Say it ain't so, Steve. I need an iPad RIGHT NOW, but I can (maybe) wait until the end of March. However, an analyst is speculating that the release may be delayed a month.

When it was unveiled by Apple, it was announced that the iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a suggested retail price of US$499 for the 16GB model, $599 for the 32GB model, $699 for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model and $829 for the 64GB model.

However, Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek told clients in a report -- as noted by "Fortune" (http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/03/01/ipad-might-be-del...) -- that a manufacturing bottleneck could limit supplies or push the launch to April. On the bright side, he doesn't expect the delay to materially affect iPad sales for fiscal 2010 or 2011, which he had pegged for 1.2 million and 3.5 million units, respectively.

"An unspecified production problem at the iPad’s manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision, will likely limit the launch region to the US and the number of units available to roughly 300K in the month of March, far lower than the company’s initial estimate of 1,000K units," Misek told clients. "The delay in production ramp will likely impact Apple’s April unit estimate of 800K as well. It is also possible that, given the limited number of units available in March, the launch will be delayed for a month."

-- Dennis Sellers