Report from the line

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.

Comments

  1. Mesmerized says:

    Its interesting and astonishing to know that your son and you were 1st ones In line……

    Since Im from India we have to wait for a long time till the iphone comes here.

    Will be following your blog closely to see how the iphone mania picks up.

    Priya
    http://www.watblog.com

  2. Mesmerized says:

    Its interesting and astonishing to know that your son and you were 1st ones In line……

    Since Im from India we have to wait for a long time till the iphone comes here.

    Will be following your blog closely to see how the iphone mania picks up.

    Priya
    http://www.watblog.com

  3. Mario Ruiz says:

    Hey Man,

    You have your picture. I have mine from Steve himself at the moment of the conception.

    Look at hppt://www.oursheet.com

  4. Mario Ruiz says:

    Hey Man,

    You have your picture. I have mine from Steve himself at the moment of the conception.

    Look at hppt://www.oursheet.com

  5. Thomas Hawk says:

    Here’s some more photos including lots of Robert and Patrick.

    http://beta.zooomr.com/search/photos/?q=iphonelaunch

  6. Thomas Hawk says:

    Here’s some more photos including lots of Robert and Patrick.

    http://beta.zooomr.com/search/photos/?q=iphonelaunch

  7. If your going to buy the overly hyped iPhone please do so from me

    I think the title speaks for itself. I’m just straightforward asking you to make your iPhone purchase directly from me. There are many of you out there that have been overtaken by the hype. Your going to buy it anyway. So why not help me pay the rent …

  8. Alex says:

    Good luck for later today, Robert. Aren’t you a little cold?

  9. Alex says:

    Good luck for later today, Robert. Aren’t you a little cold?

  10. MikeJones says:

    It sounds like an amazing experience.

  11. MikeJones says:

    It sounds like an amazing experience.

  12. Can I get your old N95 if you’re getting an iPhone?
    :-)

    Andy

  13. Can I get your old N95 if you’re getting an iPhone?
    :-)

    Andy

  14. Ask the Quicken mac team when they plan to comply with OS X interface guidelines.

  15. Ask the Quicken mac team when they plan to comply with OS X interface guidelines.

  16. [...] have to. I said Robert was at the (apparently much sexier?) Apple store in San Francisco. Robert is actually at the (apparently much geekier?) Apple store in Palo Alto. I ask your forgiveness, Mr. Scoble. My [...]

  17. Matthew Loraditch says:

    Patrick is the picture drudgereport.com is using for it’s link to the ap story: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070629/D8Q2FHD00.html

  18. Matthew Loraditch says:

    Patrick is the picture drudgereport.com is using for it’s link to the ap story: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070629/D8Q2FHD00.html

  19. Fake Paul says:

    Why does Apple make a legend like Atkinson wait in line?

  20. Fake Paul says:

    Why does Apple make a legend like Atkinson wait in line?

  21. Fake: not sure. He seems like the kind of person who won’t call and beg for one. He made a fake wood iPhone, though, as soon as he saw it just to “get an idea of what it’d feel like in his hand.”

    It’s not cold here. We never even needed our sleeping bag. San Francisco is a lot colder, I hear.

  22. Ben: they told me last night that they know their UI sucks and they are working hard on it.

  23. Fake: not sure. He seems like the kind of person who won’t call and beg for one. He made a fake wood iPhone, though, as soon as he saw it just to “get an idea of what it’d feel like in his hand.”

    It’s not cold here. We never even needed our sleeping bag. San Francisco is a lot colder, I hear.

  24. Ben: they told me last night that they know their UI sucks and they are working hard on it.

  25. Ethan Bodnar says:

    Wish I could be out there with you guys. Send me your stories for “iPhone the Book” Click my name for more information.

  26. Ethan Bodnar says:

    Wish I could be out there with you guys. Send me your stories for “iPhone the Book” Click my name for more information.

  27. JMB says:

    The Scoble’s (actually, only Patrick) made the Drudge Report!

    Nice.

    http://www.drudgereport.com

  28. JMB says:

    The Scoble’s (actually, only Patrick) made the Drudge Report!

    Nice.

    http://www.drudgereport.com

  29. seanyboy says:

    WAKE UP!!! TIME TO BUY.

  30. seanyboy says:

    WAKE UP!!! TIME TO BUY.

  31. Podesta says:

    According to the SF paper, Woz will also be waiting in line for an iPhone — because he wants to. It is telling that Robert and Fake Paul assume people are being tortured by Steve Jobs at the drop of a hat.

  32. Podesta says:

    According to the SF paper, Woz will also be waiting in line for an iPhone — because he wants to. It is telling that Robert and Fake Paul assume people are being tortured by Steve Jobs at the drop of a hat.

  33. His photographs are stunning. I can imagine this experience — the people, the geekery, the comraderie, is a once-in-a-lifetime.

    I’ll live vicariously through the vid feeds.

  34. dawn says:

    His photographs are stunning. I can imagine this experience — the people, the geekery, the comraderie, is a once-in-a-lifetime.

    I’ll live vicariously through the vid feeds.

  35. George says:

    Do not buy that Version, there will be a new and better version of the IPhone presented in Europe.

    http://www.newswireless.net/index.cfm/article/3466

    It also has implementes 3G, the latest and fasted technology in the celluare market.

    If you compare the EDGE, which is implemented in the old iPhone, to HSPDPA, which is the faster version of 3G, you get results like these charts.

    http://blog.treonauts.com/BroadbandComparison.gif

    Currently, I’m online with 3G and can have up to 3,6 Mbit/s as a download speed, as well as a higher upload Speed than EDGE.

    So do not buy old stuff, with is out of date on Monday!

    Best regards Jörg

  36. George says:

    Do not buy that Version, there will be a new and better version of the IPhone presented in Europe.

    http://www.newswireless.net/index.cfm/article/3466

    It also has implementes 3G, the latest and fasted technology in the celluare market.

    If you compare the EDGE, which is implemented in the old iPhone, to HSPDPA, which is the faster version of 3G, you get results like these charts.

    http://blog.treonauts.com/BroadbandComparison.gif

    Currently, I’m online with 3G and can have up to 3,6 Mbit/s as a download speed, as well as a higher upload Speed than EDGE.

    So do not buy old stuff, with is out of date on Monday!

    Best regards Jörg

  37. Chris says:

    If you had a boss like most people he would have never let you leave for 2 days to do this. JFYI.

  38. Chris says:

    If you had a boss like most people he would have never let you leave for 2 days to do this. JFYI.

  39. Podesta says:

    The mayor of Philadelphia is another public figure waiting in line for the iPhone:

    http://www.nbc10.com/news/13592982/detail.html

  40. Podesta says:

    The mayor of Philadelphia is another public figure waiting in line for the iPhone:

    http://www.nbc10.com/news/13592982/detail.html

  41. Woz is first in line at the Valley Fair store.

  42. Woz is first in line at the Valley Fair store.

  43. Chris: I have a boss and his name is Steve Gillmor. I’m buying him an iPhone. So now you know how to get away with all this.

  44. Chris: I have a boss and his name is Steve Gillmor. I’m buying him an iPhone. So now you know how to get away with all this.

  45. Anonymous says:

    Is that patrick on drudgereport.com’s home page?

  46. Jeff says:

    Is that patrick on drudgereport.com’s home page?

  47. MikeJones says:

    Watching this on UStream via Kris. In a strange way, its gripping stuff.

  48. MikeJones says:

    Watching this on UStream via Kris. In a strange way, its gripping stuff.

  49. DBL says:

    “Its interesting and astonishing to know that your son and you were 1st ones In line……”

    ???

    Scoble’s coverage of this event has been really spectacular — the best out there far as I can tell. But not, of course, because of his position in the line… I mean, hey, if Greg Packer can do it…

    P.S. The idea of the Woz standing in line for an iPhone makes me very sad for some reason.

  50. DBL says:

    “Its interesting and astonishing to know that your son and you were 1st ones In line……”

    ???

    Scoble’s coverage of this event has been really spectacular — the best out there far as I can tell. But not, of course, because of his position in the line… I mean, hey, if Greg Packer can do it…

    P.S. The idea of the Woz standing in line for an iPhone makes me very sad for some reason.