Local Apple fans line up for iPads
Apple addiction is alive and well in the region.
Jacksonville’s Best Buy was the only store in the area selling the Apple iPad on its debut day Saturday, and people were lined up waiting for the store to open.
“The first in line arrived around 3:30 (a.m.),” said Ryan Coplen, the store’s general manager.
By the store’s 10 a.m. opening more than 20 people were lined up to take a look at Apple’s new creation.
But those planning to purchase were disappointed when they found out there was a shipment hitch.
A sleep deprived Coplen said he was at the store all night working out the arrangements to ensure the Saturday delivery of the iPads to customers as promised.
“Thank God for Red Bull,” he said. “We had shipping issues with Apple. Their hub went through Kentucky which is flooded, so we’ve been scrambling figuring out how to get them here … as soon as possible. The UPS manager came at 1:30 (a.m.) just so we had three to demo — the fourth will be coming with the shipment when it arrives.”
Coplen said connections were made and the shipment was expected to arrive Saturday afternoon.
“Literally they are on a plane flying toward Ellis as we speak,” he said around noon.
By 11 a.m. the store had given tickets for nine iPads, costing between $499 and $699 depending on the amount of storage space.
“People who wanted to purchase one were given tickets this morning,” Coplen said. “We’ll ring them up when they arrive, but it assures them an iPad — I had fun trying to make the tickets un-forgeable.”
Though he would not reveal the actual number of iPads in Saturday’s shipment, Coplen said there was a limited supply.
“I have a good feeling we’ll run out (Saturday), then we’ll be taking names and numbers,” he said.
Best Buy’s Apple expert, Felix Torres, said he was anxious to have the opportunity to play with the iPad.
Unfortunately for Torres, store employees were told to give the customers the first shipments.
“I’m not allowed to get one yet, but definitely my next paycheck I’ll be buying one,” he said. “Being the Apple expert here, I had some training on (the iPad), but when it came in today and I actually touched it and played with it I was amazed — it was more than I expected it to be.”
Lynn Waters arrived at Best Buy from Newport at 8 a.m. to purchase the iPad she said was her birthday present.
“I like simple-to-use stuff and Apple is simple and the most reliable to me,” she said. “And I just love to read books. I have some downloaded on my iPhone, but it’s just too small. The iPad is a lot easier to see.”
Having already created a news aggregator Web site for the iPad, iPadLot.com, Chris Guthrie drove from New Bern to make sure he owned one.
“I like gadgets and it’s cool,” said Guthrie, who arrived at Best Buy at 8:30 a.m. “I built the site, which collects news articles and updates, and now I will be able to maintain it from my iPhone and iPad.”
Read more: Jacksonville Daily News
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