iPad pre-orders now being taken

Apple’s iPad web tablet, which offers a range of competing eBook reader Apps, is now available for UK customers to pre-order.

Although the iPad lacks the e-ink screens of dedicated readers, it does allow users to download and read books from a variety of retailers including Amazon’s Kindle service, self-publishing community Wattpad and Apple’s own iBooks store

In addition digital magazine publishers Zinio are also supporting the iPad.

Prices for the device start from £429 for a WiFi only version with the largest memory 3G variant, which offers mobile broadband connectivity, costs £699 inc vat.

The full prices are:

16GB, wifi only – £429 inc vat
32GB, wifi only – £499 inc vat
64GB, wifi only – £599 inc vat
16GB, wifi/3G – £529 inc vat
32GB, wifi/3G – £599 inc vat
64GB, wifi/3G – £699 inc vat

Apple say the device will be on sale in the UK from Friday, May 28th.