Apple has a store across the street from the Paris opera house, a flamboyant structure that offers something nice to look at while waiting in line for a third-generation iPad.
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LeKiosque promotion at the Paris iPad line
Balloon-toting women advertised LeKiosque, a company that sells digital magazines and newspapers, to French iPad customers.
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Third-generation iPad customer
Marieke Loppin waits in line in Paris to buy her fiance a new iPad. "It's his birthday gift. He's so excited to have it," she said.
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Unappreciated Parisian cafe-brasserie next to iPad line
Paris is famous for its sidewalk cafes, but this one had no customers--perhaps because of the free coffee people for the iPad customers in line.
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PInkasfeld's new iPads
iOS programmer Joseph Pinkasfeld carries a new third-generation iPad out of the Apple store across the street from the Paris opera house, visible in the background.
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Paris opera house scenery while waiting for an iPad
The copper-domed Pairs opera house across from Apple's store is adorned with sculptures of rearing centaurs, golden lyres, griffons, birds of prey, and other extravagances.
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Unheeded Amazon Kindle ad by Apple store
This advertisement for an Amazon Kindle stood on a bus stop a few feet away from the Apple store where hundreds had queued to buy a third-generation iPad tablet instead.
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Third-generation iPad customers
Security staff kept people away from the Paris Apple store's front entrance, but customers with new iPads were a common sight.
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Apple waves the flag
The Apple store in Paris sports the company logo on a flag.