"Rent-a-queue" lines up outside Apple

[tlgerdes]

I have often wondered about the queues outside Apple stores for launches, then I read this on the Sydney Morning Herald

"Former truck driver Steve Parkes has been camped outside the George Street outlet since Monday, after he was offered $950 by a jobs site to line-up wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the company's logo. The 37-year-old, from Millers Point in inner Sydney, admitted he had no interest in the devices and was purely motivated by the cash."I admire them from afar, but I've got no great interest in Apple itself," Mr Parkes told AAP today

http://m.smh.com.au/digital-life/tablets/ipad-ready-to-go-but-where-are-the-geeks-20120315-1v6qw.html

If I was unemployed I wouldn't mind sitting on my bum for a week and getting paid for it

[Octane]

It's not Apple that's paying for him to sit in the queue; it's a job agency -- he's getting paid to sit there with a shirt with their logo on it, advertising them. Passersby are giving him coffee and food.

From memory, the company that's paying for him to sit there is called Airtasker. It's a chore/job bidding web site.

Your subject title is misleading. :)

H

[tlgerdes]

Sorry H, you may be right, the story is ambiguous about who's logo is on the man's shirt. I interpreted it as Apple's logo but it doesn't explicitly say. Change titled to reflect as such.

Anyway we should our in the post tomorrow.

[Octane]

I saw his picture with his shirt the other day. :P

I got my name and web site engraved on mine, so, it's still in processing stage. Won't have it for at least a week, yet.

H

[erick]

Come on people! We need a row of IIS T-shirts! :D

[Analog6]

So would I if they asked me! $950 would pay for me to drive to Cairns for the eclipse! Where do I sign up!

Mind you, I'd love an iPad.

[tlgerdes]

Well, if Mike was going to pay, I am sure we could spend $100k of his money and get 100 people lined up:lol:

[rainwatcher]

You know what they say about fools and their money.

[Octane]

So, owning an iPad makes one a fool?

H

[rainwatcher]

No, but queing up at the shop door for hours and hours if not days to be the first to get the new one does.

[leon]

I agree Peter, it seems a bit silly to sit out in all weather to be the first to get one when one can purchase one the next day or week by walking into the outlet and have one in a few minutes.

Leon

[Barrykgerdes]

Yes:P:lol::thumbsup:

I save lts of $$$ by not having something that I can duplicate by existing systems

Barry

[Omaroo]

You surprise me a little Barry. :rolleyes: You insist on missing the point. Is it a measure of obstinate pride that makes you criticise what you, as such, may not need? I don't know if you're just trying to be funny, or what. I actually take umbrage to your silly remark. You cannot, I repeat, cannot, replicate the functionality of a tablet device with anything else. To say so indicates that you don't know what you're saying, or that you couldn't be bothered actually finding out. Thanks for calling owners who use them in both business and pleasure activities every day - very successfully - fools. Top bloke.

"So Barry, how do you find the new iPad I gave you for your birthday?": http://www.wimp.com/dadipad/

[Octane]

Peter and Leon,

I wouldn't do it myself, but, it's a bit like queuing for tickets to a concert for your favourite band.

People are driven and derive excitement in different ways, and, just because you wouldn't do something yourself, doesn't mean those that do, are fools. They see queuing up to be one of the first for a new computing device to be something worthwhile doing. While you or I might find it odd, the fact that it happens does not in any way make them fools.

At the end of the day, they're not hurting anyone.

Barry, if you prefer carrying a laptop around instead of a mobile device, fine. That doesn't make tablet owners fools. It's 2012.

H

[Barrykgerdes]

Sorry Chris if I upset you. I was only stiring the pot

An ipad is a lovely amusing toy that is fascinating to play with but it has no practical use for me. Make some suggestions that might use one for.

I have no need to be attached to a computer when I am mobile. I had mobile communication before most of you were born and don't need it these days. I do have simple mobile phone that is carried for emergencies. It cost me $30 per call last year, $5/month and used twice.

Barry

[multiweb]

:lol: Great vid.

[Omaroo]

Apology accepted Barry. I don't take kindly to being called a fool at any time, but it's especially difficult to react correctly in response to a written medium like this, as I can't see if you're sitting there giggling when you write it. Sorry to be so sensitive - I've had a pretty tough week. My bad.

All good.

"Make some suggestions that might use one for."? Too many to list Barry. As a business tool offering unobtrusive comms requirements (built-in 3G), through client meeting after client meeting, it's invaluable to me. As a graphical touch-based interface to my synthesised musical pursuits, with hundreds of brilliant MIDI-enabled apps and synthesiser engines, it's invaluable to me. As a self-contained GPS mapping device out there in the bush with a large screen and touch controls (try using a mouse or touchpad and cursor when you're driving), to me it's again invaluable. As a device on which to collect and read a plethora of magazines I subscribe to, it's cheaper (by far) than the printed offering and doesn't take up any room. That's invaluable to me. As a device to flick through emails and posts on various forums whilre I'm relaxing, it's far better than my various laptops at doing that on a couch or in bed. I don't think I need to justify having one - people just get it after having one for a while.

[Barrykgerdes]

Gee I tried all those suggestions previously to get an ipad but the chancellor of the exchequer was not interested. So I did not get one!

Barry

[Omaroo]

Wow - that's a tough break Barry. I don't have that problem, so I feel for you. ;)

[TrevorW]

You either love them or hate them, lets just keep it at that for the sake of congeniality

:hi::D

[jenchris]

Being impecunious, there's a lot of other things that are further up the list - food for example.
I've seen people using them with a sky prog and they're quite remarkable, but since we've only seen the sky three nights since Christmas, that would make a pricey gimmick.
What I find infuriating is that Apple decided to sell every single little cable separately and very expensively - like Celestron with a turbo boost. I avoid buying from companies that do that.
Someone gave me an ipod nano 16gig and I think it's very clever andcan watch movies on it etc. But the peripheries when added up came to half the price of the magic box. They could have used a simpler interface and allowed generic connection. It's just marketing and I don't appreciate that sort of marketing

[Octane]

I bet Apple's shareholders are happy.

H

[Omaroo]

A "gimmick" is generally a marketing feature that exists for its own sake - something that's (subjectively) utterly useless. The fact that the sky is usually cloudy of late doesn't detract from the intrinsic usefulness of this device (as per its design criteria) when the conditions in which it was designed to operate are evident.

I absolutely understand that people who can't afford much more than food might be angered by the "extravagance" of such a device. I'm not sure that's reason not to own one if if you can.



I can't see it, and think that this is misleading. Maybe you can be a little more specific. You get the 30-pin to USB cable with the unit. What more did you need? What other "peripherals"? "Allowed" generic connection? Via what exactly? :shrug:

[marki]

Chris if you want to connect to a TV to get a better picture for gamming you need the TV/AV cable, around $60 from the apple shop. I planned to use mine on the smart board at school ..... cable cost $60 for VGA and sound connection. PC equivilant...around $10 but thats competition for you. I have bought both cables so around $120 spent. My Ipad II is 64gig with 3G and cost from memory a smidge under $700 so two cables cost roughly 1/6th the value of the device. I don't want to start a PC vs apple war here but the peripherals are very expensive compared to other systems currently available. Like H said the shareholders would be very happy.

Mark

[Omaroo]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/iPhone-3G-iPod-Touch-TV-AV-RCA-Video-USB-classic-nano-Touch-Cable-Gilded-/110841653016?pt=AU_MobilePhoneAcces sories&hash=item19cead6718#ht_7638wt_1180

$10 on eBay Mark - including delivery. :shrug: I have a couple of these and they work as advertised. You can pay for name-brand if you wish, but you certainly aren't forced to. These are obviously made in a small Chinese factory and without any real warranty, whereas a proper Apple-branded cable will have a warranty and, being made by Foxconn, will be of higher quality to begin with. There is a vast difference between Apple-branded cables and cheap Chinese knockoffs, I assure you.

A $60 cable for a multi-thousand telescope mount is considered inconsequential.

A $60 cable for a $169 device is a greater part of the cost of the original device.

I'm not being funny here, but a cable is still just that - a cable. Cost of construction, distribution, retail profits, etc, etc, etc affect the two cables in the same way. Why should the cable for the $169 device be any cheaper - just because the device it's connected to is cheaper? Strange logic... especially given that the iPod TV cable with a 30-pin connector, three RCA plugs and USB is infinitely more complex than any cable you're likely to want plug into a Celestron telescope.

[marki]

Good to see Chris as when I went looking for mine I could not find any alternatives.

Mark

[Omaroo]

Now you'll go off and buy six of them! LOL :lol:

[leon]

H, I didn't say the people doing this were fools, I just thought it a bit silly, that is all.
If it gives them pleasure, go for it.

Leon

[AndrewJ]

Not really.
If the band is halfway decent, getting in early gets a better seat
and being late means you may miss out.

With these iDevices, no matter where you are in the queue,
at the end of the day everyone gets the same
and like the magic pudding, they will never run out.

Andrew

[Octane]

No worries, Leon.

Andrew, I remember going in to JB Hi-Fi the day after the release of the iPad 2. They didn't get stock in for at least 8 weeks! I tried the Apple store in Civic, as well, and was told that they didn't know when they'd get stock in.

For some people, a date is a date is a date.

H

[tlgerdes]

Everbuying.com has them at half the price $3.54 incl shipping
http://www.everbuying.com/AV-USB-Video-Cable-for-iPhone-3G-p-27560.html

They have heaps of accessories for the iXXXX devices, I picked up a spare USB cable for $0.01 including shipping the other day.:screwy:

[AndrewJ]

Sorry to say it,
but if the date of delivery of an iDevice is that important
to the ability to live a life, then i despair for our future.

Andrew

[rainwatcher]

The angst generated by anyone who dares criticie or even seems to criticise Jobs's baby is all you really need to know about iPads and their owners.

[Omaroo]

Andrew - don't read too much into it. These people do it for the fun of it. I don't find it fun... it's obvious you don't... but there are those that do.

[Omaroo]

You generally lay blanket criticisms like this Peter? These sentiments are really getting old. Time to find some new ones eh? LOL

[rainwatcher]

God help use when they finally have an iPad that can be remotely controlled with a 1W green laser, the queue will then strecth around the block as it will contain two types of fools.

[Omaroo]

Riiight... :screwy: LOL!!

Attention all iPad and green laser owners.... Peter says you're a fool. :D I feel so proud. :)

Another ignore list entry for you Peter. Congrats!

It's amazing the stupid attacks iPad owners take. I rarely see any launched by them. Feel good about it Peter.

[Octane]

I'm all angsty now; think I'll have a tanty. You know nothing about me. Although, given your past posting history, it says a lot about the grumpy old man that you are. Feel free to add me to your ignore list. I won't miss you.

On the plus side, Steve Jobs just emailed to tell me that my iPad 3 has shipped.

H

[AndrewJ]

Gday Chris


Ohhh dont worry about that, i dont. :-)
I simply see quasi religious traits in "some" of what is posted re
these devices and the reasons to queue for the latest
versions of them.
As noted, i despair for our future if these devices are that important
to our ability to live and interract as a species.
I must admit i had to laugh recently when several friends got
together for lunch and spent 50% of their time
engrossed in their screens.

Andrew

[Omaroo]

LOl... yes, I know what you mean. I think that it's just plain rude to use any devices at all over lunch - especially phones.

I don't think these people's lives "depend" on them as such. They just get excited that something they obviously love is suddenly updated, changed, and evolved. It's a social phenomenon, like many others in other times. I remember my mother telling me that the Beatles tour here in the early 60's featured women that literally fainted while screaming for them at the airport. Same with ABBA and that new little punk, Justin Beeber. Fans are fans. They just like different things.

In my case, I do have a certain love for what these things do - especially for my music. Can I do without? Of course, but why would I? :)

[Hagar]

Be careful the apple police are watching and standing guard.

[Hagar]

Last time I commented on a similar thread I was called a bully by a small minded half wit who was taking the bat for apple.
I will say it wasn't Chris or H but fellas come on, apple surely don't need you to stand and be heard like this every time someone says something against apple.

[ballaratdragons]

+1

Well said Trevor :thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Like you Doug, I'm sure, I don't like being called a fool - because I'm most certainly not one. If someone spits in my face I don't usually sit there and lick it off. ;)

[Stardrifter_WA]

I had a look at the new iPad today, really nice. :D

[iceman]

Politics, religion and iOS?

Surely not.

This thread has had enough.