NEW YORK — Apple Store employees are a little tense today. They got nine hours of training preparing for today's iPhone 3G launch. Then there was all the press and hoopla when the day finally began. (I overheard two of them complaining about it: "I felt like I was going to vomit," one said. The other: "I felt like was as going to vomit too!") Then there was the crowd control. Then the iTunes Store, required to activate phones and thereby complete sales, went down. I snuck a hidden camera into the Fifth Avenue Apple Store and surveyed the chaos. Roll the clip. Meanwhile, here's a reader's account of an experience at an Apple Store in Walnut Creek, California:

I can't get over the sheer insanity of people when it comes to the new iPhone. There were people lined up outside the AT&T store last night. Today, the lineup in front of the Walnut Creek Apple Store is a block and a half long. Come on people, have you nothing better to do that stand in line for an cell phone? It's not like Apple is only going to make 500 of them and you want to get your very own framed limited edition. That aside, the most insane thing is Apple. I had to go pick up a headset for the newly added handsfree law in Cali and the Apple store was nearby. I went to the head of the line assuming they are servicing the insane separately only to be told that the store is CLOSED for all non-iPhone purchases! I could not believe my ears. I could have needed my laptop fixed under ProCare for all they knew or could have been going to buy 3 new laptops for the office. I am sure some bean counter at Apple determined they could technically move more $s if they moved more iPhones today but clearly didn't think that there might be sane and loyal customers that might not want to stand inline for a cell phone.