Apple's new Big Apple store goes 24/7

Just got back from the Apple store opening on Fifth Avenue, and while it's certainly an impressive architectural feat (the store is underground, beneath a 32-foot sleek glass cube), many of the reporters milling around were hoping Apple would announce some sort of new product as part of the opening. Alas, nothing new turned up, not even a higher-capacity iPod Nano, and we were left to marvel at the genius of Apple opening a 10,000-foot retail space in what's arguably Manhattan's perfect shopping location: near the east corner of Central Park South, across from what used to be the Plaza Hotel. Those attending the brief press conference also got confirmation that this would be the first Apple store to be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and be staffed by 300 employees (allegedly, Apple received 1,000 applicants for the jobs).

For those of you who want to visit the new Manhattan store, it officially opens at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, May 19). As is their tradition, a few Apple fanatics had already started to line up outside the store--36 hours before it was going to open. The line will build on Friday as Apple says it will give away one new MacBook an hour after 6 p.m. We're pretty sure you'll only get the $1,099 base configuration, though.