Does this irk you...even a little?

[WhySoSerious]

does it irk you at all...even a little bit that you won't be the one opening that freshly sealed 3G box and you won't be the first person to unwrap it from it's plastic and you won't be the first person to touch it?

i'd classify myself as a bit of a fanatic when it comes to purchasing things (espeically expensive items) and i like the anticipation and enjoyment of unboxing things i purchase. it sort of bums me out that a sales associate will be the one that opens up the box, unwraps my phone, activates it and gets their greasy fingerprints all over it before i do.

anyone else like this or just me?

[sassenach74]

does it irk you at all...even a little bit that you won't be the one opening that freshsly sealed 3G box and you won't be the first person to unwrap it from it's plastic and you won't be the first person to touch it?

i'd classify myself as a bit of a fanatic when it comes to purchasing things (espeically expensive items) and i like the anticipation and enjoyment of unboxing things i purchase. it sort of bums me out that a sales associate will be the one that opens up the box, unwraps my phone, activates it and gets their greasy fingerprints all over it before i do.

anyone else like this or just me?

You're not alone, I for one feel the same way.....but I'll live :D

[Tallest Skil]

No, you'll tell them that you get to touch it first or you won't buy it. That's not unreasonable, and if they don't let you, screw them.

[luckygyrl83]

Me too. If they pull off the wrap that it comes in, I will have a silent freakout. Im really anal about stuff like that. So weird.

[animenick65]

No, you'll tell them that you get to touch it first or you won't buy it. That's not unreasonable, and if they don't let you, screw them.

I agree. Your not dropping chump change on this thing. At $300 they'd better let me hold it in silence for a few minutes before they do anything. I really wish we could activate and unbox it in the comfort of our own homes.

[D3lta]

I agree. Your not dropping chump change on this thing. At $300 they'd better let me hold it in silence for a few minutes before they do anything. I really wish we could activate and unbox it in the comfort of our own homes.

+1

I hate thinking about the fact that the people at the AT&T stores get to touch my iPhone first...:mad:

[waterskier2007]

while i feel the same way, you have to remember, this is how every phone is done. what other phone has the ability to activate at home, usually

[tallyho]

Hilarious thread!
The way I see it: if I were buying an 8GB iPod touch I would have to pay £199 before I could open the box. And I would be the one opening the box.
If I'm buying an 8GB iPhone I have to pay nothing, £0.00,* so I'm not too concerned if the person behind the counter has to open the box.


*(although admittedly I would have to pay £45/month for unlimited data and wifi hotspots, 1200 minutes and 600 texts - and those are British minutes and texts, mind, not the American ones that get used up if someone calls or texts me).

[animenick65]

what other phone has the ability to activate at home, usually

The original iPhone?

[Donz0r]

I'm the exact same way. It irks me A LOT!

I'm just gonna tell the guy to let me open it up and hand it to him, that's completely reasonable, what kind of sales associate would say no?

I'd prefer it if he never touched it though, you think if I brought some latex gloves the att person would put them on while activating my precious? :D

[WhySoSerious]

while i feel the same way, you have to remember, this is how every phone is done. what other phone has the ability to activate at home, usually

well, the first iphone for example....you got to activate at home.

also, this doesn't just apply to the iphone per-se...it can be anything. would you want a sales associate cracking the seal and opeing your box to anything you bought (laptop, tv, video game system/game, etc...)

[DeaconGraves]

While it will be disappointing, I'll live. That sucker's coming out of the box again as soon as I'm back to my car most likely anyway.

[Blue Velvet]

At $300 they'd better let me hold it in silence for a few minutes before they do anything.


Somehow, this conjures up a picture of a very annoyed queue of people behind you tearing their hair out while you commune with your new iPhone. :D

[geekmommy4]

Doesn't bother me a bit. I've opened enough shrink wrapped items for one lifetime. I'll be glad for someone else to do it! I just want the phone. ;)

[DeaconGraves]

also, this doesn't just apply to the iphone per-se...it can be anything. would you want a sales associate cracking the seal and opeing your box to anything you bought (laptop, tv, video game system/game, etc...)

Actually, this just made me think of something. Last week I had a TV delivered via Amazon's white-glove delivery service. Basically, the tv is deliverd to your house, unboxed by the couriers, and plugged in to make sure it works before you sign to accept delivery.

While, granted, the joy of unboxing a really cool tv myself was taken away, this did provide the advantage that, if things were screwy, I could reject acceptance and get a replacement headed my way.

So perhaps the silver lining of this is that, although the unboxing at home ritual is lost, if you happen to encounter a terrible buzzkill that is receiving a dud phone, it should be immediately recognized, and there will be more phones readily available to remedy this, (hopefully).

[rml4uk]

It will bother the buhjeezez out of me. I may be a bit on the extremely anal side of things when it comes to opening new gadgets (especially iPods with the shiny back). Did anyone else wear cotton gloves until they got a case for their original iPhone? I'm tempted to ask the AT&T associate if I can take the phone out of the box and hold it while they connect it and do their thing.

[Eric Lewis]

http://site.feelingpampered.com/childsatinfm.jpg

bring a pair of these

and pay the employee 5 dollars

[sananda]

At $300 they'd better let me hold it in silence for a few minutes before they do anything.

together with playing a little harp music :D

[Donz0r]

It will bother the buhjeezez out of me. I may be a bit on the extremely anal side of things when it comes to opening new gadgets (especially iPods with the shiny back). Did anyone else wear cotton gloves until they got a case for their original iPhone? I'm tempted to ask the AT&T associate if I can take the phone out of the box and hold it while they connect it and do their thing.

I'm totally gonna ask to un-box it.
I'm contemplating asking to hold it while they activate it, but that might be crossing the line. :D

[earnjam]

I think a lot of people on these forums need many years of therapy. ;)

[ViViDboarder]

I think a lot of people on these forums need many years of therapy. ;)

After a glance at your avatar... I think you're one of them. :D

[helloadam]

Actually, this just made me think of something. Last week I had a TV delivered via Amazon's white-glove delivery service. Basically, the tv is deliverd to your house, unboxed by the couriers, and plugged in to make sure it works before you sign to accept delivery.

While, granted, the joy of unboxing a really cool tv myself was taken away, this did provide the advantage that, if things were screwy, I could reject acceptance and get a replacement headed my way.

So perhaps the silver lining of this is that, although the unboxing at home ritual is lost, if you happen to encounter a terrible buzzkill that is receiving a dud phone, it should be immediately recognized, and there will be more phones readily available to remedy this, (hopefully).

This is a great point. How ever much that smell of new plastic makes me happy in the pants, having a dud phone replaced right there would make it very nice. I just don't want them to peel off the protective film on it, cause that for some reason is one of my favorite things to do haha

[hefnur]

Is this a USA type thing(activating in store)? I've ordered mine online with O2(our provider) and I *think* I can do everything at home. Either that or I'm going to have to leave my flat and head down into town...this wouldn't normally be a problem, but I may have to throw a sickie to get the day off work!

[IndianaiPhone]

:mad:It "irks" me greatly. I am extremely obsessed with being the first person to open and touch things that BELONG TO ME!! My brand spanking new iPhone 3G DOES NOT BELONG to the AT&T worker.:mad:

Do you really want this guy to be touching your iPhone?
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/01pwcG26wE5xI/340x.jpg

[brandonzar]

*(although admittedly I would have to pay £45/month for unlimited data and wifi hotspots, 1200 minutes and 600 texts - and those are British minutes and texts, mind, not the American ones that get used up if someone calls or texts me).

:)Hehehe.....British minutes:)

It bugs me as well, but I wonder if they could leave the plastic wrap on the iPhone and just move it out of the way on the bottom to sync it. They might be annoyed at the request, but I'm paying good money for the toy so I want to be the first one to play with it. ;)

[jrbdmb]

does it irk you at all...even a little bit that you won't be the one opening that freshly sealed 3G box and you won't be the first person to unwrap it from it's plastic and you won't be the first person to touch it?

i'd classify myself as a bit of a fanatic when it comes to purchasing things (espeically expensive items) and i like the anticipation and enjoyment of unboxing things i purchase. it sort of bums me out that a sales associate will be the one that opens up the box, unwraps my phone, activates it and gets their greasy fingerprints all over it before i do.

anyone else like this or just me?
I think it's just you.

With all the threads you have been posting downing the 3G, why on earth are you buying one? Is there anything you don't dislike about the 3G iPhone? :rolleyes:

[WhySoSerious]

I think it's just you.

With all the threads you have been posting downing the 3G, why on earth are you buying one? Is there anything you don't dislike about the 3G iPhone? :rolleyes:

there are a ton of things i dislike about the iphone, but i still prefer it over any other phone.

isn't that how it works in the consumer world? you evaluate all your options and choose the lesser of the evils? the iphone has a bunch of things it CANT do, yet for the things it CAN do it makes up for it.

i think you need to check yourself and stop trying to pick a fight....

[claybo]

i think you need to check yourself and stop trying to pick a fight....

awww shoo no he didnt

[CIrawI3riCIge]

Do you really want this guy to be touching your iPhone?
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/01pwcG26wE5xI/340x.jpg[/QUOTE]
Hey that's a pic of me :(

[TheCreator]

Wow.... you guys need some serious help. Seriously. It's not a big deal, some guy touches your phone for a few minutes...

When you have a baby do you demand the Dr. let you deliver it?

[Small White Car]

I think a lot of people on these forums need many years of therapy. ;)

Seriously. The OCD is out of control!

Are these the same guys that carry wet-naps with them everywhere and wipe off the bank pen before they touch it? And get annoyed if their burger comes with an odd-number of french fries?

Here's another horrifying thought: Some guy in China put your iPhone in a box and you weren't there to see it!

[brandonzar]

Wow.... you guys need some serious help. Seriously. It's not a big deal, some guy touches your phone for a few minutes...

When you have a baby do you demand the Dr. let you deliver it?

He wouldn't let me deliver it, but I got to cut the umbilical cord. I think it would have been cool to deliver my baby though.

[geekmommy4]

When you have a baby do you demand the Dr. let you deliver it?

:D That is hilarious!!!!

[Phil A.]

In the UK, it appears that activation will still be done at home: This from Carphone Warehouse

Insert the SIM card into your iPhone 3G. (Upgrading Pay Monthly and existing iPhone customers should use your existing SIM card.)

Download and install the latest version of iTunes.

Connect iPhone to a USB 2.0 port on your Mac or PC (not on the keyboard) using the included cable. iTunes opens automatically.

Follow the onscreen instructions in iTunes to activate iPhone 3G and sync your contacts, calendars, music, photos, podcasts, videos, email accounts, and web bookmarks.

If you're new to O2 and transferring your existing number, contact us with you PAC code if you've not done so already.


So it seems that the actual activation hasn't changed (apart from having to put the SIM in yourself): What has changed is you can't get your mitts on a phone without first signing up to a new contract. I guess this means the contract will be tied to the SIM (which makes sense, as that's what they were designed for!) and when you activate it it ties you to the phone. This would explain why you have to insert the SIM yourself: You get an unopened phone and a SIM in a separate packet that they use for signing you up...

[jwflutterby]

Wow.... you guys need some serious help. Seriously. It's not a big deal, some guy touches your phone for a few minutes...

When you have a baby do you demand the Dr. let you deliver it?

yeah, but there is a small difference between allowing a highly paid doctor that went through years of schooling to bring a new life into the world.. He's qualified, I'm not.. On the other hand you have someone making somewhere near minimum wage that could have been asking if you wanted to supersize that combo last week ripping the cellophane off a cardboard box... I can do that myself ;)

I like your analogy though :)

[OpenWheelFan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyy5xZkwsMA

start at about 2:07 or so.

...any of you touch my 3G, I'll kill you! ;)

[nickspohn]

We will probably be able to open the box ourselves, and then we plug in the cord and they do all the work on the computer.

[rumor mill]

yeah, but there is a small difference between allowing a highly paid doctor that went through years of schooling to bring a new life into the world.. He's qualified, I'm not.. On the other hand you have someone making somewhere near minimum wage that could have been asking if you wanted to supersize that combo last week ripping the cellophane off a cardboard box... I can do that myself ;)

I like your analogy though :)

Who is more qualified at opening an iPhone 3G box? Someone who has done it 30 times already, or the person who's hands have been getting sweaty from anticipation while waiting in line? Oh, wait, that'd be the AT&T/Apple rep, or as I like to call them "Corrugate Removal Technician."

[sananda]

Who is more qualified at opening an iPhone 3G box? Someone who has done it 30 times already, or the person who's hands have been getting sweaty from anticipation while waiting in line? Oh, wait, that'd be the AT&T/Apple rep, or as I like to call them "Corrugate Removal Technician."

it's so competitive these days; you need qualifications to open boxes.

[meagain]

I brought back an iPhone once that I had issues with. Thinking they'd maybe swap it, I re-wrapped the phone carefully. Apple took one look and RIPPED the plastic off. I freeked cuz that might've been my phone if they refused the return. ALSO - YANKED the sticky screen skin off. I was mortified.

No one touches the box or my phone. I know they have cutter tools to slice the plastic properly - but yea, I might bring a little pocket knife (and fully warn them I have one and like to use it so I don't get tackled by security).

Oh and you just know if they are in a hurry, they're going to miss the port with the plug and graze the plastic or the bezel. I will plug in my own phone also.

I'm a female so I plan to smile sweetly and might pull this off better than most here. And of course I plan to be efficient to not hold up the line a second more than norm. BOOM

[ubercool]

I think a lot of people on these forums need many years of therapy. ;)

Not at all, it's a part of a larger trend, called control freak. :D

[Wolf103FM]

as long as the person opening it isn't hiding a bucket of KFC under the table, It really doesn't bother me