It’s iPad Launch Day in Hong Kong

Lines for the Jesuspad started early on HK side.

We hit up a few of the stores on Hong Kong side this morning to see what kind of response the Apple iPad would get in Hong Kong – and its just as anticipated!

Long queues, ecstatic fans and lots of “soy fo lo” reach lines from 50-200 by 9am when we hit Studio A in Style House. The DG shop in Times Square had customers line up from the 9th floor all the way down to the 6th floor by 9:30am and more were lining up while we were there.

We walked across the street to Windsor House where it was dead silent. Ultimate Mac and PC said their shipment was “delayed” (we know the whole sad story on the reason why) and we’re guessing that DG Store didn’t have any stock.

A quick run over to Times Square showed  a smaller queue at Broadway and when the store opened very efficient staff got customers signed and sealed quickly. They were also offering a choice of cases and screens for $400 – we’re not sure if it was a mandatory buy or not.

We then jetted over to IFC to check out the DG Lifestyle Store there and it was packed as well, with some people in line waiting since 8:30am and looked to be in line another hour after the 10am opening before they would be close enough to buy an iPad.

This is a quick report – we’ll be adding more photos and video to this post all day long.

Our estimation: Hit Broadway if you want one today, the resellers are packed like sardines with at leas a 3 hour wait if you get in line now.

No shop staff would tell us how much stock they had but we have a feeling that everyone in line will get one today.

UPDATE 12:10PM: It seems that lines are being cut right now at all locations. But we hear there is more stock coming at 4pm today. So you still have a second chance to get in the line!

Here’s a video of the DG store opening in Times Square at exactly 10am today:

UPDATE 2:00PM

Here are some photos taken at Studio A at Style House in Causeway Bay at 9:30am and again after open. To keep the shopping area clear customers were lined up in the stairwell where some had been waiting since 6am.

If you are wondering why some people are hiding their faces or turning their backs to us – don’t forget today is a work day and many of these people “phoned in sick!”

UPDATE 2:15PM

Photos from Broadway on 7th floor in Times Square.

What we found out is that Broadway OPENS the box to check the iPad after you buy it – so reselling chances are lower since you just lost the plastic wrapping. So because of this lines were a lot smaller. Also they had some $400 “deal” for iPad cases and screen protector which we aren’t sure is mandatory of not.

So if you just want to buy one for yourself then Broadway looks to be the place – while the Authorized Resellers are the place where the “soy foh” people are going with no intention of opening it and just delivering to China.

UPDATE: 2:38PM

Here are shots from the DG Lifestyle Shop in IFC Mall. Not as exciting as the store is quite small but they had more gweilo’s lined up since 6am – down the stairwell as well. Lucky the Airport Express keeps that side of the IFC Mall open for events like this!

I guess we’d rather be in the IFC stairwell because it led to a Starbucks – but one customer we spoke to who got in line at 8:30am looked to be able to get his iPad at about 11am. He called in sick. And our very own Andrew Leyden got interviewed by Shanghai TV since we were the only ones with a working iPad (everyone else had to go home and sync it first)