Apple iPad: How much will it cost and when can I get it?

Update 14 May 2010: Apple has announced the iPad will cost from £429 for the basic Wi-Fi only model, up to £699 for the most capacious 3G unit. It's ready to pre-order from Apple's Web site and will currently ship by 7 June. The original story on this page continues below.

The good news is that the Apple iPad won't cost you your first born, and it's probably coming to the UK this summer.

Apple announced that the tablet PC will start at $499 (£310) for a 16GB model with Wi-Fi but no 3G, rising to $599 (£370) for a 32GB version and $699 (£430) for a 64GB behemoth.

Add $130 (£80) to each price and you also get 3G, so you can stay connected on the move -- a crucial feature, we think. That makes the most expensive model a 64GB iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G for $829 (£514).

Apple says the Wi-Fi models will begin shipping out to US stores in 60 days, followed by 3G tablets 30 days after that. It estimates that we should get the iPad in the rest of the world around June or July this year.

Apple has announced a new kind of data plan in the US for its iPad tablet PC. Americans will pay $14.99 (£9) a month for 250MB of data or $29.99 (£19) for unlimited data, pre-paid with no contract. We'll have to wait and see what the UK networks come up with to tempt us when the iPad comes our way.

Watch our video review of the iPad below:

Let us know in the comments -- if Apple has convinced you the tablet is craveable, which of the iPad models would you be willing to shell out your hard-earned dosh for?