Apple is reportedly getting set to roll out its iPad 3 in the first week of March in one of its big special events in San Francisco.

AllThingsD cites unnamed sources who say there is no indication yet when customers will actually be able to get their hands on the new tablets. They are usually available a week or two after the unveiling.

It is expected that the new iPads will look like the first two generations but have much faster chips and a much sharper display.

Starting before Amazon.com released its Kindle Fire tablet in November, there has been frequent speculation about whether and how Apple would respond. One report described Apple working on a smaller-sized tablet in a direct move to take on the Fire; that report said a full-sized iPad update would come out early this year and the smaller version later in the year.