Crave

The iPhone line has gotten a little bit longer.

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News)

NEW YORK--Now this is more like it.

For days, the line at Apple's midtown flagship store for the hotly anticipated iPhone 3G had consisted solely of the crew from Waiting for Apples, who have the dual goal of breaking the Guinness world record for "longest wait for a product release" (or something like that) and simultaneously spreading the word about sustainable agriculture.

Now, three more people have joined them, and these fellows look a whole lot more like what we'd expect people waiting in line for the iPhone to be: Skinny, wearing jeans and black t-shirts, and probably not a day over 17.

But to put things into perspective, this time last year the line at the Fifth Avenue store for the original iPhone was totally ridiculous. But back then everyone was freaked out that there would be shortages of the phone and that they wouldn't get one for months if they didn't camp out for days beforehand. One smooth launch later, Apple fans don't seem anywhere near as concerned.

Besides, the iPhone 3G comes out at 8 a.m. rather than last year's 6 p.m., making it possible to simply wait overnight, grab the phone, and then take your shiny new toy to the office.

Meanwhile, across the country in San Francisco, the line stands at two.

Click here for CNET News' complete iPhone 3G coverage.

What, no Twiki? Oh wait, there he is...

(Credit: chopshopstore.com)

Bouncing around the Interwebs today is this hipster T-shirt with 51 (count 'em, 51!) famous and semifamous robots from the hallowed halls of sci-fi movies and TV. We're pretty sure we recognize at least half, but we'd cross the street to get away from anyone who could rattle off all 51 names in one sitting.

The $25 shirt, available in charcoal, black, or red, has already caused some rampant fanboyism, and creator Chop Shop has issued the following update based on a flurry of user comments.

CORRECTIONS: The newly reprinted version of this design has had two amendments. The previous version included one character, which has been determined to not be a robot at all. The previous version also included a robot dog that virtually nobody recognized. This character was swapped out with a new robot figure.

When you've got to issue a correction for a sci-fi robot T-shirt, you know you're dealing with an active, engaged audience.

[We'd never dare to point this out, but technically a Dalek (lower right corner) isn't really a robot either--it's got an angry little blob-like monster inside.]

The start of the Apple Store line snaking around the front of the store. You can't actually see most of the line, as it's off to the left; security was in the process of crowd control.

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News.com)

Fanboy alert! iPod and MacBook Pro spotted in line...

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News.com)

It was freezing cold and snow was starting to come down, but at 2:30 p.m. EST there were already several hundred people waiting in line at the new Apple Store on West 14th St. in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, which which opens at 6 p.m. One estimate put the crowd at about 600 people with several hours still to go.

The first person in line, a high schooler, had showed up at 1 a.m. That's not a typo. He told CNET News.com that by 3:30 or 4 a.m., more people started to join him. But the line really started to take off in the early afternoon, as students were let out for the weekend (some schools in the area close early on Fridays) and grown-up Apple fans cleared out of their offices in favor of lining up in the freezing cold.

Yeah, here's the end of the line. With three hours to go.

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News.com)

Apple events are known for generating long lines well in advance--just look at the lines that formed for the Leopard operating system and the highly anticipated iPhone. But there's no product being released this time--it's just the opening of a new store.

So why wait? Well, Apple's given some incentives. "Come celebrate with us this Friday as we'll be giving away thousands of limited-edition posters and commemorative T-shirts," the store's Web site invited tantalizingly. "You might even win one of several great surprise gifts such as an iMac, a MacBook Pro, or an iPod Touch."

Sweet! Count me in!

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News.com)

As we've seen with many launch events that draw lengthy queues, many of the people in line were "tag-teaming" with friends, one waiting while the other went to grab food, coffee, or just headed for an indoor space to thaw up. And one local business was capitalizing on the freezing masses: the T Salon, located in the nearby Chelsea Market shopping complex, was distributing free cups of chai to anyone in line.

Also spotted: An establishment across the street, Comix Bar, was pricing apple martinis at half price for happy hour in celebration of the Apple Store launch. Good to know Jobs & Co. are welcome in the neighborhood.

Please don't wear five-inch heels on these stairs.

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET Networks)

A friend of mine once told me that one of the most striking characteristics of the Manhattan mini-neighborhood known as the Meatpacking District was the proliferation of "baby giraffes."

Basically, what he meant were the hordes of impossibly skinny young women in mile-high stiletto heels, teetering through the cobblestone streets of the party-heavy neighborhood as though they were juvenile specimens of Giraffa camelopardalis who couldn't quite control their pole-like legs. (In case you couldn't tell, the Meatpacking District's warehouses have largely given way to pricey designer boutiques and the nightclubs that keep Us Weekly's readership happy).

But those Giraffe Girls had better watch out, because the nerds are invading their watering hole.

On Friday night at 6 p.m., the doors will formally open to the third and largest Apple retail store in Manhattan, at the northernmost end of the Meatpacking District (it's on the corner of West 14th Street and 9th Avenue, to be more specific). Unlike its Fifth Avenue sibling, the West 14th Street Apple store won't be open 24/7--it closes at midnight, which might as well be the Meatpacking District equivalent of three o'clock in the afternoon. It's probably for the better. Steve Jobs has enough on his hands; he doesn't need to have to deal with dubious lawsuits from drunk girls in stilettos who've tumbled down that three-story glass staircase while trying to go hit on the guys behind the Genius Bar (they get way cuter after four cosmopolitans!)

The geeks have already taken roost at the old Port Authority building two blocks north, now home to New York's sprawling Google headquarters. Now they've staked a second claim with the Apple Store. Don't hold your breath, fellow techies, but if Tenjune gets replaced by a late-night arcade or something, we'll know the transformation is complete.

Click here for the rest of CNET News.com's fanboy-friendly photo gallery.

It's been a very good year for gamers, with AAA titles hitting nearly every console, and only about half of them were sequels. Crusades-era assassins, art deco genetic misfits, physics-bending lab rats and futuristic soldiers have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the standard plumbers, elves, and bounty hunters we've seen every year, and these fresh faces have kept my consoles warm and spinning. I could just plop all of those games up on an ordered list and call it a day, but I'm taking a different tack in summarizing this year in gaming.

Welcome to the first Jaded Fanboy Awards. The JFAs are completely unofficial awards (read: I am completely making these up without any sort of procedure or votes or other such nonsense) that don't look at the best or worst games of the year, but instead unique or noteworthy in their own ways. These aren't "Best ofs," "Tops," or "Must-buys," but instead games that simply stick out.

And the winners are... ... Read more

Yesterday was a big day for Capcom and Mega Man fans, as it saw the launch of Mega Man Star Force, the seventh series in the Mega Man franchise. This was particularly big for over a hundred fans in New York, who gathered at the 33rd Street GameStop to see Mega Man's father. Keiji Inafune, Mega Man's creator and all-around Capcom superstar, came to the GameStop to hand out Mega Man 20th Anniversary T-shirts and sign games.

Inafune wasn't alone, though; an actor in a full Mega Man costume also appeared at GameStop, posing for photos with the fans. It wasn't your childhood Mega Man; the actor wore the spiky black hair and green demonic arm-cannon of the latest iteration of Mega Man from Mega Man Star Force Dragon, the GameStop-exclusive variant of Mega Man Star Force. MMSF also came out in "Leo" and "Pegasus" versions, and the store conveniently had plenty of all three on hand for gamers to buy.

Besides Mega Man Star Force, Inafune-atics brought games from the last 20 years for the developer to sign, including Dead Rising, Mega Man Anniversary Collection, Mega Man 3, and even Ducktales. Yes, before Mega Man, Inafune directed Ducktales for the NES, a game that remains one of the best Disney titles to ever hit a game console.

On your way to REI to pick up a camping equipment and provisions for your long wait in the iPhone line on June 29? Also check out travel community GridSkipper, which has city-specific campout guides for your expedition.

Your guide the wild San Francisco Outer Sunset.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

The guides include all-important food and restroom locations near the stores, plus recommended nearby hotels, and locations of nearest free Wi-Fi hubs.

I imagine it won't be long before store-specific Jaiku groups will form up, too, so people waiting in lines can talk among themselves. And organize revolts when their stores run out of phones.

If your local store isn't covered by the guides, you might want to double-check that it will be selling the phone. Only certain AT&T stores will. See AT&T's store directory. Search for "stores," not "kiosks." Or just call your store today, fanboy, and ask.

SAN FRANCISCO--All those people queued up for a chance to lay down $500 to $600 bucks for a shiny new PlayStation 3 aren't just gaming fanatics--many of them are entrepreneurs as well.

(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET Networks)

Mingling with the bundled-up fans under dark gray San Francisco skies, I was hard-pressed to find anyone planning to keep one for themselves. (Note to New York Craver Caroline McCarthy: We have long lines for the bathroom on the West Coast too.)

Several people balked when I asked if they wanted a PS3 to keep. As they cited the thousands of potential dollars to be made by re-selling the consoles on eBay, Craigslist or to their friends and family members, I got the feeling they couldn't afford not to sell them.

Check out News.com for more pics and the full report.