Rockingham Park Mall, NH

[r6girl]

i think this is where i'm going to head on release day (no sales tax in NH!). anyone want to tag team in line so we can take bathroom breaks when needed and do some reconnaissance to scope out what's going on?

[bcwilson]

I'm considering going there too... I'm not sure.

My thinking is that since Rockingham is a smaller store than the likes of Boylston, that they might have less stock than the flagship stores. But then it depends on if a lot of people show up at either store.

I'm not sure where my chances are better at getting an iphone 3G.

When are you planning to line up at Rockingham? Do you think its going to be a midnight launch?

I'm just trying to plan around being at work in Boston by 1pm on friday, so if I went to Rockingham, I'd have to be back on the road around 11:30am the latest. If its going to be a midnight launch, then that makes my job easier.

Any thoughts?

[r6girl]

Originally Posted by bcwilson

I'm considering going there too... I'm not sure.

My thinking is that since Rockingham is a smaller store than the likes of Boylston, that they might have less stock than the flagship stores. But then it depends on if a lot of people show up at either store.

I'm not sure where my chances are better at getting an iphone 3G.

When are you planning to line up at Rockingham? Do you think its going to be a midnight launch?

I'm just trying to plan around being at work in Boston by 1pm on friday, so if I went to Rockingham, I'd have to be back on the road around 11:30am the latest. If its going to be a midnight launch, then that makes my job easier.

Any thoughts?

i know - boylston would be nice, but if it's a hot day, i'd rather be waiting in the air-conditioned comfort of the rockingham mall than sitting outside. plus, there's no sales tax in NH - i'm up for saving almost $20 in taxes. if i were going into work that day, the boylston store would be closer for me, but the rockingham store isn't that far from home and i think i'm taking the day off.

my guess is that they'll handle the release like they did for the first generation iphone, which means they start selling at 6:00 pm. will you be at work then? if they start selling them at opening time, i'm definitely going to rockingham first thing in the morning.

[macconservative]

I will be there. Waiting to see what time that they will launch before I decide to take the day off work or not.

[bab23]

I am considering going to Salem as well, depending on how my chances at the AT&T store in Portsmouth are leading up to the launch.

[r6girl]

excellent! i'm hoping they'll announce the release timing and details soon so anyone who wants to tag team the line can coordinate and plan accordingly...

[rdrr]

FYI, the Rockingham Mall also has an at&t store.

[cyclingplatypus]

Originally Posted by bab23

I am considering going to Salem as well, depending on how my chances at the AT&T store in Portsmouth are leading up to the launch.

I'd think that even if the store in Portsmouth is busy that the store in Somersworth probably would be a good bet to walk in and walk out.

[bab23]

The more I think about it I may prefer to go to the apple store, mostly because I think they would have a wider range of launch accessories such as cases for the 3g phone.

Then again, I could just get the phone at the AT&T store on launch and go to the apple store later in the week for a case/screen protector.

I'm not a current iPhone owner so I'm not really familiar with the whole iPhone launch day scenario; does anyone know if the AT&T stores sold out really quick on launch? (Would Be even better if you had info about a store in NH)

Also, if there is a morning (store opening) launch for the 3G, what time would you all be planning to go to the store?

[HockeyGuy]

Originally Posted by bab23

The more I think about it I may prefer to go to the apple store, mostly because I think they would have a wider range of launch accessories such as cases for the 3g phone.

Then again, I could just get the phone at the AT&T store on launch and go to the apple store later in the week for a case/screen protector.

I'm not a current iPhone owner so I'm not really familiar with the whole iPhone launch day scenario; does anyone know if the AT&T stores sold out really quick on launch? (Would Be even better if you had info about a store in NH)

Also, if there is a morning (store opening) launch for the 3G, what time would you all be planning to go to the store?

Hey, I went to the ATT NH store off woodbury ave for the launch of the first iPhone and they had about 50 iPhones in stock. From what I have heard, the Apple stores have a lot more than 50. I got in line at ATT about 3PM last year and was number 13 in line so I was fine.

[bab23]

Originally Posted by HockeyGuy

Hey, I went to the ATT NH store off woodbury ave for the launch of the first iPhone and they had about 50 iPhones in stock. From what I have heard, the Apple stores have a lot more than 50. I got in line at ATT about 3PM last year and was number 13 in line so I was fine.

Hopefully it will be a similar situation, I don't mind going a couple hours early. Could it be a smaller launch per store due to the 3g phone launching in other countries as well?

[r6girl]

Originally Posted by rdrr

FYI, the Rockingham Mall also has an at&t store.

that is great - more options in one location...

Originally Posted by bab23

Also, if there is a morning (store opening) launch for the 3G, what time would you all be planning to go to the store?

i'm thinking it will be a 6:00 pm launch like the one for the first generation iphone, but if it's a morning launch and the mall opens at 10:00 am, i'd get there at 9:00 am at the earliest - it wouldn't make sense to go any earlier, unless they open the main doors much earlier allowing people to line up at the store before it opens. if it is a 6:00 pm launch, i'd get there at 3:00 or 4:00 pm.

Originally Posted by bab23

Hopefully it will be a similar situation, I don't mind going a couple hours early. Could it be a smaller launch per store due to the 3g phone launching in other countries as well?

i think apple is preparing adequately for a worldwide launch by ramping up production to ensure all the stores have a good supply on 7/11. i went to an at&t store for last year's launch, and i think i got the last 8gb after being number 20 or so in line. from what i heard last year, apple stores do indeed get more iphones than the at&t stores.

[FlavaFlavez]

You do all know that there is no 3g coverage in NH right? I want an iPhone really bad, but not without the service. Verizon's service dominates here in New England, its hard to leave it. I tried the first iPhone twice and had to return it. At&t is terrible. I live in the Hudson/Nashua area. Walmart-no service, rt 102-many dead spots, dropped many calls. When I did have service it was fairly static and dropped in and out. Anyone else here experience this?

[r6girl]

Originally Posted by FlavaFlavez

You do all know that there is no 3g coverage in NH right?

i don't live in NH, nor do some of the others who posted here. we're just talking about meeting up at a store in NH to buy the 3G iphone. at&t's 3G coverage maps show that i'll have good 3G coverage where i live and where i work in massachusetts.

[thechidz]

what is the easiest apple store to get to in NH from NYC? I might make a bonanza trip and pick up my iphone, a new macbook and touch that weekend

[r6girl]

Originally Posted by thechidz

what is the easiest apple store to get to in NH from NYC? I might make a bonanza trip and pick up my iphone, a new macbook and touch that weekend

well, there's only one apple store in the entire state of new hampshire, so it's rockingham park mall for you or nothing. that would be a bit of a hike for you from NYC, though - it's about a 3-hour drive fron NYC to boston, and this store is about an hour north of boston...

[thechidz]

I go hiking all over new england so I will probably do this in july sometime. take advantage of my student discount and the no tax and it will be well worth it.

[thechidz]

is there a train that goes to salem from boston?

[bab23]

Originally Posted by FlavaFlavez

You do all know that there is no 3g coverage in NH right? I want an iPhone really bad, but not without the service. Verizon's service dominates here in New England, its hard to leave it. I tried the first iPhone twice and had to return it. At&t is terrible. I live in the Hudson/Nashua area. Walmart-no service, rt 102-many dead spots, dropped many calls. When I did have service it was fairly static and dropped in and out. Anyone else here experience this?

I do realize this, as I currently have verizon. But I go to school at the University of NH and have an apartment in Newmarket. I have absolutely no service with verizon in my apartment, and AT&T has great coverage there. Even where there is supposedy excellent verizon service (according to the coverage maps) at my parents place, I drop calls constantly with verizon. Overall, I'm sure Verizon is a much better choice in NH, but I would wrather have great service where I will be most of the time with an awesome iPhone, than the alternative.

Also, my roomate bought an iPhone while I was still in school this year and he seems to have very few problems with the service around the UNH area, including our apartment. Along with the supposed increase in the 3g iphone call reception, I'm willing to take the chance with the new iPhone.

As for the 3g, I'm not basing my purchase on the increase in speed so much. I mean, I would love to have it, don't get me wrong, but I can deal with EDGE for now, and here's to hoping that AT&T brings 3G to Southern NH. Then again, I can always utilize WIFI in most places, only time I would really use EDGE is on the bus to school from my apartment which is a 15 Min. ride.

Just to add with my Verizon frustrations is I'm sick of recieving Voicemails a week after I actually recieved the calls. It's happened to me a bunch of times, and it is unnacceptable. Looking forward to the whole Visual Voicemail on the iPhone as well, among many other features.

[r6girl]

Originally Posted by thechidz

is there a train that goes to salem from boston?

amtrak has the downeaster route that goes from boston up to maine, and it stops in haverhill, ma, which is pretty close to salem. i'm not sure how you would get from haverhill to the mall, though...

[macconservative]

Originally Posted by FlavaFlavez

You do all know that there is no 3g coverage in NH right? I want an iPhone really bad, but not without the service. Verizon's service dominates here in New England, its hard to leave it. I tried the first iPhone twice and had to return it. At&t is terrible. I live in the Hudson/Nashua area. Walmart-no service, rt 102-many dead spots, dropped many calls. When I did have service it was fairly static and dropped in and out. Anyone else here experience this?

I have had good signal in most of Nashua. But like others I also live in Mass. I have good 3G signal where I live and work.

[r6girl]

i was at the rockingham store today to have my universal dock checked out (it would not put out video, and they confirmed it was defective and replaced it - god bless their little hearts) and asked the genius if they had any details on the 3G release yet. he said they just heard it will be at 6:00 pm like the first release. i asked him if they will let people line up for it, and he said that's up to mall management and he didn't know what they would do.

so, i'll take this with a grain of salt for the moment until there's an official announcement by apple, but i thought i would share this here. i may try to take a half-day off work if this turns out to be true, instead of taking a full day off. last year i got in line at an at&t store at 4:00 pm and was about 20th in line, and made off with their last 8gb iphone. i'm having a hard time gauging how much of a frenzy there will be for the 3G one, but am inclined to get in line earlier.

how does everyone's schedule look? what time would everyone like to meet up to get in line? 2:00? 3:00? earlier? later? i favor 2:00-ish...

to be clear, i think we should have a few ground rules:

1. everyone who arrives at the same time will stand at the same place in line, and agree to tag team for each other for restroom and food breaks
2. anyone who arrives later will get in line on their own wherever the end of the line happens to be. otherwise, you'll be cutting in front of the people who have already gotten in line behind the first group, and i hate people cutting in front of me and i don't want this group doing that to other people. of course, if you ask the people in front of you in line to join the first group and they are cool with it, go right ahead.
3. the point is to stay in line as much as possible, so no joining the group at the start and hanging out for a little while, then leaving for a few hours and returning at 5:30 to get back in. this is not cool and you'll lose your spot - the point of this is not to have other people save your spot for you while you go out and shop or whatever.

did i miss anything?

[bab23]

Around 2'ish sounds good to me as well, my schedule is cleared for Friday's so timing isn't a really big deal to me. I can't imagine they wouldn't let people wait outside the store, if they don't then it would be absolute chaos when they open the store for the launch.

Thanks for the update btw, nice to finally hear some info about the launch time, whether or not it is accurate or not remains to be seen, but I have a feeling it will be the same as the prior launch time.

[bab23]

Well, it seems as though the iPhone 3G will be released in the morning (information based on AT&T youtube videos:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtzwLlLL2yE)

[r6girl]

Originally Posted by bab23

Well, it seems as though the iPhone 3G will be released in the morning (information based on AT&T youtube videos:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtzwLlLL2yE)

yes - it's nice to have a firm time now. i would rather get it an apple store for the experience, but i'd rather get it sooner in the day than later so i'll go to an AT&T store if the apple stores won't start selling it until later in the day.

how about we see when apple will start selling it? if they start at 8:00 am like AT&T stores, i'll probably start a new thread for the next closest AT&T store on the NH side for anyone who wants to meet up. if it's 6:00 pm and there are still folks who want to go to the rockingham store to get one, they can coordinate here...