Kind of like buying a new couch and then putting a sheet over it

I am in love with my new iPhone 3G. I love all of my Apple products (in addition to the iPhone, I have two iMacs, one iBook, one Powerbook, one Power Mac—on loan to my sister, who also bought my other iBook—one Mac Classic, one iPod Photo, one iPod Shuffle, one iPod nano and a MacBook I use for work), but not since my iMac DVSE have I felt such a strong bond so quickly with one. I think it’s the amount of time we’ve already spent—and will spend—with each other. Don’t worry, Ian approves. He thinks I’m crazy, but he likes the phone, too.

But because I take it everywhere with me, I need a case for it. The last thing I want to do is cover up its beauty, but the last+1 thing I want to do is drop it and kill it. I mean, let’s just be honest here: iPhones ain’t cheap.

I especially want to get one before Friday morning, when I’ll be flying to Chicago for a quick trip home to see family. The idea of my newborn iPhone being naked in the airport makes me a bit nervous, but good cases are scarce these days. I’ve narrowed my preferences down to three different cases: the Griffin Nu Form, the Contour Flick and the Incase Slider. Now, the Incase and Contour cases apparently aren’t available right now, and I haven’t been able to find the Griffin one in stock in a store (although I haven’t really looked too hard).

When I worked at Apple, the Contour case was the one we recommended to iPhone (the original, I worked there over the holidays last year) owners, but Incase is a popular brand, too. (And recommended by two bloggers who I trust in terms of technology judgment.) So I could order the Griffin one and get it in a few days (with free shipping), but I might like the Contour or Incase one more. But those might not be available for a few more weeks.

What’s a geek to do???

 

The waiting is the hardest part

The waiting is the hardest part, originally uploaded by Megan_G.

Emily and I got to the Murfreesboro AT&T store at 6:30 a.m. this morning. I had planned to go to the Apple store in Green Hills, but I heard on Twitter that there were already 70 people there, and the line was growing fast. I really didn’t expect there to be this many people at the AT&T store in the ‘boro, but when we got there we counted about 54 people in line in front of us.

At 9:30 a.m. we were let into the store, and were told that they were almost out of black 16GB ones. Luckily I had decided I wanted the white one, so I was good to go. They let 12 people in at first, and had eight reps working on activations. Then as one person would leave, they’d let another in.

Of course, AT&T didn’t really prep for this type of volume (it’s not like they didn’t go thru this last year, right??), so their system was sluggish. The rep that I bought the phone from told me that I would have to go home and activate the phone through iTunes myself–and that it might take a couple of hours.

I’m updating iTunes to 7.7 right now (wish I would have thought of that last night, because it’s taking FOREVER), and will soon begin the activation process. Let’s just hope it works!!

(Oh, also, since the iPhone isn’t activated and they have already shut off my previous SIM card, I am not reachable by phone right now. I will be checking email throughout the day, so please email or Twitter if you need me.)

Update: At 2:30 p.m. I was finally able to get my phone activated through iTunes and am now able to make calls. I’m in the process of loading some music onto the phone, and then will have to transfer all of my contacts from the Shine to the iPhone.

My first impression is that this phone is freaking awesome. I spent a lot of time playing with the iPhones when I worked for Apple over the holidays last year, but there’s just something special about having my own. And I’m glad I went for the white one. I’m going to get a case for it, anyway, but so far I have yet to see a white one in the wild. Although, I haven’t really been out much today.

After wanting an iPhone since they were first announced last year—and after years of saying if Apple ever came out with a phone I’d own it—I am happy that I finally have one in my hands. And it was well worth the wait.

 

9 hours, 45 minutes

…until I can buy an iPhone 3G!!! I’ve been waiting for this moment for more than a year. When the first iPhone was announced, I was still under contract with the shitfest known as Sprint, and I was damned if I was going to give those assholes $175 to cancel a contract that was almost fulfilled.

But since before the iPhone—or even the iPod—was even a sparkle in someone’s genius eye, I said that if Apple ever made a cell phone I would own it.

And tomorrow, that goal will be recognized.

I’m not going all psycho and camping out overnight, but that’s mainly because the girly parts don’t exactly make it easy to urinate in a bush or on the side of a store. And since I consumed part of two pitchers of Magic Hat #9 tonight, it’s probably not the best time to see how the whole “holding it in” thing works.

So I’ll be waking up my sister at 5 a.m. tomorrow to head over to the AT&T store in town first, and if that looks like it’s a bust, I suppose we’ll head on over to the Apple store in Green Hills. I assume the line will be longer there, but the staff is 100 times more competent, they are rumored to have more in stock, and, well shit, it’s the Apple store. Who doesn’t want to buy stuff there?

So, folks, wish me luck tomorrow that my dreams may be fulfilled.

Technorati tags: Apple, iPhone, AT&T

 

Stop—family time!

Friends, originally uploaded by Megan_G.

My youngest sister, Emily, flew into town Thursday night and is staying with Ian and I for two weeks while she’s on summer vacation (she’s going into her junior year of high school up in Mount Prospect, Ill.–a suburb of Chicago). For her first weekend here, we took her to see some fireworks shows and, of course, let her shoot off her own, since they’re illegal in Chicago.

I was 12 when Emily was born, and until she was 6 (and I moved to Tennessee), I had a large hand in helping my mom raise her. Every day I came right home from school to take care of her (and my other sister, Katie, who’s four years younger than me) while my mom went to work nights.

She and I were close, of course, since we spent so much time together, but because I moved away when she was six, I was afraid she’d forget who I was. Luckily that didn’t happen, and I like to think I played at least a little part in her growing up to be a pretty cool chick. She’s smart, funny—and loves video games. I don’t think she’s as weird or as nerdy as me, but that’s probably a good thing.

 

Covering up a regret

When I was 18 and freshly into Tennessee, a good friend of mine talked me into getting a tattoo. I know, not a good thing to let someone talk you into. I suppose it seemed like a good idea at the time, but 10 years later, not so much. I don’t regret the act of getting the tattoo, but I do regret what the tattoo is.

I used to think I wanted to get it lasered off, but that is expensive and never really works. Just look at Angelina Jolie’s arm. You know she has money and could afford the best laser tattoo-removal ever. And hers looks like shit.

So I’ve decided to get it covered up with something else—something more me. It sucks that the tattoo is black because even though it’s faded, I doubt I can get color put on over it… right??

Anyway, I’m OK with getting another black tattoo to cover it if I can’t get color. It’s small, so I am not really worried about the cost. I am concerned with finding a great tattoo artist who can match the design I want PERFECTLY. It cannot be his/her interpretation of what I want—it has to be exact.

So, um, any suggestions on where to go? I plan on visiting a few shops and asking them what they think of color, and if they can do the design exactly. Can’t they just trace that shit and make it exact?

 

How BK spent the morning

Bedcat grooming

Originally uploaded by Megan_G.

 

Strangely quiet

Late sleeper

Originally uploaded by Megan_G.

Ian is in West Virginia for a funeral this weekend, so it’s just me and the cats. It’s already 1:20 p.m. and I haven’t accomplished any of the work or cleaning I need to, and I have only uttered—at the most—four words. All to the cats.

It’s overcast here, which is probably not helping my lack of motivation to get up, get dressed and get to work. That, and the fact that the cats are content to lay in the bed with me—on me—as long as I will let them.

 

Interlude

Last night was stormy, and when Ian and I got back from eating at Camino Real (where we could hear the rain beating on the roof and the music went out), we shortly discovered the TV, TiVo and Internet were out. We tried playing some Tiger Woods on the Wii, but the flickering power soon put an end to that.

So Ian grabbed a flashlight in case we lost power altogether and plugged his iPod up to the stereo, and I ran upstairs and grabbed Yahtzee. Before we gave the record player (and all the records!) back to his dad when we got our new living room furniture a few months ago, we used to listen to records and play Yahtzee pretty frequently.

As much as I love the Internet and he loves TV (and we both love video games), it was nice to be unplugged for a while. After a long day at work and a long ride home every day, it’s easy to fall into the eat-dinner-then-sit-on-the-couch-til-we-fall-asleep routine. Last night was a welcome break from that, where we simply enjoyed each other’s (and the cats’!) company.

Although, after the storm passed and I had I beaten his ass two games out of three, we were pretty quick to turn the TV back on. We are undoubtedly children of the media generation.

 

I’m going to get a reputation

So a couple of months back, I left the Evil Twin of cell phone companies and switched to AT&T in anticipation of the new iPhone 3G. And sweet glory hallelujah it was announced June 9 and will be available for me to purchase July 11.

Or so I hope.

Apparently AT&T is being a shady bitch, and the $199/$299 price announced might only be for new customers or current customers eligible for an upgrade. Well, since I just signed a freaking contract two months ago, of course I am not eligible for an upgrade. At first I was really pissed about this (OK, I still am), but Ian did bring up the point that I got my LG Shine at a subsidized price, so why should I expect to get the iPhone subsidized, too? Ok, yeah yeah, voice of reason, kill my cellphone-companies-suck buzz. Anyway, I can always sell the Shine on eBay to get some $$ to go toward the new iPhone.

But now I am reading reports of people who are in a similar situation as me and have called AT&T to inquire about the price of the phone only to be told they will NOT BE ALLOWED TO BUY THE PHONE AT ALL. At first I dismissed this, because honestly, what kind of a fucked-up business model is that? Don’t allow your current customers to buy a product you’re selling? And not just any product, mind you. The Jesus Phone. Yeah, I’d like to see them try that.

But I have read thread after thread of people who have called AT&T and received the same stupid news. Of course, I have also read more comments from people who have supposedly been told they will be able to purchase it at the subsidized price (I was told this as well when I called AT&T last week), and still others who have been told there will be a higher price for suckers like me who aren’t eligible for the upgrade, but AT&T has not determined that price yet. Although, if this proves to be true, I’m thinking it can’t be any more than $175 (the cost to terminate your contract early) on top of $199/$299, because then you’d just have people ending their contracts early and starting a new one w/ the iPhone. That plus a legion of pissed off Apple fanboys does NOT equal good times. Applepocolypse, maybe.

Ah, fuck. Come on, people. You think AT&T would have their shit together on this BEFORE the damn thing was announced. It’s not like this is some lame-ass Blackberry or Samsung phone or whatever—it’s the goddamn iPhone!

Whatever the truth is, I wish they’d just announce it already, so I can get on to worry about more important things. Like what color I’m going to buy!

Note: As I was combing the rumor sites this weekend, I came across my newest favorite saying. I am giggling to myself right now thinking about it. In response to AT&T not allowing current non-iPhone AT&T customers to buy the iPhone 3G, a commenter somewhere noted that if that were the case, AT&T could “mouthify my wang.” HAHAHAHAHA. Yes, I am 12 years old. Shut it.

Technorati tags: Apple, iPhone, iPhone 3G, AT&T

 

Riddle me this

So while I was wallowing in the shit that has been my last week and a half, a bright spot appeared Monday: the 3G iPhone! Anyone who knows me knows my little heart has been set on it coming out for the past year, and now I only have to wait until July 11.

The new version will feature, besides 3G Internet speed, GPS tracking and push e-mail (which requires, if I’m correct, a subscription to the new MobileMe service, which I already have since I’m a .Mac customer and will be transferred over.) I’m sure there are several other new features, but I really don’t care to touch on them right now. I’m just stoked I will finally get my iPhone.

I’m thinking I’m going to get the 16 GB because it’s only $100 more for twice the storage size. It’s not going to be my primary music source (that will be reserved for my trusty, beloved iPod Photo 40 GB), but 16 GB is enough space to carry around the music I need for my daily commute, or for when I just don’t want to carry an iPod and a cell phone. Which probably won’t be too often, but whatever.

Now the option that plagues me is whether to purchase the white or black model. I like the idea of the black one because of the sleek factor, and that it won’t show dirt as easily. However, it will show fingerprints. But, since I most likely will use a case with either, those factors will most likely be negated. My iPod Photo is white, old-school iPod style, so maybe white would be nice again? Or will it maybe fade, old-school computer style?

So: black or white? Weigh in and help me decide in the comments!!

Update: Earlier today some Twitterers and I were discussing whether current AT&T customers that are not eligible for a phone upgrade would be getting fucked by having to pay extra on top of the subsidized price. Several blogs seemed to indicate that yes, indeed we would be. However, I called AT&T after work and told them that I had just signed up for AT&T a couple months ago BECAUSE of the iPhone, and that I would be severely pissed if I signed up for the iPhone only to be told I’d be penalized and have to pay an extra fee to get the phone. A helpful rep said he had a memo to address just that, scanned it, and read me a portion that said something to the effect of, “Customers who normally wouldn’t be eligible for a handset upgrade due to tenure will be made eligible” for the iPhone. He said it appeared they were making an exception because the iPhone is brand new. He asked what kind of handset I have now (LG Shine) and said I should have no problem purchasing the 3G iPhone July 11 or later for the $199 or $299 price.

Let’s hope to jebus he’s right!!!

Technorati tags: iPhone, iPhone 3G, AT&T