Apple’s press release is here.

The key points are that U.S. customers can start pre-ordering the iPad on the Apple web site starting on March 12th.  The WiFi-only version will be available in Apple stores and online starting on April 3rd.  The WiFi+3G version will be available in late April.

Both models will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK by late April, other countries “later this year.”

Since I have a US credit card and a US mailing address, I have the option of ordering one from the first batch.  (I don’t think I will.)  There is no word in the press release regarding whether the WiFi+3G version will be sold locked to a specific carrier or not. The announced pricing would seem to indicate that there is no carrier subsidy and that one would be free to select the carrier of one’s choice.

• WiFi:  $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB.
• Wi-Fi + 3G $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB and $829 for 64GB.

But that would not be an issue for me because of my PCCW WiFi Everywhere pocket WiFi device.  Not to mention the fact that I have no desire to sign yet another contract with another carrier for another service.   (I should start looking into getting local SIM cards for my Pocket WiFi rather than leaving it behind each time I travel.)

That then leaves open the question of this being version 1.0 of a device.  I feel some degree of comfort because, unlike with the iPhone version 1, we are at least talking about a relatively mature operating system although the performance and reliability of the hardware remains unknown.  For that reason alone, I might well decide to wait for it to be released in Hong Kong (late July?) because by then the reviews will be in, probably a bug-fix release of the OS or firmware will be out and there will be local warranty support for the hardware.

As for why I would want to get one, there are certain things I do on the iPhone now that would be improved with a larger screen and I think that soon after its release we will see a new generation of apps that have been optimized for the iPad and not the iPhone – I’m especially interested to see what they might release in terms of photo editing software.  I have no desire to use it as a music player, but could see using it as a portable video player.  As for whether I would like the eBook reader application enough to want to give up my Kindle, that of course remains to be seen.

I know that many of my readers have already formed an opinion on the iPad, some pro, some con.  If you’ve already decided one way or the other, what’s your reason for the decision?