Hype Meter: Harry Potter and the Killer iPhone

June 25, 2007 by Ellen

Comparing the two most-anticipated and hyped events of the summer. Yes, this is only tangentially related to mobile computing, but one too many news stories just put me over the edge. Harry Potter Book 7Apple iPhoneWinnerRelease DateJuly 21June 29iPhonePriceList: $34.99; street: $17.99 – $20.99$499 - $599HPAvailability after releaseEverywhere. I expect to see it in grocery stores, gas stations, and probably on street corners.Best guesses are that it will be hard to get, or even to find.HPAppeal / Cool factorMass / Probably notCult / Very highiPhoneSecrecy surrounding releaseInfo, or at least rumors, are starting, but clearly unauthorized. (I’m trying hard not to read them, so please don’t post any here.)Lots of official info leaks. This article says “Issuing nuggets of news may be a marketing tactic.” We say: may be??HPBiggest decisionWhere to buy it? Amazon, get the best price (and a $5 coupon) but wait for delivery, or a local bookstore, and pay more and fight the crowds.How early to show up at the AT+T store to wait in line.iPhoneBiggest open question:Is Snape the ultimate good guy or the ultimate bad guy?Will it ever run third-party apps?tieBuzz v. hypeBuzzHypeHPGoogle matchesLoosely 30 millionAbout 55 millioniPhoneTotal44tie!