iPad Air Orders Officially Begin in U.S., Canada, and Europe

For those of you looking to get your hands on the new iPad Air, orders will begin through the Apple Online Store at 12:01 AM Pacific time in the U.S. and Canada region. Be ready – these are likely to go fairly quick, as usual!

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, and most Apple launches since, 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!

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

UPDATE:  The Apple Online Store is now down ahead of orders! Are you ordering, or waiting in line? Are you ready to snatch up an iPad Air before the orders become backorders

Update: The moment we have all been waiting for has arrived – after MUCH anticipation, Apple has finally begun accepting iPad Air orders through the Apple Online Store! Go get ’em! Orders are also available at the respective websites of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint for U.S. customers. Sales will begin at 8 AM local time at a variety of retailers, including Apple Retail Stores, Best Buy, and Walmart.

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!

• 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!)