Hasta La Gadget!

Like the iPad launch guide before it, Best Buy’s iPhone 4 launch plan has just made its wily way into our collective lap, replete with loads of details on how your favorite blue-shirted electronics salespersons are going to be spending their Thursday morning. While we’ve yet to see any hot scoops inside its two dozen pages (aside from some confusing, contradictory gibberish about whether Best Buy will have iPhones at launch at all) we have learned that stores will open up previously suspended preorders on launch day, accepting reservation fees for devices that customers can pick up at a later date. What we’re not seeing here is anything about specific number of units, but there are various lines that caution against expecting much in the way of non-reserved phones — should there be any, the guide advises first come first serve once the store opens. In other words, it’s business as usual: call ahead and show up early. See some choice quotes from the playbook after the break.

Continue reading Best Buy’s iPhone 4 launch manual leaked?

Best Buy’s iPhone 4 launch manual leaked? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple on Wednesday apologized for technical issues that marred yesterday’s iPhone 4 pre-order process, but said that it still managed to sell 600,000 of the devices in its first day.

“It was the largest number of pre-orders Apple has ever taken in a single day and was far higher than we anticipated, resulting in many order and approval system malfunctions,” Apple said in a statement. “Many customers were turned away or abandoned the process in frustration. We apologize to everyone who encountered difficulties, and hope that they will try again or visit an Apple or carrier store once the iPhone 4 is in stock.”

The new iPhone 4 is not scheduled to hit stores until June 24, but Apple, AT&T and several other retail outlets started taking pre-orders for the device on June 15. Unfortunately, the companies’ systems could not handle the extra demand, and many online buyers were met with timed-out browsers and 404 errors.

Since then, AT&T has suspended pre-orders, as have Radio Shack and Best Buy, which were accepting in-store orders.

The Apple Web site also now says that pre-ordered iPhone 4’s going forward will ship on July 14 rather than June 24.

Where will you buy your iPhone 4? Pre-sales of Apple’s latest smartphone start tomorrow, and there are now plenty of options for getting your hands on the device.

The phone will, of course, be available at Apple stores and on the Apple Web site, but for those who do not live near an Apple store, Wal-Mart announced Friday that it too will sell the iPhone 4 at 1,500 of its 2,500 locations on launch day – June 24.

However, the phone will also be available at Best Buy and Radio Shack.

Best Buy will start accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 4 on June 15 at any Best Buy or Best Buy Mobile standalone store nationwide. The device will be in stores starting June 24, the company said in a release.

Radio Shack will also have the iPhone 4, according to the store’s Twitter account. The store will also start accepting pre-orders tomorrow; buyers must leave a $50 deposit. Those who have questions about the phone’s availability can tweet the store using the hashtag #shackiphone.

EVO fever — have you caught it? Things are seriously starting to ramp up in preparation for Friday’s festivities, the day that Sprint’s EVO 4G hits shelves (though most will likely be sold before they even touch a shelf, truth be told). Radio Shack hit us up with the knowledge earlier today that it’ll be opening some locations as early as 6AM — and what’s more, they claim to have “specifically set aside” some units for folks who didn’t pre-order, so that might be your best chance. We’re also getting a bunch of shots from tipsters who say their Best Buy locations have started taking delivery of the retail units, so at least you’ll know they’ll be in stock on Friday — but for how long is another question altogether.

[Thanks to everyone who sent these in!]

HTC EVO 4Gs flooding into Best Buys, some Radio Shacks opening at 6AM on Friday originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PosiMotion certainly announced this one well enough in advance (all the way back in December), but it looks like its Helix gaming grip for the iPhone and iPod touch is now finally available, and at Best Buy no less. In case your memory needs to be jogged a bit, this $20 contraption promises to be ideal for “virtually any game,” and let you use your iPhone or iPod touch in either portrait or landscape mode — it’ll also keep your headphones from getting tangled up for good measure. Still not convinced? Then perhaps the video after the break will change your mind — chains not included.

Continue reading PosiMotion Helix iPhone / iPod touch gaming grip now available at Best Buy

PosiMotion Helix iPhone / iPod touch gaming grip now available at Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 May 2010 10:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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