Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Probability of getting an iPad 3G on April 30 or May 1?

M

macaslak

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 6, 2004
5
0
Helsinki, Finland
Hi guys!

Short question for my fellow (US) Apple enthusiasts:
What do you, in your experience, think that the odds are to get an iPad 3G on Friday or Saturday? I haven't pre-ordered, and actually I don't even live in the US (Finland, Helsinki) but I've got a friend over in NYC, and he's agreed to try and get me an iPad on either friday or saturday. He flies back home on sunday, so those two days that are my only hope.

Glad to get any insight in to the matter, and please take into consideration the absolutely horrific waiting period I'm facing if my plans don't work out; "late May" for the big countries in Europe, no word on the smaller ones.

Thank you in advance,

Jan
 
No one knows. However, in 48 hours have your friend go the the Apple Store and you'll have your answer.
 
Yeah I'll know soon for sure, just trying to get some tips if there are any :)

I read somewhere that during the iPad with wifi launch, Best Buy also sold iPads, is the same true with the 3G version?
And if someone stood in line for the wifi iPad, did you just get in line at say 10am (supposing that's when they started selling) or did you camp out a long time before the stores opened?

Thanks again,

Jan
 
macaslak said:
Yeah I'll know soon for sure, just trying to get some tips if there are any :)

I read somewhere that during the iPad with wifi launch, Best Buy also sold iPads, is the same true with the 3G version?
And if someone stood in line for the wifi iPad, did you just get in line at say 10am (supposing that's when they started selling) or did you camp out a long time before the stores opened?

Thanks again,

Jan
Click to expand...

I went for iPhone launches and stood in line before the store opened.. However with this 3G iPad launch they won't be launching until 5PM - so I think if he got in "line" mid day or so he would probably be fine.

I am just going to swing by when the mall opens and hang around swinging by the apple store periodically to see if the line has started to form. Also plan to ask if they will hand out line vouchers.
 
There's probably a good chance of getting one. I'm planning on showing up at 4pm but if I get antsy waiting, I'll move that to 3pm.
 
Remember with the WiFi version, the next day (Sunday), some stores had a lot, some had none. I'm think this will end up the same. Perhaps a bit different because of the late start the day before. But if your friend is in an area with several Apple stores (we don't know anything about Best Buy handling the 3G launch, as far as I know...), I'd say there's a good chance to get one.

But, as they say, past performance is no guarantee of future results. :D
 
Ok, thanks everyone!
I guess that he won't be too happy about "standing in line", so I think I'm gonna have to take my chances and see if there are any left when say, the stores open. And hope that if not, that BB would have some.
:)
 
Let you in on a secret....

Let you in on a secret. In the heart of a the new york city metropolis, on east 86th street and Lexington avenue on April 3rd, I walked into the Best Buy there and walked right up and got my iPad, no lines, no hassles, no Apple store mania!
 
i got in line 30 minutes before the apple store opened. My receipt had 9:13 stamped on it. The same store still had ipads 2 days later. Im sure you will be fine.
 
If I were in your position, I'd agree to give the guy an extra $100 or $150 to wait in line for an hour or two. It's going to be cheaper than trying to buy one on eBay, and chances are good he'll get one. And, that's a nice payment for an hour or two.

Just my two cents.
 
So...

If I went to the Apple Store on launch day I might be able to pick one up just like that? 'Cause I'd MUCH rather do that than trust the shipping people, they're awful in my area.

--EDIT--
To clarify "awful":

One time I ordered something from Apple and even though I was home, I just found a "we missed you, sign here to have us leave your box at the door tomorrow" note. I swore I never heard a door bell right, so I signed it for next time. When next time came, the same thing happened with a FRESH NOTE. No package. So I signed it again and this time waited by the window. I watched as the delivery guy walked up with nothing but a fresh note, took down the signed one, and put the fresh one up on the door. Again, no package, no door bell ring, not even a knock. I ran out and confronted him and only THEN did I get my package.
 
If I were in your position, I'd agree to give the guy an extra $100 or $150 to wait in line for an hour or two. It's going to be cheaper than trying to buy one on eBay, and chances are good he'll get one. And, that's a nice payment for an hour or two.

Just my two cents.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea actually, might try to convince him this way. On the other hand though, I'm planning to buy the 64GB version, so that's 829 plus whatever sales tax you have in NY, quite a price in other words. So I'm stretching my budget as it is, but hey, that's life. :)

Let you in on a secret. In the heart of a the new york city metropolis, on east 86th street and Lexington avenue on April 3rd, I walked into the Best Buy there and walked right up and got my iPad, no lines, no hassles, no Apple store mania!
Click to expand...

My friend mentioned the "86 subway", which is right around the corner from where he's staying, might this be close to the Best Buy you're describing?
 
I'm also thinking that the lower gig models, if anything, will sell out quicker than the higher gig ones...it seems thst they ALWAYS are out of the "base" versions. If you WANTED to tip the odds in your favor (albeit small, since we'll never REALLY know 'til then) you might opt for the higher gig version.

However...I think what a lot of is fail to realize is that the iPad HAS ALREADY BEEN RELEASED...(youknowhatimean!!!) maybe we'll have NOTHING to worry about since most people jumped on their chances the first time around. I think that REALLY needs to be taken into consideration.

All that to say, I STILL took the day off....
and I'll STILL be in the mall when it opens....


JUST. IN. CASE.
 
Id stand in line for the price of a WIFI 32GB iPad. Something tells me that these are going to be pretty rare, considering that its Friday and most people get off work at 5, case being most will leave early and its going to be a mob. Not as bad as a Saturday like the WIFI version but considering the delay somethings up.
 
Update

Hi guys! I just thought that I'd give a final update on how things went, if anybody's still reading this thread.

So my friend calls at 5.10pm on launch day and tells me that he's about to go to the Best Buy which is around the corner to where he lives.
Ten minutes later he calls me and tells me he got the last one (64gb 3G). So it was close, really close, and like many of you predicted, the demand was obviously very high, as it still seems to be.

So, now my iPad is here, in my lap, in Helsinki Finland, and I'm absolutely loving every second of it. Got the 3G to work with an old sim card which I cut down to the micro size, so that's great as well.

Thanks for all the help I got!
 
macaslak said:
Hi guys! I just thought that I'd give a final update on how things went, if anybody's still reading this thread.

So my friend calls at 5.10pm on launch day and tells me that he's about to go to the Best Buy which is around the corner to where he lives.
Ten minutes later he calls me and tells me he got the last one (64gb 3G). So it was close, really close, and like many of you predicted, the demand was obviously very high, as it still seems to be.

So, now my iPad is here, in my lap, in Helsinki Finland, and I'm absolutely loving every second of it. Got the 3G to work with an old sim card which I cut down to the micro size, so that's great as well.

Thanks for all the help I got!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update. Good to see you got one. I was in line for about an hour at BB. They had 10 of them and I was number 6. Much better than the 5 hour wait for the iPhone last summer. :)
 
macaslak said:
Hi guys! I just thought that I'd give a final update on how things went, if anybody's still reading this thread.

So my friend calls at 5.10pm on launch day and tells me that he's about to go to the Best Buy which is around the corner to where he lives.
Ten minutes later he calls me and tells me he got the last one (64gb 3G). So it was close, really close, and like many of you predicted, the demand was obviously very high, as it still seems to be.

So, now my iPad is here, in my lap, in Helsinki Finland, and I'm absolutely loving every second of it. Got the 3G to work with an old sim card which I cut down to the micro size, so that's great as well.

Thanks for all the help I got!
Click to expand...
Awesome!!! Enjoy :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back