Yesterday was the release of the iPhone 5. I was one of those people who lined up before the store opened to get my hands on one. I actually needed three, my son wanted a black one and I was getting a white one and my mum wanted a black one.
So at 6.00am we headed down to our local shopping mall which happened to have an Apple Store. We had breakfast before heading down there. I knew from past lining up for Apple products that the do go along the line with food and drinks, so I didn't want to be tempted with any naughty snack items, so having breakfast first, it meant that I wouldn't be hungry and hopefully not tempted with anything they had on offer for the line waiters.
We were by no means the first there when we arrived at 6am, there were probably 150 people in front of us.
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| The line at 6am. Apple Store a long way in the distance. |
The store was opening at 8am, so we only had a two hour wait. We were equipped with our camping chairs to sit on and I took some tea. It really went very quickly. Staff were constantly walking along the line with trolleys of water and snacks, they seemed to be doing the rounds about every 15 minutes or so.
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| Starting another round of water and snacks. |
They also had a local cafe who was going up and down the line taking orders for tea, coffee and hot chocolate. I had taken a large green tea myself so didn't have any from that trolley. All I did indulge in from the treat trolleys was bottles of water. On the food trolley there were chips, chocolates, lollies (candy) and apples. It was all free! Apple sure do look after their customers who wait for a long time to get their hands on their latest gadget.
At about 7am. The line started to move. We moved along to a check point, where we were asked which phone we wanted (16, 32 or 64GB, black or white) and we were then asked if we wanted a new sim card and if we did, which telecommunications company we were with. We were then asked if we were buying the phone outright or on a plan. Once we made our order, we were given a little ticket with what we were wanting. Once we had chosen we were not allowed to change our choice, well we could, but it meant moving to the end of the line!
Once we were given our tickets, we were moved into two lines. The outright line or the contract line. As I was getting mine on a contract, we were went to the contract line! I couldn't believe it, we had hardly anybody in front of us! So we were right outside the front of the store. Then it was opening time and all the apple staff ran around the whole line, yelling and screaming before arriving back at the store and the first people were let in.
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| In they go. |
It took about half an hour for us to get in and get our phones. Then an hour in the store, buying and setting up three phones.
I am loving my new phone. It is so much lighter than the 4. The speakers are much better and clearer for some reason. It feels nice in the hand, is no wider than the old one but is taller (longer). The screen is SO clear. With every phone it seems to get clearer and clearer and you wouldn't think that it can get any better, but somehow it does. Whist the new charger is not bad, I like how small it is. It's a bit annoying now needing two chargers, one for ipad and one for the phones. It really was easier having one charger that fit everything. Now if we travel we will need to take another charger (on top of the different camera chargers, the video camera chargers, the DS chargers, now the ipad chargers, the phone chargers, the laptop charger. Chargers take up half a suitcase, LOL.
So here it is. My new white 32GB iPhone 5.
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| iPhone 5 |
I really do enjoy lining up for new apple devices. I don't know that I would on any day other than release day. There is just something about the atmosphere of waiting for a new device. You chat to other people in line, the staff walking around with food and drinks and chatting to those waiting. It's just a fun atmosphere. So now off to play with my new toy!
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