The Wall Street Journal today reports that Apple will announce a 10- to 11-inch touchscreen device in the near future. While the device will be unveiled later this month, people briefed on the matter say the device won’t ship until early March.

The news will come as little surprise to Apple followers. A storm of rumors has been building for months around the possible release of an Apple tablet. There was no immediate report on pricing or specs.

By making news of the tablet available now, Apple may be looking to draw attention from what could be a big announcement from its rival Google tomorrow. Google is expected to announce an Android phone, the Nexus One, at a press event tomorrow in Mountain View, Calif.

Apple may also be using information on the tablet to overshadow the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which kicks off this week. In 2007, Apple announced the iPhone just before CES and stole the show without even being in attendance. 

There was no word as to whether the tablet would find a subsidy with one of the major wireless carriers, as has been the model with many netbooks.