00
64GB $829.00
AT&T is offering monthly pre-paid data plans data plans priced at $14.99 for up to 250MB, or $29.99 for unlimited downloads.