Reminder: iPad Mini and ‘iPad 4’ Pre-Orders Begin at 12:01 AM Pacific

For those of you looking to get your hands on the iPad mini, or a new 4th-gen iPad, pre-orders will begin through the Apple Online Store at 12:01 AM Pacific time in the first 26 countries the devices will launch in.

Apple’s pre-orders can get crazy. The pre-orders always sell out quite quickly (in just one hour for the iPhone 5!), and Apple’s servers often have issues due to the huge number of people on the site. You might have to keep trying for 20 minutes, or maybe even an hour – but persistence pays off!

Here are a few tips to help make sure you get your pre-order in before the shipping delays set in!

• Know when pre-orders begin in your local time! One good way to do this is to visit WolframAlpha, and type in “When it is midnight in Cupertino, CA what time is it in [Your City, State and/or Country]”.

• Set your alarm! Whether you plan on staying up late or not, set an alarm for 20 minutes before pre-orders begin – that way you’re safe even if you accidentally doze off while waiting!

• Starting shortly after pre-order time begins, keep checking this page, which will update when orders begin.

• Use the Apple Store app (direct link) – with the iPhone 5 launch, most people had much better success using the Apple Store iOS app than using the webpage. Pre-orders even went live a few minutes early!

The first round of pre=orders are available in the following countries: U.S, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

We’ll update this page as soon as we hear pre-orders are live!

UPDATE:  The Apple Store is now down to prepare for pre-orders!

UPDATE 2: Pre-orders are live! Order now!

While you’re waiting, make sure to check out our guides to help you decide what to buy – and what to do with your old iPad!

• Which new iPad should you buy?
• Seven things to do with your old iPad
• When and where to buy your new iPad
• How to sell your old iPad for the most money (so you can buy a new, shiny one!)