BlackBerry Storm queues top 200 people
updated 01:55 pm EST, Fri November 21, 2008
BBerry Storm Long Lineups
Lineups for this morning's launch of the BlackBerry Storm have cracked the triple-digit mark and prompted sellouts, early reports note. One of the company's flagship stores in midtown Manhattan noted over 200 people in line for the touchscreen phone's morning debut and is said to have prompted a minor police response after a phone sellout angered those at the back of the queue. Sellouts have also been reported at other locations but haven't been given more definite numbers.
More shipments are expected over the weekend, while some follow-up orders are expected to arrive five to seven days later.
The lineups are larger than for T-Mobile's G1 debut last month, which saw modest lines at most in San Francisco for the device, but falls short of lineups experienced during the iPhone 3G launch in the summer. A combination of renewed demand and activation issues resulted in lines of several hundred buyers or more as well as daily lineups that lasted for several weeks after the introduction.
Verizon is banking on a strong Storm launch for its holiday performance and is believed to be losing a small portion of its subscribers to AT&T due to the latter's exclusive for the iPhone. About 40 percent of iPhone buyers during the summer came from outside carriers, most of which are understood to come from Verizon.
lines? really? for this?
11/21, 02:15pm reply
I dunno, I think y'all shoulda waited. Even Apple doing its first smartphone was less of a gamble than RIM doing their first touchscreen phone, judging by the early reviews...
joecab
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2004
Waiting for the Storm
11/21, 03:42pm reply
ALL of my friends that see my iPhone that are on Verizon want one. And I mean ALL. THey are all stuck in Veizon contracts or have companies that have Verizon (or require) for them.
They want to join the ranks of people that have cool phones, and this is the "Next Best Thing" for Verizon folks. Compared to what they have, this will be an upgrade, but it still won't be an iPhone....
Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
Clicky-Clicky
11/21, 04:15pm reply
As soon as they type their 10th text message, eBay will have to open up more servers.
wings_rfs
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2002
Hmmmm
11/21, 04:31pm reply
Just a thought.
AT&T only-- has iPhone.
Verizon only -- has Storm.
I wonder which will report more people changing services for the phone.
????????
Just a thought.
en
Eldernorm
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2007
"Phone"
11/21, 04:57pm reply
At what point are these devices no longer considered phones? I don't really consider my iPhone a phone, it's a mobile computer with a cell radio.
mjtomlin
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 1999
LOL
11/21, 05:49pm reply
New York city has over 8 million residents. Out of that only 200 people are interested in that knockoff which has less than stellar reviews.
How many people queued up for iPhone? A lot more.
dliup
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006
I hope it's a success.
11/22, 10:23am reply
I hope the new Blackberry is a success. Competition is a great thing and it will make Apple work even harder to make the iPhone even better. Personally, I will stick with my iPhone but, I look forward to seeing one of these new Blackberrys.
howiethemacguy
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2007
I hope it's a success.
11/22, 10:24am reply
I hope the new Blackberry is a success. Competition is a great thing and it will make Apple work even harder to make the iPhone even better. Personally, I will stick with my iPhone but, I look forward to seeing one of these new Blackberrys.
howiethemacguy
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2007
Ha
11/22, 11:25pm reply
Sore losers.
luckyday
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2008
Re: LOL
11/22, 11:33pm reply
Or, maybe there's less idiot Verizon/RIM customers and more people who realize "Why the h*** would I want to stand in line and waste time out of my life for an f'ing phone when a week from now I can just walk into the store and buy one without the hassle."
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001