iPhone Jonny: world's first iPhone 3G owner (in waiting)

See that guy? That's Jonny Gladwell from Auckland New Zealand. He's special no matter how you define the word. He's camped outside of Vodafone NZ right now which puts him on a path to be the world's first iPhone 3G owner. Of course, there's still time for other Kiwi's to get in line at the Wellington and Christchurch shops which will open simultaneously. A red hot trinity of buffoonery to be sure.

[image credit and thanks to Darryl Carey]

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 11:40AM]

I still prefer the Nokia E90 to the iPOD 3G. U can add a 16GB memory card, and have a nice keyboard, HSDPA, Wi-Fi 2 etc.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 12:03PM]

He's a cutie, though.

He could get it!

[Grusic Posted Jul 8th 2008 12:21PM]

I really don't understand the kind of adoration that the iPhone seems to inspire in some people. But, then again, I'm the sort of person that gets turned off by hype very easily. And, I'll actively avoid products that are over-hyped - even if they may be good ones.

To Jonny, all I have to say is "For f**k sake, it's just a phone!"

[BratPAQ Posted Jul 8th 2008 12:53PM]

camping outside the store for a week? goes to show that he wouldnt be needing the PIM features of iPhone 3G, actually, does he really need the phone at all? no girlfriend to call and text, no friends to go out with, oh right, for her mother to be able to call him..."hey johnny! why dont you pick up your @ss from there and GET A JOB!"

ah just kidding

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 1:03PM]

But why the tent? THERE'S A HOTEL RIGHT BEHIND HIM!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 3:05PM]

and he will not the first one to get one after all, theres another article on a lady who already got one in europe
...lol

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 4:10PM]

But is he traveling the FURTHEST to get an iPhone? I think we have him beat so far. 1600 miles roundtrip. Learn more here.
http://26dayswithoutaniphone.com

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 4:29PM]

I have uploaded video of the guy. The comments from the security guys are pretty funny near the end.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 4:31PM]

Doh, might help if I read the instructions on posting links. Here is the video http://devour.co.nz/2008/07/08/iphone-3g-launch-first-video-of-the-queue/

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 6:03PM]

With the New Zealand iPhone plans being $250/month for 1GB of data, I say he's first in line for fail.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 10:46PM]

This guy is a student. He was on the news here in NZ.
What I want to know is how the hell he is going to afford the pricing plan for an iPhone in NZ on a student income?
Hes been in the line since before the pricing was announced, I bet if someone walked up and told him how much it was going to cost he would have to pack his sh1t up and leave :)

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 8th 2008 10:50PM]

Im a huge apple fanboy and have been waiting for the 3g iPhone since before the 1st iPhone was even launched (I thought the 1st one would be 3g)
And Im a vodafone NZ customer, but Im boycotting it now. I refuse to sign up for 2 years (im currently on pre-pay, Ive been waiting for vodafone to allow number porting between pre-pay and on account for years), pay 80 bucks a month and then pay $699 for the 16 gb model.
I would accept $499, 12 month contract and $49 a month... to me thats reasonable. But even then, the entry level plan only gives you 250mb a month data.... and vodafone NZs 3g coverage is WEAK.

So have fun Johnny, with you're iPhone that your parents will probably be paying the bill for anyway I guess....

Bring on the paralell imported, unlocked iPhone 3gs and I'll be in !

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 9th 2008 11:27PM]

Jeezz - lay off the poor guy - he's my cousin!
Firstly - he's doing it for a dare - his friends said they would pay
for it if he was "first in the world" - and as a poor uni student (on
university holidays I might add) - that sounds like a pretty good deal
to me .....

[zachattack10992 Posted Jul 10th 2008 12:16AM]

Who cares about who is the first person... The important thing is that it will be out somewhere before the US. Why is that important?

ANSWER: Because the new firmware, 2.0, will most likely come out for every iPhone and iPod touch owner a day earlier than the iPhone 3G comes out, which is the most anticipated... Imagine the iPhone 3G bricking when plugged into iTunes because it doesn't "support" the 2.0 firmware- I can't see a logical reason the new firmware won't come out in 8 hours.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 10th 2008 2:14AM]

Im jonnys gf and i back him all the way. It seems like some of you have a case of the green eyed monster otherwise you wouldnt have been bothered to put up comments. We are laughing at all the negativity that this has brought.He's on uni study break and is doing all his work on his laptop. I think its hilarious yet pathetic at the amount of attention you guys are giving him. Do you guys not have a job or a gf??? But thanks for al the positive comments,those are much appreciated :)

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 10th 2008 4:31AM]

He's locked in with Vodafone.

Welcome to the man of the moment

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 10th 2008 2:19PM]

The reason a person would want to be first is because, when a person sais "Dude, I got an iPhone 3G!", you can reply with "Dude, I got the FIRST iPhone 3G.". A true geek can understand the feeling of being first.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 10th 2008 7:06PM]

haha, hes laughn al the way to the bank mate!he got paid megga bux toline up from yellow pages plus he got the first iphone free. No, yourright, he doesnt have a job but hes a uni student still on uniholidays. How do I know this?? because hes my friend. Think some ofyou need to get your own lives sorted before you analyse others. AllI can say i that he is stoked!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 13th 2008 7:18PM]

http://www.stuff.co.nz//4617185a28.html

First iPhone buy a marketing stunt

An Auckland man who gave interviews as the first person in the world to buy Apple's highly anticipated next generation iPhone was paid by a marketing company to wait in line and was not even able to keep the device.


Jonny Gladwell, 22, an Auckland student, waited in line for about 60 hours to be the first in the world to buy the iPhone at one minute past midnight on Friday.

The iPhone combines a music and video player, cellphone and web browser, and New Zealand stores were the first to sell it.

While Gladwell waited outside the store he gave media interviews about being first in the line.

Gladwell was hired by a company whose client was the Yellow Pages telephone directory service as part of a media stunt.

Armed with a cellphone and laptop Gladwell was sent to see if he could survive his time using only the Yellow Pages website. A blog site recorded his diary notes of his time on the street. The phone is now a competition prize on the Yellow Pages website.

Yellow Pages digital media director Blair Glubb said the stunt was planned only the day before Gladwell set up camp.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 2:07PM]

Good work im sure your name will never be brought up again haha