Does The iPhone 5S Exist?

Did I imagine Apple's big announcement?

I seem to recall a day about a month ago when Apple announced the highly anticipated and newest edition of their popular iPhone series, the iPhone 5S.

My memory isn't always the best so I can't say for sure that it really took place but I seem to remember some very specific details of the event. The new iPhone was to have fingerprint security, a new operating system, faster processor, upgraded camera and I think it can also be used to make a phone call.

Oddly enough, I can also remember visiting my local Bell Mobility store and adding my name to the waiting list the day before the new phone was to be released for sale. I didn't even care what colour phone I got as long as it was the 16GB version.

That was three weeks ago and to this day I'm still waiting for a phone call to tell me my phone has arrived and I can finally upgrade from my current iPhone 4 which is quickly becoming obsolete thanks to all of the most recent app updates. Apple also seems hell bent on forcing me to upgrade my iPhone 4 to the latest iOS 7 which apparently doesn't really play well with these older phones. I'm glad I didn't upgrade it or I'd likely have no phone at all while Apple or Bell force me to play the waiting game.

So, who's to blame for this?

Did Apple underestimate the demand for the new phone and release it to the public prior to being able to meet that demand? Did they do this on purpose knowing their product is so good that consumers will gladly wait to eventually get their hands on it? Did Steve Jobs demise result in a company being left with no real leader capable of getting the job done properly?

Maybe Bell Mobility is to blame. Perhaps they failed to realize that so many of their customers would be ready to make the move to the newest trinket produced by Apple and their order country wide was woefully mismanaged. Or maybe I'm not bitching enough in person to the staff at my local Bell store and those that are complaining are actually getting the iPhone's that were meant for me.

Whatever the reason, I'm getting quite frustrated and I know for a fact that both Apple and Bell Mobility really couldn't give a rats ass about my frustration. They're both huge, successful companies and I'm just one meaningless individual who they know will gladly hand over my money to them once it finally becomes available. Maybe they're just holding off on sending it to me until just before Christmas and will give it to me as a present for free. Ya right, like that will happen. I'm sure I won't even see any kind of discount for being forced to wait this long.

UPDATE: Finally gave up waiting for Bell to give me a call and bought my new phone at Best Buy Oct. 25th. So far I love it. It's a huge jump from my old iPhone 4. I got the Gold one in case you were wondering.

Pet Peeve #146

On my way to work this morning I decided I had just enough time to stop into the local Mac’s Convenience store to grab a copy of the Toronto Sun newspaper.

Normally, even on a busy morning, I’m usually in and out in less than a minute. The newspapers are just inside the door right next to the checkout.

A quick scan of the barcode and exchange of a toonie and some change in return and I’m out the door back on the road with my morning news fix in my possession.

Seems like a harmless enough detour and transaction right? Not on this day!

I walked in the door and there was an older man at the counter and another guy about my age with a coffee in his hand waiting to pay for it. I grabbed the paper and took my place in line. I shouldn’t be waiting more than a few moments for these guys to pay and be on their way.

I give a quick glance at the clock and its 7:40am. I’m about 10 minutes from work and I have to be there for 8 o’clock but I usually like to be there at least 10 or 15 minutes early to let the guy who worked the night shift go a bit early.

I’m still standing in line. What the heck is taking so long? I peer around the shoulder of "coffee guy" and I see what’s happening. The old fellow has decided that this is the time of day when he should be checking his lottery and scratch tickets and cashing in his winning Nevada tickets. Are you kidding me?

Come on buddy! You may be retired and have all the time in the world to have junior behind the counter ringing your $2 and $5 winners through the machine but some of us are in a hurry. He couldn’t care less. He even pulls out an old change purse and dumps coins out to pay for more tickets while slowly counting enough to get the right amount.

The wait becomes painful and unbearable as I glance at the clock and five minutes has passed. It’s decision time. Do I put the paper back and just go? Do I give him a few more seconds or do I just toss the guy my toonie and tell him to keep the change?

Long story short, it was actually a combination of the choices. The retiree finally seems satisfied with his winnings and is slowly filling his change purse back up when coffee guy tosses some money on the counter and tells junior to keep the change. I quickly follow and do the same thing as the gentleman with the lottery tickets slowly exits the store without a care in the world or any idea of the delay he’s caused.

I made it to work before my shift started but I had to run some yellow lights and go a little faster than I normally would along the way.

Here’s a suggestion to anyone else who might find themselves in a similar situation as "Old Man Lottery". If you’re retired, do your business after 9am when most working people have made their way to work. Your lottery tickets won’t depreciate in value if you wait a couple of extra hours. And at the same time you won’t anger working folks who make a quick pit stop while on the way to their jobs.