Topic 1:

Apple Inc's iPhone 4S went on sale on the Chinese mainland on Jan 13. The retail price for the 16 gigabyte (GB) version is 4,988 yuan ($792). It is 5,888 yuan for 32 GB device and 6,788 yuan for the 64 GB one.

Apple Stores in China opened at 7 am. Staff at the Sanlitun store in Beijing announced the phone was no longer in stock after huge crowds waiting in line for the product got restive. Apple Inc later released a statement suspending the sale of iPhone 4S at retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai. However, Chinese customers could still order it through Apple's online shop.

JIPINZJA: In Chengdu, it's very simple to buy an iPhone 4S because you don't have to stay in line before getting it. You're able to purchase it the moment you decide to. You could come to Chengdu for iPhone 4S.

SHANGHAIQUANGONGLUE: A middle-aged woman in Shanghai stood in line for more than 10 hours to buy the iPhone 4S. She bought two: one for her daughter and the other for her son-in-law. What's amazing is that she still looked in good spirits after the long wait in line.

AWAYFROMMOONSURFACE: What on earth is it that makes people go crazy for the iPhone? Is it micro-blogging that contributes to the prevalence of this behavior?

YANGMIN: My iPhone started to go wrong on the day the 4s was released in China. Coincidence or Apple conspiracy?

Topic 2:

Chinese national liquor Moutai has been ranked fourth in a list of the top 10 of the world's most luxurious labels, according to the Hurun Research Institute report released recently. The top three brands are Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Hermes. Moutai is the only Chinese brand among the top 10, surpassing Mercedes-Benz and Chanel, as well as the French cognac house Hennessy. If you are able to afford Moutai, would you drink it yourself or give it to other people as a gift?

LAMBORGHINI-GALLARDO: The price of Moutai is being raised by corrupt government officials on government expenses.

BADIANLAOWANG: I intend to buy some Moutai as a gift for my father's birthday. It occurs to me now that it has become a luxury item.

HANDSOFGOD028: I saw that my neighbor bought two boxes of Moutai. Because there are 12 bottles in one box, the value of two boxes is more than 50,000 yuan. He must be so rich.

XIAOYAOWANGKE: Be careful when you drink Moutai, because the production of real Moutai is rather limited and there are many fake versions on the market.

ALL THE INFORMATION IS FROM SINA WEIBO.

(China Daily 01/17/2012 page14)