GregHowley.com

The iStampede

August 17, 2005 -

There was a stampede in Virginia yesterday - a stampede of people, who were rushing to buy used laptop computers for $50. iBooks sell new for about a grand, but these four-year-old models were being sold in Richmond, Virginia for just fifty dollars.

Customers began showing up at 1:30AM. By 6:30AM, the line was a half mile long. And at 6:54, the gates opened and the stampede - an estimated 12,000 people - began. Pandemonium. People were thrown down, trampled, beaten with folding chairs, and nearly driven over. Thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt.

One of those present, Jason Coleman, has blogged extensively about the event.

CNN Article

Video Footage

Comments on The iStampede
 
Comment Wed, August 17 - 2:11 PM by tagger
Heard about this on 'TIC yesterday afternoon, and I just don't get it. Is a 4-year old iBook even _worth_ $50? That's $50, plus whatever time you waste standing in line and the aggravation that comes from being around a herd of crazy people.

Couldn't one have a safer, saner, just-as-cheap shopping experience on eBay?

I just don't get it . . .
 
Comment Thu, August 18 - 11:20 AM by The Guru
As a native of the area in question, this is SOP...no brains at all.