Hey, iPad buyers, everybody form a line

Anyone interested in getting his hands on an iPad Saturday morning can head to the Fashion Show early, as doors open at 7 a.m.

A mall concierge confirmed this afternoon that mall authorities are taking measures to prepare for lines of customers at the Apple Store. Doors open there at 9 a.m., so the wait won't be too long once customers get inside. There's a chance that people will line up earlier outside the Fashion Show mall doors, but I couldn't get the mall officials to confirm that they are preparing for that possibility.

I'm writing this post on a MacBook Pro computer in the Apple Store, where workers are fielding a steady stream of questions about the iPad from customers. The workers are playing dumb, saying they haven't been instructed in the iPad’s working yet. I wonder whether they'll be staying late tonight for a crash course.

There is a Starbucks in the mall if Apple staff needs to binge on caffeine. I called the Apple Store at the Town Square shopping center on the Strip and was told there are no lines outside its doors yet.

I'm guessing Apple’s move to have customers reserve iPads in advance will let most folks sleep in their beds tonight — especially if iPads with their names on them are waiting at the store.

If you really want to get an iPad Saturday and you didn't reserve one, I suggest you get to an Apple store by 3 p.m., as people who haven't claimed their reserved units will forfeit them, meaning there may some available.

I plan to head to the Fashion Show mall early Saturday to see and talk to the early birds. If you're coming, bring the coffee, please.