I actually think the timing is about right. We're 9 days out from delivery date and they've pre-auth'd the cards. I expect cards to be charged tonight and tomorrow. Now - how long does it take to ship from China to the US and then stage for delivery? 4 days? 5 days? They also should give those folks who got caught off guard and had the charge declined the chance of making things right - giving an alternate card.
The only issue I have with all of this is that they changed the shipping type to 'priority'. If that's the case we better not see these things arrive in the US and then sit in Memphis for 3 days until the official roll-out delivery date. That's what surprise me - saying that the units would deliver on the 30th. Why not deliver them as they get here.
This is probably what's going to happen. And they probably have to be delivered to the apple stores by 4/29 to be able to get them entered into inventory and ready for display and whatnot. So close and yet so far...