Adventures of the iPhone 4

This was the scene at midnight, while waiting to get my hands on the elusive iPhone 4. Yes, I was one of those crazy people that stood in line for 7 hours for A PHONE! But believe me, I didn't plan on it.

I had pre-ordered my phone, which required me to pick it up within business hours on release day, or lose my reservation. I knew the store would be insane, especially in the morning, so I did a drive by. It was worse than expected, with a ridiculously long line for people without a reservation, and an even longer line for the people who pre-ordered! I thought for sure that they'd sell out within the first half of the day, and then I'd come back later. I had no idea how late that would be!

Since my store closes at 9 pm, I thought I'd be smart, and get there at about 7:30 to take my place in line. The first couple of hours wasn't too bad. I was surrounded by Apple lovers, and everyone was kind of geeking out over technology. It was like standing in line for Star Wars! At around 9'ish they handed out vouchers to come back the next day, just in case security made them shut down the line. They assured us that they'd stay until everyone got their phone. At about the 4th hour, I was feeling pretty stupid for being one of THOSE people, that had to have it on the first day. I mean seriously...I wasn't going to die without it. I had a perfectly fine 3g already! By the time I thought about taking photos to document the madness, I'd been in line for about 5 hours and my battery was dead on my phone and my camera. So the only device left was my Flip. (hence the video) When I finally got into the store and purchased the new phone it was 2am! I was exhausted and hungry, but I had my phone. I've never felt like a bigger idiot!

So, was it worth it? Yes and no.

YES:

The iPhone 4 is SUPER fast! Web pages that would take forever to load on my 3g, now load at lightning speed! Multi-tasking works well, and everything seems to shift seamlessly between apps.  The resolution is incredible, and the upgraded camera with flash takes fantastic photos! Also, the front facing camera lens and option to shoot HD video has been a fun bonus. You can also change your home screen background, which previously could only be done on a jail broken phone. With the new addition of folders, it's easy to organize apps by category and eliminate clutter as well.

NO:

FaceTime (video calling) is pretty useless, unless you and another iPhone 4 user are both on WiFi. This will move to the YES category when it becomes available through the 3g network. The new design feels a little clunky compared to the old curvier style. I miss the way my 3g felt in my hand. This new shape with sharper edges and glass back, makes me feel like I'm going to drop it. I never felt like I was going to drop my 3g, nor did I have a case for it either. I've heard that the iPhone 4 feels naked without the bumper that Apple is selling.  I ordered one, but it doesn't ship until the end of the month, so I'll have to report back on that. Also, there's a little issue with the antenna band that wraps around the phone. By holding it in your left hand, you cause the signal to drop. This is a known issue that Apple has acknowledged, finally, so hopefully a fix will come in the next update. Another thing that bugs  me, is the way the folders look. I would love to be able to create an icon for the folders on the home screen. It looks a little messy, which for me, defeats the purpose. Not a huge deal, but would be nice.

Even though my "NO" list is a bit longer, it's still an iPhone, and I'd be lost without it!  I definitely didn't need to wait in line for 7 hours, but the love-fest continues!

Also noted...my new Abbi case that I talked about here, making it's blogger debut! :)