(Actually) Buying the Ipad ("new" "new"/mini/micro/nano/whateverIt'sCalled one)

Lifeforms

Hello!
Just wondered if anyone out there has experience on buying upon release either the "new" ipad last release, or the new iphone recently?

Basically can I pre-order it online & pay then walk in on release day, and pick up in store? (avoid the potential queues to buy cash/card in hand)

Is it better to order online for home delivery?

If I buy in store, can I spend a while there setting it up with my account, thus downloading apps on their connection? (like will someone do that for me for playing on the way home?) Or do they give you a box and say tough?

How long after the press release do they typically "open" the online store for pre-orders?

Thanks!

InsideInsurance

Every release is slightly different, the rumoured release date is 2nd Nov

With the last iPad there was no preorder option via Apple. With the iPhone where pre-order is possible it doesnt get you out of queuing but does get you out of queuing and then finding there are none in stock left

By instore do you mean an Apple store or another company (eg Currys)? Apple will set it up for you, if youre replacing an existing device thats backed up to iCloud they will do the restore for you. If you buy from somewhere else you probably wont get the same service.

Apple stores have free wifi all the time and so you can always use it to download apps on their connection. They may ask you to leave the store if its over crowded but the range of the wifi normally extends a fair way out into the street/ shopping centre. If not there is always Starbucks, McDonalds or one of the hundreds of other places with free wifi

I bought my iPad "3" on release day this year, I walked into Dixon's Duty Free at Heathrow at 11am ish, no queue, plenty of stock left and left with the one I wanted about 10 minutes later.