Posted on 06/30/2007 11:22:20 AM PDT by Star Traveler
Apple devotees rush stores for iPhone
by: ROBERT EVATT World Staff Writer
6/30/2007 1:51 AM
Customers wait long hours for the latest multimedia product
Jay Kantor doesn't turn 15 until Aug. 12, but he got his birthday present early.
He stood in line with his father, Jon Kantor, for nearly 12 hours to get it.
"The iPhone is the coolest thing out right now," Jay said Friday while standing in line to buy Apple's newest product at the AT&T store at 1404 S. Lewis Ave.
"Ever since I got a Macbook Pro, I knew about the quality of Apple products. So when I found out about this, I knew it would be great," he said.
After six months of hype, the iPhone -- priced at $500 to $600 -- made its official debut at AT&T stores and Tulsa's new Apple Store at 6 p.m. Friday.
The new device, which combines an iPod, Internet capabilities, a touch screen and a cell phone, gathered an overwhelming amount of hype before its launch, and that fueled long lines at all stores selling it in the area Friday.
At the Lewis Avenue location, more than 70 people waited in a line that stretched around the front of the building to behind a Dumpster in the back.
There, Tyler McKeon, approximately 60th in line, hoped the store wouldn't sell out before he could get an iPhone.
Not wanting to wait in line all day, he had arrived outside the store at 5 p.m., he said.
Mark Simone, area retail sales manager for AT&T, said Friday that he's been through many cell- phone launches before but that nothing came close to the planning necessary for the iPhone.
"It's something we've never seen before, so there's been a lot more preparation ahead of time, more than any product we've ever seen," he said.
Not only did each employee spend six hours training with the phone and its touch-screen interface, but they closed the store at 4:30 p.m. to bring out the displays and hold last-minute meetings.
"It's a momentous occasion, so we've been celebrating," Simone said.
Many of the buyers were self-professed Apple fans. E. Kirby Jr., owner of Kirby Kasting, an entertainment production company, said he came out at 6 a.m. because he was excited about the iPhone the moment it was announced in January.
"I only use Apple computers in my studios," he said. "I'd never use anything else."
Finally, AT&T employees shouted "six o'clock" and let the cheering crowd inside.
Almost two hours later, after nearly everyone in the line had bought an iPhone, Simone predicted that the store wouldn't sell out but would "probably get real close."
He declined to say how many were sold.
Jay Kantor was the first customer to finish the sale and get his hands on the long-awaited gadget.
But it took him several seconds to decide which of the iPhone's many functions he'd try out first.
"Everything," he said.
Robert Evatt 918-581-8447
robert.evatt@tulsaworld.com
I bet the service prices aren't dropping. I have a PC phone. It also does all sorts of wonderful things. Unfortunately full internet service is something in the neighborhood of an additional $60 per month on top of the phone fees.
I have resorted to doing all of my surfing at home and saving the web pages to be used off-line on my PC phone. It works great and doesn't cost me a extra on the phone. The only problem is the preparation.
The whole ad fits this hype driven product.
Thousands of Idorks and Ilosers waited for days for...a phone that plays MP3’s. That’s something to tell the grandkids about.
LOL!!!
Mmmmmmm, truthy.
How soon before the 1st gangbangers start killing othe kids for these?
Actually that is very “do-able” right now. And it could work with any phone, actually. The advantage to the iPod, is that you could tap into a home monitoring system, run on Macs (at home with cameras) and log onto your site where the “up-to-date” pictures are (of monitoring your home) and see it. Or, even, live pictures of different cameras, through your iPhone (via a web site you set up for that).
This is all “do-able” right now (exactly as I said in the above post), with a little bit of work and “off-the-shelf” hardware, software, Macs and the iPhone...
It would just take a little bit of dedication and nothing out of the ordinary (in costs) for what this entails — relatively very cheaply, actually...
Regards,
Star Traveler
P.S. — there have been a smattering of “home automation” stories around. The key is to get your “central system” that will work for you, and I believe that’s a Macintosh computer and/or server, which would also serve as a “central hub” for home entertainment, too, plus whatever work you wanted to do. The Macintosh is eminently suited for all of that...
Oh boy! He’s going to take a bath! LOL
Well...to me it sounds more like a lot of iLosers and iDorks doing the negative posting, actually... (along the same lines as we heard when the iPod came out... ) LOL!!
I’ve just got to laugh at the jealously and the negative comments, and would like to see all these people about two years down the road and find out what they think...
Of course, what they’ll say two years down the road is just like the “iLosers” say today about the iPods and the people that buy them — “They’re all iDiots!!” LOL...
Yeah, 75% of the market are idiots... right!! What company would not sell the first-born children to gain 75% of the market to such “iLosers” as these “naysayers” gripe about.... :-)
Regards,
Star Traveler
“Personally I think this entire cell phone thing has gotten totally out of hand.”
Agreed. It took me some time before I even felt the need to get a regular cell phone. I live in Arizona, travel a bit, and finally came to the conclusion that since I am a paraplegic I really should have one just in case I got stuck in the middle of nowhere in 110 degree heat. But camp out to buy the latest one? No thanks. My well being and happiness do not depend on having something that will no doubt be replaced by the next gotta-have-it phone in a short time.
“Over 1 million Iphones have been pre-ordered by paying customers, “
Huh ? Just where were they pre-ordered from ?
From what I’ve read, you couldn’t do it online or in the stores.
Wow, that reads like a 15 year old posted it.
A lot of apple products are built on hype. Usually you can buy superior products for less, they just don’t have the hipster factor that makes apple “cool” to buy and own. And buy and buy and buy whenever the latest apple version comes out.
Now, some things are good. The mac mini was perfect for a ‘home use’ computer, which is why when my non computer savvy parents needed a new computer, I helped them buy one. It’s good for what it was designed for and it was priced right.
I won’t even go into the problems apple has had with product design and reliability, and their relatively crappy customer service record when responding to their problems. But people keep lapping it up because it’s “cool to own them”.
I’ll admit Apple is pretty clever - they’ve figured out a way to charge people a premium to be beta testers for their products.
“P.S. — there have been a smattering of “home automation” stories around. “
Huh ? I’ve had my home control operating from my PC for about 10 years now - No particular reason to run on a Mac
But you’re correct - If you are looking to use a Mac there is just a “smattering” of stories ... You’ll find plenty for a PC.
I did not try to make a call, however the iPhone is everything they said it was going to be.
The touchscreen worked great, the apps were there, different web sites I went to rendered perfectly on the screen.
I am not going to buy the v1.0 iPhone, will wait until the first revision of the phone. For many people, it will replace both a laptop and their iPod, which means there is that much less stuff to carry around.
Just 15 going on 60... LOL...
I conveniently used your terminology and went with it. It was fun talking like you... :-)
Waaah..., waaah.., waaaah... that’s all I can say about those people who like to spout off “sour grapes” about such great successes that Apple has had...
Regards,
Star Traveler
I’m talking about all the stories out there — I call them a “smattering” of stories, as it’s not really too “mainstream”, but rather a niche market it seems. But, it’s there and information is available.
I wouldn’t go for PC stuff, myself, and only with the Macintosh as a central hub for the home. There’s absolutely no good reason to go with PC stuff, since Macintosh can run a 100% of the programs for both Macintosh and PC put together — with no problems. Can’t say that about Windows PC products...
Home automation still seems to not yet be “mainstream” — although I think it should be. It seems to be stalling at a certain level of “market penetration” and not really going too much further.
Regards,
Star Traveler
Well, my Apple laptop goes with me everywhere I go, no matter what I’m doing. So, I use it a lot, and at times when I don’t think I’m going to use it (when I first leave). I know I use it for information on products that I’m looking at in a particular store and want to make comparisons before I get back home again. And so, I will enjoy doing this with the iPhone and doing it right in the store and with the iPhone right in my hand. This is going to be a great shopping tool and information tool when I’m “out and about”. It will save me from using the laptop as much. And, I’ll also be able to use it at various WiFi Hotspots, too, as it will automatically connect to the WiFi Hotspots, whenever it finds one. I have a couple of WiFi accounts around, plus I’ve got a U.S. list of all the hotspots (plus the free ones, too) and I make good use of it.
I’ll still carry my Apple laptop, but I’ll supplement it greatly with my iPhone. I don’t have the iPhone yet, although I could have picked it up last night. I just have to get my area code detail worked out first, before I buy it...
Regards,
Star Traveler
Apple stores were told not to take pre-orders, and even though AT&T tried the same policy “officially”, AT&T cellphone stores were taking pre-orders and people were put on waitlists. These cellphone stores work on a commission basis, unlike the apple stores that don’t.
Now the majority of the phones released this friday were at the apple stores, and just like the xbox, these phones are going to be hard to find for months, the pre-order waitlist customers at AT&T stores will get their phones first from the inventory delivered.
The one million+ pre-order number was known months ago, but never officially released by apple or AT&T to give that “first come/first serverd” apperance at the rollout. That way apple gets lots of lovely press of people camped out in front of their stores and helps the marketing hype.
“these phones are going to be hard to find for months,”
Looked on ebay ? How many do you want ? Even looks as if some are selling for UNDER retail.
The AT&T store by me had only about 10 people in line around 3 PM yesterday
I could have bought one today, so they are not on any waitlists.
The service prices on the iPhone have already dropped, before it was even for sale, the first day. The data or Internet service part is merely $20 for unlimited usage. And the voice part is around $39.95 for the lowest plan (two higher levels available). The Internet part stays the same on all levels of service.
And in addition to that, the iPhone automatically connects with any WiFi Hotspot you come into contact with, bypassing the Internet service through AT&T. So, you have that advantage, too.
All around, it’s an extremely good deal for service...
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