

Want to be first in line for an iPhone? Rent a tent. - judegomila
http://blog.airbnb.com/iphone-mania-hits-airbnb

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philk
It's a hilarious money making idea but I have trouble understanding why people
queue up overnight for these things[1] as opposed to buying it the next day or
next week. It's just a phone, albeit a rather lovely one.

[1] Although not _nearly_ as puzzling as the people who queued up for Windows
95.

~~~
patio11
Because the phone is a part of your identity and if you were a True Believer
enough to stay out for several hours to get it, then that is an awesome story
to tell people every time you whip it out to show them how cool you are. See
also attending movies on opening night, going to the midnight release of Harry
Potter, etc etc.

I'm not being facetious in the least.

P.S. I remember Windows 95 as being a quantum leap over Windows 3.1.
Everything about your computer was magic and new after that one.

~~~
megablast
A few people might be like that, some people enjoy the atmosphere and meeting
over Apple fans (and seem to have too much time on their hands), overs can't
wait for anything, and a few are developers who want to test the apps they
have been writing for weeks, on an actual device, and be the first to utilize
the new phones abilities.

I waited 20 minutes for an ipad in line, got bored and left. It took me two
weeks to get one from the Apple store, when they had supplies, despite putting
my name on the list. I had produces apps for people, and they were doing
strange things, and it was not easy finding out why without the actual device.

~~~
jonknee
I walked into a BestBuy at lunch time on iPad launch day and was out the door
with an iPad in 10 minutes. There was a huge crowd at the Apple store and
people who camped out. I slept, had a nice breakfast, got some work done and
then got the iPad along with other errands. Priorities I suppose.

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aschobel
You may be the first in line to wait overnight, but you may not be the first
person to buy the iPhone at this Apple Store.

I camped for the iPad launch and they split the lines in two a few hours
before store opening. Folks with reservations got to go in first. For every
ten people with a reservation they only let one in without a reservation.

Still a really fun experience meeting fellow enthusiasts and you may get your
mug on CNN, NYTimes, Reuters, AP, random world newspapers. :P I was lucky
enough to be the first to walk out w/ an iPad at SF Apple store even though I
was third in the reserved line.

~~~
derefr
I figured out an "exploit", if it could be called that—my MBP died (from a
faulty video card, thankfully recalled) on the iPad release day, so I booked a
Genius Bar appointment for first thing in the morning, and was let in ahead of
both queues. I could have purchased an iPad right then, if I had had the
inclination.

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holdenc
Of all reasons to spend the night on the street -- a new iPhone? The economy
must be getting better...or maybe I am just getting old. I feel embarrassed
knowing that in some places hungry people are lining up like this for food.

~~~
loewenskind
It's hardly new, remember the people who camped out weeks in advance to see
Star Wars episode one?

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ajg1977
If you're planning on wandering down at 6:50am to your pre-booked tent you may
be in for a surprise. Generally Apple frown on "placeholders", at two launches
I've been at stores have sent an employee out a few hours before opening to
assign numbers to those already waiting.

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mcdowall
Seems like a clever piece of Viral Marketing to me!

