Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Sergio Martinez gunning for boxing’s pound-for-pound best distinction, Intelligentsia’s Anjilanaka Organic Bolivia, or the global impact of a nuclear reactor meltdown in Japan, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
The launch of a hot consumer electronics device always leaves thousands of people happy…and thousands of people disappointed, angry, or sad. I got to see the dark side of a big product launch as I was snapping pictures and getting quotes for a magazine article on the iPad 2 launch. At two Los Angeles Apple Stores, I interviewed a bunch of people that waited in line for hours and were not able to get the iPad 2 model they wanted. All of them were pissed off about wasting their time.
Even online shoppers were angry. When the iPad 2 launched a tad before 1:00AM on March 11, 2011, it had an estimated ship date of three to five days. After a couple of hours the wait increased to three to four weeks. People that were hoping to avoid lines at retail stores on day one now had the lovely option of waiting until April for an iPad 2. To be fair, I’m pretty sure that the estimated ship dates are being exaggerated so that Apple has some wiggle room. Additionally, new iPad 2 shipments should be arriving daily to Apple Stores, Best Buy, AT&T stores, Verizon stores, etc., so brick-and-mortar supply should be reasonable before April.
The bottom line (which is funny for Coffee Talk 3:16) is that while hundreds of thousands of people are happy with their new iPads, there are thousands of people that are pissed off with the way Apple handled the launch.
Out of curiosity, what was your worst launch experience? Did you wait in line for a PlayStation 2 or an iPhone 3GS? Did you scour online retailers to get a new console when stores were sold out? Or have you never had a launch experience since you were happy to wait until you didn’t have to jump through hoops to get product? Kindly share your worst launch experience in today’s Coffee Talk!
i have yet to be one of the unfortunate few to stand in line for a launch electronic.
How long do you wait for a new console?
it really depends the first of this gen's console i got was the Wii like in 2007 and the fat ps3 in 2009 followed by the 360 in late 2009. There has to be some games i really want to play like 2007 was LoZ TP and Mario Galaxy. PS3 was MGS4 and Killzone 2. the 360 was the Left 4 dead series (which i still havent finished lol, i'm a real bad gamer.)
The WoW launch was pretty bad. Servers and bugs were big problems.
The only time I waited in line for a device is when the PS2 launched. I didn't even plan on doing that but what happened was me and a friend had a plan to go to the local Wal-Mart at midnight before the launch day to get on before everyone else but when we got there there were about 15 people already waiting. The manager said that they weren't selling the PS2s until 7:00 a.m. in the morning and that they only had 55 consoles. I looked at my friend and said if we leave and come back we won't get one, there's already 15 people in line waiting. What do you want to do? He said "let's just wait". Before we knew it there were well over 75 people in line and the manager kept coming out and telling everybody that they only had 55 consoles but the people who were behind the 55th person would not leave. The 56th person got one because the 3rd or 4th guy tried to pay with a bad check but they check it and declined it so he waited in line all night for nothing. Everyone in line laughed at him. Word quickly came back in that someone got robbed outside for they're PS2 so the manager called the police. We were about 15 and 16 in line and we didn't leave after we paid for our consoles until after the police got there so we knew we could walk out safely. I had no plans of pulling the all night-er so of course I had to call in to work the next day. This was all before I was married with children. I wouldn't do that now.
Wow, that 56th person took one hell of a risk. He could have either walked out of the store as a stupid fool or a lucky bastard.
I'd like to think that it was higher wisdom as he looked at the people that made up the line and realized that at least one of them had to be a dead beat.
-M
I never understand why people do that kind of stuff. When the 360 Launched I watched a guy stay in line the whole night with no credit card, checks, and not enough cash to buy even the cheapest 360. I don't know what he thought was going to happen, were they going to just give him one for patiently waiting all night??! haha.
I remember when I bought my first PS2. I felt amazing walking around the mall with that blue box and ZOE in my hand.
I got called in for jury duty today.
The way they have this set up is absolutely ridiculous. The line to just sign in is long as hell moving through 3 hallways.
I could only wish I got an iPad 2 after waiting in this godforsaken line.
@n8
the sucky part of jury duty after waiting in that long line is knowing that you won't be called into it so the government essentially wasted half or all of your day and you only get paid $17.
I never get called to actually serve on the jury. Once the lawyers from both sides realize that I actually know a thing or two about the law and have memorized the Constitution, they always dismiss me for some reason.
I guess the moral of the story is: "Keep your mouth shut and earn $20 a day."
-M
Where is the money in the bank ladder match at Wrestlemania this year? Why don't John Morrison have a match? Why don't Sheamus have a match? Why don't Wade Barret have a match? Why didn't they get Sin Cara/Mistico in a match? Why don't Kofi Kingston have a match? Why don't Christian have a match? Did Sheamus get caught sleeping with Stephanie McMahon? Why would you completely bury and kill all the momentum of a young main event heel superstar? This RAW anonymous GM business has gone on long enough. The anonymous GM should be revealed at Wrestlemania. The WWE really has me scratching my head right now.
@RROD
idk. i was looking to that too but i think they might've scrapped that match and gave it it's own PPV on 7/17/11. who knows how they're going to keep me entertained, a MITB for every title seems a little extreme
I agree on the anonymous GM. This has taken far too long. The payoff is bound to be disappointing.
As for MITB, it looks like tokz is correct. Things could change though.
@rpad
i'm really thinking about getting tix for that ppv but i have to see how the story lines continue after WM.
I've never really done a lot of launch events or anything. I was a really great friend though when the 360 came out and waited for about 11 hours outside of a wal-mart in the middle of november with him so he could get it at 7am when they opened. All of the other stores had lines longer than the number of consoles, so we had to drive almost an hour away and managed to be first in line there because the particular wal-mart sucked. They closed at 11pm the night before, and instead of staying open an extra hour or opening back up at 12am or something like that, they decided to wait to open at their normal time in the morning to sell the 360. They also didn't have a lobby area or anything just inside some doors, so we waited outside all night for this thing. Luckily there was no ice or snow or anything out, it was just cold and windy.
That's really the only launch I've participated in. I got my Pokemon Black version the day of, and my Halo Reach console the day of as well—but there was no event or anything like that. Normally I'm fine with waiting a couple days for a game.
@ Iceman and tokz
I tend to get dismissed after saying "I feel that if the police say they did it… Then they must be innocent".
However, I have a strong feeling that this time the defendant will be a friend of mine. We'll see though.
@N8
You'll get dismissed almost instantly if you mention that.
Or tell them you are over anxious to do your civic duty.
@n8
i don't have to worry about jury duty until i become a naturalized citizen lol
I waited a few hours in line at an Apple Store during my lunch break at work for the iPhone 3G. I just showed up in the middle of the day and stood in line. Big mistake. Long story short, I had to leave the line after about two hours of standing there to go back to work. Another thing you should know is that this Apple Store was the only one in town that had the 3G available and it was in South Beach. Meanwhile, my work is way on the other side of town with lots of traffic in between. I can't think of a point in my life where I have wasted more time.
A runner-up would be the time I went to the Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii. I went against my will since the people at the house that I was visiting were going. I had no idea where everybody was going when they left, so I decided to hop in a friend's car and tag along. That night, while we were waiting in line outside, a massive cold front decided to make it's way into Miami. I was outside, in a line for a game I wasn't even buying in shorts and a t-shirt while the temperature was dropping 20 degrees more than when I first left my house. The worst part: I never got to play the game when I got back to my friend's house. There were like 30 other people there waiting in line to play and since it was so late, I had to get back home.
Gha! Why do you make us recall these terrible memories we try so hard to bury, Mr. Padilla?! I'm sending you my next therapy bill.
-M
@ Smartguy
Actually, what my beef about police testifying in the courtroom is, is that 9.5 times out of 10 they are just reiterating what's already in the police report and came on to the scene after the alleged infraction occurs. This makes them "after the fact" witnesses.
I've actually helped get alot of people dismissed after polluting potential jurors minds with that fact. It's hard to hear that and not agree. Since every summons I ever had were cases where there were multiple police testifying for the prosecution, this tends to be a fast track home.
I buy most of my consoles on launch day. My PS2 went the smoothest. Went to KB Toys and they guy behind the register had one stored under the desk for me. My wife and I had become regulars and even went out with the cashier and his girlfriend a few times just because I bought so many video games there.
Generally I try to go to the more obscure stores on launch day. I stay away from BestBuys and Walmarts.
The Dell Streak was my biggest launch let down, since it never came out then never came out then I gave up on it and it came out.
@Everyone
Does anyone own a Kindle? I am thinking of buying one for my younger brother. He loves books. I like the price point on the 6" w/3g @$190. But I keep thinking the DX would be better, but is it $200 better?
Is the Kindle good for someone who likes actual books???? I would ask him but I want it to be a surprise.
I love the Kindle. The six-inch model is fantastic in terms of portability. I certainly started reading more on the Kindle since it's more convenient than carrying several real books.
@N8
That works too. Last time I had jury duty I fibbed during Voir Dire.
"have you ever met this person before?"
"yeah, I had classes together with them in high school, we cut up a lot"
Whether or not the guy went to school with me or not I don't know. Just me confusing him for someone else was enough lol.
Oddly I have only got one jury duty notice and at the time I was married to a Jehovah's Witness, so I mailed it back with the that reason that I couldn't go and I have never gotten a notice to serve in the last 10+ years.
What if the person on trail was a Jehovah's Witness? Wouldn't "trail by a jury of your peers" still apply?
-M
I don't know. I only know they don't participate in anything that has to do with the government.
Also if you have to go to trial there is a good chance that you did something bad enough that they'll excommunicate you anyway, so they are no longer your peers.
@iceman
jehovah's arent allowed to vote so i doubt they'll actually serve any hury duty as well.
@slicky
Since he likes reading just inquire if he thinks ereaders are neat. My gf loves to read but likes an actual book. I took her to BB with me around Xmas because I was thinking Kindle or iPad for her. So I stopped close by the kindles and she told me what she thought lol.
Another person I know lives their Kindle. He prefers the convenience of it.
@SG
it is hard to ask him without giving it away since his birthday is the 24th. He'll know why I am asking.
@slicky
Get it for him anyway then lol.
"happy bday, here's the receipt"
Good news about jury duty…
Courthouse has free wifi… Other than that… Kinda boring.
@ Slicky
Correction
"Also if you have to go to trial there is a good chance that you HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF something bad enough that they’ll excommunicate you anyway, so they are no longer your peers."
Sorry… But I believe in innocent until proven otherwise. This is one of the only things that makes America better than Canada.
i heard that satoshi tajiri, creator of pokemon, died today….i thought some of you guys would have been all over that
False report, http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/view?first…
I've heard that rumor too, but Nintendo has apparently confirmed that none of their employees have been killed or hurt by the events. It is a sad time for those who have been injured or killed, and the families of those people.
Nick Cage and Charlie Sheen too.
Anyone still rocking an iPhone 3GS? Want a case with a G4 logo on it?
I am. Any chance in getting it laser engraved?
It had a G4 logo and says R.Pad 9000. It's yours if you want it.
Free is free and i do need a new case to last me until i get the new iphone. I can get u a ups fedex acct use. Email me and we'll settle deets
I put Gingerbread on my Captivate last night. So far it is pretty good. I have a hard time telling what is an increase from 2.3 and what part is just the CynaogenMod guys. But whatever the case is they did an awesome job.