Promptly at 2pm local time, Apple Store Crossgates (Albany, NY) closed its doors as all of Apple’s Retail Stores planned to do.
Immediately, Apple Store employees applied a white sticker to the store’s main windows:
iPhone World Premiere Tonight at 6 p.m.
Other employees sprang into action, blacking out the Windows and doors, while other hustled what looked to be boxes and boxes of iPhone accessories out of the back room and frantically began stocking shelves.
We grabbed a few photos before the windows were completely blacked out:
Almost there….
Let the games begin!!!!!!
I’m so effin excited. This is it man… I feel like I’m about to become a dad. Is this normal?
eeeeeeeee! omg! eeeeeeeeee!
With everyone buying an iPhone, I guess the afternoon and early evening showings of Ratatouille are going to be empty. Steve should have planned this out a little better.
No AshNazg’s twin brother, becoming a dad is much more exciting!!!!!!!
Verizon CEO…your comments???
There are about 30 people in line right now at the Cingular/AT&T store down the block from my office here in Chicago. The store is still open but looks really busy, at least compared to normal days.
MW: Corner – It’s the corner of Monroe & Franklin.
AshNazg – that was hilarious! A dad! So appropriate!
Google Docs have just been updated – new look. Looks like related to iPhone launch. Google Docs on iPhone? So now you can edit Word and Excel files on your phone!
Yuppii
Blacking out windows? Well, if it’s anything like what goes on at my house, they’re probably just sitting around watching pr0n.
This is like Harry Potter for the techno world
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I worked in a bookstore for a few years and those HP openings were massive events!
I can’t help but feel that once people have had their iPhone for a few days that there will follow a little bit of a letdown. That seems to be how the human mind functions sometimes. We’ve had all of this anticipation, waiting, excitement, curiosity, speculation, and self-generating hype, but all of a sudden those things will be gone in a flash.
You’ll be glad to finally have the iPhone, but you’ll also start saying, “But it sure would be nice if EDGE weren’t so slow. And it sure would be nice if it had GPS. It wish the screen were a true 16:9 aspect ration for watching my movies.” So on and so forth.
I’m only saying this because that’s how I’ve reacted to things in the past that I had been eager in anticipation of getting my hands on – but a part of the fun had been that actual anticipation. And once it was gone, I was down to the thing itself – including noticing the shortcomings of that thing.
A week from now, I suspect that those that have been camping out in these lines for a day or two will have already absorbed the newness of the iPhone, and it won’t be such a huge deal any longer.
And these are just observations. I fully intend to get an iPhone myself once the second generation comes out, and it already looks to be a terrific device. I’m just wondering about the 3 days after Christmas feeling that will probably set in at some point.
I’m gonna pick up my iPhone, and download a chinese version of ratatouille. Kidding. But I could. Cause I’m gonna get an iPhone.
Ok I’m not cause it’s not coming to frickin’ Canada yet. I’m just bitter and jealous. Over and out.
I’m seeing Ratatouille tonight, so I hope you’re right about the empty theaters, Gman. I’d love to get an iPhone — but admission to Pixar’s latest does cost $590 less.
(MW is “right”, so I guess you are)
I’ve been watching the various interviews and segments today on TV and am getting pretty tired of all the handwringing regarding the “but it doesn’t have a keyboard” issue. I mean, I saw one “tech journailst” (*rolls eyes*) complain about it and he had yet to even put his hands on won.
One thing they do is start comparing it to a blackberry or other such device – but while not pointing out the fact that you can’t really walk around with these bulky blackberries in your pocket.
It also seems to escape them that you just might have to practice on it for a week or so to become proficient at it. I’d wager that once people get their hands on this thing and have had it for a little while, the “but it doesn’t have a keybaord” issue is going to go up in flames. And good riddance.
My most Mac-addicted friend is planning on waiting for the second generation iPhone, too. Maybe I’m just becoming a cynic but I’m not waiting. There’s no guarantee there will be a future for us monkeys, the way we’re currently doing things on this planet.
Plus, it’s an endless cycle. Those who wait for version 2.0 will be kicking themselves for not waiting for version 3.0, etc. My first generation iPod still rocks perfectly and I use it in my car every day. Original battery, Firewire…
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@not that Steve
Agreed, plus, it’s gonna be AT LEAST a year before we see a second gen iPhone with 3g. I mean, AT&T have put 16 billion into upgrading the EDGE network for iPhone.. 3G is gonna be a ways off yet, and it’s really not even a big deal to me.. I’m within a Wi-Fi network for probably 85% of my day..
went to burlington MA store to get airport extreme, and they wouldn’t let me in. It was 2:01. They said come back after 6. But I don’t think so, there’s a huge line.
@Oops
I bet all those “eye-rollers” have PC’s at home.
Apple was once ridiculled about another input device they introduced. A mouse. Noone believed it will work or people will find it comfortable to use. Now, over two decades later it is everywhere. Apple multitouch keyboard will be same phenomenon.
Saw Ratatouille this morning, folks. It is a beautiful work of art. My kids, wife, and I all really enjoyed it. Not as good for me as The Incredibles (I’m a comics geek) but a great film.