Apple's iPad: Questions you want to ask yourself before pre-ordering

Friday morning, I got up at 6, and staggered off to the kitchen to make breakfast, as I usually do on weekdays. But then I stopped short, a thought attempting to penetrate my sleep-numb brain. The thought was:

The iPad goes on pre-order today.

So I did a 180 and staggered into my home office, where I attempted to work the computer. My brain doesn't operate very well at the early stages of the wake-up process. I got it all figured out -- so many buttons! and bright lights! -- and within a few minutes I'd ordered two iPads, one for myself, and one for my wife, who has deemed that this time around she's not going to accept my hand-me-down gadgets. I ordered a few accessories for each of us. When I was done, the total damage to my credit card was $1,739.78.

I put my head between my legs and breathed shallowly into a paper bag until the dizziness stopped. It's by far the most money I ever spent before breakfast. And I'm self-employed, starting up a new business in the middle of the Great Recession. And--

Hold on a minute. I'm getting dizzy again.

So here it is, the Monday after, and maybe you'd like an iPad. You're asking yourself if you should pre-order one, or wait until they go on sale April 3. You want to know which model to buy. I can't tell you what to do, but I can give you some questions you want to ask yourself.

Do you need to have it right away, or can you wait?

If you're really eager to get your hands on the latest and greatest Apple gadget, then pre-order. If you can wait, then wait. Most people will probably want to wait until the device has been available for a few weeks, and the early reviews have come in. They'll want to wait until their early adopter friends have bought iPads, and get their friends' opinions. Some people will want to wait months for the bugs to shake out in software, or even a year or two for Version 2.0. These are all sensible options.

On the other hand, some of us love Apple products, and we're willing to gamble, and we're willing to shell out for early access. If the iPad turns out to be a lemon, then we'll have wasted our money. Nobody will give us any sympathy, nor will we deserve any.

I expect the iPad will be a great product, and those of us who bought early will be glad we did. But I could be wrong.

Do you want the iPad delivered to your house April 3, or can you wait at the store to buy one?

Waiting on line can be fun. It's a festive environment. Everyone around you is in a good mood, they're there for the same reason, to buy the same new toy. I've waited on line on opening day for Apple products twice -- in 2007 and 2008, for the original iPhone and iPhone 3G -- and enjoyed it both times.

On the other hand: Standing in line takes most of the day. Boy, was I footsore when I was done. Having done it twice, I've had the experience, and I'm done with it. I want someone to bring me one to my house this time. That's why I pre-ordered.

If you do decide to wait in line, be sure to bring food and water. Be willing to chat and be friendly with the people around you. Bring books and magazines to occupy yourself when you're not chatting. And bring a camp chair. Definitely bring a camp chair.

You can also reserve iPads online or on the phone to pick up at the Apple Store. I see that as the worst of both worlds: You're locked in to ordering your iPad in advance, and you still have to stand in line like a common schlemiel. I don't see any real advantage to reserving in advance.

If you pre-order now, when will the shipment arrive?

If you're willing to pre-order an iPad sight-unseen, that means you're eager to get your hands on one. Be sure to check the arrive-by date on the Apple Store before you finalize your order. At this writing on Sunday, the Apple Store was still saying that iPads ordered then would arrive April 3.

That covers the basics. Now the questions get harder.