While I can see you point, I wish people would stop denying that an official launch date was issued yesterday. It was official and that's that. These weren't rumors or leaks or anything like that. Verizon employees across the country were officially provided with launch dates and permitted to communicate those dates to their customers. These are representative of the company, just like any other representative and they were backed by Verizon to start the sales process (i.e. reserve phone, make appointments, ect.). Even if it was a computer glitch, Verizon has now made an official misstatement to it's customers and they should at least step up to the plate and admit their error.
The leaked information sent to VZW retail associates said very clearly
not to discuss the information. Some have, and continue to violate that, an action that could land them in hot water. If an employee doesn't leak information, some on the internet are upset that they don't, and call location after location, CSR after CSR to try and get information out of them, which you know they are not supposed to provide you - all the while you have the same information they have. Then, when the information potentially changes, even though you were never supposed to have this information, you are upset that it has changed.
Should VZW provide CSRs with info ahead of time? If they do and the info is leaked we continue to call/visit them trying to get them to regurgitate the information they are not supposed to release. If you don't feel the CSRs should get the information ahead of time (so that these things don't occur) then don't get upset with VZW for not providing info.
No person or company is without fault, but this standard of judgment seems a bit rough to comply with.
If VZW doesn't speak we get upset. Perhaps a big part of the reason that information is withheld is so that if anything changes the customers aren't upset.
This post isn't directed to any one person, just a general statement. For months I have been 99% idle on this thread despite the ways of some that have made me shocked with the behavior and actions of fellow humans. I have, until now refrained for two reasons. For one, I do sympathize. We want the device, we have had our hearts set on it, and this sort of thing gets upsetting - I've been there before and I'm there again. The other, and primary reason I have said nothing until now? Because I recognize that no one wins when people argue on the internet, so whats the point? I have nothing to prove to anyone here.
I suppose in my final release of my thoughts I have shown that I am just as fallible as others, and I can only reconcile that knowing that I share my thoughts not to influence others, but in hope that we can all take a deep breath and realize that as much as we really want this sure-to-be awesome device, it's still just a phone and we have waaaay more stake in life than the Nexus Galaxy.
Thanks to everyone for the continued civility and agregation of helpful information. I look forward to more of it, and of course, the Galaxy Nexus.