What Can You Expect Tomorrow?

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2010/03/31/ipad-success-now-in-the-hands-of-retail-team/' target='_blank'>http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/201...of-retail-team/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"The iPad design was finished months ago, the introduction was given in January and now the essential burden of bringing the device to customers is in the hands of Apple's retail team."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1270044781.usr105634.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>According to the article, not one of the 14,000 US Apple Store employees have had their hands on an iPad, and the first exposure to it will be the morning of April 3rd when they get a two hour hands-on training session before the stores open up at 9:00am. Apple is pressing the issue of making this a <em>"superior"</em> buying experience for it's customers, making sure ALL employees show up and work until 10am to handle the expected rush. They also plan on having employees assist in the set up of the iPad and are scheduling various workshops throughout the day.&nbsp;Interesting news is that besides the reserved units, Apple is making sure to have at least 100 iPads in each configuration available for walk-ins, except at Best Buy which will only have 5 units of each configuration per store. I'm not sure how just two hours of training will translate into being able to educate a customer but we shall see! I'll be at the <a href="http://www.apple.com/retail/bridgeportvillage/" target="_blank">Bridgeport Village Apple Store</a> in Tigard tomorrow around 9:30 am to pick up mine if anyone is in the area and wants to say hi.</p>

[Macguy59]

The way Apple is playing with the UPS shipping status is killing me. Mine has shown "Received shipping information" for the last 3 days. No indication that UPS has actually picked it up. Apple "assures" me that as long as I live in an area that receives Saturday deliveries (I do) I will have the Wi-Fi version by noon tomorrow. I need some Maalox or a shot of Jack :p

[Paul Menig]

I was surprised to see that you are here in my back yard and going to the same store tomorrow for pick-up. As soon as I finish golf at Red Tail, I will high tail it over to Bridgeport. Hopefully the line will have thinned out by 11 or 11:30 when I get there. I reserved a minimalist machine with 16 Gigabytes--1/2 the memory on my 3GS iPhone. But, I also ordered a maximalist machine on-line that will be delivered to home later this month. I already received notice that the keyboard dock and case have shipped and will be received before the 12th. Wish I did not have so many things going on tomorrow and could just stand in line. My only hope is lots of rain in the morning and not going golfing. I'll probably pre-download several applications including the larger Scrabble and a couple of Dr. Zeus books to show my wife the way this device can be used to please even her. I want to get Pages and Keynote and Numbers. I am unable to take sufficient notes in meetings at work with my iPhone--keypad is just too small. The iPad will be able to replace a spiral bound notepad and make everything electronic. I'll be looking at the pogo stick from www.tenonedesign.com or something a bit more sleek to be able to take written notes as well, and save them electronically. I've become an Apple fanatic after sticking with Microsoft for about 23 years. I purchased and installed Windows 1.0 on my computer at work. I kept up with it until Vista. 2 years ago I changed the entire household over to Apple products--2 iPod Touches, an iMac, MacBook Pro and a MacAir for my wife. I finally switched my PDA from a Windows Mobile once the iPhone had enough memory and GPS to compete. I stood in line at the AT&T store around the corner from the Apple Bridgeport store back in June--I was something like 3rd in line. So, I hope things go smoothly Saturday and I get a jump on using the iPad. Either way, I have the 3G version coming later this month.

[Jeff Campbell]

The way Apple is playing with the UPS shipping status is killing me. Mine has shown "Received shipping information" for the last 3 days. No indication that UPS has actually picked it up. Apple "assures" me that as long as I live in an area that receives Saturday deliveries (I do) I will have the Wi-Fi version by noon tomorrow. I need some Maalox or a shot of Jack :p

Or try some Woodford Reserve! Hoping you get it by the time you read this, I'm finding that the iPad is even better than I thought it would be, enjoy!

[Jeff Campbell]

I was surprised to see that you are here in my back yard and going to the same store tomorrow for pick-up. As soon as I finish golf at Red Tail, I will high tail it over to Bridgeport. Hopefully the line will have thinned out by 11 or 11:30 when I get there. I reserved a minimalist machine with 16 Gigabytes--1/2 the memory on my 3GS iPhone. But, I also ordered a maximalist machine on-line that will be delivered to home later this month. I already received notice that the keyboard dock and case have shipped and will be received before the 12th. Wish I did not have so many things going on tomorrow and could just stand in line. My only hope is lots of rain in the morning and not going golfing. I'll probably pre-download several applications including the larger Scrabble and a couple of Dr. Zeus books to show my wife the way this device can be used to please even her. I want to get Pages and Keynote and Numbers. I am unable to take sufficient notes in meetings at work with my iPhone--keypad is just too small. The iPad will be able to replace a spiral bound notepad and make everything electronic. I'll be looking at the pogo stick from www.tenonedesign.com or something a bit more sleek to be able to take written notes as well, and save them electronically. I've become an Apple fanatic after sticking with Microsoft for about 23 years. I purchased and installed Windows 1.0 on my computer at work. I kept up with it until Vista. 2 years ago I changed the entire household over to Apple products--2 iPod Touches, an iMac, MacBook Pro and a MacAir for my wife. I finally switched my PDA from a Windows Mobile once the iPhone had enough memory and GPS to compete. I stood in line at the AT&T store around the corner from the Apple Bridgeport store back in June--I was something like 3rd in line. So, I hope things go smoothly Saturday and I get a jump on using the iPad. Either way, I have the 3G version coming later this month.

Small world!! Hope the golf was good, and I think you will have had no problem with the line. When I got there at 9:30 or so, it was out the door and around the corner for the reserve line, and about half that for the other line. In about 45 minutes ( after several cups of free coffee, thank you Bridgeport Village Apple Store!) I had my iPad in my hand.
It is better than I thought it would be I'm happy to say and I think it's going to work pretty well for what your plans are. Sounds like you came to Apple the same way I did, several years ago I just switched over completely and haven't looked back.

Let us know how the iPad works out in the workplace and enjoy it!

Jeff

[Paul Menig]

Ended up skipping the golf--too cold at 38 degrees and too much chance of rain. Did not hurry to the store, though. Got there at 8:45 and was in the store in 45 minutes after a free cup of Starbuck's coffee. At 9:00 AM about 6-12 of the store personnel came around the block whooping it up, high fiving people and trying to generate enthusiasm with the cold people standing in line. They had separate lines for those that had reserved one and those that had not. Seemed like everyone was getting a machine okay. They had lots of iPads available to touch and play with while waiting the last few minutes in line. A teenage kid proclaimed, "Holy C _ _ p" after trying Labyrinth 2 HD. I think that sums up the initial response. I was out of the store quickly, having upgraded from the minimalist 16G to 32G, getting Apple Care, a case and a Pogo Sketch Pen. I was surprised to know they had those in the store. They use them for the signature capture on their retail, card swiping iPhones. Quickly set up 2 e-mail accounts (after remembering to find the store wi-fi and connecting), downloaded iBooks (even though I had already done that at home). Was out the door quickly and off to the driving range with my son. It was still bitingly cold at 10:30AM. Since getting it home, have had limited time to play with it, due to family time for Easter weekend. The USA Today app is fabulous. I'd say it is better than the paper. Had my wife playing scrabble with me while waiting in the parking lot for church last night (we got there 1/5 hours early to make sure to get a seat, but the church was not even open yet). Scrabble is great as it fits on the screen versus the iPhone version. My son and I are anxious to try the ability to use iPhone and iPod Touch for holding your own tiles. We'll do that after breakfast today. Right now the iPad is sitting in the charging dock in the family room playing photos in Origami mode. Also tried SketchPad and NotePad. Trying to find something that I can easily use for taking notes in meetings at work. NotePad looks promising as it combines typing with the ability to annotate free hand. Writing on the iPad is still not the same as using a fountain pen or rolling ball writer on a small notebook. Even with the Pogo stick. I'll keep experimenting. Lots of fun time ahead.

[Macguy59]

Yep. Mine was delivered before 10AM yesterday.

[Michael Knutson]

couldn't wait for my 64GB 3G model later this month, so I got an 'entry level' 16GB model - and love it. At the Albuquerque NM store, it was well-organized, with two lines, maybe a dozen people lined up, with tons of Apple people to help. I got mine in 15 minutes or less, but didn't do the in-store activation.

At home, I showed my wife, and said that maybe when the 3G biggie arrives, i'll give her the wi-fi model, and she said,"what if I want the 3G model?" DOH! Outfoxed myself!

Initial impressions: great so far, but fingerprints could become an annoyance! Sitting in the living room, unplugged, using it for a couple hours, and the battery level dropped to only 99%.

All positive so far! And accessories should start arriving over the next few days ...

The thrill is back!