today at the apple store in the mall, a swarm of people sleeping and just hanging out waiting for the release of the iPhone sometime today...wow... heres a pic:

Click to view attachment

...crappy cell phone pics.... --JON

dude, you need an iPhone!


i just can't see myself spending $3000 on a phone. no matter *how* cool it is ...
Andy

3000 bones? Is that sarcasm? I'm pretty sure they're in the $499 range. Still too expensive for for a piece of tech jewelry. The iPhone looks to have some interesting features, but its list of shortcomings is surprisingly...long:

what-the-iphone-doesnt-have

And yet, the Applebots all get in line.

I'm so happy they're finally releasing the thing though, maybe now all the goddamn hype will subside.

Article on release

I was suprised to learn that memory is only 4g. I thought it would be a iPod/cell phone cross. I think this model is $499 and it goes up from there. Monthly plans are around $60. Cool toy, but I'm going to wait til they work out the bugs and maybe up the memory.

nope ...

$600 for the phone, and they lock you in a contract for $2400 of service ...

$600 + $2400 = $3000

Andy

Eh, I've already got a cell phone that I don't use. I can't see myself buying a fancier and way more expensive cell phone that I won't use.

Zach

Are you sure? I was looking at them last week on AT&T and I think plans go as low as $59 a month and that includes data. Still pretty expensive - I got my Blackberry for $49 and I pay about $$60 a month for it.

Apple certainly is banking on huge demand. They have moved 50 747 upper decks full of them from their low cost manufacturing supplier in Shanghia to their warehouse in California over the past few weeks.

I see where you're coming from Andy. But the $2400 for service/usage is going to be yours anyway, iPhone or not, if you want voice and data access for a cell. Well, it'll be in that range. $59/month as grantsfo quoted isn't unreasonable based on monthly charges offered by major carriers right now.

The only way you're really going to save money is not to have a cell phone at all. But then, you've probably got service fees on a land line somewhere. Cheaper, yes, but not if you add-in DSL. Dial-up, you say? Then I guess I'd ask what your time's worth. Carrier pigeon? Hmmm...yeah...I hadn't thought about that. iPigeon. Sweet!

I stick with my moto Q.

$34.00 a month. 2 year contract
Unlimited internet data plan
500 anytime minutes.
Free nights and weekends.
Free text messages.
Free roaming

Sprint/Nextel network.

I carry a RAZR and a Palm right now. Pocket real-estate is at a premium. And I pay $70 a month for cell service already. The iPhone is actually perfect for someone like me because it:

1. Does what my RAZR does.
2. Does what my Palm does.
3. Does a hell of a lot more.

So, yes it maybe have some 'shortcomings', but it's still better than what I've got now and satisfies a demand that I've had for a long time. I don't care if Apple made it or Motorola or Nokia. It's a bad ass device. And Apple has a reputation for building products with a smart user interface - something which is quite important to me.

how do they justify the price if there's no down loadable ring tones????

my treo does everything that thing does and i can listen to "brown sugar" when my baby calls, play mp3's, email, web, mapquest... ok, it doesn't play video off of utube... and no GPS but the iphone doesn't either.

i can damn near buy a laptop for that price.

There are some truly innovative things about this new device. I really like a lot of the iPhone features and concepts.

The Qtek Windows-Mobile unit that I've had for 3 years does everything this new iPhone does.

Wow.... Interesting study.... Marketing genius/hype really does have ginormous power.

Steve Jobs... Is he genius? Would he be such at another time? Are other forces at work?

Steve Jobs is on a roll. Knows that by making people PAY for the phone and not rolling it into your monthly service or two year contract, etc. he creates a product with exclusivity. Ever use an iPod? Or an Apple computer? (I'm typing on one now and am an official Apple evangelist). They're just cool.

The functionality I've seen on video demonstrations makes total sense. I couldn't wait and bought a Blackberry Pearl and it's so totally "WINDOID", counterintutive and just plain hard to use. And the "Web" is about as ugly an interface as anyone could ever imagine. This iPhone will actually have a BROWSER.

The first ones may be underpowered, may have bugs, who knows; the service provder does not have the best coverage, etc., but I'll be the bugs will get worked out. Kinda like moving the fuel pump in 1975 to prevent vapor lock!

bizzzzzzzzzzz

Just more technology that will piss you off when it doesnt work like it should, or rather work like YOU think it should.

Busy old farts like me wouldnt take the time to read the 275 page manual to figure out all the features.

Hey Perry, you know from experience, since you have those old Macs, that you wouldn't HAVE to read the manual to do a lot of what the iPhone does. Like your umbrella cover I just bought from Brad Mayeur: I didn't have to read a manual (mine didn't come with one) and it totally ROCKS!

Paul

Jobs is a genius. Or at least one who has the magic at the right place in the space/time continuim. Apple was headed firmly towards the toilet when he bailed them back out.

There is no denying the magic. There is a lot to be said about other technologies that do all the same, but alas, it's all about the magic. Great marketing study. Interesting topic when explored deeply.

iSTAR???? imac, iphone, ipod, iwhatever.... Even if other products perform the functions better, the iMAGIC has captured the market.

anybody here seen the SNL skid on S. Jobs and the "iRaq" ???

now *that* was funny stuff!
Andy

That was a funny skit

I have a Casio Gshock phone that can go underwater, has a 2 mg pixel camera,video and GPS nav and a flash light. No MP player and I dont care, durable is what i need....

I am an Apple computer guy and I think the phone is cool, so are IPOD's, but I dont have one.

I'm a Mac user from the "Li'l Brown Toaster" days so I was seriously considering the iPhone for its Mac compatiability until I found out the batteries are not replaceable - not too keen on tossing the $600 iPnone when the batteries give out in approx 2 years! Also I heard that the faster internet protocol (G3?) won't be available for the iPhone until late in 2007. Both of these facts were verified at an Apple store in San Jose.

Battery replacement will probably be on par with the iPod. Send it to Apple and a couple days later it's back with a new battery.

Actual iPhone battery photo.

YYEah, i know lots who can do without thier phone for days on end.

My PocketPC has a browser, MP3s as ringtones and voice/data for 35 a month.

Sounds good to me....no 3G on that phone is a big hit. EVDO is REALLy fast!

Love my genII 10G ipod that I bought used 3 years or so ago. Still going strong on the original battery.

I bought a macbook last year (using it for this post in fact). Very cool, I love the style and engineering aspects of it. If I'd had a chance to use one for a month before buying I wouldn't have spent the wad of cash though.

I abuse my cell phone far too much to pay 5+ bills for one. And the iphone is pretty damn big.

I think its better to wait. It seems like all 1st generations come with problems and
bugs that get sorted out with the later releases.

Very funny stuff. Mad TV though. IMHO Mad TV is much more like the old SNL.