Report from the line

June 29, 2007 By

Bill Atkinson in line to buy his iPhone

So, it’s been non-stop in line here. I haven’t had my hands on a keyboard until 3 a.m.

Why did I wait in line in Palo Alto and not the more sexy San Francisco? Easy, I knew there’d be more geeks in line here. And the line did not disappoint.

First of all, Bill Atkinson is in line here. He was Apple’s first software developer. He wrote Mac Paint. Hypercard. Did the windowing system. And much more. Most historians believe he’s one of the top software developers Silicon Valley has ever seen. And that’s no hype.

He’s been telling folks in line all sorts of old Macintosh stories (he was on the original Mac team). We streamed his conversation live and it really was incredible. Loren Heiny was watching our live stream tonight and said the conversation was awesome. Plus his photography (what he’s passionate about now) is stunning. We’re going to try to do a photo walking with him soon.

Steve Gillmor filmed the conversation and we’ll have it up on PodTech.

Anyway, I’m going to try to get some sleep and see ya in a few hours.

There’s 125 people in line at 3:36 a.m.

Also in line? The Quicken Mac Team. Zooomr. Smug Mug. TechMeme. Quite a few others.

I have a few photos on my Flickr account. I’m sure there are other ones too. Plus we’re streaming live still over on Ustream.

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  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Jeff: yep, that’s Patrick on Drudgereport. He’s in lots of newspapers too.

    DBL: CNBC says that Woz would be able to get one next week, but he couldn’t wait.

    Bill Atkinson told me that he could have gotten a free one too, but he wanted to “be part of the scene.” He said he missed Woodstock and wasn’t about to miss iPhone launch.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Jeff: yep, that’s Patrick on Drudgereport. He’s in lots of newspapers too.

    DBL: CNBC says that Woz would be able to get one next week, but he couldn’t wait.

    Bill Atkinson told me that he could have gotten a free one too, but he wanted to “be part of the scene.” He said he missed Woodstock and wasn’t about to miss iPhone launch.

  • http://www.beercosoftware.com/ Chris

    Re: the pic.
    I think putting a bumper sticker on your shirt for a photo op does more harm than good. cafepress.com can do single prints with jpegs.

  • http://www.beercosoftware.com Chris

    Re: the pic.
    I think putting a bumper sticker on your shirt for a photo op does more harm than good. cafepress.com can do single prints with jpegs.

  • Martin

    I will be honest I don’t get it. It seems to be a phone that offers less than the competition, less expandable and it’s weakess capabilities are as a phone. This really seems to be a case of snake oil or the emperor’s new clothes…certainly the first reviews tend to confirm that conclusion.

    Have fun

  • Martin

    I will be honest I don’t get it. It seems to be a phone that offers less than the competition, less expandable and it’s weakess capabilities are as a phone. This really seems to be a case of snake oil or the emperor’s new clothes…certainly the first reviews tend to confirm that conclusion.

    Have fun

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  • anon

    I just came across this clip of the today show:
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19499360

    The host had trouble answering her iPhone – she claims she was pushing the answer button but it wouldn’t work.

    The reason I mention this comes back to the touchscreen discussion – no matter which way Apple spins it, I think there’s something to be said about knowing you’ve pressed a button, especially for non-techies.

  • anon

    I just came across this clip of the today show:
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19499360

    The host had trouble answering her iPhone – she claims she was pushing the answer button but it wouldn’t work.

    The reason I mention this comes back to the touchscreen discussion – no matter which way Apple spins it, I think there’s something to be said about knowing you’ve pressed a button, especially for non-techies.

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  • http://www.symbian-guru.com/ Ricky Cadden

    In regards to the guy commenting on the 3G iPhone rumors, that’s for Europe. Europe uses different 3G frequencies than we do here in the US. Thus, a 3G iPhone for Europe would still be back on EDGE here in the States, so it’s not necessarily “out-dated”.

  • http://www.symbian-guru.com Ricky Cadden

    In regards to the guy commenting on the 3G iPhone rumors, that’s for Europe. Europe uses different 3G frequencies than we do here in the US. Thus, a 3G iPhone for Europe would still be back on EDGE here in the States, so it’s not necessarily “out-dated”.

  • http://www.billhartzer.com/ Bill Hartzer

    Wow, a chance to talk to Bill Atkinson…if I knew he’d be there along with all of the other famous techy geeks, I would have flown in from Dallas just to go stand in line even though I don’t plan on getting an iPhone (yet).

    Unfortunately, I’m just not one of those “early adopters”. I hate to get the first version of a car…they end up making it better a year or two after they come out with it, anyway. ;)

    Also, I’m not so sure about the glass and inputting/typing. Since I’m on the road so much and need to dial numbers and respond to emails, I personally prefer the fact that I can actually feel the keys. But maybe it’s something you have to get used to?

  • http://www.billhartzer.com Bill Hartzer

    Wow, a chance to talk to Bill Atkinson…if I knew he’d be there along with all of the other famous techy geeks, I would have flown in from Dallas just to go stand in line even though I don’t plan on getting an iPhone (yet).

    Unfortunately, I’m just not one of those “early adopters”. I hate to get the first version of a car…they end up making it better a year or two after they come out with it, anyway. ;)

    Also, I’m not so sure about the glass and inputting/typing. Since I’m on the road so much and need to dial numbers and respond to emails, I personally prefer the fact that I can actually feel the keys. But maybe it’s something you have to get used to?

  • Deja Vidor

    Martin: what negative reviews are you referring to? The ones I have seen, starting with Mossberg in Wall Street Journal, have all been varying degrees of positive… ranging from warm all the way up to ecstatic. You must be reading “Windows Mobile Journal” or something.

  • Deja Vidor

    Martin: what negative reviews are you referring to? The ones I have seen, starting with Mossberg in Wall Street Journal, have all been varying degrees of positive… ranging from warm all the way up to ecstatic. You must be reading “Windows Mobile Journal” or something.

  • Chris L

    I’d like to see some photos of the Apple store in Toronto, with nobody waiting in line.

  • Chris L

    I’d like to see some photos of the Apple store in Toronto, with nobody waiting in line.

  • http://susanmernit.blogspot.com/ susan mernit

    hey–doesn’t this mean you and patrick are buying 2 phones–one for you and one for him?

  • http://susanmernit.blogspot.com susan mernit

    hey–doesn’t this mean you and patrick are buying 2 phones–one for you and one for him?

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  • xbhatti

    Here’s a short dig on the hype-o-meter:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/82643436@N00/655815465/

  • xbhatti

    Here’s a short dig on the hype-o-meter:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/82643436@N00/655815465/

  • http://www.rluxemburg.com/ rslux

    I can confirm that Woz is indeed sitting outside the Apple Store in the Valley Fair mall.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiatlux/664358166/

  • http://www.rluxemburg.com rslux

    I can confirm that Woz is indeed sitting outside the Apple Store in the Valley Fair mall.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiatlux/664358166/

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  • amal ekbal

    Are you going to give to blog later with more on the conversation yesterday with bill atkinson?

    Palo alto line looks way cooler than any others … have fun

  • amal ekbal

    Are you going to give to blog later with more on the conversation yesterday with bill atkinson?

    Palo alto line looks way cooler than any others … have fun

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  • A

    Good grief you are boring Scoble.

    Please read a book and get technical rather than just talk mind-numbing trash.

  • A

    Good grief you are boring Scoble.

    Please read a book and get technical rather than just talk mind-numbing trash.

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