I ordered from the Apple online store cuz I didn't want to hassle with the lines. I assumed it would ship today. I wish I knew that I would get a 3-5 days to SHIP, then another 3-5 to arrive. I hope it's just being super conservative.

It's not so much not having an iPad that's bad (I've lived my whole life without one...) but that the shipping/arriving dates are so much longer than I'm used to. Had I known this was going to be the situation, I might've tried my hand at the retail store \

I won't be able to drop by at the store when Apple start selling them in the UK (they better not delay the date !!!) so I'm going to just sit by the comp and order it online once it open. There will be only 2x(2x3) SKUs to contend with so hopefully stock are aplenty.

Black or white?
32GB
WiFi + 3G
(Product) Red leather/Grey Polyurethane SmartCover ... 2 wks to make up my mind about the colour.

When you order online on AT&T it says iPad 2 orders will ship in 14 to 21 business days.
I did not get one at any store this evening. No apple store near my place. Went to walmart, and the guy in front of me bought the last AT&T 3g one they had. Then I tried at Best Buy and Target. Best Buy actually had the Verizon ones left in stock, but I didn't want Verizon. None of the AT&T store near my area got any iPads (I live near Poughkeepsie, NY).

Anyway, ordering online from AT&T requires you to sign up for a data plan, though I think one should be able to cancel it once the device is received. I ordered one from apple.com and one from AT&T online store too (32GB black 3G). AT&T seems to be selling only the 16Gb and 32GB versions online (no 64GB version). I figure when the first one of them ships, I will cancel the other order.

Seems like I will have to wait 2-3 weeks. .

At one of the few SF penisula Apple stores, the stock of iPad2s was so poor that after waiting in line 5 hrs with only 150 people in front of me when the doors reopened at 5pm (with a max of 2 units purchased per person), I went home empty handed because the 2 people in front of me bought the last 32 Mb Wifi only models. All 16Mb models were sold out well before I got to the front and there were only a few 64Mb (overkill) models with 3G left when I got to the front.
I was not amused and think the 500+ people behind me were similarly annoyed. If I had known that they'd be stocking their own stores with so few a stock I would have ordered online and saved a day waiting in line.
This is a very poor lauch. Yes, they can say they had long lines but if you can't meet at least most of the demand, what is the point. You just piss people off. I think they just lost a customer. This may just be a sign I should save my money

Yesterday was the first time I tried to get an Apple device on launch day, and my experience will probably make it the last time I try as well.

I went to the Apple website at 5:45am EST yesterday, but as I wanted to get the device before I left on a trip next Friday, the 3-5 days before shipping (with no option for priority shipping either) made me decide to try my luck in the evening.

Then I heard that AT&T's website was allowing orders in the morning with quicker shipping, so I tried to purchase from the AT&T website. But it required me to select a Data Plan - and around step 3, I had to agree to a 2-year commitment! I realize that I might still have been able to cancel it, but that scared me off sufficiently to stop the order before submitting it.

In the evening I went to the local AT&T store (I live in a suburb of DC) and they told me that they didn't receive any new iPads (although they had some original iPads available). I asked if any other local AT&T stores had them, and they told me that the closest one they knew about that even received a shipment was in Hagerstown, which is over an hour outside of town. So much for pushing the iPads to retail outlets...

I did swing by the Apple store, but as I had to work until 6pm, that was a fruitless exercise. The local Best Buys also had very limited inventory that were quickly swiped up. I don't think Apple flooded retail outlets with the iPads, I just think they didn't produce enough to meet the demand.

I guess I'll just have to order at the Apple website and wait the month it will take to get it.

I ordered a white 16GB Wifi from Apple at 3:38AM EST. It is being prepared for shipment this morning. I'll update when it ships.

A very helpful ATT service agent that I chatted with says shipping in 5-7 days (it's 'free 2-day shipping'). Also, during the ordering process, it asks you for your DOB and SS#, and requires you to check a box that says "agree to a 2-year agreement." The agent says that does not mean anything, it's still month-to-month, but you'll still have to check the box.

Weird. I'll skip ordering from these guys.

They were showing 64GB as being available when I checked 15 mins ago.

Keep in mind that they were dealing with 18 different models and without unlimited space to put them. Even if they cleared out every other item, most stores probably would only have roon for say 1000 total units. Across 18 skis that's only 55 of each unit. So even if everyone in front you could only get 1 each they still could have sold out of the exact one you wanted. Double the number and it was still possible.

No matter what Apple does they lose in some groups eyes. And the staff always loses because they get yelled and cussed at. I even once saw a guy taken away by the police for threatening to hunt down the store manager and beat her senseless and her kids too. Over a phone. Seriously? It is just a phone.

Personally I think that Apple should do reservations, and then have the system cut it off at how many the store can handle with staffing each day and send out email claim tickets. No walkins. You want to change your mind you cancel and you go to the end. Sorry but it is the system. At the end of the day the system sends the next batch according to how many are in stock, what models and the capacity. Or you order online.

Although I think Apple tried a system like that with one of he iPhones. May be it was the 4 post launch day.

My apple order shipped this morning. Looks like it's coming from out the country. It's showing international service on the fedex page.