iPhone Day

I really like gadgets in general and Apple stuff in particular, so I fully intend to buy one of the new iPhones when doing so becomes convenient. But I don't really understand the psychology of camping out to get in line to get one on the very first morning -- I was very pleased to spend last night in my regular bed. But Megan McArdle and Peter Suderman don't see things that way and they have some extensive coverage of the scene at the Clarendon Apple Store if you're curious. I mostly continue to find it a disgrace that our nation's capital lacks an Apple Store of its own.

Photo by Megan McArdle

Comments

There's no gadget in the world that I'd camp out for, but at least for a Wii it makes sense-- you can't just go into a store and pick one up. But that's never been the case for the iPhone; they're always available.

Posted by Freddie | July 11, 2008 9:09 AM

Yeah, camping out for a widely-available phone just makes it seem like you don't actually have anyone to call once you actually buy it.

And why doesn't DC have an Apple Store? Towson does, but not DC?

Posted by Reality Man | July 11, 2008 9:13 AM

Reality Man,

Where's there an Apple Store in Towson?

Posted by Jeff | July 11, 2008 9:39 AM

Is the Bethesda apple store not more convenient? It's a 10 minute walk from the metro stop. (And if you have a car, what about the Montgomery Mall one, which, being in a mall, almost certainly won't have anyone actually camped out the night before.)

Posted by mat | July 11, 2008 9:47 AM

Is the Bethesda apple store not more convenient? It's a 10 minute walk from the metro stop. (And if you have a car, what about the Montgomery Mall one, which, being in a mall, almost certainly won't have anyone actually camped out the night before? Montgomery Mall is, without traffic, probably a 40-minute drive from downtown D.C.)

Posted by mat | July 11, 2008 9:48 AM

I can't seem to download the 2.0 software for my non-3G iPhone.

I downloaded iTunes 7.7, installed it, and was told that it would be downloaded. No dice, apparently.

Posted by Andy | July 11, 2008 10:11 AM

I'm starting to think the whole camping out / lining up at 3 am thing for various products or various sale days are just something to do. Right now it's still enough out of the routine to seem fun, or something.

Posted by El Cid | July 11, 2008 10:11 AM

"Is the Bethesda apple store not more convenient? It's a 10 minute walk from the metro stop."

The Arlington Apple store is about 2 blocks from the Clarendon Metro and is inherently better, just by virtue of not being in Maryland.

Posted by k | July 11, 2008 10:42 AM

No Apple store, perhaps, but there were folks lining up at the 12 & G AT&T store not two blocks from where I now sit.

Posted by Cliffy | July 11, 2008 10:52 AM

Because an Apple Store would mean DC would have just too many self-righteous assholes.

Posted by Rob | July 11, 2008 11:00 AM

Apple sucks. Price. Reliability. One button mouse. Hipster guy on their commercials. Enough said.

Posted by DMonteith | July 11, 2008 11:03 AM

I think we're getting an Apple store in Georgetown.

Posted by Will | July 11, 2008 11:15 AM

by virtue of not being in Maryland

Which is unfortunately completely outweighed by the drawback of being in Virginia. Fair point about the distance from the Metro, though, except that that could be outweighed by the need for a transfer for Red Liners.

Posted by KCinDC | July 11, 2008 11:19 AM

But I don't really understand the psychology of camping out to get in line to get one on the very first morning...

For me, it least, it's the fear that the doggone things will be sold out, and there will be long delays in restocking. Needless to say, I didn't camp out, but I did get to my local Apple Store (Cambridge, MA) at 7:30am (my hope/theory was that most of the hardcore Apple fanatics would go to the fancy store in the Back Bay and leave Cambridgeside relatively quiet) -- which was completely futile, as the queue looked like it would take several hours to clear, and I couldn't spare the time.

Also, I don't have the old version. Those of you who already do are only facing the prospect of a few weeks without an upgrade -- while you continue to merrily enjoy your ability to surf the internets on a whim wherever you are. But if you lack an Iphone, and you've been jonesing for one, the prospect that there might be long restocking delays sucks. Steve Jobs is a fucking marketing genius. (And no, I don't know there will be long restocking delays, and it's undoubtedly my paranoia kicking in, but like I said, Steve Jobs is a marketing genius).

But that's never been the case for the iPhone; they're always available.

They've perhaps always been available at five or six hundred bucks. But this is a pretty dramatic price drop we're talking about. My instinct/paranoia tells me Apple is going to have trouble meeting demand for a while.

Posted by Jasper | July 11, 2008 12:16 PM

Isn't the "dramatic price drop" completely wiped out by the dramatic rise in the monthly fee?

Posted by KCinDC | July 11, 2008 12:50 PM

Speaking of the commercials, am I the only one who thinks they paint PCs in a way better light than Macs? First of all, the hipster Mac guy is a total douchebag and he's just asking to be punched in the face. Second, the PC guy projects just the image you want from your computer: wears a suit, geeky-looking, gives an air of competence. Of course, in the ads he's always malfunctioning, because he's the PC and they're Mac ads, but the character gives a better air of competence. The PC guy also gets all the good lines.

Posted by too many steves | July 11, 2008 12:53 PM

Because an Apple Store would mean DC would have just too many self-righteous assholes.

It would just be adding a few raindrops into the ocean. No one would notice

Actually Apple plans a DC store to coincide with the introduction of their new "iGun."

Posted by Tom | July 11, 2008 3:14 PM

"Reality Man,

Where's there an Apple Store in Towson?

Posted by Jeff | July 11, 2008 9:39 AM"

Sorry for the late reply. I believe there should still be one at the Towson Town Center or whatever, the mall where the Hecht's (now Macy's, I think) used to be. At least, it was there a year ago the last time I went there.

Posted by Reality Man | July 12, 2008 1:03 AM