IPhone 4 follies

I intended to preorder an iPhone 4 on Tuesday morning. I figured there might be some delays on the AT&T website, and perhaps some frustrations, but I was ready to hang in there and get 'er done.

That didn't happen. A case of bronchitis set me back and kept me off the computer all day. But thanks to Twitter, Facebook and some e-mail alerts I was able to follow the woes of those who were able to play the preorder game Tuesday.

Neither the Apple nor the AT&T site could handle the masses that came their way. Additional preorders have been put on hold while everybody plays catch-up.

Add to that the glitch on AT&T's site that put personal user account information into the hands of other accountholders and I'm really kind of glad I got sick.

The spin doctors at AT&T put this up on Facebook earlier today:
"Yesterday's iPhone 4 preorder numbers are in, and they are 10 times higher than the first day of pre-ordering the iPhone 3GS last year! Yesterday also set a new record for the number of customers visiting att.com to check eligibility (over 13 million!) Given the unprecedented demand for iPhone 4, as of today we are suspending preordering to fulfill the orders that we've already received. We will keep you all posted on when preorders will resume. Keep in mind, as long you received a confirmation number at the end of your order, you're all set."

That post had 340 comments by midmorning. Many of them alluded to the "fail whale" that AT&T has become. Others lamented the inability to preorder the white version of the iPhone 4 and some suggested an Android alternative. My favorite comment came from Kevin Kitchen, who asks: "Did your IT people formerly work for BP?"

I'll keep you posted on my quest for a new iPhone 4, but I have a hunch I'll be waiting for the dust to settle at both AT&T and Apple first.