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iDeviceChecker

I

iDeviceChecker

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 12, 2014
13
0
Dresden
Hey people,
my name is Simon and I will tell you what happend to me last year when I was visiting the US:

The iPhone 5S was release a few weeks before I started a roadtrip with my girlfriend through California. While we were traveling through the closed national parks (shutdown was going on during these days) I was trying to find out where I could buy an iPhone 5S for my dad. Because of the huge demand for this new iDevice it was really hard to find a store which had a iPhone 5S in stock. It wasn't important if it would be gray or white or with 16GB or 32GB, I just wanted to get one :D

I had to check the websites of Apple and Bestbuy and so on for the availability information provided there. This was very annoying because it was pretty annoying to look up the information for every single product configuration (color and memory) for every zip code we came through.

Back home I thought about a solution and because of my work as a web app programmer I started a new project in my spare time called iDeviceChecker.com. This webapp shows the availability information of iDevices as the new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus for the major stores on a nice Google map. You can also filter for a special product configuration to find out which store in your neighborhood has the new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus in stock right now.

I would love to hear some feedback from you guys as I programmed this webapp in my spare time after work for the last 10 months (normally 10pm-2am :) ). Maybe you have some suggestions so please leave them within the feedback section. :eek:

Best greetings from Germany,
Simon
 
That is absolutely awesome! Is this real-time tracking based on user-inputs or does this poll once/several times per day?

Either way - great service!!!
 
Thank you!

AbeFrohman said:
That is absolutely awesome! Is this real-time tracking based on user-inputs or does this poll once/several times per day?

Either way - great service!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks mate, this makes me really happy! It's the first time I'm telling people about my website and I really invested a lot of time :)

The availability information is constantly update during the day but as there are so many stores and a lot of different configs to check it needs some time to update the information. Currently the availability information is updated between 3-5 times a day, depending on traffic, server load, etc.

Enjoy the my website and best greetings,
Simon
 
Bug?

Very cool! But I think there's a bug - putting in a zip code that starts with zero (0) gets an error "This zip code is unknown, please try again".

US zip codes are valid with 0 as the starting character (usually in the Northeast).
 
This is the best tracker so far, great job!

Of course, there's not one single 6 + in all of L.A lol :(
 
ceaguila said:
This is the best tracker so far, great job!

Of course, there's not one single 6 + in all of L.A lol :(
Click to expand...

Yep. Chose AT&T and everything cleared out in my area. A friend of mine just got her iPhone 6 Plus from the store in my city by ordering online and picking up in store. :( Mines still on hold until next month.
 
This doesn't seem to be in real time. When you check it against what's on Apple's website, they don't seem to match up. Anyone had success yet?
 
jdm5 said:
Very cool! But I think there's a bug - putting in a zip code that starts with zero (0) gets an error "This zip code is unknown, please try again".

US zip codes are valid with 0 as the starting character (usually in the Northeast).
Click to expand...

Thanks for this hint! I fixed that.. (I shouldn't parse a zipcode as an integer ;) )


Don't worry, they will
Click to expand...

Hopefully not!! :eek: I extremely focused on not violating the TOS of apple.com as my web app doesn't use any information provided there. I don't get the information from apple.com! :)

This doesn't seem to be in real time. When you check it against what's on Apple's website, they don't seem to match up. Anyone had success yet?
Click to expand...

No, it's not real time! As the Terms of Use on my site say, there are time slots during the day where the availbility information is outdated! The iDeviceChecker.com should only give a hint, not a legal liable information. After you found a store which seems to have your iDevice in stock please check again manually on the corresponding website before driving to that store :eek:
 
Spotted a SG 128 GB in my area. Gonna call BB to see if they have it.

Anyone know if Best Buy allows for full price purchases?
 
These sites are not accurate. It showed no 64gb pluses in stock at the Apple Store near me and went I went to exchange mine they had one left. The guy there said there is separate stock for walk ins and online orders.
 
Love the site. It also led me to find available stock and I found it to be accurate within reason. Obviously the site can't take into account stock at Apple stores intended for exchanges/warranty replacements and units that are on hold for customers at other retailers, but that's okay!

One thing that this site reveals is how there is no T-Mobile phones anywhere in the country. Go to iPhone 6 plus and choose T-Mobile and all of a sudden the map clears almost 100%.

On the other hand, anyone with Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T Should now be able to buy a 6 Plus in retail on a walk in basis if they want. Stock seems to be available all over the place. Though granted it may not always be the color/configuration desired but its getting there.
 
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