9 Fun Ways to Pass the Time in the iPhone Line

Deb Amlen
·Columnist
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An iPhone fan waits outside an Apple Store to purchase Apple’s new iPhone 5S at Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district September 20, 2013. (REUTERS/Toru Hanai)

Waiting in a humongous line at the Apple Store for that shiny new iPhone 6? We know it can be a drag, even with your fellow fanpersons surrounding you. But it doesn’t have to be tedious. Try these fun activities, and the time will fly right by:

1. 5s Jenga. Stack those outdated bricks in a big pile with your fellow tribe members and take turns pulling them out one by one. The loser is the person who pulls out the phone that makes the stack tumble to the ground. He has to clean up the broken screen glass.

2. Droid convert punchbuggy. Spot the guy who has finally caved and admitted that his life would be so much more complete with an iPhone. Punch your linemate in the shoulder and yell, “Droid convert punchbuggy! No punchbacks!” (Hint: It’s the guy wailing, “Why don’t they make that app for my phone?”)

3. “What app am I?” 20 questions. Siri is disallowed in this game, because she would be too easy to guess.

4. Make an actual phone call using your iPhone. Ha ha, just kidding.

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People wait outside the Apple store in central Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

5. Talk like a pirate. Sept. 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. We’re not even kidding. Regale your fellow linemates with shanties about your adventures at sea, and call everyone “matey.” Don’t be self-conscious. This is the iPhone release line. No one will think you’re weird.

6. Jobsy-wobsy. A wild quote is stated, and then other people in line have to guess whether Steve Jobs ever said it. Kind of like “Name That Tune,” but so much better, because Steve Jobs.

7. Date/marry/dump. Predict what your linemates would do given the choice of Tim Cook, Steve Jobs, or Steve Wozniak. Then plan your Apple product-festooned wedding to Steve Jobs. And, yes, you can play no matter which gender you are. Because Steve Jobs.

8. Crazy apps. Like the card game Crazy Eights, but with the apps on your i-device. Take turns deleting those battery- and space-sucking apps off your phones, until someone is forced to remove her very last app. Warning: This game can cause severe distress and should be played only if your Apple Store is within sight of an emergency room.

9. What odor is that? The die-hards have been in line steadily since the iPhone announcement on Sept. 9, and chances are you’re all getting a little ripe. Everyone throws a shirt in the middle (make sure you have a spare!) and then you and your linemates have to guess who had the curry.

Have fun, and remember, the 8 a.m. opening of your local Apple Store is right around the corner (and so are you!)

Is there something weirdly popular on the Internet that you’d like explained? Write to Deb Amlen at buzzologyYT@yahoo.com and let her know. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter (@debamlen).