It's already begun: iPhone 3G line starting in New York City - Page 2

Is it you who owned that url since 1996?

What? That's a ridiculous stance. After all, you can get up from your computer and go do other things like swim, go to town and meet people as I did today. Getting in line now is nothing short of sad. Capitalism at its worst if you ask me.

(I love this guy)

Be creative Spam, you can diss the shit out of these lowlifes.

Trust me, if you can spend a week waiting in line for a phone you're not going to have anyone to call in the end. Kind of a contradiction in terms

One per customer this time.

'Butchering' may be a bit melodramatic, but one Americanism that I do not understand is the dropping of essential prepositions. I hope it's not just laziness, but it can lead to ambiguity. For example 'I'm going to write my Congressman'. Go on then, write 'my Congressman', it's only two words! Whereas 'I'm gong to write to my Congressman' does communicate what you actually intend to do.

As regards the article: the very concept of a "well-known line waiter" indicates it is not just an ocean and a language which separates our two cultures!

I wish!!!

With all those BS lawsuits going around, I would have sued Apple for using the "i" on their products

OK, My question is: In New York, where they say "on line" instead of "in line," ("I'm waiting on line for the new iPhone.") what do they say to mean "online," like we are right now?

(Don't forget the audible "g" between "waiting" and "on!")

1) If you want apps on your iPhone that Apple has forbid.

2) If you are traveling outside your country and wish to your iPhone, but a local carrier's SIM to reduce charges.

Supposedly that was because immigrants coming through Ellis Island had to wait, standing on lines painted on the floor, following the lines as people moved.

you mean porn apps
just kidding

If someone comes up with unlocking tool I really hope it is totally reversible to avoid warranty cancelation by Apple.

That's "it" and "English"

This omission isn't laziness, it's the dialect used by that culture. The UK does it as well but for different terms like, "I go to Hospital/university."

There are plenty of ways in which we can clarify language and it's often much needed on forums where we come from different cultures and countries, and have different backgrounds and ages. For instance, I try to profile everyone I meet online by the conversations I read. I do this to give substance and form to an otherwise flat character. But sometimes I read something and have no idea if the poster is young but intelligent, old but none to bright, or perhaps English isn't their first language.

One thing I relish about about this era is that the internet has been a great place for some many people throughout the world to meet each other who would have otherwise never had the chance. There are a bound to me many misunderstandings, but as long as we all follow the general rule that 'I am more right than you' then we will okay.

Seriously though, I wonder if your example of "on line" became standard by people in an areas by the actual standing on a physical line. I think I've seen prison movies/shows where they have had people do that.



I'm glad they are letting some through, I hope that means Skype is allowed too. Their FAQ state: "Apple has explicitly stated that VoIP is allowed, just not over Edge networks. Steve himself answered this question in the Q&A session after the last keynote speech." I'm pretty sure the SDK states no VoIP over the cell carrier's network, referring to EFGE or UMTS, but I'd have to look it up to be sure.

Just like with the current iPhone, you can use iTunes to restore it it's original state as it's only a SW unlock. I suppose it's possible that Apple has used a chip that will make SW unlocking impossible, but I doubt it.

Rather sketchy logic here...
1) Right now we are talking about a line of 10 people in a country of several hundred million. "a great deal of the US population?"
2) What about the article made you think about basements?
3) Herd behavior? When a tiny minority do something that apparently many people will ridicule? Actually, the herd behavior on this board is to mock them (that would include you--Mooo)
4) This point may me the most logical of your post, but it seems to have little to do with this story.




Yeah, not like its an iTablet


Capitalism at its worst?
this is hyperbole at its worst! It would be off topic, but I am sure it would not be too hard to find side effects of Capitalism that include things like hunger, poverty and war...[This is not an endorsement of any other economic system]


Honestly, I don't see why people have to get so angry and feel so superior whenever they see anyone doing something that makes no sense to them. I personally don't see the point in waiting in line a week for an expensive, albeit apparently cool, phone, but it is something I might queue up for a day or two if I had the time. I might enjoy the event and I certainly wouldn't be hurting anyone. To those of you feeling enraged at those whose behavior does not match your expectations: please be assured that those on line will be happier without you there.

I hope that is the case, as it means I'll be able to go to my local Softbank store when it opens next Friday, with no queueing, and pick one up easily

Continuing this digression a little, a friend of mine already on Softbank got an email from them about the iPhone. Apparently even if current Softbank customers are on the 'white plan' and therefore get unlimited emails to other softbank users, iPhone customers will be excluded from this. In other words existing Softbank users who don't have an iPhone will have to pay to send email to iPhone customers, despite being on 'unlimited' plans. Not sure what's going on there...

Apologies for the slightly off-topic nature of my post

I'm one of the biggest Apple-heads I know...but this is just plain STUPID.

Sure, if you're doin it for shits and giggles with some crazy friends...fine. Have fun.

But if you're doing it for bragging rights or because you think they'll be sold out...I guarantee you that you'll be able to nab a 3G iphone the day after they come out too.

This doesn't directly relate to the quote above, but I have been thinking about it throughout the thread.
I remember being in an English language classroom in a university in Mexico and seeing what was left on the board. It was a list illustrating "in," "at," and "on" in English. The list went something like this:

on the bus
at school
in the class
on the phone
at lunch
in the cafeteria

I never really thought about how mind-bending those subtle differences might be for non-native English speakers before that moment. Now I have to think about how mind bending those subtle differences are for native English speakers from different regions too! (It never occurred to me that "waiting on line" was New Yorkian, and not American English...

excuse me dear sirs and madams,

Happy July 4th. Enjoy.

When one of you apple faithful acquires a new 3G model of the iPhone, would you please think of donating your old 1st generation model to one of the depraved canadian folk, who are forced into 3 years of Limited data if they want any (canadian) iPhone at all.

We'd all be much obliged up here.

Those are good examples how we pigeonhole ourselves into thinking one form is more correct than the other.

On the bus is far less precise than in the bus, unless we mean we have jumped on the hood, bumper or roof.

When we are at school, we can also be in school as it relates to the school's grounds, a building on the property or even the time in which school takes place.

Yet it would be illogical to say we are in the phone, but we could say we are at the phone if somehow we are relating to geographical location.

We can be at, on or in lunch. All have the same meaning and I know I have used each of those phrasing on numerous occasions while at or in the cafeteria but never on the cafeteria.

This is just comical. Get a frickin' life, people.....

This time, I am getting mine online (not 'on line').

There in it for the free Apple tee shirts...

My first day in New York ever and it's the 4th of July!

Passed the queue on my way into a packed store, couldn't believe that they would be there for that reason.

The fireworks were great and so was the crowd under trying conditions. Free ride home on the subway for all!

...Just nuts. Someone call CPS.

This is a colloquialism, to be sure, but it is not ambiguous. Nobody would reasonably think for one moment that it meant the speaker/writer was going to write the two words "my congressman", and it is a tiny mental leap to understanding what is actually meant. English is imperfect on both sides of the pond (oh, wait, it's really an ocean, so I guess I can't colloquially call it a pond, can I?)

While we may drop words over here, you blokes tend to use superfluous words over there. Ex. "John might enjoy this, and Fred might do, too." Why the "do"? You've already dropped "so", so why include "do"? Either stick with "Fred might, too" or spell it all out as "Fred might do so, too."

Getting back to the iPhone, can someone explain why VoIP is so desired by so many? I can see a limited # of heavy voice users wanting it, but I doubt I will ever use up the 500 (is it?) monthly minutes in the lowest plan from AT&T. Or would VoIP still be beneficial in some other way?

Now, if someone could find a way to tether the iPhone so I could network my MacBook through it, that would get my attention. I know several others who are Jonesing (another Americanism? or do you Brits use this slang too?) for tethering as well.

Oh, and "standing on line" is used in the Philadelphia area too, though more often by youth and/or the less-educated. At the risk of sounding haughty, it's one of many English subtleties that can help you determine the class of the speaker. For example, adults who say it are also very likely to pronounce "on" with two syllables, as "owe-in". In other words, it's a bit guttural.

It's interesting making this assertion, you have >5,800 posts. Assuming 2 mins per post, that would put you at ~8.1 days. Just a bit more time than they will wait in line. \

I so agree. I mean, I don't understand those people in the same way I don't understand people who spend their spare time spotting trains or planes, or people who jump off bridges with rubber bands tied around their ankles. But they don't give a shit what other people think and they are not hurting anybody, so all power to them. I think it is the opposite of the herd mentality - they are the individualists. And I am also sure the phone is kind of secondary. They are there for the 'party'.
Having said that, I'm not sure what I think of the fact that people line up for a week to get their hands on a second generation gadget that will be available to all and sundry within a day or two anyway. Its a pretty extreme expression of gadget worship. Party or not.

I'm not sure I would call willingly getting in line for long periods of time comparable to individualists, but yeah, if It's their time to waste, they may waste it that way if they choose. I hate being in line though, community or not.

I'm with you on that one. Holy crap I love Apple but this is utter stupidity. We should call those people "iSlaves" - the poor souls.

How would it be worthwhile? You can only buy one at a time. Even last year, there was a two-per-person limit.

Ill think of these people when I walk in mid afternoon on the 11th and pick mine up.

Just so I am up to date. Aren't there people without jobs, world hunger, gas over 4.50 a gallon, the supposed war on terror, debatable genocide in Zimbabwe, not to mention a million more important things going on? Yes it is fun to be first but these people are waiting in line for a product that is already obsolete, is marginally improved (my opinion here, so save the flames and debates), and in my opinion again still an iPod with now a 3G radio? Our priorities as a country are eff'd.

End of social-political rant.

Have a good day fellow AI'rs.

I don't get it either... it's not that different to the current one, hardware wise. The software changes can be installed on the current gen.

Talk about your 15 minutes (6 days) of fame

After spending a week talking Apples with all those around you, days talking to reporters asking "Why"? and being in the cold, damp NY air, they won't be able to speak for a week

Skip

PS And the more that line up, the more that will want to, or at least, the more that will get in line early Friday it's just the way Apple / Mac folks are.

Hi All

Just talked to some of the folks in the queue and it's true, they are there for the phone. Lovely people, including a family with infant and cot!

Take care.

The Fifth Avenue store is open 24 hours a day.

Seems to me it could be one of three things.

Either they are being paid to sit there for other people who will either take there place when the time comes or do the old swappo a roo when the selling begins..

or....

someone has figured out already how to buy them, activate them and the resell them.

People always find a way around these kind of things eventually.
or finally they are seeking they're 15 minutes in the limelight as were talking about them now and the media will be on to them next.

6:00 Evening News

Anchor:

Good Evening Ladies and Gentleman,

At the top of the news tonight we have yet another record day of casualties in Iraq, gas prices have now gone over the $5.00 mark across the nation and a small nuclear device has been detonated in Korea,

BUT first we are going to take you to Fifth Avenue in New York City where 14 people began a lonely 7 day vigil to be the first with the new Apple Iphone,

over to you Henrietta, tell us what's going on over there......just how long is Apple predicting it will take people to get this new device? Is this a major concern for the company?

8 days a week, 400 days a year!

Lovely people, but ultimately insanely materialistic.

You're not meant to get it, you're sane.