iPad “Not for sale or lease” until the FCC says so

Curious about when you can order the iPad, or why the Apple store never went down during Steve’s presentation? You’ll have to wait until March for a WiFi iPad, and April for the 3G. Turns out the FCC is to blame. At the end of the introductory video is a brief and tiny message which states:

“This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.”

At issue is the fact that the iPad can use AT&T’s 3G network (even though not all of them do), which means it falls under the auspices of the FCC, which regulates cell phones (among other public broadcasting spectrums). It’s a similar situation to the release of the original iPhone: Steve brought it out six months before you could buy it, because they’d have to submit it to the FCC for review, thus blowing the surprise.

Way to tease, Apple.