iPad Hysteria Reaches Breaking Point: People Already Lining Up

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This is Greg Packer. He's a retired highway maintenance worker who's been waiting in line for the iPad at the Fifth Avenue Apple store since Tuesday. Turns out it's not just the lure of the iPad compelling Parker to sit outside on the street for days on end—he likes to be first for a lot of stuff. Well, guess everyone needs a hobby.

In other iPad news: turns out Best Buy and Apple Stores aren't the only ones receiving shipments of the iPad—local Apple dealers will also have the device for sale on Saturday, so if you live near one, call ahead to check on stock—especially since Best Buys are only getting 15 iPads per store.

Elsewhere: talk show host David Letterman got an iPad, did his Top-Ten on it, and then licked it. The iPad edition of Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal will cost $17.29 a month—compare that to $11.67 to get both the print and web edition. Apple has hired professional security guards to watch iPad shipments in stores and at all UPS locations (what is this!? Harry Potter??). And the iPad store is finally available for download on iTunes.

Consumer experience built upon consumer experience built on consumer experience. Those Apple guys are brilliant.
· Meet Greg Packer: The first Person in Line for an iPad [Mashable]
· David Letterman gets an iPad [Mashable]
· Apple Stores and Best Buys not the only places to get an iPad on Saturday [Engadget]
· WSJ iPad subscription officially $17.29 per month—is Murdoch insane? [Engadget]
· UPD iPad shipments under guard [BGR]
· iPad apps now available for purchase in the iTunes app store [BGR]
· All iPad coverage [Racked]