Apple's new iPad goes on sale (photos)

Apple's new iPad has begun its march around the globe. The tablet is arriving in stores in nine countries today, starting with Australia and moving on to Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, France, the U.K., and the U.S.

The buyer of the very first new iPad was David Tarasenko, who got his hands on a white 64GB iPad Wi-Fi + 4G model at a midnight launch at the flagship Telstra store on George Street in Sydney, Australia.

Editors' note: We'll be updating this slideshow regularly well into Friday as more locations get the iPad.

Tarasenko hoists his iPad, still in the box. The device, unveiled just last week, sports a higher-resolution Retina Display similar to that of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S and an updated processor (Apple's A5X chip) as well as a 4G connection.

Singapore shoppers line up to become some of the first in the world to get their hands on Apple's new iPad.

A family in Singapore checks out their brand new iPad.

It's a calm scene at the Apple store in Tokyo's Ginza district. Regarding the new iPad: "It felt like a much larger tablet then its predecessor, and far heavier too," said ZDNet's Hana Stewart-Smith. "What surprised me most was the heat emanating from the device."

Shoppers wait for their chance to buy an iPad at a Wal-Mart in Union City, Calif. Wal-Mart stores got the jump on Apple by releasing the third-generation iPad a full eight hours before Apple stores were to open their doors.

Joseph Pinkasfeld, an iOS programmer, carries a new third-generation iPad out of the Apple store across the street from the Paris opera house, visible in the background.

The flamboyant Paris opera house offers something interesting to look at while waiting in line for a third-generation iPad.

Balloon-toting women advertised LeKiosque, a company that sells digital magazines and newspapers, to French iPad customers.

This advertisement for an Amazon Kindle stood on a bus stop a few feet away from the Apple store in Paris where hundreds had queued to buy a third-generation iPad tablet instead.

Damp, dreary weather envelops shoppers lined up outside Apple's landmark Cube in New York.

Representatives from Change.org were at the Apple store on Fifth Ave. in New York for the third-generation iPad launch to deliver a petition with 250,000 signatures calling for Apple to make sure its workers overseas are treated properly.

Biding time in line in Manhattan. So what will this man do with his old iPad?

Eric Ladd traveled to New York City from Brazil to buy his third-generation iPad. He was one of the first people to emerge with his iPad from the store on Fifth Ave.

It wouldn't be day one of a new iPad going on sale without a media horde tagging along with the throng of gadget buyers. This is in Palo Alto, Calif.

Stephanie Pena and Chris Strike, the first two in line at the Apple Store in Palo Alto, have been in line since Wednesday night. Stephanie will be a first-time iPad buyer, while Chris is upgrading from the original iPad.

The line forms outside the Apple Store in downtown San Francisco, with just over 100 people queued up.