Meadors Musings

Picture from www.geekware.ca

Without a doubt I’m a big fan of Apple and its products. I own a MacBook Pro, the iPhone 4, the iPad and various other items. On many occasions I’ve been called an Apple Fanboy. And I’m cool with that. So my latest purchase really cements my Fanboy-ism.

I found this cool little business here in Edmonton that sells geeky gifts. It’s called Geekware. The owner – Nicola Harper – finds discarded electronic waste, cleans them up and turns them into all sorts of cool products. From cufflinks, to earrings, to notepads.

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The iPhone 4 has finally been released in Canada. July 30th was the big day, and of course I was in line to make sure I got my phone on launch day. After much debate and some some recommendations from some Edmontonians on Twitter, I decided to line up at the West Edmonton Mall Apple Store. After all, it was the first Apple store in Edmonton and Alberta. So it was probably going to have the most stock.

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The official launch of the iPhone 4 isn’t supposed to be until June 24th – but today, some people in the U.S. started receiving theirs – a full two days early. They were quick to post pictures and video’s to prove they weren’t lying.

We’ll probably see a lot more pictures and video’s of the new iPhone 4 on Wednesday. That’s because some people who pre-ordered their devices got emails from Apple confirming they’d receive their phones on the 23rd.

There is plenty of speculation online as to why Apple – which is usually very strict about products not being released early – has allowed for the early delivery. Some believe it’s a way to say sorry for al the problems with the pre-order on June 15th. While others claim it could be so there isn’t 600,000 people all trying to activate their phones all at once on the the 24th. We probably won’t know for sure unless Steve Jobs decides to let us know.

As well, a number of sites got review units and have their reviews up. The general consensus – the screen is spectacular, the build is solid, and it’s blazing fast.

Oh why Steve have you not announced a release date for us Canadians? I am so jealous of everyone who’s getting their phone. Oh well, at least we’ll be able to get unlocked iPhone 4’s. It makes the wait a little more bearable.

Photo from Dallasnews.com

UPDATE: The guy’s name is Justin, and he doesn’t work as he is disabled. He’s posted some pictures and info on MacRumors.com

Greeting to everyone from your famous camper! This is my first official post for MacRumors. One of the users printed off a copy of the thread and brought it to me and I thought it would be fun to join the conversation.

Some would say I am crazy, but I say I’m a very determined fan. In fact I just might be one the biggest Apple fans you will actually meet. I have been the first costumer for this store since 2008 when the iPhone 3G was released.

Normally I only camp out over night, but since I do not work due to the fact I am disabled with a seizure disorder and I am not in school at the point, I figure I just make it a fun experience and do it for a week.

Yes I did reserve a phone, but again, I’m doing it for a fun experience. I haven’t had a trip or vacation in past 10 years so I figured I make it a full week camping trip.

My setup and location has everything I could need to live for a week, even in the Texas heat. Tent is packed with a sleeping gear, a chair, full ice chest of drinks and food, and the Apple staff have been very nice to me treating me like a king. LOL I also brought a extension power cord for phone charging and things that need power. There is even a portable toilet around the back of the store if needed.

That been said, I’m actually doing really well out here. If anyone gets a chance, come join the fun!

Justin

Meet the first guy in line for the iPhone 4 release on June 24th. Yes, that’s correct, he’s camping out an entire week before the phone goes on sale. He has his tent set up on the street corner outside the Apple Store on Knox St. in Dallas, TX.

I’ll be honest, when I stood in line for 10 hours for the iPhone 3G and then the iPad 3G in Seattle, there were times I thought I was crazy and wondered what the heck I was doing. Then when the iPad was launched in Canada I met some guys who lined up 24 hours before the store opened, and again, I thought, is it crazy? What could you do for 24 hours to keep yourself entertained?

So this gentleman is going to wait 7 whole days. Wow. If there ever was someone who embodied the word fanboy, this is that guy. While I still think it’s crazy to be out there 7 days waiting for the iPhone 4, I do wish him the best.

There’s just something special about Apple products that make people do things others see and shake their heads at. Standing in line for an Apple product is actually a very enjoyable experience. You get to meet a lot of nice people who share the same love and passion about Apple as you. Stay strong sir and enjoy knowing you’l be the first one to walk in and get your brand new iPhone 4.

UPDATE: So I was just thinking about the wording – and I think the key is “Buy your iPhone from Apple commitment-free.” So my take is you pay the full price for the phone from Apple and it comes unlocked. If you buy the phone from one of our wireless providers with the subsidized price, it will be locked to that carrier for the duration of the contract. Of course if you pay to get out of your contract early you could probably get the phone unlocked at that point as well.

The Canadian Apple online store is once again live. And it offers some interesting information about the iPhone 4 here in Canada.

Yes, we can’t pre-order it yet, but the above picture seems to indicate the iPhone 4 will be unlocked, or at least Apple will unlock it for you if you want to change carriers.

The caption from the website reads ….

It works with the carrier of your choice. Buy an iPhone from the Apple Online Store and choose your own GSM carrier. You can change carriers at any time.

This could also mean Apple will unlock your your current 3G or 3GS. Almost all our wireless providers currently offer the iPhone, so I’ve been speculating for a while now that this could lead to an unlocked phone here in Canada.

I’ll update the story as more information becomes available. But for right now it appears as though us Canadians might have to wait a little longer for the iPhone 4, but it will be worth the wait.

If you’re anxious to get iOS4 up and running on your iPhone or iPod Touch, you don’t have to wait until June 21st. You can install it now as long as you’re using a MAC. Sorry Windows users, you’ll have to wait until the official release.

Another important point is this is only for iPhone 3G & 3GS, as well as the 2nd Gen and 3rd Gen iPod Touches.

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This is one of the coolest uses for the iPad I’ve seen to date. People eating at the Global Mundo Tapas in the North Sydney Rydges Hotel can now order their food and drinks with the iPad.

The restaurant has created its own app which allows people to browse the menu choices, place an order, see pictures of the dishes, and get suggestions on what the best wine or other dish choices are for your meal.

Even more impressive, the app keeps track of stock for the restaurant. For example,  it means if a wine is sold out, it won’t appear on the menu.

Here is a video from News.com.au showcasing the iPad in action as a menu.

As expected, Steve Jobs walked onto the stage for his keynote address at WWDC and unveiled Apple’s newest iPhone. iPhone 4! As the title of this post indicates, the slogan for iPhone 4 – This changes everything. Again.

The new iPhone really is a re-work. From the form factor, to the internal guts, this is a new phone.

Here is a quick video with a rundown of some of the new features. Enjoy and let me know what you think of the new iPhone.

We’re only one day away from WWDC 10! If you’re not familiar with Apple events, the Worldwide Developers Conference is when Apple announces the newest and greatest iPhone. Tomorrow won’t be any different.

I though I’d give you make take on what we might hear from Steve Jobs on Monday ….

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As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I’ve been waiting for my Power Support anti-glare screen shields to arrived for my iPad. I love the product on my iPhone, so I didn’t hesitate to order a couple for the iPad. And boy am I glad I ordered two.

I’ve never had a problem installing screen shields before and so even though the iPad has a much larger screen, I didn’t think anything of it.

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