Finally, my iPhone is now activated. I woke up this morning with my typical schedule: skim thru 3 newspapers, check my RSS feeds in Newsgator.com for any latest tech news, glance at email for any urgent messages and have breakfast.

When I glanced in my email THERE IT WAS a confirmation email message from the iTunes store (Apples music service) which also proves a point MEDIA STOP BLAMING AT&T this mixup as far as I have been able to research is n APPLE NOT AT&T. Get your story right. stating  

 

The activation process doesn't make tech sense to me. Here's the deal, you buy the iPhone then leave the store and go home, connect the iPhone to iTunes, download latest version of iTunes, follow the instructions to pick your plan and data options and then you get this message. Which tells you to wait for an email confirmation. Well its been 27 hours and still NO email confirmation from them! This isnt just me but many across the country. Whose BIG idea was this? Damn, stupid. Take note, when you sell a phone, stick to the process that works - let people activate in store, do a test call then let ppl go home and conect to itunes.

Hey all, as soon as I got the phone I went outside pulled out the MacBook Pro with Verizon broadband card, connected to the net and started the install process. More video and details of the install process on the way, BUT suffice it to say my iPhone is STILL NOT ACTIVE. If you have an old AT&T plan like I did, there are other steps that need to be taken before the iPhone can work. The Apple.com website has been slammed with downloaders (cuz u hv to dwnload the latest Itunes version) BUT this is turning into an ACTIVATION FIASCO. My patience is running thin and I'm blogging, emailing, texting and calling to Corp AT&T & APPLE folks right now so others won't have the same activation pains.

MORE ON THIS TO COME STAY TUNED - PLUS VIDEO OF THE INSTALL PROCESS and SOME OF THE HICCUPS

Waiting in line for 28 hours for activation problems is a real pain in the ... 

The 8 GIG model in hand and here is the AT&T team that has been working pretty damn hard the past 2 days I've been here. Just because im now an Official iPhone owner - DONT leave the blog now, there is still way more video and blogging -- the real work now begins.

Bruceeey here is in line at the Towson Mall, he had been in line since 7am this morning. He used some smooth tactics to get in the mall before anyone else. The phone he's holding is a Motorola Razor (bye bye to that). I'm proud of you Bruce, but try starting at 2pm YESTERDAY. RF, interviewed him we will air the interview on my XM Radio show tomorrow.

The whole team here R-O-C-K-S - Beth from Fleischman (think i spelled that right). I'm also going to interview Nancy, the AT&T spokesperson, on site here.

Stay tuned for that video! 

Click to read more ...

If you are in line for an iPhone take heed to my Top 5 Tips before you babble to the media and look like an idiot. These tips will keep the media coming back for more of you.

1. Have a compelling story to tell (dont lie or exaggerate) just tell a creative story (i.e. who are you buying it for, Who will your 1st call be to?, ask urself whats the most creative way you can answer "Why are you here?")

2. Keep your comments short and concise. The shorter the comment the better your chances to make the cut and they'll feel comfortable coming back to you for concise updates

2. Don't act your shoe size - being all gitty, I mean giddy and overly excited - you may make the cut but you'll look like a complete idiot. Look Mom I'm an idiot and Im taking the family name down with me

4. Smile, Smile, Smile, - it comes thru in your sound and the way you look, plus tv likes happy people

5. Listen, Listen, Listen - pay attention to the question, can't tell ya how many times ppl give an answer that has nothin' to do with the question

Use these tips in the last few hours of the Ipone release and it will guarantee you airtime. GOOD LUCK

Im tellin' ya I dont know how much more of this rain crap I can take. Its been pouring down off and on - looks lke its a passing shower but it needs to pass already. Guess this is part of the price u pay to be the 1st in line. U know what they say "no pain - no gain" - who the heck made that stupid quote famous anyway.

Hey dont know about you other bloggers in iPhone lines, but out at the Corp AT&T store they are giving us all types of iFringe benefits. Make sure you ask your location for yours. (photo of Rick dropping off Free Bagels for all iPhoners)

1. Access to the bathroom should be included or their store front will suffer the consequences
2. I demanded, mean asked for power so i could connect a surege protector, so we have laptops, cellphones and an XBOX 360 connected in the line
3. FREE WATER is a given
4. what you want is FREE FOOD. We asked for a Starbucks run and they came thru.
5. To AT&T's credit they had a bagel store come out with dozens of bagels ffrom one of the area's top bagel shop

Hope these tips help out with iBuddies in the iLine---corny iKnow but felt like iHad to do iT.

okay folks post a comment on the blog on this one. Mayor Street of Philadelphia has been in line since 3:30am yesterday. Yes, yesterday! and he's getting a ton of flack for being in line. What do you think? Shouldn't the man be allowed a day to embrace new technology? Can he still get some work done without being physically in the office? I used to be in public service working for the then Mayor O'Malley Baltimore City.

Anyway - is Mayor Street right or wrong for being in line for an iPhone?

This is video of an AT&T official that has come out and is explaining to us the do's and dont's of the line - how many you can really buy and what stipulations if any?

Yes, FED EX is here with boxes, boxes, boxes, not too many but what seems to be quite a few of the same size box. Pretty hopeful that they are the iPhones - the Fed Ex guy says he has no clue and the security guy holding the door won't tell me anything either. WHICH TELLS me ALOT - the iPhones are here!

More people finally started lining up. It feels great to finally have some company. Had a chance to speak with my line mates and they are all great people, Rick, the guy on the right, is a Principal of a firm in Baltimore and a recent MAC convert. He bought a MAC 6 months ago and has been loving it ever since. The young man to the left is with Rick and the cool couple is Bill & Marilyn, a great couple and nice people who are newlyweds still under 12 months of marriage.

9:00am - For the 2nd time in this iWait for iPhone pursuit it has rained. This time pouring down relentlessly. Mother nature is really testing the committment and not making it easy for our line to grow with new line mates. I suspect if the weather continues like this - we may be the only ones in line. On that note - if you were thinking 2wice about getting one NOW IS THE TIME WHILE IS RAINING to make YOUR MOVE. Come join us!!!

7:50am - Can't believe still that their are only 4 people here waiting in line. WHAT IS GOING ON? Am i crazy or are others really missing out?  My gut tells me only the diehard techies are out right now. Maybe by the afternoon their will be a line for hours BUT right now its wide open. Was the Iphone overhyped? For all the hype to have only 4 people in line is pretty lame. Are people not cool with AT&T, do they not like the 2-yr committment, are they worried about no buttons and being all touch-screen?

WHAT are YOUR thoughts, post a comment - are you buying, waiting, or laughing at us techies in line? Why do you think the line is so lame? 

Short video right after my call-in on the "Chris Emry" show (check out their website: http://thebayonline.com/Index.html ) - cool thing happened while on air with the guys. Then Mike asks me if I could come on from time to time to update their listeners about tech issues. I'm totally jazzed about this and would be honored. Then I thought and produced this video which covers my stipulations and exposes their very smooth way of coercing me to be their tech expert :-)

Last night my cellphone starts going bananas and my email box starts getting full. The media found someone crazy enough to be outside waiting since the 28th at 2pm. Which as far as I know is the earliest anyone in Baltimore has ben in line- may not be breaking for the New Yorkers hanging out since Monday of this week but for Baltimore this is pretty good. Looks like I'll be heard on NPR, XM, WBAL radio - its getting to be way more hype that i thought. Anyway, I spoke with On air Host Chris Emry and he's like we need you to call-in to our show from the line this morning at 6:10am, 7:10am & 8:10am and we arent paying ya. Figured, what the heck I'm in line anyway and at least for the first 3 hours of the morning it would keep me busy. TUNE IN 7:10am and 8:10am for my Iwait in lin report.

So check out 100.7 online at: http://thebayonline.com/Index.html

Had to brush my teeth and tell you all good morning for the history making iPhone day.

apparently this store is a 'media - friendly" AT&T store - thats what they call them. These "media-friendly' stores are supposed to have available devices for people to see and demo the Iphone. NOT ALL STORES will have a demo phone. The Apple stores will but only select AT&T stores will.