iPad Pre-Orders to Start Next Week? [RUMOR]

We’re still classifying this very much as a rumor, although Apple has made products available via pre-order in the past. Notably, iPhone-related pre-orders have all been through the wireless carrier or carrier reseller, so take this for what it is: a rumor.

When Apple unveiled the iPad a few weeks ago, one of the many questions (aside from “Where’s the Flash?”) that arose from the presentation was, “Where can I get one?” Although Steve Jobs said that the Wi-Fi units would start shipping about 60 days after the announcement (putting us at the end of March) with the 3G models to follow a month later, no official release date has been announced and thus far, potential customers have been asked to fill out a “notify me” form at Apple’s website for more information.
February 25 would be about a month ahead of the projected release date, which would give Apple more time to rev up its production to meet pre-order demand and stock stores.

Two weeks ago, there were reports that two Norwegian Apple resellers had to suspend their own pre-order initiatives because of overwhelming demand.
Adding to the excitement/confusion/frustration is Apple’s decision to conceal freight records from public access. These records can often indicate when a product will be arriving on store shelves, but after experiencing a leak with regards to the iPhone 3G’s arrival date, Apple has taken more precautions in concealing that sort of data.
Here’s what we want to know from you: Assuming the iPad does become available for pre-order in the next few weeks, will you buy one in advance? Let us know in the comments!