No more speculation: Apple has just announced that the iPad sold over 300,000 units on its first day, encompassing preorders shipped to customers as well as sales at both Apple Store and Best Buy locations.

If you bought an iPad last Saturday, you certainly weren’t alone -- according to AppleInsider, the device moved more than 300,000 units on launch day, with Apple also disclosing that more than a million applications were downloaded from the App Store for the iPad. Apple’s iBookstore is also off to a bang, with more than 250,000 books downloaded on the first day alone.

"It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world -- it's going to be a game changer," Apple CEO Steve Jobs gushed in a company press release. "iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad."

Of course, the numbers will be a disappointment to some of the analysts -- in particular, Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster, who had forecast sales of 600,000 to 700,000 units this weekend after noting healthy supply at Apple retail stores. But it’s important to note that the weekend was cut short by the Easter holiday on Sunday, when Apple retail stores and Best Buy locations were closed.

Another analyst with some iPad egg on his face is Broadpoint AmTech’s Brian Marshall, who predicted sales of 525,000 units for launch weekend. Hitting the nail right on the head was Needham & Company’s Charlie Wolf, who all along expected sales of about 300,000 units.

Finally, Apple’s sales figures once and for all debunk early figures from the users on the AAPL Sanity Board at Investor Village. If you recall, the forum members had originally claimed that Apple.com sold 120,000 units in the first day of preorders after “reverse engineering” the company’s order numbering system. The group forecast initial preorders of 500,000, ramping up to one million sold in the first two weeks.

Apple’s announcement only covers the initial wave of U.S. orders, which are made up strictly of Wi-Fi only iPads. The 3G-equipped model ships later this month, so it will be interesting to see how many customers held back to purchase that model.