The Apple iPad was released on Saturday 3rd April 2010, available in the USA only. We couldn’t miss this opportunity to get hold of the much-hyped wonder-device, so there was only one thing to do – go to New York and get one.

It was a whirlwind trip, after setting off from home at 3am on Friday 2nd April, we arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport at 2pm local time. There was time for a quick shower to freshen up before heading uptown to the Apple Store on 5th Avenue. I’ve been to New York previously, but before Apple built their iconic glass cube covering the entrance to the vast subterranean 5th Avenue store, so it was a sight to behold.

A small line was already in place when we got there at 5pm, but realising it was going to be a long night we wisely decided to hunt out some lawn chairs and a good hearty meal before joining the queue. Chairs bought and 24oz rib-eye consumed we joined the line at 8:30pm, the evening before the iPad launch at 9am. By the time we arrived they had split the small queue into two, one for those with reservations and the other for those without.

It was a very long, very cold, mercifully dry but very boring night. The nearest food and restroom facilities were a very dark and lonely two-block walk away. There were a few interesting punctuations to the boredom, most notably at about 4am when the Apple employees tried to set out the barriers for the expected crowds. It proved somewhat of a challenge for them and we were shuffled back and forth whilst they figured it out.

At about 6am the news network vans started showing up, I didn’t see any of the coverage but it looked as if three or four national networks were running outside broadcasts from the sidewalk in front of the store. The media were also looking for interviews from those in the line. Aware that it would be potential good PR for Exploding Phone I was tempted to seek the spotlight. But after a long night in the cold, besides looking quite dishevelled, I didn’t think I would be able to muster the necessary  eloquence to create a good impression for the company. Besides, talking to those around me in the queue it was clear my story would have been far from unique. The queue seemed to be made up mainly of Europeans who had, like me, travelled to the US to buy an iPad.

As the time approached the line swelled and the atmosphere built. Gizmodo turned up with goodie bags for those at the front of the queue which was appreciated (and a whole lot more than Apple gave us to show their appreciation). It contained an assortment of motley accessories, the most useful of which was a case for the as-yet un-purchased iPad.

With excitement as close to fever pitch as it can get after you’ve been awake for 36 hours, 9am arrived and in true Apple style there was a countdown before lots and lots of whooping and hollering. The line was released and we quickly filed towards the store. Apple employees lined the way, hands at the ready, eager to dish out high-fives as we passed. You enter the store down a massive spiral staircase made of glass and the volume coming from below as we descended was immense. There must have been about two hundred Apple employees lined up in the store clapping and cheering to greet us, which was nothing short of overwhelming.

The iPad was purchased along with one of every accessory available and we were out of the store and back on the sidewalk by ten past nine. We should have stuck around and soaked up the atmosphere but triumphant with my purchase all I craved by then was sleep.

Back at the hotel the iPad was opened and hastily synced with iTunes to get some content onto it. Although the hotel wi-fi was borderline first impressions didn’t disappoint. Only negative was that it felt a tiny bit heavier than I expected, but that didn’t matter, I wasn’t about to return it for a refund. I’ve had the iPad for almost a month now and I’ll share my thoughts in a separate post.

We slept through the day before venturing out to bar called 230 Fifth, which has a fantastic roof terrace overlooking the Empire State Building. We left New York the following morning, Sunday 4th April at 6am.

Oh, yes one last thing, most people ask what number in line I was. I was 5th.

To much anticipation, Apple has announced that the iPad will launch on 3rd April… in the US only.

It seems that the rumours of manufacturing delays must have had some substance as Apple have missed their self-imposed release deadline of the end of March. Furthermore there’s no solid release date for the UK or any other countries outside of the US yet.

So maybe we’re crazy, but a good friend and I have booked a flight to New York City on 2nd April to be there for the launch and get our mitts on a shiny new iPad. We fly back on the 4th so it’s a whistle stop trip purely focused on getting hold of one.

I must admit I’m very excited about the trip and looking forward to seeing some of our own applications running on an actual iPad. In true Apple style there is a massive amount of secrecy even still around the iPad and I’m sure there’ll be a few more surprises at launch.

We’ve already waited far too long for the iPad and now AppleInsider and others report that the iPad may be hit with manufacturing delays.

This is nothing short of a disaster.

In a note to investors issued Monday, analyst Peter Misek with Canaccord Adams said the issues could limit the initial launch to be in the U.S. only. He also speculated that Apple could even delay the launch of the iPad by a month due to alleged production issues. He writes :-

“The upcoming iPad launch may be somewhat limited as a manufacturing bottleneck has impacted production of Apple’s newest device.

An unspecified production problem at the iPad’s manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision, will likely limit the launch region to the US and the number of units available to roughly 300K in the month of march, far lower than the company’s initial estimate of 1,000K units.

The delay in production ramp will likely impact Apple’s April unit estimate of 800K as well. It is also possible that, given the limited number of units available in March, the launch will be delayed for a month.”