The Night Before the 3G iPhone Launch at the 5th Ave Apple Store

The line outside of the Apple store on 59th street in NYC is definitely an event. There are about 100 people wrapped around the block, patiently waiting for the iPhone 3G. We'll be up all night checking out the scene and talking to the diehards who can't wait to get their hands on the new phone. We've got games, blankets, and provisions (liquid and food), so if you're in town, stop by and say "Hi". Otherwise, keep checking back to see all of the madness going on—you never know what could happen. Update: Greg Packer showed up!

1:06 AM - One opportunistic young gentleman named Henry is selling his 7th place spot in line ... for a cool $150.

1:10 AM - People are dropping like flies. A couple just left when they found out they'd have to sign up for contracts.

1:35 - Surprisingly, there aren't many people who waited here for a phone last year. However, I did find Matt, who waited last year in Richmond, VA. He's in town on business but got so caught up when he walked by the line he decided to hop in. He conveniently broke his original iPhone last week in a "Brazilian party accident", and he's pretty excited to get a new one.

1:58 - I asked some people what apps they were most excited about, and I got the same answer over and over: Super Monkey Ball. Other than that, people are looking forward to Remote, AIM, Facebook, and Whrrl.

2:25 - PACKER! He's here, but not for the iPhone. He's planning on sleeping in the park tomorrow to get Bon Jovi tickets. He says he won't be the first in line, but he'll be close. Special thanks to my new best friend Henry for coming to tell me he's here.

4:15 - News crews are starting to show up, so you know it's getting serious. I've seen trucks from CW, ABC, Good Day New York, along with reporters from the Wall Street Journal and DVICE.

4:20 - Update: Packer is asleep like a little baby.

4:45 - Sleepiness is setting in for me too, but I have a whole slew of energy drinks to get me through the final push. So far I've had an açai banana-mango concoction that was awful going down but had a delicious aftertaste, and a Venom Mojave Rattler that smelled like Robotussin and tasted like battery acid. I still haven't tried Stamina-RX, whose can promises "Extreme Sexual Experience".

5:30 - The line has stretched all the way down 59th St. to Madison Ave.
5:40 - The sun is starting to rise over NYC, people are getting excited.