It didn't take a check of other CNET stories to confirm that Apple/AT&T's registration servers have either went back to bed or checked out early on a Friday. After the cheers at 8:00 a.m. the line moved less than 20 feet within the first hour. There were at least two announcements from Apple reps (one in a utila-kilt even) that things are "a little bit slow," because of the "overwhelming demand." An insistent, we could always come back later was touted too.
At one point, I was getting discouraged. The Apple Store'ss WiFi connection was increasingly out of range as the line arced around itself. Laptop batteries were fading. Many with iPhones in line started to look antsy and bored too. A geek 2.0 shantytown was at risk of developing. Gripes about AT&T and it's 'ease' of in-store activation were heard. And yet, the line grew longer and added more people. Somehow, the line started to move - or maybe it was just my turn...
But, after 2.5 hours of waiting I was in! And yes, the white 16-gig iPhone 3G was indeed available. "Mike" my handy Apple assistant told me stories of the various difficulties that AT&T has presented to its new and existing customers. Rightly so, as I had to talk to an AT&T rep about my upgrade. Eventually, I won. But others in the store weren't so lucky. One customer apparently dropped his new iPhone 3G and returned it wanting another one. After processing that return, moments later AT&T told the customer he was no longer eligible for the 'incentive' upgrade pricing. Oops.
As for my iPhone is still begging to be connected to iTunes and I have yet to snych it yet. So, more to come. But at least I have one. And it was tax-free too.
Some things never change: Despite being a stranger in a foreign land (a San Franciscan in sales-tax-free Portland on business), despite only getting 4 hours of sleep and despite iPhone 1.0 waffling towards getting iPhone 3G, I found myself in line in front of the Apple Store at 7:00 a.m. in Portland, Oregon waiting for the new iPhone 3G. And, of course, I wasn't alone.
Can you see the line now? The line in front of the Portland Apple Store wraps around the Verzion booth.
(Credit: Kevin Ho on his old iPhone)My goal: the white 16-GB iPhone. Will I get it? Only time will tell. But like last year's wait in San Francisco, those earliest of the early adopters are primarily male, white and middle-aged. There are free bottles of water, coffee and random post cards of iPhone 3G literature. There are many folks who are toting their 1.0 iPhones too. But, unlike last year, I haven't been in line for more than an hour, there aren't people hawking their places in line for profit, and there aren't the throngs of media (apart from your loyal blogger). And, instead of a release time of 6:00 p.m., early adopters are being made to get up early to adopt their iPhone 3G, well, early on in the day. But like last year, there buzz, excitement, and all that buzz that Apple has been successful at creating, not quite the same as the original, but a more 2.0-like version.
So I haven't yet downloaded the iPhone update, so here's a customer-issue story until I get the update tonight.
When I bought my iPhone I actually bought two handsets. The other ended with a close friend of mine who switched over from Verizon. Today, we met for lunch in San Francisco at, appropriately, the downtown Apple store. He had questions to ask the Apple people.
There were no answers for the following questions apart from: Call AT&T and/or call Applecare, specifically:
Question 1: Why is it that everytime his iPhone calls back home (New Jersey) it echoes and you can hear the conversation twice?
Answer 1: Have you tried turning on and off the iPhone? Yes? Is the area calling populated? Yes? Oh, well you'll have to call AT&T.
Commentary 1: I too had this problem calling Iowa, that's to be expected, it's Iowa and reception could be spotty, right? I typically hang up and call again with good results, but I've noticed the same problem but not with every call.
Question 2: On passcode mode, the iPhone won't unlock, calls are missed, what gives?
Answer 2: Have you tried turning on and off the iPhone? Yes? Oh, do you have the latest update? Yes? Oh, well you'll have to call Applecare.
Commentary 2: I've also had the same problem, but it seemed to stop after the last mini-update.
Question 3: My Apple iPhone $100 credit got screwed up, can you help?
Answer 3: Us retail stores can't access that database, have you called Applecare?
Commentary 3: No comment as my credit issued in less than 30 seconds.
Overall commentary: It's a bit frustrating that you have to use your iPhone to call in to answer these questions that would seemingly best be answered in a real-life live-person setting. What if you're passcode wouldn't unlock? Would you hear everything twice?
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