iPad Buyers Still Lining Up (AAPL)

Even while admitting that its sample was biased toward younger, more tech-savvy consumers, Baird Equity Research demonstrates yet again what a juggernaut Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL). Forbes reports that in an on-line survey of 488 potential customers, 24% indicated that they would be purchasing a new iPad in the next three months.

Here are some other eye-openers:

• 48% of existing iPad owners will buy a new iPad
• 42% of new iPad purchasers are first-timers
• 15% of customers will buy a discounted iPad 2
• 60% plan to buy the 4G LTE version of the new iPad

Forbes also nailed the most interesting result of the survey:

Although 81% of of these tech savvy online respondents had a pretty good idea what 4G meant, only 41% thought they knew what LTE was. Of that 41%, 13% correctly identified it as an acronym for “Long Term Evolution.” (Other guesses: “Light Transfer Expansion” and “Long Telecom Exposure.”) More than 20% thought it was a proprietary technology.

We’ll soon see if what you don’t know can hurt you — in the wallet.