As the enormous crowd surged against the entrance, I was nearly flattened against the glass display wall by a few tourists eager for a look. As the doors opened, the line cheered, and a few minutes later the first buyer exited with his device held high. I picked mine up a few minutes later and then hurried back to the office with Donald Bell for a long night of writing the review.
Of course, you know what happened next. A worldwide sensation was born and the mobile industry has never been the same. Three more models followed, competitors rushed to counter Apple's moves, and the smartphone moved from the hands of high-powered execs into the hands of everyday consumers.
