i Still Want An iPhone

Not discouraged by the scandalously high price tag or the overly restrictive rate plan? Read on.

Today, at 6:00 pm the most hyped cell phone ever will be launched: the iPhone. I guess it really can’t be called a cell phone since using it to call people seems to be an afterthought. However, if you crave data in almost any form, those long lines at the AT&T store may be worth it.

Just to review - the iPhone does e-mail, web browsing, music, videos – and, oh yeah, you can make phone calls too. It comes in two models a $499 4-gigabyte version and a $599 8- gigabyte version; both requiring a two-year contract with AT&T.

Who should and who shouldn’t?

Like to chat?

Not for you! Using it mainly as a phone is a waste. It’s hard to navigate to a contact using the touch-sensitive key pad. The cheapest plan is $60 a month for 450 minutes or you can get 1,350 minutes for $100 a month. Both come with all-you-can eat data…this should tell you something.

A cool feature, though, is the voicemail. Voicemails are listed by the caller's name or number, sort of like e-mail. No need to listen to all your saved VM trying to find the important one--just select the one you’re looking for from the list.

Like music with a side of voice calling?

Go for it! Easily navigate your music collection and download music from iTunes. “Cover Flow” shows your album covers like they're pages of a book. May be limited storage for the 4-gig fits about 800 songs and  the 8-gig about 1,800…plus it’s a phone! And, Apple puts the battery life at 24 hours of audio playback, not too shabby.

Like videos on the go?

Plunk down the Gold Card! The screen is twice as large as the video iPod, and the resolution is twice as high (320 pixels by 480 pixels). Remember, it has a smaller memory capacity but the bigger screen may make it worth it…plus it’s a phone! Definitely get the 8-gigabyte version, which will fit about 9 hours of video only.

Remember the iPhone relies on AT&T’s EDGE network and not it’s 3G so access could be spotty and slow. However, the Wi-Fi feature can help.

Like to play games?

Game over! Surprisingly, the iPhone does not do games…maybe in the future. The big screen makes it a natural “next step,” but we’ll have to see what Grand Master Jobs has in mind. And remember…it’s a phone!

Are you a business user?

Not for you. You're stuck with your Blackberry and Windows Mobile devices. Corporate Microsoft Exchange e-mail servers can be configured to send e-mail to the iPhone, but many companies will not take this step and remember…it’s a phone!

So here’s my advice…again:

Gadget Freaks – Get together on MySpace, sell your Nintendo Wii’s and pool the proceeds to bulk buy some iPhones.

Business Users – Get the “first-mover advantage” and sign up for the Cingular iPhone updates. Then be prepared to whip out the old corporate credit card and buy it before the competition does.

Consumers – Wait a month or so for the Gadget Freaks and Business Users to list the ones they bought on eBay.