Apple iPhone 3G S: Standing in line, so you don't have to

The S in the iPhone 3G S stand for speed because Apple (AAPL) claims the phone is twice as fast as last year's 3G model. The lines to get a 3G S phone are faster than last year's too.

Standing on line outside of the flagship Apple Store on Fifth Avenue and 58th Street at 3 pm on Friday was different than standing in line for the new iPhones in 2007 and 2008. The lines are shorter and the crowd was smaller, but there was still a crowd of about 100 waiting on line or loitering outside of the store.

"Why are all of these people standing outside of the Apple store?" asked Dirk Eachus, 45, a choir director who lives in Ohio.'I can't believe it, it's like a circus attraction."