https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_fhDNMxCs
Gizmodo Loves You. That’s why we gave away around 50 bags full of glorious freebies to iPad linesitters today, at Apple’s flagship 5th avenue cube store. Anyway, about that: It was a scene. It was fun, sure, but man.
https://gizmodo.com/hey-5th-ave-line-sitters-gizmodo-loves-you-5508129
The video describes what everyone saw better than I can, but a few words come to mind: Elation! Frenzy! Noise! Mandated employee enthusiasm! Hype! Greed! Fatigue! iPads!
The mood was surreal. Some quietly waited their turn, eager to get home and take the rest of the afternoon to do nothing but spend money on apps. Others were social; some came in groups. Some people took the bags as a welcome and unexpected bonus to an already brilliant day, while other grabbed for them like entitled children. It was almost more akin to a protest than a product launch event—the tremendous amount of energy at the bigger stores today felt like it could spill into chaos at news of delays, or sellouts.
But in the end, everyone just shoveled their cash over to Apple, and went home with what they wanted: This thing. And so that’s done.
Special thanks to these companies for furnishing our giveaway gifts, in no particular order:
Speck
Tell us your iPad stories in the comments.
