Start the queues and heed the hype: The iPad is nearly here

I'm guessing fans with pockets full of dough will start lining up sometime the day before the big event on April 3. It happens with all the superstars. They don't want to get to the front of the line only to hear those dreadful words: "Sorry, sold out."

No, it's not tickets for the Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus tour. I'm talking about something even bigger -- the first day the Apple iPad will be available.

The frenzy started long before this oversized iPod Touch was unveiled. Some estimates say as many as 200,000 of the devices have been preordered. Only a handful of journalists and Apple faithful have seen or touched iPads, yet the gadgets are selling faster than Usain Bolt sprinting 100 meters with a tailwind.

There are so many questions about the iPad, that I've decided to take a wait-and-see approach before plunking down at least $500 for one. The thing I'm most curious to learn is how Appleheads will use the device. Will it be tucked under their arms as they move through the day, being called into service when they may otherwise have used a laptop or smartphone? Or will it be used primarily at home?

In simpler terms, will it be a "leaning forward" or "leaning back" device? The former suggests more serious information gathering while the latter would have users have more passive experiences, such as watching videos and movies. In the case of the iPad-for-entertainment scenario, will couples be cozying up with a romantic comedy in their king-size bed? I've heard speculation that the 9.7-inch screen at arm's length may be a workable replacement for a television sitting on a dresser across the room.

Another burning question is what types of content will be available and how quickly developers will add to the iPad department of Apple's popular App store. Developers at The New York Times and USA Today are working to finish their iPad-formatted publications, and some people are touting the device as the white knight that will rescue the newspaper industry.

I think the iPad is one piece of the puzzle that will shift customers from paying for print subscriptions to paying for electronic subscriptions. The ace in the hole for the iPad is the already-loyal customer base buying digital content from Apple today. There are 125 million iTunes and App store accounts. Steve Jobs and company have made it easy to buy digital bits and bytes.

Apple said it plans to ship 4 million iPads this year. Sales of the Amazon Kindle devices are in the 700,000 to 900,000 range, according to some estimates. Many of their loyal followers also said they're eyeing the iPad.

I think I'll keep my eye on what's happening and line up for the arrival of the iPad2 -- whenever that may come.

Share your Internet story with me at agibes@reviewjournal.com.