Hype Over iPhone Extends To Santa Barbara Print E-mail
By Rob Kuznia   
Saturday, June 30 2007

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These two guys shivered through the night waiting for the iPhone. Photo by Rob Kuznia

The hype over the release of the new iPhone swept the nation Friday afternoon – and Santa Barbara was no exception.

Of the roughly 150 people lined outside the door and around two corners at the Cingular Wireless store in the La Cumbre Plaza, at least a dozen had camped overnight for their coveted prize, for which they paid either $500 or $600, depending on the phone's memory.

By the time the doors finally opened at 6 p.m. Friday, cheers erupted – perhaps not out of joy so much as relief. Adam Farmsworth definitely felt some pain before claiming his gain.

The 17-year-old Dos Pueblos High School student shivered through the night in a lawn chair next to his classmate, Dylan Edwards. The day was no better: it left his feet and forearms sunburned.

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About 150 people lined outside the door and around two corners at the Cingular Wireless store in the La Cumbre Plaza. Rob Kuznia
“I got three hours of sleep,” Adam said. “But I had five shots of Espresso, just to get even more hyped for the iPhone.”

Added his buddy, Dylan: “When Steve Jobs speaks, I act. If he tells me to go buy the iPhone, I go. … Apple is the essence of life.”

The device, which is roughly the size of a Pop Tart, performs the work of a cell phone, iPod, video player and computer with an Internet connection, complete with a touch-screen feature.

Jennike Caldera, who was No. 12 in line, spent the night in a tent near the parking lot. But she was an indicator that some Apple fans have a price: Jennike sold her spot in line for $300.

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Phil Gil waited 27 hours. Rob Kuznia
“I didn’t want it that bad,” said the 17-year-old recent graduate of Carpinteria High. “I was just waiting with friends.”

The man who purchased her place -- who offered only his first name, Tony – struggled to explain his fervour.

“I’m just a huge phone guy; I used to own a cell phone business in Vegas,” he said. “The truth is this will get old after two months.”

Not all of the die-hards were students. Among the campers was Fred Marschak, an astronomy professor at Santa Barbara City College. Marschak, who said he participated in the all-nighter largely for the adventure, had recently attended a keynote address given by Jobs in San Francisco.

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It was a long wait for dozens of die-hards. Rob Kuznia
“He sold me,” Marschak said. “I went up there to buy a couple of those items and he said ‘Wait – it’s all going to be in one.’ “

The first people to stake their claim at the store were 14-year-olds Phil Gil and Oscar Ramirez. The two friends arrived at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, and waited 27 hours for the doors to open. When asked why they waited so long, Gil’s mother, Ime Hill, spoke for them.

“Cuz we’re nuts – can you imagine a sane person doing this?”

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The sight of the long line made an impression on this employee. Rob Kuznia
Of course, not all of the roughly 150 customers camped out over night. Dave Raysberg was No. 150, and he arrived around 5:45 p.m. Unlike the others, he was getting paid to wait in line.

Rayberg runs a business that offers IT service to small offices, and was waiting on behalf of two clients.

“I’ll wait an hour or so for a client, but after that the billing gets expensive,” he said.

Not everyone in the parking lot was there to buy a phone. Nineteen-year-old Raul Ruiz just wanted to see the spectacle.

"They make such a big fuss over it," he said. "What is it? It's just a phone. I mean, in six months another one's going to come out." 
 
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