New iPad Goes On Sale In Apple Stores From 8AM Today

Everyone is so excited about the third generation iPad and this really is fast becoming the most anticipated iPad release to date. The huge Retina Display forms the centrepiece of what is going to be a very popular device. Apple has already seen a massive demand in pre-orders and it is safe to assume that once the doors open in the Apple Stores today there is going to be a huge rush as everyone tries to get their hands on this latest piece of Apple technology.

You can be sure that there will be people huddled up outside their nearest Apple Store in the hope that they are near the top of the queue and will indeed get their hands on a new iPad today. During other iPad releases, Apple stores have closed throughout the day to get ready for an early evening release which can often cause a lot of problems for customers and staff and it seems that this time round it is going to be different.

According to a photo that was posted over at 9to5Mac, it seems that stores will be opening at 8AM rather than the usual evening event. This is going to make things so much easier for staff to get to all the customers and of course it means that those who join the queues won’t have to wait for as long. It is also thought that Apple Store employees are to receive an extra 10% in their pay packets this month which although not confirmed would be a lovely gesture by Apple and it will show the public that they really do look after their staff and appreciate how hard they work during times like this.

New iPad goes on sale at Apple's Fifth Ave store:

Today only: iPads and iPods 10% cheaper on NewEgg

If you’ve missed all those Holiday sales don’t worry - NewEgg has got you covered with a rare 10% off deal on all iPads and iPods. There’s no catch, but you’d need to hurry up - the deal will only last one day, and that’s today. You’d need to enter the following code: EMCNHNA28 The code is valid until 11:59pm PST today, on February 9th, but if you order sooner you’d do better as there’s a fund limitation. Once it runs out, the promotion could end even earlier.

Now, that’s not everything NewEgg sells - it’s deal covers cameras, monitors, other Verizon smartphones and plenty of gadgets, but our guess is that the Apple products will be in biggest demand. Is 10% enough to lure you into purchase? Also, don’t forget that a little patience might go a long way - Apple is expected to unveil the next-generation iPad with improved battery and specs in a mere couple of weeks, so you might want to spare the piggy bank now.

Rumor alert: iPad 3 may be announced in February, to ship in March

Here is a spicy rumor to start your day with: the Apple iPad 3 is expected to be announced in February, according to Japanese blog Macotakara. Supposedly, Apple has an event scheduled for early next month, at which both the next-gen iPad and iOS 5.1 will be showed off. How do they know? Well, the folks at the aforementioned blog claim that sources in both Asia and the U.S. have told them exactly that. They also state that the iPad 3, and its name is just a guess at this time, will be available for purchase in early March.

Now, this isn't the first time when Macotakara treats us to an Apple-related rumor. In fact, just days ago, they suggested that the first iPad 3 batches will be ready for shipping in early March. However, their previous predictions have been quite inaccurate, although they managed to nail a number of iPhone 4S specs back in May. Nevertheless, as the case is with all rumors, it would be wise to take this one with a dose of disbelief for now.

What is rumored about the next iPad iteration is that the device will come with a display of resolution higher than that of its predecessor. Seeing a quad-core A6 processor ticking under its hood is not out of the question either. Of course, whether any of these improvements will be in tow or not will become apparent once the iPad 3 gets officially announced.

iPad free falls from space, survives to tell the story

If you’re a case maker for iPads, you really have to make something unique to stand out in the market. G-Form, makers of the Extreme cases for iPads, have just taken unique to the next level by launching the iPad in space. Or at least if we take a very vague definition of space - a distance over 100,000 feet above our planet. The official definition is more than three times that but let’s not be formalists here.

An iPad clad only in a G-Form Extreme Edge case was elevated to that height and then it was left to free fall back to Earth. The outcome? Yep, it survived and worked as if nothing happened.

G-Form with their Extreme case have a track record of dropping, throwing and driving over iPads, and the tablet has survived in all of the circumstances. Would that be enough to protect it from a kid, though? Our bet is yes, but you let us know how it fares if you own one.