Tech-Tiles

Next week the new iPhone is released. I have been asked a million different questions about what I know about the release. I’ll try and sum it all up.  Even if you don’t plan on purchasing the new iPhone 4, at least take a look at the new data plans and see if you can save yourself a little money on your current iPhone bill….if you have one.

Features you should know about:

• Longer battery life, up to 40%
• 5 MP camera with LED flash on the back.  VGA quality (shitty) on the front
• FaceTime feature will allow iPhone 4 users to video chat while on the phone
  • Call must be placed
  • Must be connected via WiFi
  • Actually a pretty cool feature from the demo’s I have seen
• Multitasking
• Kick-ass new display.  Has more pixels than the iPad, and more than any other phone on the market
• HD (720p) video recording

So now you want it, here’s the skinny on availability:

• Online pre-orders are currently only taken through Apple.com
• White is ONLY available at the Apple store on release day.  Expect mid-July for white availability
• Pre-ordering started last Tuesday.  You’re out of luck if you want one next week and want to pre-order.  Current estimation is July 14th the pre-orders placed now will ship
• On the 24th, you can visit any Apple store, AT&T store, Wal-Mart or Best Buy to purchase the new iPhone 4
• Pre-orders placed for pick up at the Apple store have precedence over other walk-in customers.  If you go to the Apple store, be prepared for a huge disappointment while watching all the pre-orders getting fulfilled while you get pushed further and further back inline as they show up.
• In-store pre-order pick up is limited to the Apple store only so you will not have that issue at the other outlets
• People are already in line, so show up as early as possible
• Sales start at 7 AM, not sure if that’s valid for a 24-hour Wal-Mart though.  I’ll try and get a definitive answer on that.

In addition to the new device, AT&T is also releasing their new logo (rumor has it).  Employees are required to dress business casual wearing the new black shirts with a logo resembling a gay pride flag.  Oh joy!

From my experience in the past, having done this twice, the time goes by pretty fast.  I’m lucky with my local AT&T store because it’s next door to a CVS Pharmacy.  As long as you have someone with you, food, bathroom, drinks etc., are all within reach.  The crowd also makes the time pass.  It’s very frustrating, but sometimes funny listening to all the people that find out they are not qualified for an upgrade and have to leave the line.  At the 3G release, they would check your status if you were not holding something printed out saying you were eligible.

Probably the best part of the experience, besides obtaining a new phone, would have to be the people that think you are absolutely nuts.  I didn’t think about this my first time going.  I know that people would see us lined up outside the building and probably make comments while driving by, but I never expected that we actually inconvenienced some of their lives.  A few people would show up and not know what’s going on and they would get irate when the manager of the store told them that they would have to wait at the end of the line just to be able to get a different phone or an accessory.

For hours we were blocking the entrance into the CVS mentioned earlier.  The people working there would tell us to move, customers would call us stupid and shout things like “it’s just a phone”.  Eventually, the authorities were called and we were told it was a fire hazard to block the entrance.  At one point it almost became a game because the old lady that was working there just couldn’t handle it.  She was on the verge of a break down.  I KNOW she’s dreading the 24th, I’ll bet she even takes the day off.

It’s about the experience.  It may be a phone, but on June 24th 2010, it will be the most advanced, standard setting phone available.  I’ll argue all day about your FAILDroid if you want.  And I’ll give you 20 reasons why it’s just not a phone…but that’s another post.