The Apple iPhone 4 was finally released at Midnight last night. I’m not much of an Apple fanboi as they are called but definitely had my eye on the iPhone for a while. While aware of the antenna issues and constant criticism from non-iPhoners, I was still keen to get one.
As a dancer, I often film the dances I choreograph as well as the ones I learn from other people. It makes it alot easier than doing a write up (writing the dances step by step). Second reason, I store all my music on my ipod and my other dancer friends (and their dance studios) all have docks. Docks/iPods make carrying your music so much easier and loses the frustration from trying to burn CD’s.
So often when on my dancing duties I would be carrying around my camera, iPod and phone. Pretty poor justification for most people I guess but it will make things really convenient for me. Everywhere I go I am guaranteed to take my phone, so gone will be the days I get to dancing and realise I have forgotten my music or the footage of the dance.
So all bad publicity and antenna-gate aside, I was still keen. Not so keen to go at Midnight but was lucky enough to pick one up from the City Optus Store. Store opened at 8am so I arrived at about 7:30am and was probably #20 or so in the line.
From the beginning the Optus guy told us that from about my point in the line (the girl and guy behind me) there were slim chances on picking up a headset today. There were at least two people who were ahead of me in the line who could not get the phone today due to Identification issues (they did not walk out happy people).
I was set on only waiting 30 mins after opening time and if the line still had not moved, I would have just gone to work. Then 30 minutes later I was the 3rd person from the door, the suspense and chance of just getting in too hard to walk away from!
Finally at 8:45am I got let in, the guy came offered the Black 32GB (which is all they had left – I was actually aiming for a 16GB) and told me it was the LAST one. I could not believe my luck. Surely it was not, but he said it was the last one in the box.
The sighs from the two people behind me made me a wee sad 
The girl who was in the line behind me was quite nice and provided company whilst in the freezing cold! She had actually gone to the Optus Midnight launch on Murray Street and seeing the hundreds of people there, tried her chances the next morning. I really hope the Optus guy was wrong and she at least got one!
So my experience as an Apple fan-girl for the day? You could definitely feel the excitement the Apple fans generate amongst each other. The marketing does itself amongst these guys. The lines for Telestra and Optus seemed modest but the Apple Store down the road was crazy! They had even blocked one lane of traffic for the line! I hope they got Council approval!!
I am glad to have picked up my toy, but almost lost my toes in the process. I was stupid enough to wear heels on a freezing morning and had really numb toes by the time I got inside the store. While I walked away a happy customer with a new phone and an Optus cupcake, I don’t think I will do the fan-lining up experience again…
So far I have synced my phone, sent some txts and put on a few apps. Have not made any phone calls yet but I do have one of those rubber band things that apparently remedies the antenna issue SHOULD I have any.
And thats the story of how I sold my soul to Apple and Optus for the next 24 months!
