In line at 5:30 AM outside the Apple Store 14th Street in Manhattan. Out with phone in hand by 8:30 AM.  Met some great people in line.  Absolutely worth it.

I was skeptical to say the least when I posted my review of my reservation process for the new iPhone.  After reading this Macworld article and remembering my 3G launch experience, I thought I would try to show up as early as possible.  I left home before 5 AM and walked the empty streets.  It’s amazing that in an area as populated as NYC, there can ever be a time when it appears to be a ghost-town.  If you ever want to feel alone, go out between 4-5 AM on a weekday.

I was geared up for a morning of Apple Store tailgating.  Folding chair in a bag, shorts and food.  Got to the Apple Store and ended up standing in a line that stretched down almost 1 avenue in length.  By the time we made it into the store, roughly 8 AM, we heard that the line stretched all the way around the corner and up.  @nicole_w_miller joined me about 7 AM and we spent the morning with some new line-friends.

Never under estimate the marketplace of eBay.  I just sold my 3GS in 2 minutes.  I had sold my 3G in 4 minutes.  It’s futile to try to figure out why someone would buy it.  If there is a marketplace on eBay for your product, the impulsive shopper will grab it if you put a Buy Now price slightly lower than what you want with a reserve slightly lower than that. Both of my previous iPhones were bought outright without bidding with immediate payment through Paypal.

 [quicktime width=”233″ height=”412″]http://www.alexanderrea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Leaving-the-Apple-Store-with-Nicole-Miller.mov[/quicktime]

When you turn the phone on it’s side while shooting video, the video stays still.

iPhone 4 video specs for first capture:

Codec: H.264, 568 x 320, Millions
Audio: AAC, Mono, 44.100 kHz
FPS: 30
Data Rate: 769.78 kbit/s

Unlike the notorious 3G launch where I was outside the very same store for nearly 5 hours, this was as smooth as could be. After being well sated with Starbucks, donuts, Honest Tea and Smart Water served up by Apple Store staff, we made it inside the building and into a quick moving queue. First, a business manager found our name in a custom web-based app he was running on a Macbook Pro then directed us to a counter where our two reserved phones met us. The sales rep (Meg – who also sold me my Macbook Pro at the same store) grabbed us our bumper cases. Shockingly, the only cases available. Not even Incase, generally quick to market with cases, is missing. Incase issued a press release today.

On the way out I grabbed my first video using the new iPhone. Unfortunately, I realized only after the fact that if you rotate the phone while recording the aspect ratio does not change.  The experience was great and frankly I was shocked.  It took a couple years for them to figure it out. I think it was better than being at the SoHo store according to this Gizmodo post.

Empty buses before dawn

Ready to go

Apple Store staff working hard

What I was Tweeting during the adventure:

  1. iPhone 4. Mission completed. Shocked how smooth the operation was at the 14th at store. No probs with AT&T either. #iphone4 about 8 hours ago via TweetDeck
  2. So they won’t transfer everything for you between phones. They upsell you MobileMe. Offer one time contacts only sync. #iphone4 about 8 hours ago via TweetDeck
  3. Made it into the store with @nicole_w_miller. http://twitpic.com/1zi7oy We are in the final stretch! #iphone4 about 9 hours ago via TweetDeck
  4. Not inside yet. Don’t know if reserving is going to work or not. #iphone4 about 9 hours ago via TweetDeck
  5. App pushers are working the line at the Apple Store 14th St. #iphone4 about 10 hours ago via TweetDeck
  6. Apple Store worker is moving the herd. Reservations are guaranteed for now. They just brought down Starbucks from up the street. #iphone4 about 10 hours ago via TweetDeck
  7. A lot of “experts” in line here. I like just listening to their knowledge. #iphone4 about 10 hours ago via TweetDeck
  8. At the Apple Store 14th St. We have reservations so let’s see how this plays out. #iphone4 http://tiny12.tv/M3TAP about 10 hours ago via TweetDeck
  9. The city streets at dawn. Few are awake. The pushers and their prey. The nightbreed. And me. I’m off to get a phone. #iphone4 about 11 hours ago via TweetDeck