When you're Robert Scoble, you don't wait for an iPhone

A jubilant Robert Scoble poses with his new iPhone 3G at the Apple store in San Francisco.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET News)

SAN FRANCISCO--The perks of being a famous tech blogger include not having to stand in line all night for the latest gadget.

I was out in front of the Apple store near Union Square here at 9 p.m. PDT on Thursday standing in line for the iPhone 3G that makes its debut today. Robert Scoble walks up at 7:15 a.m., 45 minutes before the doors are scheduled to open, and a fan lets him take cuts in line.

It would be easier to be bitter if Scoble wasn't such a nice guy. It's 15 minutes before Scoble and 29 other people are let in. The crowd, which numbers around 250 people, is whooping it up as they break down folding chairs, drink coffee, and talk about the new iPhone apps they want to buy.

A legion of marketers are handing out coupons for iPhone skins and other accessories. There's some apprehension among some of those who are well back in the line about how long the activation process is going to take. We'll see.

Update 9:40 a.m. PDT: OK, it would have been easier to get pissed at the congenial Scoble when Apple's doorman started letting the first batch of people inside the store and stopped at me. It was only a few seconds' delay before they granted me access.

[cnetcensorssuck]

Scoble is a doof.

[dgulbran]

Yeah... but the down side is, he's Robert Scoble.

[LailoniD]

Anyone try calling him to see if his phone works?

[marcmeyer]

Just saw Scoble walk by the store at 12:30, with TWO iPhones. Probably waited in line for the second one :-)

[shannoncarver]

He did wait in line you moron.
How about doing your job with some integrity.

[MastahYodah]

They should not have let you in, you moron!