Last note on iPhone mania
The iPhone is a grand step forward in computing by all reports, including from some of those who were skeptics. It's an elegant combination of Mac, iPod, camera, video player, browser, text messenger, cell phone that fits in your pocket.
The enthusiasm and associated euphoria of iPhone mania, triggering massive releases of geek endorphins, is a temporary antidote from the usual boring rollouts of me-too products, a tedious game of leap frogging without any profound invention or significant leaps.
Other companies have somewhat similar products, but without the benefit of the Mac OS and Steve Jobs' design sensibilities and negotiating skills. Apple just does it better in this round, and I stress "this round," despite the less than optimal AT&T network in broadband retarded U.S.
It's a first generation product too, so the best is yet to come, but it may not be just from Apple. At $599, the iPhone is not for people who just want a good cell phone, it will raise the bar for all consumer electronics device makers, at least those who have some imagination.
With iPhone mania abating, we will now return to regular summer tech programming--SAP vs. Oracle, Enterprise 2.0, Facebook mania, GPL v.3, security breaches, etc.--and you can catch up on news of the real world, such as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad describing war as an "imperfect science."