Apple iPad preorders are a go, limit two per customer

Early this morning, Apple finally opened the floodgates for iPad preorders. You can preorder the tablet at the Apple online store for free home delivery on its launch day, April 3. You can also choose to reserve an iPad for pickup at an Apple store on April 3.

The iPad starts at $499 for the 16GB model with Wi-Fi, and there’s also a 32GB model available for $599, and a $699 64GB version. If you want 3G included, tack an extra $130 on your model of choice, and be prepared to wait until late April for it to ship. Apple is limiting preorders to two iPads per customer — which isn’t necessarily unusual for a new product launch.

To coincide with the preorder frenzy, Apple has also added a new feature page for the iPad’s iBooks application. The page mostly confirms what we already know about the application, including the fact that it will support the open ePub e-book format, MacRumors reports. This means users will be able to import ePub content into iTunes, and sync it to the iPad. Other nifty features include the ability to tap on words and see definitions from the iPad’s built-in dictionary, as well as the ability to search on Wikipedia and the web.

But of course, along with the excitement surrounding the impending release of a new Apple product, come the many reasons why you should stay away. There’s the price, which may drop in several months to better compete with other tablet competitors. You’re also taking a risk by jumping on the first release of new hardware, which may have unforeseen bugs and quirks. You can find a good (but admittedly disingenuous) collection of reasons not to follow the iPad’s siren song at Gizmodo.

Are you preordering the iPad, or choosing to abstain? Let us know in the comments. Personally, I’m waiting for the inevitably cheaper, and more open, Android tablets.