Five Reasons To Pre-Order The iPadFive Reasons To Pre-Order The iPad

The Apple iPad will be available to pre-order starting Friday, March 12. If you're in the market for Apple's "magical" device, here are five reasons why you should sign up early and buy on the very first day.1. Supply May Be Limited: Reports have been inconsistent about this, but there's a possibility that initial demand may outstrip supply. If you're serious about acquiring an iPad the first day it's available for sale (April 3), pre-ordering is the best way. Apple is going to let users sign up and reserve a unit for in-store pick-up. Your odds of scoring an iPad will be much better than if you just show up at an Apple Store on launch day. I mean, seriously, more than, like, 10 people might be interested in your neck of the woods, so be sure to pre-order.

2. You Love Being An Early Adopter: You don't keep up with the Joneses, you ARE the Joneses. You want to be the first to land the next best thing. The iPad could be it. Screw what the critics say about it, you just gotta have it!

3. You're In The Market For A Netbook, But Think They All Suck: I've been in the market for a netbook for over a year now, and just can't bring myself to pull the trigger. Why? They all fall short in one way or another. Maybe you feel the same way. Sure, the iPad has a lot of limitations (no camera, no multitasking, no real keyboard), but you don't care about stuff like that. The iPad just might cover your netbook needs in a sexier package. Besides, you'll then be able to turn your snooty nose up at "not-books", because, by golly, you'll have an iPad (which is not at all like a bachelor pad).

4. You're An Apple Fan-Boi To The Core (pun intended): It doesn't matter what Apple makes, you have to buy it -- and buy into the hype! Not just interesting new products, but the silly over-priced, nickel-and-dime-you-to-death accessories that Apple makes for everything it sells. Need a power cord with that? Sure! Need a power cord for your power cord? Yes, gimme one of those, too! Need a device that does everything your iPhone does and half the things your MacBookPro 17-inch laptop does and will add to our ridiculous $50 gajillion war-chest? Yes! Where do I sign up!

5. You Don't Mind Getting Screwed By The 'Early Adopter Tax': Early adopters often pay a financial penalty for being the first to acquire new technology. Apple infamously dropped the price of the iPhone by $200 just two and a half months after the device went on sale, leaving all those who lined up to get one on the first day feeling like they'd been kicked in the groin. You, however, are a glutton for punishment, don't mind some financial pain, and certainly don't mind being a sucker! Will Apple drop the price of the iPad from its entry-level $499 price tag? I doubt it, but stranger things have happened. You also won't mind it when Apple adds features in just a few months, leaving you with an out-dated piece of tech that has no chance of selling on eBay.