iPhone Insanity: Four Days to Go

June 26th, 2007

This is the obligatory iPhone-hype-link-sharing post for today:

• Apple and AT&T finally divulged the data plans that are required with ever iPhone purchase. True to Apple form, they streamlined the plan purchase with three options and the ability to sign up at home via iTunes. This to me, actually is a big relief. Says Steve Jobs:

“Users will be able to activate their new iPhone in the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store.”

• John Dvorak demonstrates his cranky geekitude and tells everyone talking about the iPhone to shut up.
• Pretty amusing gallery of fake iPhones at Engadget. Meaning, images of people imagining what an Apple cell phone would look like before the product was actually announced.
• Reviews by actual, responsible journalists are coming out. David Pogue of the New York Times says “the iPhone matches most of its hype.” Highlights: it doesn’t scratch easily. The software is fast, beautiful, and dead simple. You sign up for the service in iTunes. The complaints: keyboard not so hot, the camera doesn’t do video or send picture messages, and the AT&T network.
• Walt Mossberg at the Wall Street Journal reviews the iPhone, too. He also has a demonstration video. He tested it in many different locations. Highlights: great software, best web browser on a cell phone, and calls it a radical “handheld computer.” At first he didn’t like the keyboard, but after five days of use he now thinks the keyboard is a “non-issue.” The big drawback is that it only has AT&T as a carrier, and mentions the slowness of the EDGE network. Luckilly, the WiFi capability exists as a backup for the Internet access.
• Nick started a flickr group for digital photos taken with the iPhone camera.
• Engadget adds up the whole cost of an iPhone — taking into consideration the just announced AT&T data plans, with some detailed charts. Conclusion: the family plan will save some bucks, but the iPhone base cost is pretty high. Well, it is an Apple product.
• Really got the iPhone jones but already have a cell phone? The Consumerist has some suggestions on how to cancel your existing cell phone contract.
• June 29 is now being called “iDay”. Works out well, as it is Fr-iDay.

Note: I may have the help of a “correspondent” who is definitely waiting in line at the Palo Alto Apple Store on Friday to get an iPhone. That particular store is definitely going to be ground zero as far as the Apple Insanity. I’ll let you know more about this project as we get closer to “iDay”.