To all of the age-50-and-above folks who think the keypads and displays on our devices are too small, Apple might consider marketing the iPad Mini as the "iPod Biggie".
Preorders require a credit card, as the item is not charged until shipped. For an in-store preorder a credit card would probably be required to reserve the item. When you pick it up they would verify your card/ID then give you your item and receipt. Whether you could opt to pay with cash or debit, and cancel the credit card at that time, I don't know.
It's gonna be an interesting event if it's a mix of iOS hardware and Mac hardware and some new software released all at the same event... somehow it doesn't seem like the Apple trend lately... They seemed to have segregated the different areas at last events.
I guess that's because not much else can be said about it now. We already know it will be released this month, probably on the launch day of the iPad mini.