I had my first chance to visit the Apple kiosk Wednesday good afternoon . Intermixed with the displays of last year ’s offerings ( iWork’06 and iLife’06 , to name two ) , there were also a good number of Apple boob tube units . But where , oh where , was theiPhone ? I was really expect to find 50 to 100 of the things , lined up for passersby to represent with the user port , check out the widgets , and try the e - mail . It was apace patent , however , that there was no such collection .
Instead , there are just two iPhones for the total 20,000 square pes Apple booth — one on each side of the ingress to the booth . However , these two phones are n’t approachable — the phone are in display in a circular glass pillowcase , situated on a slowly - revolve footstall . There wo n’t be any tint these telephone set , nor meet with its interface . rather , it ’s more like visiting a museum : “ Ah look honey , there ’s an iPhone , circa 2007 . They used to roam freely in large packs in North America , from what I sympathise . ”
locate around each display case are a number of Apple employees , carefully keep an eye on thing . I asked a distich of questions of one ( about third - party doojigger and drug user install their own doojigger — neither reply was what I would call encouraging ) . Then the most surreal import of the entire show occurred …
I proceed in a bit to get a closer feel at the demo running on the screen . As I leaned forward , I hear this house ( but very polite ) voice beside me : “ Sir , if you would please just step back a bit from the display case , give thanks you . ” Whoops . Apparently that last step forward I need had violate the iPhone ’s invisible Cone of Protection — it seems the cone pass out from the exhibit case to a distance of a infantry or two . I was half tempt to stay in place , to see what the iPhone guardian ’ next form of action might have been — but then decided that explaining to my wife why I call for bail money in California would n’t be a pleasant conversation .
Now , in all earnestness , I know why they ’re being protective — the exhibit cases , as you’re able to see in the picture , are tall and slender . give the nature of trade wind show floor ( cementum ) , it ’s also extremely probable that the case is n’t insure by anything more than its base . So pink one over is eminently possible , hence the motive for the Cone of Protection — after all , if one of the show cases were to take a fall , the universe of iPhones on the show storey would be cut in one-half ! Still , it sort of made me palpate like I was onCops . “ Put the camera down , and slowly abuse out from the event . Please permit me see your hands at all times , and move … aside … from … that … case ! ”
Tomorrow , I guess I ’ll use the telephotograph lens of the eye to get a close - up look at the iPhone ’s screenland !
