Ending one of the worst-kept secrets in the world of technology, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the much-hyped iPad tablet reader in San Francisco Wednesday.

“We want to kick off 2010 with a truly revolutionary and magical product,” CEO Steve Jobs told a packed audience at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

So everyone’s wondering just how much this thing is going to set us back. According to MSNBC.com, pricing starts at $499, and tech geeks can expect the gadget to hit shelves in 60 to 90 days.

The iPad will cost $499 for a 16-gigabyte model, $599 for a 32 GB version and $699 for a 64-gigabyte model with Wi-Fi only, and will be available in 60 days. It will cost an additional $130 for units that also can use 3G, which should be out in 90 days, making the most expensive model $829. Jobs said AT&T will charge $29.99 a month for “unlimited use” and $14.99 a month for up to 250 megabytes. There will be no contract with AT&T required for the plans….

The wireless device can be used with Wi-Fi, as well as run on AT&T’s 3G.