Did Apple Rush the iPad 2 Launch?

It's hard to escape the idea that Apple rushed the iPad 2 launch.  After waiting in line for 3 hours on Friday,  there were barely any iPads left by the time I got to the front of the line.  I wanted an White AT&T iPad, but ended up with a black one instead.

By all accounts, the lines for the iPad 2 were not any heavier than for the original or the iPhone 4, yet Apple seemed to have far fewer devices on hand than at those launches, with many people in the line being turned away and told that there won't be any left for them by the time they get to the front of the line.

Apple's web site is now quoting 3-4 weeks on delivery time for the iPad 2 - and that's after just 3 days of sales.  Signs suggest that either Apple underestimated demand for the iPad 2 (unlikely) or that they launched with far less inventory than they would have liked to - and if so - why?

There's a whole Kremlinology built up on reading the tea leaves from Apple, so I'll avoid any conspiracy theories and just leave it at this: it seems like this was not the smoothest of launch events for Apple.

Launch lines were long and full of disappointed people.  Photo by Brandon Flasch