iPhone frenzy meets Critical Mass?

As you may have figured out, I am following the iPhone hoopla. I'm trying not to get sucked in by the frenzy. (I have a fondness for cool gadgets, but I think the price is too high for the features) As of 6:00 CST, which is when I started writing this, they should be going on sale here, right now! They are showing the long line in downtown Chicago on CNBC right now. In New York the first person got in line at 5 am on Monday, they say.

Apparently it's pretty common to pay people to stand in line. The first guy in line at the AT&T store was being paid $15 an hour - he said he would make about $400 for sitting in line. The funny part is that the guy who paid him was there almost the whole time except when he was at work. The man was in town for business from Puerto Rico and felt like he wanted to be there even though he was paying someone else to wait in line. They showed him buying Coke and pizza for everyone in line.

Now the guy has come out with his two phones. He opened one and showed it to the reporter. He said he was practically shaking. It's bigger than I thought it would be. Not a little pocket phone.

At the Apple Store in New York, all of the store employees were applauding each person who bought a phone.

Another purely American marketing thing is that other companies are outside the Apple stores giving out free stuff, hoping to get their product some exposure on national TV!! That is even funnier than paying people to wait in line. Now lots of people in line are wearing free t-shirts advertising other products.

The TV is saying iPhones are already on sale on ebay for over $1750. Must be the New Yorkers.

I was reading the article on CNET about the launch in New York, where they went on sale an hour before here. Looks like there were tons of press, spectators, and customers in the street. They also happened to mention that the San Francisco Critical Mass ride is likely to go right by the Apple Store right around the time they let people in. Could be interesting.

Now I am going to go for a road ride. I will be riding right by an AT&T store. I will try to control myself and not stop, even if there is no line!