Desperate for that new iPad? Buy it at Wal-Mart at 12:01 a.m.
Wal-Mart is getting a jump on Apple's retail store sales of the third-generation iPad by almost eight hours.
Apple's retail stores are ushering in iPad shoppers at 8 a.m. tomorrow in your time zone, but Wal-Mart says it can do eight hours better.
The retail giant is throwing open its doors to tablet shoppers at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, at 24-hour Wal-Mart stores. Of course, supplies are "limited." According to Wal-Mart spokesperson Sarah Spencer, the availability of iPads with a variety of storage capacities will vary by store.
For instance, Wal-Mart noted that it will sell the 16GB Wi-Fi model in black or white for $499, and the last-generation iPad 2 for $399.
Wal-Mart stores that aren't open around the clock will start selling iPads during their normal business hours.
Stick with CNET as we cover sales from Wal-Mart and from various Apple stores across the country. Also stay tuned for CNET's full iPad review. In the meantime, here's what our sister site, CNET Asia, had to say after snagging their own Wi-Fi-only version of the iPad at midnight their time.
Article updated at 2:15 p.m. PT with more details on availability of iPads with a variety of storage capacities.