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Line messaging and VoIP app adds 'timeline' and 'home' features, throws in new platform for app integration
With now over 45 million users, while you may not use Line yourself, someone you know (or at least someone they know) probably does. The Asia-centric Skype rival has decided to roll-out some extra functionality and is looking to go a few rounds with even bigger competition. 'Home' offers up a base for sharing photos and other content, as well as your own status updates, while the 'timeline' feature will throw together a familiar-sounding chronological breakdown of your latest adventures to show your friends, adding in the ability to comment on each other's posts. Its 'Line channel' sounds even more nebulous and aims to use the existing app as a foundation for integrating and linking to yet more programs and services. The screenshots hint at camera, gaming and (yes) horoscope integration, while Line is gearing up for both HTML5 and native applications. Hit up the company's notions on a heavily connected messaging service in two servings of press release, right after the break.
Naver's Skype rival Line arrives on Windows Phone
Japanese Skype rival Line is branching out from its iPhone and Android garden to visit Windows Phone. Whilst the app will initially arrive with free calls disabled, the company has promised to rectify that issue in the near future. Still, WP7 users can enjoy all of that free messaging as soon as they've downloaded the app, available at our source link.
New iPad still coming to Apple Stores at 8AM on Friday, don't worry
Getting a little bit antsy in your respective Apple Store queue? Don't worry, Cupertino let it be known that its new iPad is on-track for an 8AM debut this Friday. The "resolutionary" (Apple's fault, not ours) tablet will be reaching Apple Stores on March 16th at 8AM local time in ten countries: the US (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands), Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and the UK. Here in the States, the iPad will also be hitting a number of retailers, including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Sam's Club, Target and Walmart. The tablet starts at $499, the line starts around the corner and the relevant press info starts after the break.
Naver's Skype competitor Line crosses 20 million mark
In just eight months, Line has gone from a glimmer in Naver's eye to a 20 million member strong VoIP and messaging service. Perhaps most impressively, it's done so with only iPhone and Android apps available. The company is working on PC, Mac and tablet clients, but for now this is a mobile phone-only app. The speed at which its growing is significantly faster than both Facebook and Twitter, a fact the company is immensely proud of -- but, we wouldn't read to much into that.
Meizu MX launches today, lines dotted all over China as usual (updated)
This time last year we witnessed the Meizu M9 madness in Shenzhen, so we decided to pay our favorite gadget city another visit for the MX launch today (still the 1.4GHz dual-core model, of course). Surprisingly, the lines in Huaqiangbei this time were significantly shorter, but we were told that this was due to tighter security measures as requested by the local authorities -- if you've seen last year's photos you'll know why. Instead, this year the customers are told to line up only when they get a phone call; but a few keen beans still arrived last night, and the first guy in Shenzhen even turned down hotel accommodation offered by Meizu. Yep, that's how you do a "first" properly, folks. Other big cities in China also saw a similar phenomenon, including Beijing, Guangzhou and even Hong Kong -- it's hard to miss the long line formed along the south end of Sai Yeung Choi Street outside the new Mongkok store. Meizu also informed us that the MX's final hardware benefits from an improved camera (tweaked white balance and the lens now benefits from an oleophobic coating), while the software's been giving many enhancements since our review -- these are mostly the weird default settings we mentioned previously, such as the max clock speed out of the box (now at 1.4GHz instead of 1GHz) and the default video recording resolution (now 1080p instead of the weird 1,080 x 720 setting). Oh, and if you're still rocking the older M9, Meizu has confirmed that it'll also get the Ice Cream Sandwich update later this year, so stay tuned. More in the press release after the break. Update: A Meizu engineer confirmed on the company's forum that from now on, all Meizu Android devices -- including the M9 -- will receive both a vanilla OS build and a Meizu-customised build. That said, the phones won't support simultaneous dual-system, so you must pick your destiny. Thanks, Andi!
Hong Kong line for iPhone 4S numbers in the thousands
We mentioned in passing that the iPhone 4S had sold out in ten minutes at the Hong Kong Apple Store, but given these pictures that have been posted online since, a statement like that doesn't really do the launch justice. That place looks like a madhouse -- thousands of people lined up to buy Apple's new iPhone, and the police were out in force with barricades and dogs to make sure everything went smoothly. Black market salesmen were buying and selling iPhones outside the store, apparently, and leaving the queue got your picture taken and your number checked. There were even "professional queuers," low income workers that were paid to simply stand in line and buy the phone when it became available. The whole thing is a little shocking, actually -- here in the States, waiting in line for a new game or a new iPhone is kind of a silly thing to do to show your appreciation for a new product, but in Hong Kong it is serious business apparently. I hope nobody got hurt at the launch out there, and though it seems unlikely, I also hope everyone who wanted an iPhone day got one. [photo by M.I.C gadget]
Customers line up for iPhone 4S on launch day
It's iPhone 4S day and people are lining up around the world to be the first to buy the iPhone 4S. Lines range from really short to really long, depending on where you live. Here in the US, the iPhone 4S is available from several retailers and three wireless carriers which will reduce the number of people waiting at one location. There was also over one million pre-orders according to one analyst's estimate. Apple reported over one million pre-orders before the phone actually went on sale. iPhone 4S purchases are expected to be brisk so you should hustle out the door if you want an iPhone 4S today. Some analysts predict Apple could sell 4 million iPhone 4 handsets this weekend alone. [Via CNN Money] %Gallery-136513%
Samsung crashes iPhone 4S block party, lures Aussies with $2 Galaxy S IIs
Can't say we didn't see this catfight coming after Apple boldly rejected Samsung's settlement offer in Australia, but man, the latter certainly isn't afraid of striking back in its enemy's front yard. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Sammy's set up a pop-up store merely meters away from Apple's Sydney store, all for just stealing the thunder from the iPhone 4S launch this Friday. The campaign? For the first ten customers each day up to Friday, the Korean giant's offering its Galaxy S II for just $2 sans contract -- no wonder the line's already longer than Apple's, according to the Herald. But of course, Samsung's also effectively funding some of these folks for their iPhone 4S from next door, so it's pretty much a win-win situation for both companies. See? There's always a happy ending, and let's hope that the upcoming Nexus Prime won't add fuel to the ongoing patent dispute. [Thanks, Kevin]
The Wii U line is E3's most popular experience
Reactions to the Wii U and its controller have been somewhat mixed. Despite that, or perhaps because of that, there is no shortage of people hoping to find out for themselves. On Tuesday morning, we saw a sign warning of a one-hour line to try the device. On Wednesday morning, the line was five hours long. On Wednesday afternoon, "Sorry Line Closed." "Hey, what did you see at E3," several hundred attendees' friends will ask them next week. "The guy standing in front of me in the Nintendo line, mostly," those attendees will respond.
Long line forms for WWDC
This is just crazy. A growing line of attendees is forming outside the Moscone Center as people begin to line up at WWDC. The line started overnight and extends over six blocks. Here is what some people are saying about their wait: Cold in the #wwdc line. I need to find a Flash website and cuddle my macbookpro. @StewGleadow Had to walk around the whole block to find the end of the line. And now I get to wait 4 hrs @ WWDC 11 @f1fe In line :) hopping for a nice seat #WWDC @staceymnelson Team Apperian queueing up - looks like we're 1,176th in line according to the dude walking and counting at WWDC @Apperian WWDC keynote: Royal Wedding for nerds.@petermaurer Standing in line, catching up on my Instapaper backlog. #WWDC @statonjr Just walked by the WWDC line. That thing is longer than the line for a new ride at Disneyland and people look just as excited. @OneStepBehind #WWDC staying in line at corner of 5th and Howard. Got iPad. Got coffee in hand. I'm fine. @redmonds Apple folk are insisting 5 wide on sidewalk and the line still wraps all 4 sides of Moscone. #wwdc @MobilityMatters There is also a nice 360° panorama view of the line here. Check out our gallery for line pics; it's growing by the minute! %Gallery-125391%
iPad 2 international launch causes people to line up in line all over again (updated)
You may or may not know this, but the iPad 2 became available in 22 countries today, and from the looks of it above (snapped at London's Regent Street store), waiting in line was part of the deal. Now, we have this theory that people love to line up for anything, so we're not going to draw any conclusions about how dreamy the product is, but please, if you shot any line photos today, feel free to send them our way and we'll throw them in our post after the break.
Two Australian Apple fans wait 50 hours in line for an iPad 2
Alex Lee can cross another item off his bucket list: waiting in line for 50 hours to be one of the first people in Australia to own a shiny new iPad 2. Actually, the 28-year-old IT consultant from Canada is already one of the first people in Australia to own an iPad 2; Lee bought one while visiting Boston, Massachusetts, two weeks ago. Now, for a bit of fun, he's first in line at the Apple Store in Sydney, Australia, to pick up a second iPad 2 for someone special. "I was backpacking in Asia, and I already have my iPad 2, but my sister needed one so I said, OK, I'll come down," Lee told news.com.au. "And if I can, I'm getting one for a charity auction for Japan tsunami relief." When current.com.au asked Lee why he was choosing to endure a two-day wait for a product he already owns, he replied, "I want to break my own record." His record? Lee once spent 32 hours in front of London's Regent Street Apple Store to buy an iPhone 4. He's also lined up in Dubai for the original iPad and endured the crowds for both the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS launches in Canada. "I'll probably break the 50 hour mark," said Lee, whose wait started shortly after noon on Wednesday. Like any well-traveled expert at camping in line for Apple products, Lee knows the experience is more fulfilling when enjoyed with a buddy. Second in line is Marius Eilertsen, a friend Lee made while attending university in Australia. Eilertsen, a 29-year-old from Sydney, isn't quite as experienced at waiting two days in line for a product to launch, but he doesn't seem worried about his comparative lack of preparation. "I brought a chair and a blanket, and that's about it. I'll get more supplies when I need them," Eilertsen told news.com.au. "Hopefully my wife will bring me stuff." Lee is also joined by Louis Franklin, who is first in line for the iPad 2...at a store half a world away in London. Lee and Franklin use Apple's FaceTime video conferencing technology to commiserate over hecklers and celebrate the iPad 2's global launch while waiting patiently outside their respective Apple stores. "One of the best things about lining up is you get to meet a lot of different people from all walks of life -- we all share a common interest and there is camaraderie," said Lee to The Sydney Morning Herald. The iPad 2 was greeted by sell-out crowds when it launched in the United States on March 11. Apple's device goes on sale in 25 additional countries at 5:00 PM local time this Friday. Continue to the full article to see a video interview with Alex Lee. Sadly, Lee never mentions how to apply to become his adoptive sibling.
Long iPad lines continue at some Apple Stores, many go home empty-handed
As midnight approaches on the East Coast of the US, long lines for the iPad 2 remain at some Apple Stores. The image above shows the line at the 5th Avenue store in New York City just before 11 PM local time, with dozens of people still waiting outside the store well after nightfall. Meanwhile, on the West Coast, 9 to 5 Mac reports severe supply constraints in certain models of iPad 2, with many line waiters either having to pick a model other than the one they originally sought, or worse, going home empty-handed altogether. Mark Gurman reports that Apple doesn't seem to be limiting device per person purchases, with one customer walking out with six AT&T-model iPad 2s. Demand for the iPad 2 was widely expected to be high, and the quick slipping of online orders' shipping dates from 3-5 days down to 2-3 weeks seems to have been an early harbinger of Apple's supply being unable to keep up with that demand. Apple Stores nationwide are selling out of virtually all models of iPad 2 on launch day, with no early word yet on when new supply shipments will arrive. Considering the intense demand for the device in the US, would-be international iPad 2 buyers must be looking at March 25 with a wary eye. If Apple's supply of the iPad 2 continues to be constrained, it's likely that the multi-country international launch will see extremely limited numbers of units available.
Dispatches from the iPad 2 front lines
11:45 AM (Steve Sande): I'm here at the Aspen Grove Apple Store in Littleton, Colorado, and fortunately it's warm and clear. I'm at about the 20th person in line, and my cohort in crime Erica Sadun just showed up. It's a congenial group in line this morning. Apparently, the first person in line showed up at 11:30 AM yesterday. Most people in the line so far are optimistic that they'll get one, and the store manager is talking up people in the line to see how they're doing. There's even a "line host" passing out bottles of water, and we've heard that they'll be handing out sunscreen wipes soon. The store will be closing between 3 and 5 PM, then re-opening at 5 PM to start sales. During that time, I'm sure that the iPads on display will be replaced with iPad 2s wearing Smart Covers, that a handful of iPad 2 cases will be hung from the wall display, and probably even a new window display will go up. We'll be doing some live video this afternoon, so keep tuned to TUAW. 1:30 PM (Victor Agreda): Victor's in line at the temporary Apple Store that was put up in Austin, Texas to handle the hordes of SXSW attendees who need their iPad 2 fixes. The first guy in line was there at 6:30 AM - much smarter than the fool who got to the Aspen Grove store at 11:30 yesterday! %Gallery-118912% Read on to see pictures/testimony from our readers across the US.
Verizon iPhone hits the streets, fails to gather crowds (video)
Verizon may have had its best sales day ever with the launch of the CDMA iPhone 4, but you wouldn't be able to tell if you parked outside a retail store this morning. Reuters reports that the usual hordes didn't show up for the Verizon iPhone launch -- San Francisco and New York flagship Apple Store locations boasted as few as forty individuals in line -- and that by afternoon today, the initial shipment of devices were still in stock. Of course, the device had already been on sale for several days -- and face it, it's just a CDMA iPhone 4 -- but it's not often we get to see spectacles like the one on video above, shot at the Mall of America store.
BlizzCon 2010: Food cart sells Murloc baked goods, potions
The line to pick your badge for tomorrow's 2010 BlizzCon remains a bit of an endurance test. With hundreds of fellow players, you'll be waiting for hours in a line that snakes around the convention center. The usual array of pizza boxes and fast food wrappers lay strewn about, but there's one more relief for the hungry and afflicted line waiters this year. A food cart travels up and down the line, selling baked goods ostensibly provided by Cookie the Murloc, the Defias' chef, fruit from Stranglethorn Vale, sweets from Smokywood Pastures, and bottled water that doubles as a rejuvenation potion, according to the cart's sign. I have to say, those prices don't exactly inspire Heroism in me or anything, but hey. If you're hungry and stuck in line, you do what you gotta do. Maybe next year that Taco stand will finally rebrand themselves Murloco's Tacos. For high res pics of the cart and more, check the gallery below. %Gallery-105730% BlizzCon 2010 is upon us! WoW Insider has all the latest news and information. We're bringing you liveblogging of the WoW panels, interviews with WoW celebrities and attendees and of course, lots of pictures of people in costumes. It's all here at WoW Insider!
China gets the iPad
As you can see in the video above, China finally got the iPad (officially) this week, and Mac fans there were pretty excited about it. The device went on sale this morning at the Apple Stores in Beijing and Shanghai, and hundreds of people stood in the rain -- one man was there waiting for two days. He's the guy in the "I buy iPad" t-shirt, I think, and good for him; looks like it worked out all right. Only the Wi-Fi models are on sale so far, 5588 yuan (US $826) for 64gb, 4788 yuan ($712) and 3988 yuan ($590) for 16gb. iPads have been available in China so far only through the "gray market," unauthorized resellers from other countries. Early reports from the stores say that the iPad is selling better than the iPhone first did there, which is good news for Apple. It's been hoping to gain a much better foothold in China recently, so a big release for the iPad is a nice step in that direction.
Newest Canadian Apple Store draws hundreds
Here's a local report from Newmarket, Ontario in Canada, where Apple opened up a brand new store at the Upper Canada Mall over the weekend. Apparently hundreds of people were in line for the opening on Saturday morning, trying to get the iPhone 4 as well as all of the new iPod devices. Everybody involved sounds pretty happy, from the people who got in line starting at 4:30am, to the manager of the new store and the landlord in the mall itself. Then again, maybe that's their Canadian friendliness coming through. Good for Newmarket -- Toronto was one of the closest stores to the town, but now the folks up there will have to travel 60 fewer kilometers to get their Apple fix. Congrats on the new store, eh?
iPhone 4 launch day line watch (update: Woz in action)
From the London store Welcome to the latest installment of our annual tradition: the iPhone launch day queue experience in pictorial form. London's getting the party started early (not as early as some, admittedly) with a sizable crowd turning the corner from the Apple Store at Regent Street, but we'll keep this post updated with imagery from all over the place. Wouldn't mind if you helped us out with a few of your own pics, either. You know where to send them in by now, and once you've done that, feel free to slide past the break to see how everyone else is doing it. Update: Now with reports from San Francisco! Update 2: NY joins the fray! Update 3: We added some of the more interesting reader-submitted stories. Update 4: Reports from Palo Alto and San Jose, California! Update 5: London's doors have swung open and we're now busy activating our brand new Apple phones. Update 6: Woz and his Segway make their regular appearance at the San Jose Valley Fair Apple Store. Update 7: We're adding a bunch of reader reports. Even as Apple opens its doors to pre-orderers in the US, the lines remain crazy. Update 8: Apple serving fries in Chicago! Update 9: We've added our London video that was intended for the latest Engadget Show. Enjoy!
The line in Knoxville, TN is freaking huge
I came up to our local mall this morning and found that they had just begun to let people inside at 6:30am. The line for the iPhone 4 was huge, and apparently that was just for the non-preorders. The pre-order line snakes from the Apple Store to nearly the front door, and I'd say there are well over 200, possibly as many as 400 or 500 people if you add up both lines. Several hundred of those are simply hoping to get a phone without a reservation! Good luck, those of us with reservations are sweating the situation. I've seen some negotiating in line as well. One person ahead of me just spoke to an Apple retail person and might have managed to get a 2nd phone although she could only reserve one online. Hope that phone wasn't mine! We'll have more reports from other stores soon, plus our findings on antenna and screens coming up later today. %Gallery-96191% Update: The line is moving right along, and we're seeing people leave with shiny new iPhones.
