Off The Cuff

iPhone–Oh Brother

Posted by: From Arkansas in Are You Kidding Me?, Techno Stuff on Jul 04 2007

Welcome back!

I cannot figure out why it is that people who are buying the incredibly overpriced iPhone are angry for having to wait it out to get their iPhones activated. Look, if I had bought one of those things, I would be angry too, IF I didn’t already know that half the country was going to be buying the things at the same time. Doesn’t it make a whole lot of sense that it might take a couple of days since AT&T is being overrun with orders?

Come on. The thing is, AT&T should probably have gotten a clue that these things were going to fly off the shelves…if they were ever on them in the first place. Dunno how they were sold this time. This reminds me of every single Christmas for several years when there is a load of hype for a specific toy that the manufacturer wants to get out there and put an enormous price tag on it. Just hype the thing til everyone wants it and sit back and watch the fun.

Nothing changes. The only difference is that before it was Cabbage Patch Kids and they were scarce when the manufacturer did an “OOPS” we didn’t make enough. Yeah right. That was so that they could rake in another bundle when the second line of buyers came in. Next came the Furbys. The stores could not keep them in stock. Big surprise. The manufacturers hyped them not long before Christmas and…shocker….they ran out.

Then, as I was reminded, there were the Tickle Me Elmo stuffed animals. They were high priced and flew off the shelves a while before Christmas. Then, nearer to Christmas the stores ran out. Shocker again. The manufacturers could not keep up with the demand. Surely by now they have learned something valuable about this whole thing. The demand IS THERE. Get a clue. Make more. They will be sold. No doubt about it. Okay, I admit it was possibly a crapshoot about the Cabbage Patch Kids. But after that, no way. And all sorts of ads showed up about the iPhone. No way it was going to be a dud, at least BEFORE they left the shelves. Now………maybe it is and maybe it isn’t.

Are the manufacturers so stupid that they cannot anticipate the market? Come on. These people know what they are doing. Now, iPhone comes out. There is the usual rush for the first models. I do not know why. They are always the ones that have bugs and problems and from what I have been told, they certainly do have the problems. But, the people rushed to get theirs. Everyone wants to be the first to show off and have one to play with. Sigh.

Does anyone ever learn anything? The answer is a resounding NO! They DON’T. Well, there is ONE group that has a clue…..the manufacturers, those who own the rights to the product…the guys with the name on the items. Those guys knew what would happen because they created the demand in the first place. Get it yet?

One more thing. Does anyone doubt that AT&T knew about this too? Come on. They are ecstatic about it. More customers. They will sort it out and all of you that bought those things will find out that it is just another widget that everyone can afford once the bugs are gone and it gets cheaper and cheaper. But right now the price is WOW!!! $600. Are you kidding me? It’s a PHONE with toys! Sheesh.

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