Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, iTunes, Apple, iPhone
After the Line Blog
As of 1:00 PM MDT, everything is suddenly working. I have an iPhone 3G, although I've now discovered that I don't have 3G service at my home despite the AT&T coverage map showing that I do. My old iPhone is no longer sending or receiving phone calls, but at least I can use it as an iPod touch over Wi-Fi.
Read after the break for a recap of my morning:
5:30 AM MDT - Alarm goes off. Run to the shower. Grab breakfast. Make one quick cup of coffee.
6:25 AM MDT - I arrive at the Aspen Grove Lifestyle Center in Littleton, CO. The line, which consisted of one person at 8 PM last night, is now around the side of the building where the Apple Store is. Rent-a-cop says there are about 120 people in line at that point.
8:00 AM MDT - The doors open! We move forward, then stand in line for about another hour outside. Apple employees come up with water, Starbucks employees provide us with coffee and frosty goodness of some sort. Time for a bio-break at Starbucks.
9:00 AM MDT - In the store! The Apple folks conveniently line us up so that you have to walk by all of the iPhone cases and accessories. Many people are buying cases.
9:20 AM MDT - Line moves up again. Is everything working? Could it be?!
9:21 AM MDT to 11:20 AM MDT - Nope. I'm in line, slowly moving forward. One of the wonderful employees at the Aspen Grove Apple Store asks if I want a chair. Since my 50 year-old body is getting tired of standing, I accept. I am now rolling around the store in somebody's beat up back office chair. Sweeet! I spend my time in line pointing all of the web browsers to TUAW.
11:20 AM MDT - I am escorted back to an open area by a happy, courteous Apple employee. He takes my driver's license, enters info into little Symbol Palm-based POS device, asks for my old iPhone number. I have no choice on the plan -- I have to continue with existing 600 minutes per month. I'm asked if I want text messaging, I take the 200 message plan. I get to sign my name on the AT&T and Apple Terms and Conditions, then we do the credit card dance.
11:30 AM MDT - I now have a bag with an iPhone 3G in it and my receipt. Now it's up to the front of the store for the unboxing. Another happy, smiling (no, really!!) Apple Store employee slits the plastic on the box open, then lets me take it out of the box. I hand it to him, he connects it to a Mac and does...something. I ask if this is the activation, I'm told it is "part of the activation process". I'll have to continue it at home. This takes about 2 minutes.
11:32 AM MDT - Back in my car. I go to call my wife to let her know that everything is done, I'm heading home. Notice that the phone has no service, so obviously it has been deactivated.
11:45 AM MDT - Home. As per instructions, I plug in the iPhone and iTunes 7.7 fires up. I get the infamous -4 error. About two minutes later the iPhone lights up and I see EDGE is activated. WTF?
11:47 AM MDT - I think I have a working iPhone 3G. I actually don't -- they're just allowing me the luxury of making a 911 call if I need to. I redact my Live Blog statement about having a working phone.
12:45 PM MDT - I've tried about 10 times, but no love with the iPhone 3G activation. I'm glad my wife has a working iPhone since I don't.
1:00 PM MDT - w00t! I just went through the activation process. See the gallery below for screen shots. Unfortunately, I don't have 3G service at my home. Damn you, AT&T! You show that I am on the edge of a service area...
I was totally impressed with the Aspen Grove staff -- these people ROCK! However, the process of activation needs to be improved for Day One situations like this. This happened last year, too!
More news and video later!
Gallery: iPhone 3G Activation
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Blake said 3:20PM on 7-11-2008
Glad you got yours working, sorry about the 3G.
I will trade you my touch for your first gen iPhone.
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Alecia said 3:28PM on 7-11-2008
lol i'd trade my 8 gig for a 16 gig first gen... don't want the 3g...
stephen said 3:22PM on 7-11-2008
go to the App Store in iTunes and download an app. It will tell you to accept the new Terms of Service. then unplug and replug your phone and it will activate!!
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Than said 3:25PM on 7-11-2008
ACTIVATION! Hallelujah!
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Evan said 3:24PM on 7-11-2008
What do you have to do to use the first-gen iPhone as just an iPod? My roommate's going to buy mine off of me when I get a 3G model. He'll still be able to sync to his computer and whatnot, right? I was going to restore it but now I'm not so sure that's a good idea, since it can't go through the activation process.
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sonicwind said 3:31PM on 7-11-2008
these posts are really getting boring. Yes, we all know there are activation delays. This is not news.
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Gary said 4:51PM on 7-11-2008
as compared to all the other iPhone stories over the last few months that weren't new either?
cheetahkayak said 3:34PM on 7-11-2008
I had to keep resetting things by going to "music" and coming back to "iphone" and it worked after about a half dozen times.
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mark said 3:32PM on 7-11-2008
Unlock the other iphone and put whatever sim you want in to it and then you'd have two phones.
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Kelly Albertine said 3:38PM on 7-11-2008
And I was disappointed with mobileme intermittent failures. Wow. I love my exactly 1 year old Iphone, with the 2.0 loaded early yesterday before everyone started crushing the servers.
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chriswaco said 4:14PM on 7-11-2008
One frustrated user's video:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1488162/im_an_iphone/
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chris furniss said 3:50PM on 7-11-2008
I think I'm going to liveblog my trip to the grocery store.
Honestly, do we really need a detailed run down of you buying something? The internet is so inane sometimes.
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Craig said 3:56PM on 7-11-2008
NO NOT ERROR -4 AGAIN!!! I thought I was free of that NASTY ERROR STRING! Thanks A LOT for scarring me further TUAW!
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julian said 4:28PM on 7-11-2008
question!
i thought the old iphone was unlocked by apple?
as in you can use it or hand it down to your kids or whatever else you want to do with it?
since the old contract was done?
I also thought that this old iphone could be used on any network without voiding the warranty and no need for data plan
can anyone confirm this ... ?
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KevinCamera said 4:04PM on 7-11-2008
Had no problem at my local ATT store. Was out in 29 minutes after they opened the doors. Was not happy to find it took over an hour to get all working due to the itunes store going down. I get home, work for an hour to get it synced then I get a call from my office to go up north to see a client That route take me next to the Apple Store, Great, no hour drive on my own dime to get the case I want. I would just take my lunch break at the store. When I get to the store after they have been opened for 6 hours they still have a line thats over 2.5 hours long. Not a problem as I have my new iphone I will just pop in for a case, should only take a few minutes. At the door is a nice sales rep I spoken to a few time in the last few week and he said sorry but they can't let anyone in if they did not wait in the back of the line. I explained "I DID WAIT, AND I HAVE MY PHONE" I just need a case and will be in and out. Sorry! He said that what they we told to do wait or come back in a few days. I ask to see the Mgr. and he calls her. Jess explains the dilemma. I say that I understand but that not very good planing and not going to make a FanBoy happy ( a 53 year old FB no less ) as all I want is a quick case. Now at most other stores that would be the end of story but Jess is a quick thinker. She can't let me in but she gets a rep to bring over a stack of cases and lets me pick out one, I tell her I miss not getting the 3G iPhone bag as to going to ATT. No problem, she gets me one and I leave a happy camper. She would make Steve proud.
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Zews said 4:24PM on 7-11-2008
You are a 50 year old, who has nothing better to do then to get up at 5:30 AM to get a new iPhone?
Truly pathetic.
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Robert said 4:37PM on 7-11-2008
I was in the Flatirons Apple store in Louisville Colorado (Thought I live in Lakewood/Golden), and they were also excellent this morning. They snuck through one of the other exits in the mall and ran through the line screaming and high-fiving at 8. All in all it was a pretty good time.
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totoro said 5:57PM on 7-11-2008
Steven,
did you update your EDGE iPhone to 2.0 before deactivating the cell service? Or can you do that now that its only wi-fi capable?
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Trevor said 6:21PM on 7-11-2008
I'll take your old iPhone off your hands, I'm in Denver. :)
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Greg Forest said 8:28PM on 7-11-2008
Love the styling but every cell phone maker in the world will be rolling out their touch screen G3 phones by Christmas that you won't have to use Apple/ATT for services. Probably with an entry price point of $99-$199 and usable with any cell service provider.
I can't believe these "tech" fans are still actually paying for text messaging or monthly minutes. You are definitely paying for style not function or value.
Apple sure got it right on the ipod touch but they have a loooonnnggg way to go on cell phones.
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