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Triforce Johnson gets his Nintendo 3DS first, the legend continues
There are fans, and then there are fans, if you know what we mean, and Isaiah Triforce Johnson has secured his spot in column number two with a Power Gloved fist -- here he is accepting the very first Nintendo 3DS on the east coast from Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America. Johnson camped out all week in front of Best Buy's Union Square location to be first in line at the launch event, replicating his feat of five years prior when he was first to purchase the Wii. Of course, Japanese gamers have had the autostereocopic handheld for over a month now, but we have to give credit where it's due -- we're already imagining Greg Packer and Triforce Johnson duking it out in a little Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition duel. By the way, we snapped a few shots of the 3DS launch event this morning -- check them out below. %Gallery-119822%
First iPhone 4 camper spotted, one week early (update: video)
Let's hope he got his preorder in, and that he's not waiting for the white one. Otherwise, he's going to be one unhappy camper, eh? Sorry, couldn't help ourselves. Update: Video interview with the Yosemite Squatter posted after the break. [Thanks, BT228]
First NYC iPad line sitter also camped for first iPhone: a legend is born (video)
Greg Packer, we salute you. Sure, the weather in New York City is a lot finer now than it was back in the sweltering summer of 2007, but we still feel the need to tip our hat to someone who'd camp out three whole days at Apple's Fifth Avenue store (read: "The Cube") for an iPad. Tipster Tom dropped in the image after the break at around 3:15PM ET yesterday, and after a short nap in Penn Station, Mr. Packer is freshened up and holding down his spot yet again. We aren't anticipating iPhone-esque lines this coming Saturday, but considering that new pre-orders aren't being fulfilled until April 12th or later, we reckon this guy is following that whole "better safe than sorry" thing to a T. Check out a brief video captured on the streets (thanks, Zoltan Kaprinay!) by tapping that 'Read More' link, and head on over to Switched if you'd like to relive a similar interview from the iPhone campout. We'll leave you with a few choice quotes from Mr. Packer on why exactly he's doing such a thing for such a product: Question: "So, nobody took your place?" Packer: "No, nobody... nobody." Question: "So, you are the first one?" Packer: "So far, yep yep!" Question: "So you're going to be the first one to buy one, also?" Packer: "Yep, yep!" Question: "Do you have any number?" Packer: "Huh?! Yes, yes. Well, first come, first serve! They don't give you a number, you queue up for a number." Question: "Do you have something in your bag, to eat or drink?" Packer: "Just mainly a change of clothes. Nothing to eat, nothing to drink." Question: "Why do you want [the iPad] so desperately?" Packer: "Because... it's like a mini laptop! I mean, you just... you know, click it on, just like you click the iPhone on. And you don't have to open it up, and you know, go through, you know, go through everything. " Question: "So, you need to have it?" Packer: "Yes! " [Thanks, Tom and Zoltan] %Gallery-89550%
Line report: iPhone mania!
Oh, buddy. It's 4:30 in the middle of the country, lots of people are just starting to get out of work, and things are really starting to pick up now. Benjamin Gilbert sends pictures from his campout at Legacy Village in Ohio. Andrew Abate is lineblogging from the West Farms Mall Apple Store in Farmington, CT, where California Pizza Kitchen is apparently handing out free food. Nick Bodkins sends a note from Orlando, FL, where he's sitting in line at the Millenia Mall. Apple is handing out free water there, too, and apparently security says no shopping throughout the rest of the mall. Danny Perez is at the 5th Ave. Store in New York (where I believe our own Mike Rose is headed very soon), and says the feeling there is good: "There are about 300 people in line that I can tell from my location, I'm almost at the end of the line, they are giving away some free stuff. Items include, FREE Baked Caramel Popcorn (FreeEvil), Water (Water is directly from Apple - Branded by smartwater), Virgin Atlantic Airlines just gave away a gift bag with toothbrush/paste, Eye covers, Ear plugs, socks, and Lemonade. I also got some free music CD's and the best part, A FAN TO COOL OURSELVES OFF!!!" And finally, the best thing I've heard today comes from Rick and Simon at the Fashion Valley Mall in San Jose, CA: The Woz is live and in person there (or was, this afternoon), and apparently the Hummer and the Segway made the trip as well. Just under a half hour until 6pm on the East Coast, and then iPhone mania sweeps the nation. Thanks everyone for sending in all the tips, and I hope all you intrepid linesitters get your phones. I'm off to the Michigan Ave store for a report later tonight-- good luck out there.
AT&T launches iPhone store finder for the planners
We know the pencil pushers, er, Excel gurus out there are already crunching numbers, mapping out routes, calculating the opportunity risk in ditching work entirely on Friday, and figuring if you'd rather wait for the next iteration, so here's one more asset to help you wrap your mind around an attack plan. AT&T's "Find a Store" feature now boasts a selection that enables users to find retail outlets nearby that will definitively stock iPhones, meaning that your strategy of misguiding your local "friends" to an empty store is likely to backfire. Additionally, an anonymous tipster has noted that current Cingular / AT&T customers who aren't yet eligible for a new contract can still purchase an iPhone, but it sounds like an extension to their current contract will be tacked if this does prove true. Enough chatter -- now, get back to your scheming.[Thanks, Anonymous, image courtesy of Seattle Post-Intelligencer]
Gadling details the necessities for an iPhone camp out
While our latest blogger Chris Ullrich has dug up some details on how AT&T stores are going to handle crowd control on June 29th, Justin Glow at our sister blog Gadling has gone the geek route by laying down a complete list of Must-haves for your iPhone camp out. I really hope things don't get this desperate around the Colorado stores as I hope to score an iPhone in just under 9 days now, anyone obsessed with grabbing Apple's latest gadget might learn a think or two from this list and be able to wake a bit more rested than their competition the morning of the big day. From tents that provide power for charging your gadgets to - no joke - portable toilets, Glow has you covered with what is probably the most over-the-top, über-prepared survival guide for iPhone Day.
PS3 hopefuls shot with BB's at Kentucky Best Buy
If you thought shacking up outside of a Best Buy in near-freezing temperatures (say, Ann Arbor, Michigan) for nearly two weeks is hardcore, imagine how folks waiting in Lexington, Kentucky felt when a drive-by shooter let the pellets fly into a group of PS3 hopefuls. Apparently bitter and distraught from not getting their name on a (shaky) pre-order list, enraged suspects drove by a Best Buy on Nicholasville Road and "injured four people with BB pellets," including a news reporter who was conducting an interview with one of the campers. Although none of the folks were seriously injured, we can't help but wonder who pulls off a drive-by shooting with cameras rolling, and moreover, did the "mildly wounded" individuals waiting in line forfeit their position to visit a hospital? The soldier in us says negative.[Via digg]
