Phone-atics (手機痴)

Phone “lines” (note 1) were running hot and busy as at least 2,000 people shrugged off (note 2) bad weather to queue to be the first in Hong Kong to get their hands on (note 3) Apple’s newly launched iPhone 4S.

 

Along with Apple brand fanatics (入迷的人) in a line snaking along the Central harbor-front from an entrance near the company’s IFC store were opportunists (note 4) – people who want a phone to resell or who are paid to queue on behalf of multiple buyer.

 

A small crowd that began forming on Monday suddenly swelled (增大) to thousands yesterday, prompting (促使) police to put up metal barricades (路障) and create separate pens for 25 people ahead of sales due to start at 7am today.

 

Hong Kong is part of the second phase of the worldwide rollout (推出), with South Korea and 13 other countries seeing similar action.

 

The 4S – reportedly a form of tech-speak taken from “for Steve” Jobs, the Apple co-founder who died a day after the phone wash unveiled on October 4-sold more than four million in just three days of its launch on October 14 in the United States, Japan , Britain, Australia, Canada, France and Germany,

 

Elsewhere in Hong Kong, 4S parties staged by three leading telecom operators ran overnight to 3am as their outlets prepared to deliver the much-coveted (note 5) smartphone to those who pre-ordered online.

 

But the big action was in Central, where people in the queue included the elderly, parents with kids in tow (note 6), foreign domestic helpers and refugees (難民, 流亡者).

 

Apple sought help from police to cap the size (限制人數) of the queue, but it was in vain (note 7)-about 500 people were pushing to join the line that extended to the Star Ferry Pier by late afternoon.

 

(note 1) phone “lines” = 這裡的 phone line 不是電話線, 而是排隊買電話的人龍

(note 2) shrugged off (聳肩) 表示輕蔑, 不屑。這裏是不理會天氣寒冷的意思。

Jo Jo shrugs her sholders =Jo Jo 聳聳肩膀 (表示不快, 絕望,驚訝,疑惑,冷笑等)

(note 3) get their hands on =希望買到、獲得。

Hand on=交付,傳遞

Hand down=傳下來,宣佈 (判決等)

Hand in=交上

Hand out=分派,施捨

Hand over=送交 (當局等)
Hand a letter to her=遞給她一封信

Hand Victor a surprise 使Victor 大吃一驚

 

(note 4) opportunist=機會主義者 (one who takes advantage of any opportunity to achieve an end, often with no regard for principles or consequences).

Opportunity=機會

Opportunity的同義詞有occasion, opening, chance, break等

 

(note 5) much-coveted=極度垂涎的

 

(note 6) parents with kids in tow=拖著走,照顧;拖帶,身後跟著,父母拉著 (孩子) 走。

A number of admirers in tow=身後跟著一大群讚賞 [崇拜] 他的人 [影迷、戲迷等]

 

(note 7) in vain=徒勞無功。