JK-on-the-run has some interesting news to point out about buying the iPhone in an Apple store…

The most interesting part of the entire purchase process was seeing the role that Microsoft played in every single iPhone purchase at the Apple store. You see, Apple doesn’t use cash registers or even Macs for the purchase process. No, they use handheld wireless devices made by Symbol, maker of such things, and every single one of them is running the Windows CE operating system. That’s right, Apple had to turn to Microsoft for a point-of-sale (POS) solution solid enough to work under such volume sales situations. These Symbol devices used barcode scanning to input each iPhone’s serial number and other information, used a credit card scanner to accept customer payment, and tapped a wireless connection to not only the Apple store’s network but to the AT&T network to activate the new service for the customer. They handled the mad crowd with ease and even kept working when the Apple store power flickered once. Talk about ironic.

It’s funny how Apple publicly criticizes Microsoft, yet really can’t get by without using Microsoft technology. It’s kind of like Flanders and Homer on the Simpsons. Homer can’t stand Flanders, but has no problem borrowing his tools.