- Re Cingular, I can understand people not being happy about having to switch, or complaining about their service, etc. But I have to wonder if an exclusive agreement wasn’t the price Apple had to pay to have the hardware and software their way, that is, allow customers to copy/sync what they wanted from their computers, instead of paying $2-3 for ringtones and $3-4 for songs, and other things that the service providers do that cripple the user experience for phones.

- Re the price. $500 is a lot, especially with a two year contract. But think of it this way. Apple _says_ they want to acquire 1% of the mobile phone market, but that’s bullshit. What they _really_ want is e.g. 50% of the high-end mobile phone market, i.e., they want the cream off the top. A high-end price is part of that.

And also think about the responsiveness of the interface in the demos. The phone is running full-on desktop quality applications, with lots of OS X-style gratuitous visual effects, and that takes horsepower. It is, after all, running Mac OS X. The iPhone is basically a specialized Mac.

What’s the price of the lowest cost Mac with a built-in display today? About a grand. No, it’s not an iMac or MacBook, but if you think about it from the perspective of what has to go into making the iPhone, it’s probably a bargain. I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple’s profit on the phone comes not from the amount you pay them to buy one, but from what Cingular spiffs them for the two year contract, similar to other mobile phone _sellers_ rather than manufacturers…

- I agree about the desire for physical buttons, that you can feel, and therefore press without looking. The iPhone definitely is a visually oriented device, and there will be times (and people) where that is a problem.

- I too wish for more carriers than Cingular, data plans that don’t cost an arm and a leg, and data speeds like UTMS/EVDO, instead of EDGE.

- My experiences with web browsing and email on mobile phones has been abysmal. I am thrilled for a full on browser and email client. EDGE will make browsing slower, except when the iPhone can find a WiFi connection to use, which it should be fast.

- You have to see the device in person to truly appreciate it. Really. I read the live coverage, watched the keynote stream, saw the photos on Apple’s and other web sites, and thought seeing it in person wasn’t a big deal. It is. The device is a physical work of art, and the apparent (it’s in a glass case, you can’t touch it) quality just does not come through, except in person.

Even though it’s a 1.0 product, and the improvements (like UTMS, GPS, and so on) are obvious, and will surely come quickly, I’ll be ordering the first unit I can. Then I’ll get the 2.0 version for my wife, and swap it with her when she’s not looking.

(I paid for black, too.

The point often missing from this conversation is that you have to compare similarly spec’ed machines. It’s true that Apple doesn’t have as many budget PC offerings as [insert your favorite PC manufacturer name] does, but that doesn’t make the machines “more expensive” as comparably spec’ed Windows alternatives.

Some folks that have done the research for me:

http://www.codinghor[...]/000591.html
http://waffle.wootes[...]r-than-dell/

I think pretty much everyone agrees that the iPods are very competitively priced, and have done a pretty good job of extending into the budget range.

Paying for black – that one I can’t argue with. I did it.

i take the point, but Mac fans are – as we discussed – typically far more willing to pay the premium than other buyers. neither the Macbook Pros nor the iPods are low cost devices, and then there’s paying for black?

Wait, Mac fans care about price?

Ditto on the voicemail. That’s pretty damn cool.

Video, music, photos.