The queues were only like that in the morning. People who waited there overnight are clearly insane, and I think a fair amount of those might have been scalpers. I popped along to the shop at about 3pm yesterday and the queue took 5 minutes.
Sanlitun Launch of iPad 2: Hipsters, Yuppies & Scalpers Brave Crowds
We popped by Sanlitun this morning to gawk at the crowds lined up at the Apple Store in The Village at Sanlitun to buy the iPad2, which officially launched in Beijing today.
As expected there was already a huge queue by mid-morning with hundreds more expected to come over the afternoon.
The usual scalpers are out in full force as well and are selling both the 16g and 32g models for around RMB 3,888 to RMB 4,800 respectively (the 16g wi-fi sells for RMB 3,688 and the 32g is RMB 4,488 in the store).
The Apple store has even prepared an overnight waiting room and wristbands for people in the queue. Customers are allowed to leave the premises for up to an hour (and submit their wristbands to the staff) before returning and being allowed their original place in line.
As of noon today the store still had all items in stock except for the white 16g model.
If all is else fails, you can always wait for the iPad3 (release date yet to be announced) - which is rumored to include a retina display, dual-core processor, better cameras and a 3D display.
If you want to buy online check out Apple Sanlitun's site
Photos by Josh Ong.
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Re: Sanlitun Launch of iPad 2: Hipsters, Yuppies & Scalpers ...
As much as I like a new gadget nothing is worth dealing with that crowd.
Can't they just wait a few days?
Is it that big a deal to be the latest walking billboard for Apple?
They should make the iPad 3 project huge Apple logos on to the users clothing, and a giant revolving 3D Apple icon over their head.
