But then I lost that reservation.
First, I must say that I am deeply ashamed to admit how I lost that reservation. As a geek, I generally pride myself on not making such errors. Looking back at this, I’m still not quite sure what was going through my head when it happened. And I can’t believe I’m telling you about this.
So, getting back to that iPhone 4 reservation. At the bottom of the confirmation email was a link that said “Cancel Your Reservation.” You get where this is going now, don’t you? Well, I eyed that link in the email and thought that it might take me to a page where I could review my reservation and possibly change it (e.g., go from a 32GB iPhone 4 to a 16GB iPhone 4). Alas, that was not the case. As soon as I clicked on it, it took me to an Apple Online Store page stating, “You have cancelled your reservation.” And this is where I lost it. My monitor will forever bear scorch marks from the caustic word that issued forth from my mouth. A co-worker witnessed the terrible incident via instant messaging since I was chatting with him as I went through my email. I had to apologize to him since my IMs afterward were shocky, panicked and full of NON-STOP YELLING.
So, that’s how I lost my iPhone 4 reservation. I think it’s safe to say I’m never going to click on a link in an email that looks even remotely dangerous in the future. Lesson learned. Pride completely obliterated.
In the end, I did decide to get an iPhone 4 despite my ineligibility for upgrade pricing. AT&T had told me (twice by phone and multiple times via SMS) that I was not eligible for upgrade pricing since the amount I pay monthly (I’m on the least expensive voice and text messaging plans) was not sufficient to allow me upgrade pricing every 18 months and my upgrade eligibility date is in February 2011 (a 20-month upgrade schedule instead). Since I missed AT&T’s eligibility change specifically for the iPhone 4 that bumps the date for everyone eligible for an upgrade in 2010 up 6 months, only commitment-free pricing was available to me.
On June 24, I woke up bright and early after just 2 short hours of sleep (I was up late writing this article for work – Essential Apps: Getting Started with iPhone 4), I arrived at the Rockingham Park Mall to stand in line with others who did not have a reservation just after 6:00 a.m.
The mall doors open at 7:00 a.m. to let the mall walkers in and I expected they’d let us in at that time to queue up in front of the Apple Store as they had at the iPad launch. Unfortunately, I was wrong. For some reason, mall management made us wait outside for about 4 hours before letting us in to stand in line outside the Apple store. They also managed to handle the line so badly that people already in the mall just got in line ahead of us at the Apple store before we were even let in. To say that I was pissed at the Rockingham mall management would have been an understatement of epic proportions. I don’t plan on going there again on launch day for any product in the future.
Once inside, it was another 4 hours of waiting to get my iPhone 4. By this time, all of us in the same part of the line were good buddies and we saved each other’s spots in line so we could take bathroom breaks and grab some lunch without losing our places. When there were about 15 people in front of me still and I was a most thoroughly cranky and unhappy camper, I took a break from the line and went to see some of the iPhone 4’s on display. Seeing them renewed my excitement to get one. They were so sleek! And so shiny! And the Retina Display was so crisp!
I finally got my iPhone at around 2:30 p.m. Since it was a no-commitment purchase, they did not activate the iPhone for me in the store and sent me on my merry way to do that at home. I tried to buy a Bumper case but they were out of stock by the time I got into the store (and I kicked myself for not trying to buy one earlier in the day).
I rushed home to sync my 3GS one last time and then sync my iPhone 4. It took about an hour for my iPhone 4 to activate on AT&T’s network, the process slowed down by the large number of activations they were seeing on that day. After that, I proceeded to ooh and ahh over my shiny new iPhone 4 about every 2.5 minutes.
I do think I want a Bumper case for it still but I am loathe to pay $29 for one so I’m also checking out knock-off cases (i-Luv and Scosche are making some). In the meantime, I am using my Proporta Maya pouch case around the house and when I put my iPhone in my purse to prevent it from getting any scratches. I’ve got a Wrapsol protector on the way as well as a free BoxWave case (which cost me $4.50 in shipping only due to a temporary special BoxWave offered the other day) so my iPhone won’t be without more complete protection for long.
