• apple,  apple store,  imac,  ios 10,  ipad,  iphone 7,  iphone 7 plus,  mac os x

    First Thoughts on Apple AirPods and Unboxing Photos

    December 22, 2016 /

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    Earlier this week, Apple’s wireless ear buds, AirPods, when on sale in Apple Stores.  After selling out almost immediately, I finally got mine today.  What follows is my story and first impressions about getting my pair of AirPods.

    The Story

    I first learned about Apple’s new AirPods wireless earbuds like many of you…while watching a recording of Apple’s iPhone 7 event back on September 7th.  I was super excited about them and was looking forward to getting a pair to go with my iPhone 7 Plus. Alas, the AirPods wouldn’t be ready until “October”.  Throw in a “We need a little bit more time to get them exactly right” from Apple PR and you end up with some disappointed customers.

    Fast forward to December 13, when Apple dropped a press release stating that the AirPods where now on sale at Apple.com.  Whoa!  I totally missed the press release because, you know, work, and by the time I checked out the online store, AirPods were showing delivery dates three to four weeks out.  Having to do the responsible adult thing this past Monday meant that there was no chance of taking the morning off to get in line at one of my local Apple Stores.  Topping it all off, AirPods are showing delivery dates around mid-February.  2017. Ugh!

    But my luck changed today, thanks to iStockNow.com!  Using their inventory status tool, I was energetically checking AirPod stock in Connecticut, New York City, Long Island, and southern Massachusetts.  Yes, I seriously considered driving out of state, taking a train down to Grand Central Station, or taking my car over to Long Island via ferry.

    At 3:30pm, I saw that Apple Danbury received some in.  The hour drive, by comparison to getting on a ferry, wasn’t too bad, but driving back home in rush hour traffic would have been the worst.  With AirPods in my bag and my finger hovering over “Buy with Apple Pay” in the Apple Store iOS app, I chose to wait.  I decided to wait a half hour to get back to my iMac, and I told myself that if they were still available for pickup in Danbury, I would buy them and go pick them up after dinner.  When I checked the status, to my surprise, the AirPods were sold out in Danbury, but were “in” at Apple Trumbull.  I hastily changed by order and purchased them online for pick up today.  He shoots! He scores!

    9ac5e-01_see_you_soon

    Earlier today, I dropped by Apple Trumbull in Westfield’s Trumbull mall.  The store was busy, as you would expect, but not super packed.  The greeter checked me in, and a few minutes later, Joe was coming over help me finalize my order.  Joe recognized my name from the store’s grand opening event two years ago.  We got to talking and I decided to open my AirPods in the store and set them up.  Joe gave me a quick session on how to pair AirPods with my iPhone 7 Plus (Spoiler Alert: Flip open the AirPods case next to your unlocked iPhone running iOS 10) and how to use them.  There was a lot going on in the store, so I appreciated him taking some extra time with me for a one-on-one.  I also took a few minutes to talk to Mary, the store manager, just to let her know how awesome her staff is.

    W1, iCloud, and the Magic of the Secret Sauce

    AirPods, are Bluetooth wireless ear buds.  The bud part that goes in your ear is styled after the current EarPod wired ear buds that Apple puts in the box with the iPhone.  I always thought that Apple’s ear buds were comfortable to wear, and the AirPods are no exception.  Pairing Bluetooth devices is a real pain in the neck.  Apple solved this problem by creating the W1 system on a chip.  W1 makes pairing AirPods with your Apple devices effortless if that device is running iOS 10, macOS Sierra, or watchOS 3.  Just hold the AirPod case a few inches away from your unlocked iPhone and flip open the AirPods case.  Boom!

    For devices like my 4th generation AppleTV, the pairing process is still super simple, but you must press the round button on the back of the case to initiate the pairing process.  Because all my Apple devices are signed in to iCloud using the same account as my iPhone, all my devices instantly knew about my new AirPods.  That takes so much of the hassle out of trying to use Bluetooth headphones and ear buds with more than one device.  I love my PowerBeats ear buds for working out at the gym, but I almost never bother trying to get them to connect to my iPad Air to watch a TV show or movie.  Thanks to W1 and iCloud, using AirPods with all my iDevices is really easy.

    AirPods in Action

    There are some cool things you can do with AirPods.  First off, if you pull one of the ear buds out of your ear, whatever you are listening too or watching will instantly pause.  Pop the bud back in, and the music or video automatically resumes.  Double-tapping either one of the AirPods will summon Siri.  You can ask Siri to raise or lower the volume, skip the current track, or read new messages.  Any command that you can issue to Siri from your iPhone, Watch, or Mac will work.  In my few hours of playing with them, I haven’t found a command yet that didn’t work.  My daughter Kate wanted to do some Christmas shopping this evening.  I brought along AirPods so I could listen to some Christmas music while walking around the local Target.  A good song came on, and I pulled out one ear bud and popped it into her ear so we could both listen.  We got an aisle length apart and her AirPod bud was still rocking out without any trouble.  While connected to my iMac (in my finished basement), I could listen to music on my AirPods two floors away in my bedroom.  That’s some really great range!  You can also use one AirPod at a time.  You won’t be listening in stereo, but that’s perfectly fine while talking on the phone or listening to spoken word content in podcasts or audio books.

    In just a few hours of using them, I have had a good experience so far.  They sound pretty good.  Obviously, personal preference will come into play here.  I’m not an audiophile, and I like the sound of the wired EarPods.  To me, AirPods sound as good as the wired ear buds.  They are light weight and are comfortable to wear.  I think the best part about AirPods is that there are absolutely no wires to get tangled up in.  I won’t catch the wire around the arm rest on my office chair.  There’s no cable to bunch up behind my neck while walking or running.  And the AirPods in their case is a smaller package them my PowerBeats in their case.  The negatives I can see with the AirPods in my limited amount of testing are the purchase price ($149.00) and the fact that unlike EarPods or Beats headphones, there are no buttons on AirPods.  Volume up, volume down, play/pause, and track skipping can only be done via Siri, from your iPhone, your Watch, or another connected Apple device.  This wasn’t an issue for me.  Each time I double-tapped an ear bud, Siri correctly understood and issued my voice commands.  Even in a busy Target store.  The pause/play feature also worked well just by taking one ear bud out of my ear.  AirPods provide about five hours of continuous use, and are charged when they are placed in their case.  The case charges via a Lightening cable.  A Lightning cable is provided in the box, however, you will need to provide an adapter, like the one that comes in the box with iPhone. This might be a problem for some heavy iPhone users who may need to charge their iPhone and their AirPods/case at the same time.

    But let’s cut to the chase.  Everyone I talked to about the AirPods at work, and Meghan, my Apple loving child, thinks I’m crazy for wanting AirPods because I will promptly lose one and be sad.  I baby my Apple equipment.  I can’t imagine a normal day-to-day situation where I would misplace one or both buds.  They sit nicely in my ears.  Shaking my head in a vigorous side-to-side “No!” motion does not cause them to fall out.  Walking around the mall does not cause them to fall out.  Double-tapping them does not cause them to fall out. Lying in bed watching a movie on my iPad wasn’t a problem.  Heck, I even did 30 jumping jacks without any problems.  Every ear is different, so your individual mileage may vary.  When I’m not using them, I plan on putting the buds back in their charging case, so I don’t expect to misplace either of them.  There is no “Find My AirPods” app, so you will need to remember where you put them down.

    Unboxing Photos

    Summary

    Everything told, I’m super excited to have a pair of AirPods, especially considering how constrained supply is right now.  They sound great, the W1 chip makes the Bluetooth pairing process dead simple, and they work as advertised.  In a word, I would call the new Apple AirPods “magical” and I am going to enjoy using them.

     

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  • apple,  apple store,  iphone 7 plus,  new haven

    Apple iPhone 7 Plus Unboxing

    September 30, 2016 /

    Last Thursday, I found and purchased my Apple iPhone 7 Plus.  The road to getting it was a bit bumpy, but that is a story for another time.

    What follows are my thoughts on purchasing, unboxing, and setting up my new matte black, iPhone 7 Plus 128GB.

     We all knew that supplies of all models of the iPhone 7 Plus were constrained.  It was almost by accident that I rolled out of bed and found stock at Apple New Haven.  I placed my order, setup my pick up window.  It’s time for another road trip for Dad and I to pick up a new iPhone!

    //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
    Any day I get to wear an Apple t-shirt is a good one in my book!

    When I arrived, the New Haven store was busy, but I was whisked in since I had a pick-up reservation.

    While we waited, Dad checked out the new Apple Watch Series Two display while I was looking at the new color assortment of iPhone 7 Plus cases.

    Jim has my new iPhone 7 Plus brought out from “Backstage” and the fun begins!

    When I was ordering, I was torn between the new Jet Black and matte Black colors.  I am very happy with the way that the matte black iPhone 7 Plus looks.  Stunning!

    I’m glad my Dad was able to go with me to pick up my new iPhone 7 Plus!

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  • apple,  apple store,  iphone 7 plus

    Looking Forward to Apple iPhone 7 Plus

    September 22, 2016 /

    “Just thinking what a difference a week makes.”

    Those were some of the first words my Dad said to me this morning when I told him that I had finally tracked down an elusive matte black Apple iPhone 7 Plus.  At 5:46 this morning I was able to purchase a Sprint edition iPhone 7 Plus with an in-store pick up reservation. And, as usual, my Dad was right. Last week, after missing out on the launch day shenanigans that has become my small scale WWDC-like event, I was in a pretty rotten mood.

    After all, I thought I did everything “right”. I marked the iPhone 7 Plus as a favorite in the Apple Store iOS app, I work up at 2:50am on pre-order day (Friday, Sept. 9), and make sure everything was up-to-date for my Apple Pay credit card. But alas, as soon as I was able to get into the store app to place my per-order, the iPhone 7 Plus was already showing a three week backorder.

    Fast forward six miserable days later (just ask my wife and kids), and it’s a whole new ball game. While I am still disappointed that I missed the launch party, I am still pretty excited that I am finally getting my new iPhone 7 Plus today. I still get to wear and Apple Store t-shirt. I still get to pick up my iPhone in person at an Apple Store. And my Dad will be there with me. Not to shabby for the first full week of iPhone 7 sales.

    To my fellow Apple nerds who are still trying to chase down an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, it would seem that supply is starting to loosen up. My recommendation is to use the iStockNow.com website to see which Apple retail stores have iPhone 7 inventory. Once you find a store, use the iOS Apple Store app to make your purchase and pick up reservation.

    Looking ahead to next year’s 2017 10th Anniversary iPhone, I am planning on pulling out all the stops to make sure I don’t miss launch day again. I am planning to do the pre-order shipping directly to my home and then arriving at a local Apple Store at Zero Dark 30 (anytime after 3:00am) to get in the walk ins line. Crazy. I know. But I am a Smartphone Fanatic, after all.

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  • apple,  apple store,  iphone 7,  iphone 7 plus

    My Feelings About This Year’s iPhone Preorder Process

    September 10, 2016 /

    It isn’t often that I can say this, but I am feeling let down by Apple. Before that gets blown out of proportion, let me explain what I am talking about.

    I became an iPhone customer back with the iPhone 4S – when the iPhone first came to Sprint.  Up until then, I had been a Palm Pre user and was enjoying WebOS.  Ever since the pre-order period for iPhone 4S, I have gotten up at 2:50am ET to place my preorder.  Getting up at 3am to order a phone seems crazy to most people.  But Apple fans understand.

    And so it went, for each iPhone I purchased since then: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6S Plus.  I even did so for the orignal Apple Watch Sport order.

    This year, in preparation for ordering iPhone 7 Plus, used the iOS Apple Store app to go in and tag my preferred iPhone and accessories as Favorites (blue heart) so that I could quickly place my order.

    Everything that we had been hearing in the media, whether it be from journalists writing for newspapers or bloggers writing on news and fan sies suggested that there would not be a redesign this year.  The big, exterior case changing redesign that we have come to expect every other year would skip a beat in 2016 and would instead be held back until 2017 – the tenth anniversary for iPhone.  With this three year “tick-tock-tock” cadence for the current iPhone 6-series body style, the usual negative Apple headlines started rolling in.

    “Apple’s New iPhone Isn’t a Game Changer, But It Might Be Good Enough” wrote Steven Russolillo on Sept 8.

    Geoffrey A. Fowler chose “iPhone 7 First Look: Practical, but Not Jaw-Dropping” for his Sept. 7 headline.

    “Apple’s New iPhones Arrive, as Glow Fades” is my favorite headline from Robert McMillian’s piece on Sept. 5 – a full two days before Apple’s Sept. 7 press event to actually introduce the new iPhones.

    Also from Sept. 5, Ryan Knutson and Thomas Gryta write “Apple’s New iPhones Face Upgrade Challenges“.

    But coverage like this from the journalists and bloggers is to be expected.  After reading articles like these from The Wall Street Journal, you would think that virtually no one would want to buy such a ho-hum 2016 iPhone.

    However, these headlines aren’t the reason why I’m let down by Apple.  For that, we must turn to an August 5 AppleInsider piece by Matt Milano covering an investors note from RBC Capital Markets’ Amit Daryanani.  In the piece, Daryanani suggests that one-third of all iPhone 7 sales will be that of the more expensive iPhone 7 Plus models.  The major differentiator of the larger iPhones has been its superior camera technology.  The iPhone 7 Plus continues this trend by offering both the standard wide-angle lense and a brand new telephoto lens.  In Milano’s coverage of the RBC report, this new camera technology is expected to “be the culprit in limiting availability at launch, with suppliers expected to struggle to keep up with demand at launch” (Milano, 2016).

    And this is where my feelings of being let down and disappointment with Apple come in.  Even after marking my favorites in the Apple Store iOS app and waking up at 3am ET to get my pre-order in nice and early, I still wasn’t able to get my iPhone of choice on launch day.  I know.  I can’t get a new cell phone on a day I want to get it.  #FirstWorldProblems.  Still, it doesn’t change how I feel.

    Over the years, I have built up this unrealistic expectation that Apple would reward it’s most fanatical fans.  Notice that I didn’t say their best customers.  I’m talking about fans.  Crazy people.  Like my Dad, Rob T., Mike C., and myself who wake up in the middle of the night to place an order for the newest Apple toy.  Let’s also not forget the getting up early and the waiting in line extravaganza that was Apple Store Trumbull’s opening weekend.  All of that was just so I could get a free Apple t-shirt.

    I came to believe that if I was dedicated enough to wake up in the middle fo the night to order a new iPhone, i would be rewarded with the best new hardware on launch day.  As it stands right now, that won’t be the case this year.  For me, the best part about Apple opening a new retail store, or selling a new gadget is the excitement about getting in line and being one of the first people to have the new i-Whatever-It-Is.  Apple long ago stopped attending East Coast trade shows, which themselves are all but gone now.  Without anything else to attend, launch day at the Apple Store provided that sort of excitement.  And bragging rights in nerd circles.

    The sale of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus starts on Sept. 16 – a week earlier than that of iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus which went on sale on Sept. 25.  I seriously doubt that one week would make any significant difference in iPhone 7 Plus manufacturing, supply constraints, or how many iPhone 7 Plus models would be available for sale around the world on launch day.

    I know that I will have a new iPhone 7 Plus on Oct. 10, the day my preorder is supposed to arrive.  Since I have already taken Friday Sept. 16 off from work, I plan to get in the standby line at my local Apple Store at some absurdly early time in the hopes that I can still get an iPhone 7 Plus on launch day.

    In the end, it’s me, not Apple, that is the reason for my feeling let down.  Apple never guaranteed that I would be able to get the iPhone I wanted on launch day.  I know that, and I accept it.  But it doesn’t make it sting any less.  But don’t think I won’t be stalking Apple.com and the iOS Apple Store app looking for an opportunity to snap up an iPhone 7 Plus sooner than Oct. 10.

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  • accessories,  apple,  apple store

    Apple 29 W USB-C Power Adapter and USB-C to Lightening Cable

    April 1, 2016 /

    For Apple’s 40th anniversary today, I decided to get myself a gift.  (Yes, I did just buy a new iMac 27-inch 5K Retina, but I get carried away!)

    Below are some unboxing photos from the Apple 29 W Power Adapter, that can be used with the new, super slim, MacBook…and as it turns out…with iPad Pros to charge there large batteries much faster than the older 10 W and 12 W adapters can.

    It’s pretty quite at the Trumbull Apple Store during lunch hour.

     
    Buying new accessories with Apple Pay on April Fool’s Day!

     

      
     

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  • apple,  apple store,  el capitan,  imac,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    My New Apple iMac 27-inch with 5K Retina Display

    March 26, 2016 /

    Today, I purchased a new Apple iMac 27-inch with 5K Retina display!  This is my first new Mac since I purchased my beloved Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch.

    My daughter Kaitlyn and my Dad where with me at the Trumbull, Connecticut Apple Store for the big day.  Thanks, guys!  (Katie also picked up three new iPhone 6/6s cases too.  Thanks, Daddy!)

    The following pictures are of my unboxing and initial setup.  I hope you enjoy them.

    I love that years later, Apple is still printing “Macintosh Think Different” on their boxes.  “Think Different” was the slogan from their iconic ad campaign from the 1990s.  Today’s Macs don’t look anything like their beige box siblings, and are insanely more powerful, but “Think Different” still inspires me to always do my best.

    I will be upgrading my new iMac to 32GB of RAM from the stock 8GB as soon as all of the software setup and Time Machine restores are done.

    Waiting is the hardest part of setting up a new Mac.

    While I wait, I decided to try and figure out which keyboard I wanted to use with my new iMac.  From top to bottom, the Apple Magic Keyboard (2015), Apple Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard (2005) and the Apple Extended Keyboard II (1990).  Yes, that last one uses Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) connectors.  You can still find ADB-to-USB adapters on eBay.
    My MacBook Pro 17-inch – still working hard while my 27-inch iMac is still goofing off while it’s Time Machine restore continues to run while I write this blog post.
    Thanks Steve.
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  • apple,  apple store,  imac,  macbook pro

    Apple 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina Display

    March 25, 2016 /

    Today is both a sad day and an exciting day.  I’m a little bit sad, because my favorite Mac to date, the Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch is entering retirement after having been my Mac of choice since 2009.

    Today is also an exciting day, because in a few short minutes, I’m rounding up the family, Dad and Katie, and we are heading down to the Trumbull Apple Store to purchase my new Mac – the 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina display!  I can’t wait!  Now to get my Apple Trumbull t-shirt and hit the road!

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  • apple,  apple store,  apple watch

    Apple Store Weekend Continues…I Bought the Apple Leather Loop Band

    September 28, 2015 /

    I was suppose to be going to the Apple Store Trumbull with my father to see about getting him an upgrade to an Apple iPhone 6s Plus.

    Before leaving the house, I said I wasn’t going to buy anything.  Everyone laughed.  I guess they were right, because while my dad was talking to the Apple Store employees, I ended up buying a fancy new blue leather band for my Apple Watch Sport.

    The Leather Loop band is made from quilted Venezia leather and, like the Milanese Loop band, closes the strap magnetically.  The leather is very comfortable and I liked the way if feels on my wrist.  It’s a very nice upgrade from the two sport edition bands that I have.

    Not wanting to wait until I got home to try on the new band, I had to unbox it right in the store.

    Apple Store Trumbull was packed on iPhone launch weekend
    Boy, that sure is a smart looking leather band
    The Apple Store app can be so dangerously easy to use

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  • apple,  apple store,  iphone 6s,  iphone 6s plus,  stamford

    Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus Launch Day

    September 28, 2015 /

    On Friday, Apple release the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to the legions of Apple fans around the world.  Here is an account of my experience.

    Pre-Ordering my iPhone 6s Plus
    The story starts a little over a week ago with a pre-dawn 3:00am scramble to place my pre-order for the iPhone 6s Plus.  Just like last year’s iPhone 6 order and this past April’s Apple Watch pre-order, I chose to use the iOS Apple Store app.  It’s the best way to jump in and get your new hardware ordered on pre-order and launch day.

    As you can see, it was a few minutes after 3:00am before the Apple CDNs updated and the Apple Store app started serving pages.
    At 3:07am, I was able to begin the pre-order process.  Notice the lack of a link for in-store pre-order reservations.  We’ll get to that in a minute. At 3:08am, I was done.  Not too bad.  What I ended up doing was placing an order for delivery directly to my home.  What I wanted to be a part of the in store launch day hoopla that we’ve come to expect from launch day.  Then tweets started trickling in that other people where able to select a local store for pick up.  At 4:00am, things looked a little different.
    Now, the “Check reservation availability” link was showing up.  I wan’t able to change my order to a reservation, so after a nice chat with Apple customer support, they helped me fine an Apple Store in Connecticut that still had the iPhone 6s Plus that I was looking for and then, once my reservation was confirmed, they cancelled my order.
    iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus Launch Day
    This year, reservations worked a little different than last year for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus launch.  Pre-order reservations were doled out with reservation times.  Since I had the fumble with the order vs reservation situation, my reservation was for 8:30am and not 8:00am.  Still not bad.  It didn’t really matter because I took the day off.  There was virtually no chance that work would get done with a new phone to play with.  (Ironically, I did end up getting called to handle an emergency, and why this post is going up on Sunday evening and on Friday afternoon.)
    I arrived at the Stamford Apple Store at about 6:30am.  I was a little surprised by the fact that I was the first reservation customer to show up.  There were already about 40 – 50 people standing in the stand-by line.  The lines were broken up into three groups: 8:00am reservations, 8:30am reservations, and stand-by.  Also new this year, the reservation customers would be taken into the store first and then the stand by customers.  I was talking with the store employees and they told me that since I was there so early, they would let me in with the 8:00am group.
    First in the pre-order reservations line
    As with previous Apple product launches, the Apple Store team reviewed how the morning would go, had a quick team meeting and even got in a few team building activities.
    Getting everything just right
    Reviewing how the morning will go
    An impromptu iPhone 6s demo session
    Group photos
    and my obligatory selfie with Apple Store employees
    Apple Store team meeting
    Team building activities

    At 7:57am, the team lines up and gets ready to open the store at 8:00am.  From down the hall you can hear clapping and cheering as Apple Store employees get the stand by crowd all worked up and head into the store.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okpQuFMt-xQ?rel=0]

    I was hoping for a 10…9…8… style count down, but why should the customers be the only ones having all the fun.

    At 8:01am, I was taking inside the store to purchase my new iPhone 6s Plus.

    Taking my seat inside the Apple Store Stamford
    Unfortunately, it was not by an iPhone get a new MacBook Pro day
    Checking out

    All told, I was in the store for about 10 minutes.  Since I was buying my new iPhone outright, there were no contracts to sign, purchase plans to pick out or having to wait for phone activations.  Before leaving, I took a minute to thank everyone who helped me for coming in early just so I could buy a new phone on launch day.

    Now it was time to head home, take some unboxing photos and setup my new iPhone 6s Plus.

    Thanks Apple!  I know I’m going to love my new iPhone 6s Plus!

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  • apple,  apple store,  apple watch

    The Apple Watch – Part One: Announcement, Pre-Order and Try Ons

    May 2, 2015 /

    The Apple Watch is unlike any other device you’ve used from Apple.  When you look at the hardware and software that makes up the Apple Watch, you can clearly see the family resemblance, but there is something wonderful, yet mysterious about it.  And so begins my journey with the Apple Watch.

    The Announcement
    My Watch was delivered late on Friday evening, much later than most UPS deliveries.  I started using it this weekend, but a family event kept me from diving head first into the wrist worn personal computer.  Rather than racing to try and write a traditional review of Apple Watch as quickly as I can, I would rather spend the necessary time getting to know the new device and then write about it.  The rest of this post will be devoted to the journey from placing my order to my first, raw impressions of Apple Watch.
    We all learned about the Apple Watch on September 9, 2014 during the iPhone 6 event.  At about half way through the event, Apple CEO Tim Cook, borrowing a line from the late Steve Jobs dropped a now famous “One more thing…” slide.  I was wearing a Nike+ FuelBand at the time.  I was super excited about the Apple Watch.  It was not only light years a head of what was on my wrist at the time, but what I guessed it might be.
    Six months later, on March 9, 2015, that we learned of the final details about the Watch during a special Apple keynote event.  My Jawbone UP, which had more features packed into it than the FuelBand, suddenly felt old and outdated.

    Despite the initial positive reaction to Apple Watch, it wouldn’t be until April 10, that we could pre-order and try on the Watch.  Early adopters, willing to stay up late at night to pre-order, would have to wait at least another two weeks before they can slip theirs on for the first time.
    To me, this seamed like an unbelievably long lead up to Apple Watch: seven months from announcement to pre-order and another two weeks for Watches to start shipping.  Not event the original iPhone had as long a lead time from announcement to shipping to customers.
    Placing My Pre-order

    Fast forward to April 10 – the day that Apple would begin taking pre-orders for the Watch at 12:00am PDT (3:00am EDT for me) and welcoming customers into Apple Stores to try on Apple Watch before placing their online order.

    Apple had been warning that supplies of the Watch would be constrained at launch.  Anyone who has ordered an iPhone in the last seven years knows that Apple always says that the latest new shiny toy (or business tool) would be in short supply during the first few weeks of availability.  But this time was different.  For whatever reason, this time, supplies of the new wrist-worn computers really where in tight supply.  So much so, Apple tried to get out ahead of the public’s expectations encouraging customers to place their orders online.

    I woke up at 2:50am that Friday morning.  Not to head out to the Apple Store to stand in line.  Apple made it clear that there would be no long lines wrapped around the block for the Apple Watch.  This time, I was up to make sure that I was going to be in the first wave of the people would have Apple Watch.

    After suffering long delays trying to buy the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 from Apple’s website, which gets completely overwhelmed on pre-order day, I chose to use the Apple Store iOS app to order my Watch.  Heading Apple’s recommendation, I chose to “favorite” the Apple Watch I wanted to buy.

    At 3:00am I started refreshing the App Store waiting from the online store to go live again.  (Apple routinely takes their online store down when a new product is about to go live to update the CND servers around the world.) 3:01am…refresh…3:02am…refresh…3:03am…the page loads!

    I purchase my Apple Watch in two minutes without issue.  My friends and family who also tried to order Apple Watch via the Apple Store at Apple.com tell me that the web servers where overloaded and not serving up pages properly.  Let this be a lesson to you…if you want to get in and out quickly on pre-order day, use the iOS Apple Store app with Apple Pay.

    A few minutes later, I received my order confirmation email.  Just for fun, at 3:18am, I went back into the Apple Store iOS app to see what the lead time for the Apple Watch Sport edition watch with a blue fluoroelastomer band. 

    I was surprised to see that in just 15 minutes, the watch I just ordered was back ordered 4-6 weeks!  It looks like the Apple Watch Sport Edition will be popular and that supplies really are constrained.

    The Try On

    With my pre-order placed, it was time to schedule an appointment at the Apple Store Trumbull for a try on to make sure that the 42mm Watch wasn’t going to be too big for my wrist or the band too loose or otherwise uncomfortable.

    I stopped wearing watches a long time ago, because I started to think that I have a weird wrist size.  The watches I wore as a kit fit fine with their plastic or leather straps.  When I started buying adult watches in my mid-twenties, the metal bands just didn’t seem to fit right.  With that in mind, I was a little bit hesitant to go back to wearing a watch, even one made by Apple, daily again.

    Since Apple had already indicated that all orders for Watch would be done online and that there would be no in store pickups on launch day the try on date was going to be the trip to the Apple Store that my father and I would take together.  (You might recall my father and I stood in long lines together for both the iPhone 6 launch and the grand opening of the Apple Store Trumbull.)

    On Friday afternoon, I used the iOS Apple Store app, the one I had used hours before to place my Watch order, to book two appointments for my father and I to go try on my Apple Watch Sport Edition and his Apple Watch Edition.  We also decided that we would wear the Apple shirts that we got from the Trumbull store’s grand opening – just for added effect, because, really, where else are you going to wear your Apple t-shirt?

    Upon arriving to the Apple Store, you quickly notice that the front tables have been changed out and now there are new tables specifically designed for showing off and having customers try on the new Apple Watch.

    When we arrived, we were quickly checked in by the Apple Store staff who also noticed our Apple shirts can called out “Original members are in the house!”  It was a nice touch can throw back to that crazy Saturday morning when the store opened and pictures where taken for us by the staff.  A few of them snapped a few pictures too – presumably for some internal use.

    And no trip to the Apple Store for a major product launch just wouldn’t be complete without an Apple Store selfie!
    The Apple Watch has a really nice fit on my wrist and I’m no longer worried about a poor fit like I had on my $80-120 dollar “big boy” watches that I used to wear.  The Sport band fit well and didn’t feel cheap.  Far and away, my favorite watch has to be the Apple Watch, the stainless steel version, with the Milanese loop band.  Having looked at my traditional watches, I was a little concerned about the scratches, so I chose to buy the less expensive aluminum Sport Edition.  My dad did order the Apple Watch Stainless Steel with the classic leather band.
     Before out try on session was over, I did try on the Stainless Steel version with the Milanese loop band.  The Stainless Steel version looks great and, as you would expect, the Milanese loop fits prety comfortably too.
    Like a few of the other bands, the Milanese loop band uses a special magnet to clasp close. The magnet holds pretty firmly and does not easily nudge or slide off, but it is still easy to open when you are ready to take it off.  That should make a lot of people who are a little worried about the band coming unfastened during the day at ease.
    Even without a big splashy, lines around the block launch for Apple Watch, my dad and I still managed to get our new toys Apple Store tip in and even got to show off our Apple fan boy stripes too boot!
    Now, it’s time to get down to saving pennies for the September iPhone launch!
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