Yesterday saw the release of the beautiful iPad2 in the UK. As serious Apple fans and happy iPad owners, you can imagine that there was a little excitement in our house in the days leading up to the release.
As you would expect, we had conversations ‘ooh look what new things it can do’ etc, our 7 year old was extremely interested in what new features the iPad2 would have and our 4 year old – well, how do I describe that?
When we sold our original iPad a few days before the release of iPad2, we explained to the children that there would be a new one, blah blah blah. Our 4 year old daughter cried, and I mean really cried at the thought of losing her iPad for only a few days. Once we got over that little drama, each day she would ask, “how many sleeps till we get the new iPad2?”
When the release day finally arrived, she was up and dressed at the crack of dawn ready to go and join the queues at the Southampton West Quay Apple Store. We got there around 12 and were about 65 people from the front of the queue – some hardcore people had been there since 4am!!!!! We were assured that where we were positioned, we would be guaranteed the iPad2 of our choice (we got white!).
At 3pm, the Apple Store closed it doors, the shutters were down and the staff were heading out to eat – by this point there were an estimated 500 people waiting in the queue! At 4pm, the staff emerged, masses of them, buzzing with energy. Their was much clapping, cheering and chanting – we were a tad reserved but our 4 year old daughter was up on daddies shoulders hooting with the rest!
At 5pm, they started to let people in to the store, a small few at a time. Every one was cheered in and out of the store and the first purchaser was being interviewed and photographed by the media. We finally made it to the checkout a little before 6pm – 4 year old bowing to her adoring fans, demanding to be the one who opened the beautiful box ready for activation and the one that carried the iPad2 out of the store whilst being cheered once again.
So, has the world gone mad or is it just in this household?
Tags: app, apple store, child, children, iPad, ipad2, iPhone, itunes, kids, southampton
Price: £1.79 from i
