I hopped in line at (near) the Fifth Avenue Apple Store a little after 2:00. The line wrapped from the south side of the store to Madison and about halfway around the other side of the building onto 59th Street. I was about the 300th person in line.

I met some cool folks–Matt, Michael, and Jowannu–and later, their friend Kit. They were nice enough to hold my place in line when I went on an extended, fruitless search for a Starbucks. (I just needed a bathroom–I gave up and used Bloomingdales.) I’ve never been so many blocks in New York City without seeing a Starbucks.

As we started to do the math it seemed pretty clear everyone in line would get one and that the wait wouldn’t be long once the store opened at 6:00. I was right about the wait and based on the stacks of iPhones I saw I’m pretty sure I was right about availability, too.
Still, somehow I’ll probably always have happy memories of having waited in line for one of the first iPhones. I know it’s just a consumer electronics product, but it grabs me. Given the lines everywhere I wasn’t the only one affected by its charms.

Considering the good company, the general excitement, the regular doses of interviews and creative marketing, and the watering and feeding (Apple folks brought us water, a very nice touch), the four-hour-plus wait flew by pretty quickly.

Apple must have enlisted store employee they had. They clapped for us outside, and they clapped for us as we came down the stairs. My modest inner cynic thought myself above enjoying it, but truth of fact I did. It’s nice to celebrate something special to you in the presence of a bunch of folks who also excited by it, even if that thing is ultimately just a consumer product. “Happiness is…owning the iPhone” says an Engadget article today. It was a good afternoon.

I’m looking at Engadget’s nice summary of the lines across the country today as I impatiently wait for my iPhone to activate. The friendly, competent AT&T rep (I’m serious on both counts) told me the the queue is quite clogged, so I don’t know when the activation will complete. I won’t sleep till it does.

This was a busy week in tech. I’ve been trying to write this post for days and the list of stuff to include just keeps growing.

From oldest to newest:

BackRow Developers’ Kit
Apple doesn’t provide one, so this guy does. Nice. Doesn’t sound like a kit “for the rest of us,” but it’s a start. Really this guy’s just trying to get a job. Nice.

Google Street View Maps (here) and Microsoft Live Search Maps (here)
The Google maps are pretty cool. I saw the front of my apartment building. Navigating them is kinda slow, and privacy concerns are already surfacing.

The Microsoft maps look interesting, but they don’t work on my Mac, and I haven’t taken the time to try them on a Windows machine. I’ll never stop being annoyed by Web services that aren’t fully cross-platform. I’m over the fact that not everything works (or works well) on Safari, but I expect everything to work on Firefox, regardless of the underlying platform. Shame.

Palm Foleo
A Linux-powered laptop-like device at 2.4 pounds is a neat idea. The fact it’s an add-on to a Treo (or other smartphone) is an interesting, if at times impractical twist.

I think the fact it’s Linux-powered is very cool, but I generally agree with Engadget’s impression of it. The TreoCentral guy is, not surprisingly, more open-minded about it. The general consensus seems to be in line with Engadget.

The fact it runs Linux and has built-in Wi-Fi (which apparently operates independently of a tethered smart phone) means it will probably be a popular hacker toy. A light, subnotebook-sized machine that will provide Web browsing for $400? It may create an unintended market.

Microsoft Surface
Cool stuff, but the initial applications are less than exciting to me.

Interesting Development Technologies
LINA, Google Gears, Google Mashup Editor. More on Google Gears and Mashup Editor later.

Real Networks. Yawn.
Real built some product that allows you to download Flash videos. Apparently the installer is less annoying.

Didn’t they build something a while back that was a “threat” to Apple? What was it called, again? Does it still exist?

AppleTV Developments
YouTube. Cool. I’m more excited by the 160 GB hard drive, though. I’ll stick with my Mac Mini for the moment.

If it gets IPTV, though, I will be really, really interested.

Jobs and Gates at D5
I’ve read the transcript and I’m halfway through the videos.

iPhone Lands June 29
It’s official, and the ads are already posted. I’m gone back and forth, but I’m now 90% sure I will be picking up an iPhone the minute I can get my hands on one. Will they be available at the Fifth Ave Apple Store at midnight June 29?

After years–YEARS–of waiting before I finally gave in and bought a Nokia 6822, it’s only fitting I find out today, less than two weeks later, that a Nokia flagship store is opening in Manhattan this Saturday.

So, how likely is it this store will be filled with phones I want to buy?

Yeah, this is about par for the course.

(For the record, I still love my 6822.)

I finally gave in and shelled out for an unlocked (and unsubsidized) Nokia 6822 phone.

I’ve been looking at this phone (and its predecessor, the 6820) off and on for two years. I couldn’t get myself to pony up for it, given I figured something more compelling would come along. Nothing has.

I’m not sure who to blame for the lack of compelling phones. Are evil wireless providers conspiring against it? (None of them carry it.) Could it be consumers are stupid?

The fact this phone design is not huge in the states confounds me. Of course, I don’t understand why people buy domestic cars, either, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.

There are Treo phones and Blackberry phones and Motorola Q phones that have tons of functionality but are just too big to carry in the pocket. The smaller phones don’t have QWERTY keyboards, and I hate the design of most of them. What’s the big deal with the cheap flip phones?

The 6822 is just slightly thicker and a little bit longer than my Nokia 3120. (The 3120, by the way, has been a great phone. I feel guilty for not having taken better care of it. It’s been a trooper.) The display is a significant improvement and there are some detail improvements in both the software and the hardware. Things like more refined key response, slick light blue lighting, the joystick, and display of the call time directly underneath the dialed calls are subtle but welcome enhancements.

The QWERTY keyboard is great. I’ve used it three times and I love it. I already type text messages about three times as fast with it. The command keys (back, exit, etc.) are highly intuitive. Brilliant.

It took me about two minutes (without a manual) to enable Bluetooth and synchronize contacts with my PowerBook. I can easily browse images, videos, files, and other items on my phone.

It’s so rare to find a sophisticated technology product that does its job so seamlessly. I’m tempted to order a second one just so I have a backup.

This phone just friggin’ WORKS. I love it.

I hate voicemail. I mean, I really, really detest it. Really.

I desperately hope the Spinvox service (or something like it) is available soon for Cingular.