Radio Shack about to nab iPad 2

If you prefer to buy all your electronics at Radio Shack, you’ll now finally be able to buy an iPad device.

But that’s probably less than 1% of the population. For everyone else, the fact that Apple’s newest tablet is coming to the discount retailer underscores just how mainstream the iPad brand has become.

Very rarely does a gadget that costs $500+ hit the mainstream in such a way that nearly everyone feels compelled to buy it. That’s like the mindset with computers and TVs. Is it possible that the iPad has reached that same level of “essential gadget” status?

Radio Shack is known for offering heavy discounts on products like mobile phones – discounts that no one else has. But for those hoping the iPad 2 will receive similar treatment, keep dreaming. Although the store’s price wasn’t confirmed, you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll be the same price as everyone else.

So this story is more about highlighting the dominating presence of the iPad brand than anything else. Radio Shack will be added to Best Buy, Walmart, and Target in the list of stores offering the tablet.

Not every Radio Shock will be getting stocked up, but most of them will – 500 stores are in the cards for iPad 2.