The iPhone Arrives

What could make the normally oh-so-cool denizens of New York's SoHo district queue for hours -- and even days -- like Soviet-era housewives on a Borscht jag? Why, the Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone of course!

Lines started forming early at the Prince Street Apple store and soon stretched around the block, despite the fact that the gadget won't be released til 6 p.m. Eastern time. The situation was similar at the official AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) store on Broadway, according to our correspondent uptown.

Of course, some weren't just waiting for bragging rights but hoping to turn a tidy profit, too. People on New York City Craigslist were looking for more than double the asking price of the $600 8GB model even before they got one in their hands.

Lines at the Apple Store

This was the line in the early afternoon, hours before launch time

In fact, only a select band of broadsheet reviewers and TV crews have actually got their hands on an iPhone so far. The consensus being that the interface and design is a hit, but slow downloads and browsing speeds over the AT&T EDGE network are a letdown.

Meanwhile, the majority of Unstrung readers believe that the device will be a hit for Apple and AT&T even if they aren't yet rushing out to buy one. Fifty-nine percent of the 137 respondents to our poll say that the iPhone will be a success, but only 29 percent believe it will be the next mobile gadget they buy. (See iPhone, U Buying?)

None of which will stop the Appple faithful waiting to be the first on their block with an iPhone.

Mercenaries at the Apple Store

Others wanted money for their efforts

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Unstrung

Photos by Ray McConville