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[SimonPip]

Just in case someone isn't following the Bradford Rant site, pod has landed at the LEGO store at 520 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago. So far one code has been sent, guessing it'll be about this time tomorrow for the new data.

Tempted to ask if one of you'd give them my e-mail. ^^

[bugefun]

I didn't get the pod...
I think I will get a shirt and maybe a code. More info later.

[lindavz]

[bugefun]

So basically, what happened was I was at the wrong store...

Here is the whole story. (Sorry for random ranting-ness.)
My mom, brother and I went. My brother and I went into the downtown store and asked about pod 4 (at about 10:30 Chicago time, CST, which I will use this whole post). No one there understood what we were talking about. They thought it was some sort of bionicle thing. We said it was an event, and they brought out their manager who kind of heard of something and mentioned some e-mail that he got about pods (implying that we had gotten it too, so I though the LEGO Universe newsletter). He left and called someone, and came back and told us that something might or might not be happening, and that he can't say place or time, but we have to keep checking our e-mail, pointing at the blackberry I was carrying.
We then started driving to the Schaumburg store. We called the Northbrook store, they said they didn't know anything, and then the Orland Park store, which said that no event was happening there today. We then called the downtown one (that we had visited) and they said that they had no specifics.
We then called the Schaumburg store, which said that nothing important would probably happen, since the manager was not there. We then went to the Schaumburg store and they said that it would probably be across the street, at the Discovery Center. So we went there, and discovered how long crossing the street takes, and arrived there. Same story, no one knew a thing, but they went in the back and talked for like 20 minutes. When they came back, one guy said that he was certain that it very most likely would happen at the LEGO store across the street, not at the gift shop of the discovery center. He also said that it possibly could be at the downtown one, but probably not at the Northbrook store, and definitely not at the Orland store or this other store( he was pointing at a point on my map that wasn't a store, it was a corner of the rectangle ). He said that they did know the time it would happen, just between 12:00 and 4:00.
So we went back to the Schaumburg store (across the street) and waited there for a long time. The employees did seem to know much, but they said their assistant manager would come at 3:00. They commented how the people above never tell them anything like that, and asked to see the website. At about 3:15, the apparent manager told us that if something would happen at the store, he would know 2 weeks in advance, so nothing would probably happen, and that if it would happen without him knowing, it would go wrong. We stayed anyways, and at about 3:40 I saw the website landed downtown, we rushed there(with an I-told-you-so from the Schaumburg manager). At 3:50 we called and they said the pod had been found(I heard cheering in the background), and that you have to be there, calling does not get you it. Well, we got stuck in Chicago traffic and arrived there at 5:20. I found the PCP (The same one as pod 2), told him pod 4, they gave me and my brother shirts, started asking us questions like, "Do you play any LEGO video games?" "Do you play any online games?" "Do you pay for those games?" "Are your parents nervous about giving your credit card out online?" My brother told them he was already an alpha tester. I wasn't so, they had me right my name and e-mail on a piece of paper (with a horribly mutilated pen that made my handwriting terrible.)

I also took pictures of the pod, which he said was good, and he told me to write the ID down. I told him I had pictures, so he asked to see them, and was amazed how clear they were, because he couldn't get any that the ID was legible. He showed it to the other worker there and he said that the PCP should take photography lessons. They asked how long I had been following Bradford Rant. He said that the pod had been found at 3:35 and that the finder was from Michigan. I told him I had been credited on the site just that day for finding stuff about pod 3. He also gave us a little business card with the logo and site. I think they were supposed to stamp them, but they couldn't find it, so they just made a pen mark on it. It was funny watching him (in all seriousness) explain to random customers how pods were landing on Earth.

After we left, I remembered that I had taken just a little bit of video with a blackberry in that store the first time. Amazingly, in that 8 second clip, I said "There are no signs of any pods" my brother adds, "Yet." I reply "Yes." While we say this, I walk through the store and point the camera very specifically at the very case that later held the pod! I was blown away at this, and it even took away my disappointment for a while. The case at that time just held some type of city set. I only took two video clips the entire trip (except for some test ones in the car) and the second one didn't focus on anything, it was just 11 seconds of me explaining how they went to get the manager. I still can't get over this.

So, the pod ID is TU1XNA

I haven't gotten an alpha testing code yet, but he called it beta, so I'm not sure if that means it comes later.

Edit: Images and raw videos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bugefun/sets/72157623027882586/

[Butler]

[Butler]

Pod 4 data is up! It's a straightforward "Where's Wally" puzzle to find the four letters this time:

[bugefun]

[Butler]

Thanks bugefun, I corrected my post accordingly.

I'm glad Germany's getting the next one. Since the US has already had three, I wonder if that might be all they're getting?

[SimonPip]

Good job! Had posted on facebook before I even saw your solution, but I've given you credit for beating me to the punch in there.

[el Igore]

Yes! Germany!
I hope it's going to land somewhere near me!

[SimonPip]

It's landing in Berlin. Hmm, worth a 300 mile drive? <<

[FSURobbie]

[bugefun]

Pod 4 message:

[Butler]

Pod 5 has landed, and has already been claimed since the code string is currently uploading! I wish we knew who'd got it.

[MisterAlea]

Unfortunately it wasn't me. 600km are a little too far away.
Hopefully there will be another one in Frankfurt - but I doubt that.