iPad already showing up on Walmart shelves

By Michael Rose
The retail range of the iPad has expanded dramatically over the past few weeks, with Target now carrying them and Best Buy expanding sales to all stores (instead of the original footprint that only included stores with Apple specialists). Rumors of the Big Kahuna, however, have occupied the minds of would-be buyers; as noted last week, Walmart and iPad would be a match made in mass-market heaven.

Over the weekend, rumors have gradually converted into reality. MacRumors cleared the decks late Friday night with internal Walmart correspondence that indicated a 1,000-store launch in October with additional outlets coming online in November. Later on, an eagle-eyed Denver shopper snapped a picture of an iPad actually out on the shelves in a local Walmart.

For our readers outside the US who may be saying "Target, Walmart, what's the big deal?" — keep in mind that Target has about 1,750 outlets in the States, while Walmart has more than 4,300. Once the iPad rolls out across the full field as a Walmart offering, it will be front and center for the vast majority of US shoppers.

Update: Thanks to reader Brian H., we've added his photo of the iPad neatly ensconced in the iDevice display at his local Walmart in Searcy, AR.

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