Buyers in Asia, Europe and the United States praised the eye-poppingly sharp display on the new iPad but a device which is otherwise short on new technology failed to bring out the crowds seen at previous Apple product launches.
A queue of about 300 people wrapped around a corner of the Apple store in downtown San Francisco while close to 1,000 people lined up outside Apple's futuristic flagship location in Manhattan.
Local community college welding instructor Scott Miner staked out the prime first spot outside the San Francisco store, camping out for nearly 24 hours in a cold drizzle.
Apple-mania returned to Asia and Europe on Friday as the company's latest version of its iPad went on sale, drawing die-hard fans to shops selling the highly anticipated tablet computer.
Gadget fans lined up in the U.K., France, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore so they could be among the first to get their hands on the device.
The third version of Apple's iPad also went on sale in Australia, Germany and Switzerland and will be available in the U.S. and Canada from at 8 a.m. local time, with 25 other countries getting it a week later. The new model comes with a faster processor and a much sharper screen. It also boasts an improved camera, similar to that of the latest iPhone.
Apple's latest iPad drew the customary lines of die-hard fans looking to be first and entrepreneurs looking to make a quick profit.
Many buyers lined up for hours, and in some cases overnight, as the tablet computer went on sale in the U.S. and nine other countries. They did so even though Apple started accepting online orders a week ago.
The new, third model comes with a faster processor, a much sharper screen and an improved camera, though the changes aren't as big as the upgrade from the original model to the iPad 2.
