theiLife.com will be covering the Boylston Street Apple Store opening, beginning at approximately 5PM Thursday, May 15th. All updates and pictures will be contained on this post so make sure you check back for updates!

4:57 PM Matt here, I am in New Jersey awaiting updates from our crew out in Boston.
5:04 PM If you want to find out more information about the new Boston Store, you can check out yesterday’s article here; or on ifoAppleStore.
6:00 PM The store is now officially open! Still no word from our on-site corespondents.
6:05 PM Adam is in line. He notes “[there are] more iPhones per capita in this line than anywhere I have seen other than 1 Infinite Loop” Picture added below.
6:13 PM Adam has sent another picture and notes that there are a number of news crew in attendance.
6:31 PM There are helicopters flying above the area. Another picture has been added, which Adam believes is the cause of the helicopters.
6:38 PM “Freinds inside say it is “sick” and like the “NY store but better”. T-Shirts come in small box and a few are left. I doubt I will get one.”
6:49 PM “I am approaching the corner, which is Boylston St. Cops everywhere. Cameras everywhere.”
6:56 PM “Getting close. Can see the store. One more wrap around.”
7:03 PM “DRM protesters handing out flyers and in front of store.”
7:08 PM “Very close. I hear they still have shirts.”
7:10 PM “I’m in. 7:10. Got shirt. Will send photo after. Staff cheers everytime someone walks in.”
7:34 PM “I am inside using an iMac now. I’m on the third floor. First floor is chaos with the entire entryway filled with employees continuously cheering as people enter. The third floor has demonstrations happening, an iChat one right next to me. They still have T-Shirts, one employee said they have 2,500 to give out. My friend told me there were Red Sox people here earlier, but I don’t know who they were and I have not seen them.”
7:43 PM Adam is just leaving the Apple Store. He has inclosed a picture of the T-Shirt below.

Photos after the jump.
Read more…

For those living in or near Boston, Apple has finally brought you good news- tomorrow, Thursday May 15th, you will be getting your first Boston Apple Store!

The Apple Store Boylston Street “Green Monster” (Image courtesy of Apple)

On April 28th, the facade of the upcoming Boylston Street Apple Store appeared, modeled after the Green Monster and reading “Opening Day. Coming Soon. Apple Store Boylston St.” Last week, ifoAppleStore speculated that the store was set to open next Friday, May 16th. Earlier this week, Apple officially announced the grand opening to take place on Thursday May 15th.

This is the first flagship store launch since then opening of the West 14th Street Apple Store in New York City, back in December of 2007 (which you can read our coverage of here). The new store is said to have 3 floors (like the West 14th Street Store) and over 20,000 square feet of retail space and even a vegetation garden on the rooftop. The Bolyston Street store is confirmed to be Apple’s largest retail store in the United States. At the grand opening, which takes place at 6:00PM tomorrow, Apple will be giving away limited edition T-shirts and “other surprises”. The store will operate under extended hours (8AM-11PM Monday-Saturday; 9AM-7PM Sunday) but will not be open 24/7, like the 5th Avenue Apple Store in New York City. You can find directions and a calendar of events on Apple’s website, or read more about the store on ifoAppleStore.

The store is located is located at 815 Boylston Street between Gloucester and Fairfield; Boston, MA 02116.

A map of the surrounding area.

If you are planning on attending or would like to attend, theiLife is still in search of any one willing to report for our us. There are absolutely no requirements and any pictures, videos or text updates are highly appreciated! If you are interested, you will be given access to our FTP servers and a WordPress account to post updates, pictures or videos. Please contact us via AIM, email or by post a comment below.

Geoffrey is a new writer to theiLife.com and will be occasionally posting about various Apple related news. Today he is writing about the recent iMac Speed Bump.

The iMac has been herald the most innovative computer of its time. It was the first truly successful computer to integrate both the monitor and the actual CPU in one unit. While the original iMac was big, bulky, and came in a wide variety of translucent colors, it has been refined over the years. The iMac is by no means an antiquated computer. Over the years, it has grown to become stronger, thinner, faster and sexier. Last month, Apple has continued this trend with the latest refinement.

While some might call the recent iMac upgrade just a speed bump, its really perfection to the already perfect desktop. The new iMac comes with either a 20” screen or a 24” screen, the standard two options since 2007. The 20” model comes with a 250 GB Serial ATA 7200-rpm hard drive that is upgradeable to either a 500 GB hard drive or a 750 GB hard drive. This model also comes with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor that can be upgraded to a 2.66 GHz.

The 24” model is all the new rave in Apples line of computers. The 24” model comes standard with a 2.8 GHz processor and a 320 GB hard drive. But the new 24” iMac can be upgraded to have a 500 GB hard drive, 750 GB hard drive, or even a 1 TB hard drive! It can even have its processor upgraded to 3.06 GHz!

So what does all this mean? This means Apple has once again upgraded the computer of our generation, the computer that set the standards for other manufactures, the computer that more people associate with Apple then any other computer in Apple’s line. Once again Apple has stepped up the standard for all computers to come and the reviews (Macworld/PCMag) agree.