iPad line watch: the few, the proud? (updating, Woz on deck!)

We just landed at Apple's 5th avenue flagship, "The Cube," and it's... a little bare. We count less than 15 people in line at this point (still headed by the inimitable Greg Packer), and most of them actually have pre-orders. Despite the minimal line situation, Apple has a huge section of The Cube's plaza cordoned off to make room for more, and the NYPD is here with barriers galore, ready to lay down the law. We're told the lines will be split between pre-orderers and non-pre-orderers at 6:30PM, at which point the scene will look truly pitiful. Presumably the crowd will grow later tonight and swell early next morning, as those pre-orderers with nothing to worry about shuffle in, breakfast in their bellies. Or maybe everyone just went to the beach for the weekend.

Have you spotted a line in your city? Send us a tip! Not planning on braving the beautiful spring weather for a shot at this revolutionary / magical device? Make sure to check out Josh's iPad-equipped Jimmy Fallon appearance later tonight.

CLICK HERE TO READ ENGADGET'S FULL REVIEW OF THE IPAD!

Update: News is filtering in from all over -- check it after the break, and make sure to send in what you're seeing, wherever you are!

Update 2: The line at The Cube is moving! Check out the update after the break.

Update 3: We're Ustreaming live from NYC's Cube store. Check it after the break!

iPad line watch: the few, the proud?

8.43AM EST - With 15 minutes to go everybody's standing up and super chatty. A friend in line managed to nab this picture of the iPads through the glass of the cube [Thanks, Handras].

The Cube, 8:15AM EST: We're so close! Blue-shirted Apple employees are making their way through the pre-orderers line, "checking in" line sitters with some custom iPhone app. Word is there are around 400 or so people here, but we're a little surrounded and bad at counting.

The Cube, 6:45AM EST: After a rather boring night, where the two lines (pre-orders and non) grew to about 50 or so total, things started getting exciting around 5AM. News crews descended for their morning broadcasts, and the ranks began to swell. By 6:15 or so the non-pre-orderers were moved from the zoo-on-the-sidewalk setup they enjoyed overnight and onto the cushy plaza platform that the pre-orderers lounged in all night. The chilly group has swelled to around 150 or 200 folks, now in position for the 9AM opening. In typical Apple style, there are still no specific instructions about how this will all go down, outside of the doors opening at 9AM, and we're very curious how Apple is going to balance between the non-pre types like Greg Packer (who is well, and is tracking down any journalist or camera in sight), and the smooth, calculating pre-order crew.

iPad line watch: Cube update

5th Ave iPad line and launch

Charleston store, 8.24AM EST - Time for a whirlwind tour of the nation and its queuer numbers. Chris O'Connor is reporting 40+ Apple acolytes queued up in the Charleston store's non-reserved line and a dozen in the pre-orderers' queue. Below his picture, we have an image from Shadyside, PA, contributed by Scott Marnik, who's noted 30 people in line with a "quite shocking" diversity in age, profession and background. About 50 people can be found waiting in Louisville, KY, according to Addison Ryan, while John Trussell is reporting a humbler collection of 40 over at the Promenade Apple Store in Marlton, NJ. Michael Schwabe sees less than 20 anticipating souls in front of Cleveland's Apple Store, while Josh Goodman and Tym Phillips report about 25 people at their respective Stores in Austin, TX, and Oklahoma City.

Waco Best Buy, 3.52AM CST - Reader Jay McNulty forwards the below picture with the comment, "only four of us here so far, but we are good to go!" These people are clearly in desperate need of an iPad, just look at all the stuff they have to carry around to keep themselves entertained.

Chicago flagship store, 10:15PM CST: Not a ton of activity in the Chi, but there are about 10-15 people in line around back of the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue, and this charming young lass who's set up a lawn chair right in front -- with her dog.

8:04AM CST: Clearly folks have awoken. Things are considerably more raucous here at the Chi-town flagship with just moment to go before the iPad goes on sale here, though we did see that an Apple Specialist store had precisely no one waiting if you'd rather give that a shot. Oh, and the downtown Best Buy? They're still "awaiting shipment," so it looks like you'll want to pass right on by if nabbing an iPad this morning is your primary goal.

San Jose Valley Fair store, 9:18PM PST: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is greeting a throng of guests at the Valley Fair mall in his hometown, few of whom plan to wait in line for an iPad. In fact, there are only five in all committed to stay overnight after this indoor mall closes -- but this year, Woz counts himself among their number. He's #4, after husband-and-wife tech junkies Jason and Annette Slack-Moehrle, who now sport a Woz-signed MacBook; Parth Dhebar, who runs an app review website; and before James Stout, a businessman who sells gadgets for a living. All plan to spend the entire night here with food and folding camp chairs in the hopes of getting an iPad tomorrow morning (the Apple store manager told us for these five, it wouldn't be an issue) and all seem happy to do so. We've now also got an image of reader Wayne Boissicat's newly Woz-engraved MacBook Pro below, scroll down for the awesomeness.

San Antonio North Star Apple Store, 8:09AM CST: Around 50 here and growing, only a few without reservations. Thanks, Robert!

9:09AM CT: "Just dropped the curtains!"

Apple Store, Bridgewater NJ, 9:05AM ET: "Not a huge crowd, but excited." Thanks, Darren! And nice shot!

West Hartford, CT Apple Store, 9:12AM ET: A decent line. Some confused people wondering where they are. Nine aliens. Five jetpacks. Is that Colin Cowherd? Thanks, Mr. A!

Apple Store St. Louis Galleria, 8:33AM CT: "We've been divided into reserve and non-reserve lines here." Thanks, Leo! Oh, and watch out for that one dude over there -- looks like he hasn't had his daily fourth meal.

Apple Store Rockingham Park in Salem NH, 8:52AM ET: "Around 200 people out here, more over there in the reserved line." Thanks, Paul! And make sure to brag to everyone in the surrounding states that you don't have to pay sales tax on your iPad. Live Free or Die, ain't that right? Right.

Apple Store Oxmoor, Louisville KY, 8:39AM ET: "Around 80 people waiting in my old Kentucky homeland." Thanks, Jason! Please tell us you're still drinking sweet tea, wherever your "new home" is...

Best Buy in Lincoln, NE, around 7:00AM CT: Just chillin', thinking about how awesome it is to be on Spring Break. Man, Cornhusker football better pick up this year. Thanks, Ryan!

Apple Store Manhattan Village, Manhattan Beach CA, 6:53AM PT: "Got here about 6AM with 15 people, now it's 6:53AM with about 50 people. Doors open at 9AM, line splits in two with pre-orders and non-pre-orders." Thanks, Kamran!

7:00AM PT: "Apple Store has a big black cloth hanging in front of it. Have about 100 people now, everyone in line got free coffee from coffee bean."

Apple Store South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa CA, 7:58AM PT: "This is a shot outside Apple Store in South Coast Plaza, California. This is the purchase line. They say they only have enough for reservations. However , they may have 64GB for non-reservation. They also say there are more iPads on the way today, but not by 9AM nor 10AM." Thanks, honlunlau!

8:03AM PT: "This line will be moving slower than the reservation line." 3PM is the magic number. Oh, free Starbucks!"

San Jose Valley Fair Apple store, 8:17AM PT: Is anyone still reading this? While you all on the East Coast have been spending the last two hours fawning over some fancy new tablet, we here on the West side have been spending the better part of the evening and morning still waiting in line. It's okay, though, because we've had Woz to keep us company. We're sitting next to the line of non-preorders, which at this point has hit just over 100 hopeful consumers. A barista from Starbucks has graciously carted by bringing coffee and some minor snacks, seemingly for gratis. A pair of line goers brought with them a 27-inch iMac case to use as a chair (clever, you two)... and as we sit here writing this, our cameras currently on hiatus as we process images, an older gentleman in a black turtleneck and tight jeans has been walking by, iPhone attached to his belt. Clearly in the future Steve Jobs has discovered time travel and is purveying the lines from before his time. Maybe we haven't slept enough.

San Jose Valley Fair Apple store, 8:29AM PT: Well that was weird. Screams emanate from a dark hallways. Shivers down our spine, blood pressure rising, a cacophonous sea of blue that outnumbers the line itself gushes through. It's Apple employees, dressed for the occasion, bursting through like it's opening day for NFL season game. Weaving and juking, passing right by the crowd and giving them high fives as they pass. (Apple, our rockstars aren't like your rockstars.) Then they retrace steps, screaming just as much along the way. It's as if it never happened.



And now a scene from the outside of the mall. Two lines form, we ask the left line what the difference is. Poor soul in a grey sweatshirt, without skipping a beat, replies "they both suck." Right line is for reserves, left line is for those who couldn't fit in the mall line, waiting with baited breath and haphazard hope. We wish them well.



Hey look, it's a Woz! Just minutes after the clamor inside the shrouded Apple store subsided long enough to remove the drape, we decided to ever-so-cautiously interrupt Woz, peering through the glass portal. He was gracious enough to sign laptops -- yes, he really does just keep sharpies on him.


"Who's the sexiest industry luminary this side of the Silicon Valley? Ah yeah, that's right."

San Jose Valley Fair store, 8:59AM PT: After recovering from their impromptu cheerleading activities a half-hour earlier, Apple employees are going nuts inside the store, clapping, smiling ear to ear and pleased as punch to welcome customers. (They received their programming in a top-secret video dispatch from Dr. Evil Apple HQ minutes earlier.) As the countdown clock hits ten, camera-toting gawkers chant each number in awe, and then the doors finally open. Fists are pumped, as the first preorder customers are allowed to enter. Woz creates a ripple of high-fives.

Apple Store Bellevue Square, Bellevue WA, 10:00AM PT: "150+ people in the: non-pre-order line... in Microsoft country!" Thanks, Michael!

[yoavraccah Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:31PM]

o.O Really?

[Mmmm Donuts Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:32PM]

@yoavraccah

o3o Really.

[abedinthehouse Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:53PM]

Pretty sure everyone hit the beach for spring break. That must be why there is no line.

[broli Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:55PM]

The iCattle are grazing, soon the feeding will start.

[kidphat Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:55PM]

@yoavraccah: O.o rEALLY?

[cnote1287 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 7:00PM]

@broli

HAHAHHA YES!!

[staticjethro Posted Apr 2nd 2010 7:06PM]

@yoavraccah
buyers are smarter now. They just pre order and wait at the comfort of their couches.

[albinomexi Posted Apr 2nd 2010 7:26PM]

iMoo!

[Evan Posted Apr 2nd 2010 8:07PM]

Engadget...did you seriously just compare these fanbois to the Marines?

[Please forgive me Posted Apr 2nd 2010 9:04PM]

@yoavraccah

I suspect this whole line thing is staged, and people are paid to waste their lives in line, instead of wasting their lives behind a desk. Same diff, so as long as you don't mind, what's the harm. It's all a deception anyway: job / product appeal.

[Please forgive me Posted Apr 2nd 2010 9:09PM]

@Please forgive me

Oh, and the police thing better be covered by Apple Inc, with the Billions of dollars of Cash on hand. The police presence better not be covered by my taxes which I hope go to provide help for the homeless or something. I live in NYC, so I'm talking about this place.

If my taxes are being used to control an Apple crowd, I will look into a class action lawsuit for this kind of stunt. Ok, maybe not, but I should.

[McKirf Posted Apr 2nd 2010 9:33PM]

@Please forgive me

Our tax dollars will go to homeless iCattle that have nowhere to go but stand in line.

[McKirf Posted Apr 2nd 2010 9:56PM]

@yoavraccah

Get Erika Badu out there and call the riot police!

[DaveBach Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:35PM]

@yoavraccah

If you happen to be outside of a Apple store right now and reading this on your iPhone...

1. You still have time to change your mind.

2. You are not in the majority and that makes you special...but not in the way you wanna be special.

3. The lube truck will be by shortly after 3am to help you prepare for those overpriced iPad apps.

[Saad the other one Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:38PM]

@yoavraccah

Like the iPhone, after the fan-boys have waddled off several hundred dollars poorer, there will be enough spares for the normal people.

[WaitSixMonths Posted Apr 3rd 2010 12:16AM]

@yoavraccah Oh so what. I'm gonna wait until next year when the price goes down.

[Bryce Posted Apr 3rd 2010 4:16AM]

@yoavraccah you know..... woz looks a whole lot like santa

[metric Posted Apr 3rd 2010 2:11AM]

@yoavraccah iPhail

[camroncake Posted Apr 3rd 2010 2:33AM]

A Woz signed ipad...
Hey, a man can dream can't he

[Celz Posted Apr 3rd 2010 3:34AM]

@DaveBach I cant wait!! I have two pre ordered.. They will promptly be on craigslist!

[MadonnasManOne Posted Apr 3rd 2010 4:12AM]

@Please forgive me

You are being ridiculous. Wow, people never cease to amaze me.

[FORDY Posted Apr 3rd 2010 5:58AM]

@Please forgive me

I think you'll find the police will give an obvious presence whenever a crowd/gathering occurs.

If they didn't show up outside The Cube, and there was a massive riot to get the iPads free and early, or fights to queue jump, everyone would ask where the hell the police were.

If they stand around looking mean, chances are it won't happen, because the sort of people that buy an iPad first day in-store aren't the sort of people that are going to "try something" with police already waiting and watching.

Tax Troll.

[FORDY Posted Apr 3rd 2010 6:02AM]

@Please forgive me

The other point I forgot..

A [very small] portion of the tax you pay is being spent on the police anyway.

It doesn't matter if they stick around 5th or not, that money has been spent and sure as hell will be next month.

Would you rather they were sitting around desks eating D-Ring's or out fighting back surging Apple Flan-boys?

[Please forgive me Posted Apr 3rd 2010 7:48AM]

@FORDY

You may be right or wrong... here's why. Either the police were extra for the Apple store, so they were paid overtime, or they were called off from other locations to babysit here.

If they were paid overtime then my statement about my taxes holds.

If they were called in from other locations, do you think watching a bunch of consumers act like fools is a good use of police? And don't see that they are otherwise not watching the streets you claim they would otherwise be watching anyway?

And by the way, I do not think it's ridiculous to suggest that some of the people at these Apple gatherings are paid hacks. I would suspect this for any event such as this, whether it's Apple or Toyota. I just don't expect people to act this way, but clearly I might be wrong.

You're right that the police

[Please forgive me Posted Apr 3rd 2010 7:50AM]

@Please forgive me
Last line does not belong.

[roman7927 Posted Apr 3rd 2010 8:04AM]

@FORDY

[Atkins Posted Apr 3rd 2010 8:04AM]

@Please forgive me What a nonsense. The police is paid to do their job. Crowd "management" is part of it, doesn't matter if it's for Apple or someone else.

[MosesusedaniPad Posted Apr 3rd 2010 8:37AM]

@yoavraccah

"Yo, Robin (Roberts of GMA)! If you want an interview, I'm over here. You want to know why I'm buying an iPad, right? My question is, why aren't you buying an iPad? Pretty soon, everyone will have have one. This is the start of the iPad revolution. Moses on Mt. Horeb should have been so lucky. You want to take a picture with me? Sure! Hey, I really look good on camera. OK, C'ya around. Give my love to Toni (Yates). She's still single, right? You gonna interview Mayor Bloomberg? Yeah, he's further down the line. He'll be lucky if any iPads are left since he got on line so late. Damn! I just love the Big Apple. A fitting name for a city where everyone that matters uses Apple products."

[jennamarcuss Posted Apr 3rd 2010 8:53AM]

@yoavraccah Well there we have it, the ipad lines! I think Steve Woz is the icebreaker here, pretty interesting, although, I know some of us here, won't still get the iPad for some reasons: http://bit.ly/ipad-going-real-opinions

[jabbathewocket Posted Apr 3rd 2010 9:16AM]

@Please forgive me

its not that they are pulled off from other things.. NYPD has a large group of cops on hand at all times to travel around and "show a sea of blue" to prevent mischief before it gets started.

Mischief could be hecklers in line trying to do things like threaten employees etc.. it could be pickpockets/wannabe muggers who see iCattle and think "EZ LOOTS, a bunch of those people have iphones and hi-end laptops i can snatch and sell"

Also, those lemmings in line, are also presumably tax paying NYC residents, and are entitled to be "covered" by the NYPD as much as any other residents of the city.

[Webguru Posted Apr 3rd 2010 12:52PM]

@abedinthehouse LOL Ipad is a total waste get HP Slate way more features cost less $200 Slate $500 Ipad NO flash http://bit.ly/aMzCie
People are in spring break has they know this is a total waste of money buying this crap. LOL just like the iphone is lack of features.
Why would anyone want get ipad which lacks features of

No sdcard
No multi-tasking
No flash
No customization
No Camera
No freedom of choice (you can't even install apps from outside the App Store)

HP Slate has all the features adove and cost cheaper at $200 while Ipad piece of crap cost $500 without 3G only 16gig while $900 gives you 3G LOL what a joke! HP Slate only one prices has everything for $200. Yup can't wait when HP Slate launches in June it going blow away Crappy Ipad.

[MosesusedaniPad Posted Apr 3rd 2010 1:26PM]

@broli

Some poor soul seen near the Fifth Ave. Apple Cube Store was heard asking...
"Excuse me. Does anyone know where the line is for the Fusion Garage JooJoo tablet that I pre-ordered?"

[Webguru Posted Apr 3rd 2010 1:47PM]

@MosesusedaniPad your an idiot haha sure that what steve balmer said about HP Slate not coming in June your just mad because you have a piece of lack of fearture ipad and just can take it HP Slate will blow Ipad away when it arrives in June. So Mosesusedanipad go play with your garbage useless lack of feature Ipad LOL... also tell me when Apple will have all those features included in the Ipad like maybe Flash? LOL... HP Slate wins again.

[MarkAnderson Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:32PM]

I'm sure line will increase but I'd be more than a little surprised if they're anything like the lines for the iPhone.

[michaelwub Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:57PM]

@MarkAnderson

Me too. In some ways, this seems even more needed than the original iPhone.

[michaelwub Posted Apr 2nd 2010 7:00PM]

@michaelwub

*nerfed. Typed that on the iPhone :O

[thanhpluv Posted Apr 2nd 2010 7:55PM]

@MarkAnderson I love to get in line too, but I have tons of homework and am trying to finish some of them tonight so I will have a whole day tomorrow to play with my new ipad :).

[dxdragon Posted Apr 3rd 2010 1:26AM]

@MarkAnderson Why wait in line? I reserved an iPad all I need to do is show up before 3PM and I have one or someone @ Apple is getting a piece of my mind.

If someone wanted one enough to stand in line I 99% change they reserved or pre-ordered making standing in line unnecessary.

[John Doe Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:33PM]

Please let there be a thunderstorm....please.

[engadgetcomexcludeengadget Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:39PM]

@John Doe Or hailstorm.

[bmc Posted Apr 2nd 2010 7:06PM]

@John Doe or a MAELSTROM!

[tmurph Posted Apr 2nd 2010 7:12PM]

@John Doe
Maybe even an iStorm!

[Dunts Posted Apr 3rd 2010 1:21AM]

@tmurph THE I OF THE STORM

[scplayer4 Posted Apr 3rd 2010 1:47AM]

@tmurph you ruined it.

[Exbloder Posted Apr 3rd 2010 7:19AM]

@John Doe What about spontaneous combustion?

[semblance Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:35PM]

The people aren't excited about the iPad. It's media hype.

[Yoda Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:39PM]

@semblance
For real... imagine if there was no media hype over this... it'd end up like Apple TV

[BlackedOut Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:50PM]

@Yoda
Whats Apple TV?

[Rod Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:53PM]

@BlackedOut

It's like QVC, I think?

[Sogeking Posted Apr 2nd 2010 6:54PM]

@semblance

ATV, you know Quads and dirtbikes and stuff.