Here's an update on my iPhone saga:

I sat on my unopened iPhone box, debating whether I should just keep it and activate it or return it and find some other phone to replace my aging Audiovox SMT5600. It took 7 days of prayerful consideration, and on the 6th day I made up my mind... and on the 7th day I activated it. Coming from a legacy AT&T Blue account, I actually had to call into AT&T's customer support to migrate my account over. It took about 20 minutes to get my activated. For the last two weeks I've been up and running, and am loving it! Hopefully this lust will last for the next 2 years, before I get too excited about the next great gadget. So Steve, slow it down... Your stock is already at an all time high. Let us relish in the now, before you make this iPhone a relic of the past.

Now that I've succumbed to the iPhone I can affirm that it is a marvel of technology integration! There is a great sense of satisfaction in using it... especially quickly looking something up on Google, Making a Poopli request. Too cool.

It is still missing many features to bring it up to par with today's Smartphones and Blackberries, however, I read that these are soon on their way. I'm eagerly awaiting the next widget that will make this phone an all powerful weapon of mass distraction.

Features I look forward to:
- Multiple PC sync (push/pull/sync two PC user data)
- MP3 ringtones
- Push Email service? I'm thinking that if you're on the wifi network, your gmail or whatever email sync should be checked more frequently than every 15minutes.
- Games? How about a classic version of Pole position or something like that.
- Record Video clips not just still photos.
- Taking voice memos.
- Tethering to your PC for remote internet access.
- and many more. Most of which are merely software updates.

Ah Yes, behold the iPhone!

The future has arrived.
(at least after a few software updates)

iCaved iBought the iPhone

So here's the full story. I had been meaning to make a trip to the AT&T store to combine my wife's cell phone plan with mine... in the hopes of saving money. I still have an old "Blue" AT&T account, my wife is an "Orange" Cingular customer. We currently appreciate our corporate discount. My plan is more expensive, because I have the unlimited data plan to accompany my Audiovox SMT5600 (a 3 year old Windows Smartphone). It's a great phone. I couldn't imagine using anything else. I rarely use the web/data features, but love the Outlook integration! This is the must have for me. Not that I'm a super busy guy, just busy enough that having a single device that can converge the PDA features with a cell phone is a big win. It's the first smartphone that is phone 1st, PDA 2nd, and I was quite happy with it.

So back to the point of my story. The unlimited data plan currently costs me $20/month on top of my 400+ min plan. Works out to $60/month before our corporate discount, which nets $52.34/month. Not too bad. Today's AT&T now calls the smartphone dataplan a PDA-data-plan and charges (can you guess?) $40/month! This is outrageous, and nearly criminal (in my opinion of course). So to have a current 450minute plan ($40/month) and a data plan ($40/month) for say a Samsung Blackjack (a 3G smartphone)... this will net your credit card a deduction of $80/month. Crazy... however, if you plunk down $500 for a 4GB iPhone you can pay $60/month ($40 talk + $20data for a 450min plan). The iPhone will save you money on the monthly bill... but will cost you more on the hardware upfront.

Factor in the cost of the Samsung Blackjack at $50 and the iPhone saves you a net $30 after 2 years.

Ahh yes, there's a catch for us corporate discount people. No discounts apply on the sought after iPhone (which by the way wasn't so hard to purchase when I just waltzed into the AT&T store at 7:30PM, not even planning on buying one). I'm told, no discounts apply to the monthly plan either. As part of the 2 to 5-year Apple Exclusivity deal with AT&T(depending on who you talk to), they get a residual off the customers plans too. So what started out as appearing to be a very good deal (amoratized over 2 years), is no longer so sweet.

Now I'm debating whether to keep it. The user interface really is fluid like in the commercials. I love the idea of being able to share photos and video clips of my daughter with people on it's handsome display. I like the idea of having a decent mp3 player integrated into the phone (vs. my Windows Smartphone). I like the idea of having Wi-Fi capability integrated into the phone... but is it worth $500?

PS: I can't crack the plastic, 'cause there's a 10% restocking fee. On top of that, there is a 14-day return policy instead of the usual 30-days from AT&T.