Jakarta: Thousands of Indonesians jammed into a glitzy shopping mall Friday to get hold of the first BlackBerry Bold 9790s being sold worldwide.
Fearing a riot, hundreds of police were deployed outside, tying up traffic in the heart of the capital for hours.
With a 50 percent discount on the $540 phone for the first 1,000 buyers, lines started forming in front of Pacific Place mall on Thursday night. By daybreak, impatient shoppers started rattling the gates.
And when rumors spread that the new smartphones — commonly known as Bellagio — had already sold out, the crowd of 3,000 went crazy. Several people fainted in the crush.
Indonesia, a nation of 240 million people, has experienced a come-from-nowhere tech frenzy in recent years.
With 6 million users, BlackBerry dominates the smartphone market.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, November 26, 2011, 09:00