Apple's new iPad already on sale in Australia

People in the land down under became the first to get their hands on the newest version of Apple's market share-leading tablet device. The new iPad went on sale, as scheduled, at 8:00 AM. Around 200 people were lined up at Apple's flagship store on George Street in Sydney. It's not the most significant launch line ever, but it's enough to show that people are excited.

The new iPad has disappointed some because it's seen more as an incremental upgrade of the iPad 2. But that incremental upgrade is more than enough for Apple's most ardent fans. The biggest change is the addition of Retina Display technology, which brings superior graphical power to the device in a way that no other consumer electronic device has before.

The man who was first in line at the Sydney location showed up there four days ago. He was quoted by BusinessWeek as saying, "I've just had some changes of clothes, some shorts, a warm jacket. The Apple guys have been pretty good letting me use their bathroom." He was paid around $1,000 by the website Airtasker.com to grab the spot in line.

[via BusinessWeek]