14 DAY TRIAL // Digg founder Kevin Rose has a post on Apple Japan’s contribution after the earthquake on Friday, quoting an Apple retail employee from Tokio.
The unnamed Apple Store manager is friends with Mr. Rose.
''The earthquake hit while I was working on the first floor of one of their stores. As the entire building swayed, the staff calmly led people from the top 5 floors down to the first floor, and under the ridiculously strong wooden tables that hold up the display computers,'' he said.
The manager went on to detail the aftermath of the 9 magnitude quake, saying ''With no access to television, hundreds of people were swarming into Apple stores to watch the news on USTREAM and contact their families via Twitter, Facebook, and email.”
“The young did it on their mobile devices, while the old clustered around the macs. There were even some Android users there. (There are almost no free wifi spots in Japan besides Apple stores, so even Android users often come to the stores.)'', the manager explained.
Apple Japan didn’t stop here.
The company’s executive reportedly “Facetimed” with the managers at the store in question telling them that if the staff wished to travel home, Cupertino sign off any food, drink, or transportation fees.
''If, on their way home the staff member realized they couldn't make it, but they found an open hotel, Apple would pay for it,” the store manager confirmed.
“Since many people lived 2-3 hours away, this ended up meaning 11 hour walks home, $300 taxi fares, and $800 hotel rooms (only the luxury hotels had vacancies).”
“Executives from Cupertino and London Facetimed with us, letting us know not to worry, they supported us, and that they would write off on it all,'' he said.