I-phone spotted on the N train (maybe)
New York-Thursday night
I was on Union Square's southbound platform for the BMT (outmoded NYC subway lingo for N and R trains, amongst others) last night around 8 o’clock, when I saw a guy carrying a case that was identical to the one David Pogue had in his NYT video. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, and that this was just some new hip way of carrying stuff (it looks like a fancy school lunchbox). But then I thought about the case's silver color (an Apple favorite), the guy's decidedly upmarket hipster appearance and Apple's propensity for fancy packaging and I began to seriously consider the possibility that there was an I-phone in that box.
The guy was with a woman--his girlfriend, I figured. The were at the far end of the train platform, in exactly the spot I usually catch the my train home. I decided to walk down and spy on them, hoping I'd learn what was in that case. Just as I got down there an R train appeared in the tunnel. I turned to look at them to gauge which car they were going to board, but they were obviously waiting for the express. And they were fiddling with the case; it seemed like they couldn't get it open.
Now I was in over the top, starting to feel like one of the people in the Times newsroom in Pogue's video. I passed on the R train, so I could continue to watch the couple. I got the feeling a lot of their conversation was about the object the guy held in his hands; this was confirmed when it became obvious that they were aware I was staring at them. When the N train came they got on at the far end of the car. I watched as the girl huddled near the door to the next car. For a minute I thought she has the phone out and was trying to check it out, shielding it from prying eyes with her body, but then I realized she was trying to slide the door open to get to the next car. They never did get the box open, and by then I'd gone way beyond the point of being able to approach them. They got off at the next stop.
I can't imagine Apple selling the Iphone in such a fancy case. But I can imagine it being distributed to select people in advance in something like that. The guy's apparent inability to open the case may have been a ruse, since he was well aware I was watching him, or genuine. The really funny thing is how I had to suppress the urge to tell someone, "Look, that guy has an I-phone." This being the subway in NYC, it’s likely no one would have reacted, except the guy and his girlfriend, who unless they'd seen Pogues video wouldn't have appreciated the joke.
I was on Union Square's southbound platform for the BMT (outmoded NYC subway lingo for N and R trains, amongst others) last night around 8 o’clock, when I saw a guy carrying a case that was identical to the one David Pogue had in his NYT video. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, and that this was just some new hip way of carrying stuff (it looks like a fancy school lunchbox). But then I thought about the case's silver color (an Apple favorite), the guy's decidedly upmarket hipster appearance and Apple's propensity for fancy packaging and I began to seriously consider the possibility that there was an I-phone in that box.
The guy was with a woman--his girlfriend, I figured. The were at the far end of the train platform, in exactly the spot I usually catch the my train home. I decided to walk down and spy on them, hoping I'd learn what was in that case. Just as I got down there an R train appeared in the tunnel. I turned to look at them to gauge which car they were going to board, but they were obviously waiting for the express. And they were fiddling with the case; it seemed like they couldn't get it open.
Now I was in over the top, starting to feel like one of the people in the Times newsroom in Pogue's video. I passed on the R train, so I could continue to watch the couple. I got the feeling a lot of their conversation was about the object the guy held in his hands; this was confirmed when it became obvious that they were aware I was staring at them. When the N train came they got on at the far end of the car. I watched as the girl huddled near the door to the next car. For a minute I thought she has the phone out and was trying to check it out, shielding it from prying eyes with her body, but then I realized she was trying to slide the door open to get to the next car. They never did get the box open, and by then I'd gone way beyond the point of being able to approach them. They got off at the next stop.
I can't imagine Apple selling the Iphone in such a fancy case. But I can imagine it being distributed to select people in advance in something like that. The guy's apparent inability to open the case may have been a ruse, since he was well aware I was watching him, or genuine. The really funny thing is how I had to suppress the urge to tell someone, "Look, that guy has an I-phone." This being the subway in NYC, it’s likely no one would have reacted, except the guy and his girlfriend, who unless they'd seen Pogues video wouldn't have appreciated the joke.
Comments
pff. As if anyone cares.
And all I saw last evening was a couple of aliens. Green and with huge heads, large eyes and small teeth. Talking in some unknown language.
pff. As if anyone cares.
Come to think of it the couple I saw on the train were green, too, with skinny arms and legs. Do you think this might be the start of an alien invasion? Maybe the I-phone is really a mind control device, intended to soften us up and brainwash us.
We are now randomly stalking people thinking they have the latest products.
PS I stole your line. I couldn't help it.
Steve's RDF is now powered by the AT&T network.
We are now randomly stalking people thinking they have the latest products.
God, I really have to get a life. But it's not like I went out of my way. I just hope they really had a phone; otherwise they must've thought I was just some weirdo following them.
Truthfully, I think I got brainwashed by the NYT (if you listen to certain Talk radio people I'm not alone there.) I really wanted to be a part of the Pogue movie, and have the crowd go wild, swarming on this poor unfortunate couple. Must have been jeaousy, right? That they had a phone and I didn't...
PS Oops, I guess I was a stalker. See herehttp://flickr.com/photos/miarka/sets/72157600556481743/ I feel bad-maybe I ruined their date. Unless as I speculated they provided special boxes for advance units.