Business & Tech

iPademonium! Generation 2 Hits Whitman Mall

Three-hour wait at Apple store.

When the Apple store at opened at 5 p.m. Friday to begin selling iPads, the line to just get in the door was already 300 strong.

It snaked past Bloomingdales in the south end of the mall as frantic Apple store staffers tried to keep order among the faithful who could not wait one more day to shell out a minimum of $499 for the new machine.

When one got to the front of that line, those who wanted to enter the store were ushered over to another cue that snaked in and out of ropes.

At the front of that line, there was still another. And then, at last, an escort in to the store. Everyone who entered had to have a personal escort, in fact. Evern those who did not come to buy an iPad2.

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(Full disclosure: this reporter was one who did want to buy an iPad2. In fact, I wanted to purchase three: two white, one black. But, having arrived at 5:30 p.m., I was too late and was turned away. A staffer told me that if I got on the end of the line at that time, they would almost be certainly sold out by the time I reached the front.)

Apple employees said the store's shipments ususally come in on Saturdays but they couldn't say if a new supply of the tablet would be among the items delivered.

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Callers to the store Saturday were asked to leave a message. It is scheduled to be open until 9:30 p.m.


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