FedEx iPad Line

First you get the “transcript” and then the genesis of the idea.

One week ago….

7 March 2012
@PhilRedbeard
Love the new iPad. Got mine on order. Finally sold my old one. Can’t wait for that Retina Display goodness.

8 March 2012
@PhilRedbeard
Spending a final am with my iPad 2. Have to ship it today to pay for my iPad 3. Can I survive 8 days? I dunno, man. Feelin’ twitchy already.

13 March 2012
@PhilRedbeard
I cannot fucking wait for my new iPad. I love the iPhone, but this tiny screen is sending me over the edge. Last time I presell, guaranteed.

14 March 2012
@PhilRedbeard
Two more days. Using my wife’s MacBook Pro. Gosh, I forgot how large and cumbersome laptops were. iPad still waiting in Nashville. #ticktock

15 March 2012
@PhilRedbeard
After sitting in Nashville for the longest time, my iPad is finally moving. In Memphis as of this morning. Will be here tomorrow. #Cantwait.

And then, on 16 March 2012 (iPad Launch Day)…

0800
@PhilRedbeard
@tuaw I’m in the FedEx line this morning. No idea how many in line before me, but expecting delivery around 1125. #iPadLine.

0900
@PhilRedbeard
iPad arrived in WI @ 0700 & by 0745 was “On Vehicle for Delivery”. It’d be cool if Find My iPhone was enabled so I could watch the progress.

@PhilRedbeard
@TUAW The line is moving! iPad is on FedEx vehicle for delivery People are cheering, drivers are sipping coffee; the atmosphere is electric!

@PhilRedbeard
The FedEx line has slowed down. Reports indicate that a few drivers have stopped for doughnuts and one got lost. I hear grumbling. #iPadLine

@PhilRedbeard
Someone at the head of the line said a FedEx driver is wearing a UPS uniform. He picked a heck of a day to think different. #iPadLine @tuaw

@PhilRedbeard
I hear cheering ahead of me. Downtown customers have apparently started receiving their iPads. The excitement is mounting. #iPadLine @tuaw.

@PhilRedbeard
The word is the FedEx trucks have run out of Verizon iPads. Bummer if that’s what you ordered. #iPadLine. @TUAW.

@PhilRedbeard
My view of the iPad line. I can just see the FedEx truck a few hours away. Most exciting Friday ever! #iPadLine @TUAW

There is a white truck! A white truck is approach – never mind. False alarm, it was a furniture truck. Who ordered a sofa? #iPadLine. @TUAW.

@PhilRedbeard
I guess if you have to wait for your iPad to be delivered, you might as well wait on a sofa. Nice weather for it today. #iPadLine @tuaw

@PhilRedbeard
I am hearing loud cheers from an upscale apartment building. Looks like they cleared out five FedEx trucks. Still waiting. #iPadLine. @tuaw.

@Frankguido
@PhilRedbeard a fedex ground truck just sped by my house WTF

@PhilRedbeard
Got a report from up in the line @Frankguido says the FedEx trucks are drag racing to keep up excitement for the back of the #iPadLine @tuaw

@PhilRedbeard
I love meeting wacky people who wait in line for Apple tech. Just met @nicotoroboto in the FedEx line. He’s a little 8 bit. #iPadLine

@PhilRedbeard
Breaking report! Some FedEx trucks are delivering other stuff, like sweaters from Grandma and Android phones. Beware! #iPadLine. @TUAW.

1000
@PhilRedbeard
A FedEx truck just stopped at an assisted living house. iPad hand delivered to a lady w/ a walker. FaceTime with grandkids. #iPadLine @tuaw.

@PhilRedbeard
BOOM!! Blowout! Blowout! Exiting a gated community a FedEx truck had a tire explode! I’m hearing lots of complaining in the #iPadLine @tuaw.

@PhilRedbeard
Garbage truck just arrived. Is that for the Samsung line over there? Seems like it, from the weird singing and dancing. #iPadLine. @TUAW.

@PhilRedbeard
Three and a half hours of waiting now. Every minute closer to delivery. People are sharing their favorite apps to kill time. #iPadLine @tuaw.

@PhilRedbeard
It could be…It might be…Things are getting crazy here. Folks are going wild. #iPadLine. @tuaw.

@PhilRedbeard
YES! FedEx truck has arrived! People are going wild Excitement can’t be contained! Oh the humanity! #iPadLine @tuaw

@attathomeguy
@frankguido @tuaw wish FedEx would show my new iPad is on a truck because I am supposed to get it today

@PhilRedbeard
Can’t forget the people in line behind me. @attathomeguy says some trucks have left w/o iPads. Don’t want to be that driver. #iPadLine @tuaw

@PhilRedbeard
It’s for real! Thanks everyone for hangin out in the FedEx #iPadLine w/ me. It’s been a blast. Have to do this again.

Final #iPadLine tweet for me: I received mine 40 mins ahead of my estimate. Enjoy yours when you get it! Thanks Apple. Thanks @tuaw for RT.

And then, some time later….

1300
@christatak
@TUAW still waiting for FedEx and its killing me

@PhilRedbeard
You may’ve already received your iPad, but remember those still waiting in the FedEx #iPadline like @christatak whose driver called in sick.

And that was it.

Basically this happened because Twitter was there. Also because @TUAW, the official twitter of The Unofficial Apple Weblog over at tuaw.com, encourages Apple fans to tweet their pictures and experiences of waiting in line each and every Apple launch day, which has become a tradition of sorts.

Last year I was in an actual line in my local Apple store for the launch of the iPad 2. It was pretty exciting, I’m not gonna lie, but I didn’t want to sit in the middle of a mall for a few hours this year, so I did what I normally do and pre-ordered. But, sitting at home, alone, watching FedEx update my tracking information was kinda boring while I was seeing lines of people having fun and talking to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak come across my twitter feed.

Feeling a bit left out, I decided to create an exciting live tweet from the non-existent, yet very real, FedEx iPad Line. Obviously I had to embellish a bit, but I had a bunch of fun, got a few retweets, met two people, and the three and half hour wait went pretty quickly. Subsequently, I think I might make this a reoccurring event. Next up: iPhone (5).

Till then, have a nice Apple experience.