A Walking Advertisement

Didn't MacRumors buy you the iphone and aren't they paying your bill for a year? That gets you to about $1800.

See what happens when you have to have something before most of the sheep? I think Apple should have a price structure according to how long you've been loyal....

Maybe that's why Apple are such sticklers for design. If you make something so outrageously stylish then people are going to ask you about it.

...or you could just tell them it's an amazing phone with awesome features, show them what's on your screen at the moment and walk away. You're not obligated to stay there for 5 minutes to show them a demo. Tell them to go to an Apple Store.

My Pants Aren't Smelly, Are They?

I showcase Apple technology quite frequently as well, though not an iPhone.

My spouse helps me with the smally pants issue. Regular cleansing, change of clothese every now and again.

Someday, Katie, perhaps you too will know this joy.

Just a nerd

i've done it a few times in the short time i've had mine as well. and i remember doing the same with my 3rd gen iPod too when i first got that and no one knew what an iPod was.

although, you can also have the opposite reaction from some people.
my gf got attitude from two of her friends when they saw that she had an iphone. jealousy? apple haters? (well one of them has a MBP so i guess not that one) who knows.

In fact, yes!

After I bought my Mac, my entire house went Mac in less then a year!

Then a few friends

And more friends...

and more...

and more!!!

I would have to say its the fact that we use our Macs and iPhones as a real add on to our lives! People always joked that my MBP was permanently attached to my hip... (I wear a laptop bag some places). But now, everything I used to do with my laptop here and there, is now available from the iPhone! with the exception of IM (natively). And that ability just makes us happy, and the awesome design just makes us go crazy, and goo goo ga ga!

speaking of being owed something, considering MR bought and paid for the iphone based on 5 blog posts per week, and i have only counted 16 posts in 7.5 weeks, by my calculations, i would say we are owed another 20 posts or so by sunday.

I think it's only natural that most Apple/Mac users tend to show off their computers or gadgets to others because they like them so much.

Showing other people the cool and new things that their Mac, iPod or iPhone could do to somebody else sometimes convinces them to go out and get one for themselves.

But, then again some people just like to show off...

shecky said:

speaking of being owed something, considering MR bought and paid for the iphone based on 5 blog posts per week, and i have only counted 16 posts in 7.5 weeks, by my calculations, i would say we are owed another 20 posts or so by sunday.

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Please let's not start going 'round in circles about this again. The financial side of this is between Arn and Katie. Let's just leave them be.

gauchogolfer said:

The financial side of this is between Arn and Katie.

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no it isn't; arn revealed it publicly of his own free will. all i am saying is that the original blog post is HIGHLY ironic in consideration of the other facts

We're like some kind of drunken Buddhist cult, methinks.

Look! I'm happy with my awesome technology! Why don't I show you how to be happy, too! It's great!

I guess that makes Jobs Buddha.

shecky said:

no it isn't; arn revealed it publicly of his own free will. all i am saying is that the original blog post is HIGHLY ironic in consideration of the other facts.

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I agree that it is pretty funny.

I guess she doesn't have to post if she doesn't mind turning the phone over to MR in 6 months.

I don't really care about the compensation or whatnot, but I would like to see more posts from Katie. I've enjoyed reading them.

gauchogolfer said:

Please let's not start going 'round in circles about this again. The financial side of this is between Arn and Katie. Let's just leave them be.

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Agreed...although Arn made it known publicly, he has also stated that the details/specifics are between the two of them.

Who knows, maybe Arn still has a backload of Katie blogs in the pipeline, maybe she's supplementing her blog posts with shipments of yummy cupcakes or perhaps even doing some part-time hand modeling for him?

it's rested just been on my mind lately is all.


back to the point of the original post, it is kind of annoying when people have technolust over your stuff, but its kind of that cool annoyingness. what i think is uncompensated advertising is when a car dealership puts their emblem on your car; i always be sure to let them know that i am happy to let them keep it on there for a reasonable advertising fee. usually they agree to take it off instead

arn said:

yes please give the financial side a rest. It's been done. tomorrow, I may decide to spend money on ice, rather than make my own... and there's nothing you can do about it.

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I can sell you some highly discounted ice if you are interested!

I have to agree with Katie too, I seem to give a LOT of demos. I also find allowing the users to resize images with the pinch almost ALWAYS gets them to be amazed. I don't mind giving demos, but I usually warn them they may want one if I do. I have directly caused another 4 people to go out to buy an iPhone.

I also did this with the iPod before this, and since I bought the first MacBook Pro as my official switch back to Mac I've gotten at least 5 people to buy a Mac, and many more planning to.

I give demos regularly, and I see more and more people interested in Apple and their products everyday.

I want Apple to start a referral program. I know I have directly sold at least 20 iPhones in the last month and a half as well as over 100 Macs. If the Apple stores weren't so damn far away, I really would just quit my job to work there full-time. If the employees work on commission, I'd be rich!

iPhone Demonstration

So far, both my bosses have bought an iPhone after playing with mine, and my dentist is seriously considering it.

I have been asked many, many times to demonstrate my phone to complete strangers. I remember being out for a drink at a local pub with a two friends. We were in the middle of conversation when a 50 - 60 yr old lady (nice lady though) asked me, "is that the new iPhone?" (pointing at my phone laying on the table). I replied, "yes". She then asked if they could see it. I didn't mind so I said "sure". Then her entire table (around 6 people including a 60 - 70 yr old grandpa) pulled their chairs around my table and the demo began.

A few nights later at another bar upon seeing my friends all playing with my phone at my table, I had a group of college students yell across the bar, "Hey, iPhone guy!" At which I raised my phone as to say "yeah, yeah". Then they came over to interrogate me about it ... in a good way.

My dentist, upon seeing my phone, stopped working on my crown, started asking me to demo it, and then asked the entire dentistry staff to come into the room and have me demo it to them.

The biggest frustration with the iPhone isn't the keyboard. It's the fact that you can't simply use your phone anymore. Either people are intrigued by it and ask you a bunch of questions and request a demo, or they act like you're showing off when you simply want to take a call so you have to conceal the fact that you have it. And they don't refer to it as your phone or your cell phone ... they refer to it as your iPhone.

PlaceofDis said:

i've done it a few times in the short time i've had mine as well. and i remember doing the same with my 3rd gen iPod too when i first got that and no one knew what an iPod was.

although, you can also have the opposite reaction from some people.
my gf got attitude from two of her friends when they saw that she had an iphone. jealousy? apple haters? (well one of them has a MBP so i guess not that one) who knows.

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Same here, I remember on the bus when all the kids with cd players were asking what I was holding and why I didn't have a cool pair of headphones? At the time the wrap around (back of head) headphones were the standard. I tried keeping it on the low down because I had spent part of the money I made over the summer on it ($499). Those were the days... back when the iPod was a big deal to me, and I used it almost all day at high-school. I didn't take the iPod for granted back then and had so much more appreciation for it. Now I don't think twice about the tech I am using.

marshalljones said:

So far, both my bosses have bought an iPhone after playing with mine, and my dentist is seriously considering it.

I have been asked many, many times to demonstrate my phone to complete strangers. I remember being out for a drink at a local pub with a two friends. We were in the middle of conversation when a 50 - 60 yr old lady (nice lady though) asked me, "is that the new iPhone?" (pointing at my phone laying on the table). I replied, "yes". She then asked if they could see it. I didn't mind so I said "sure". Then her entire table (around 6 people including a 60 - 70 yr old grandpa) pulled their chairs around my table and the demo began.

A few nights later at another bar upon seeing my friends all playing with my phone at my table, I had a group of college students yell across the bar, "Hey, iPhone guy!" At which I raised my phone as to say "yeah, yeah". Then they came over to interrogate me about it ... in a good way.

My dentist, upon seeing my phone, stopped working on my crown, started asking me to demo it, and then asked the entire dentistry staff to come into the room and have me demo it to them.

The biggest frustration with the iPhone isn't the keyboard. It's the fact that you can't simply use your phone anymore. Either people are intrigued by it and ask you a bunch of questions and request a demo, or they act like you're showing off when you simply want to take a call so you have to conceal the fact that you have it. And they don't refer to it as your phone or your cell phone ... they refer to it as your iPhone.

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The same thing always happens to me, and one time i got pretty annoyed cuz in the mall with my girlfriend literally 7 seperate people came up to me asking about it so by the time the 8th person came up and was like "Hey is that the iphone how do you like it?" i replied "Its horrible and i feel like an idiot for being stuck with this for 2 years" and walked away.....also, i too notice myself not using phone anymore i always say "my iphone"

i've sold 2 iphones and probably 4 mac's

it's a pretty sweet feeling to do some good for apple

corywoolf said:

Same here, I remember on the bus when all the kids with cd players were asking what I was holding and why I didn't have a cool pair of headphones? At the time the wrap around (back of head) headphones were the standard. I tried keeping it on the low down because I had spent part of the money I made over the summer on it ($499). Those were the days... back when the iPod was a big deal to me, and I used it almost all day at high-school. I didn't take the iPod for granted back then and had so much more appreciation for it. Now I don't think twice about the tech I am using.

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same here, I had the 2nd GEN one, missed out on the sweet 1st model, i didn't have enough money at the time..

those were the days, I'm pretty sure me and my friend at that time were the only people in my 2500 student highschool to have ipods.

now i bet 4/5 of them have a form of iPod

Hmmm. I have purchased an iMac, 2 iPods, an iPhone, and countless Apple accessories for myself over the past few years. I have also convinced my friends to buy an iMac, MacBook, and MacBook Pro. On top of the computers I have convinced about 8 people to buy $300 iPods. This does not mean I am owed commission. If Apple offered, I would certainly accept, but simply using or talking about a product you have purchased does not mean you are owed money. That is just like saying that because you bought a Nike shirt that says Nike, you are owed money for wearing it around town where others see it. If companies paid us for using and wearing their products they would make no money. As far as Apple goes, I am glad that I am able to spread the experience of their products to new people because I like the company.

It would be pretty cool if Apple had some type of referral program for their products though. Something where if you referred someone for a computer, you get $40 or some type of Apple Store discount. This could be useful for all their products.

I started my switch to Apple about 5 years ago when I bought my first iPod. Since then, I've bought myself a Macbook Pro another iPod and an iPhone. My family has bought 8 other iPods and we just got my mother a Macbook.

When I got the iPod, everyone was asking me what it was and I was more than happy to show them how great it was. I tell anyone that will listen how wonderful the computers are. Now that I have my iPhone, I really do feel like an Apple salesman. Anyone asks the simplest of questions and I give them the whole demonstration on its features and explain how happy I am with it.

I guess there is just something about products that make me so happy that I just want to share that with everyone. I want anyone I know to be as pleased with their technology as I am. I'm happy to do be a spokesman of Apple products, if only because they have been so good to me. Some sort of a referral program would be pretty cool though. (But I don't even think they need it! We're all happy to refer our friends for free!)