iPhone

OK, I just finished watching the keynote from Jobs.  The iPhone is one of the coolest, technologically sophisticated devices I think I have seen.

If:

• The finger interface proves accurate and the service durable
  
• If it actually syncs well w/Exchange/Outlook contacts and calendar and doesn’t take 10 min to do so on Windows.

I will have to pray with vigilance against the temptation of coveting when I see them out on the street later in 08.

Question: Does Cingular suck as a mobile provider? They have a 2 yr. exclusive on this.  I am guessing many will move on over and "raise the bar."

The only drawbacks I see:

• Only up to 8GB with no expansion…
• The price is high but does not seem too high for all that is packed in there…the user interface looks incredible. But it may be too high for some non geeky geeks.
  
• Only on GSM/Cingular/Edge. Sprint and Verizon's mobile broadband technology is much faster with data than edge.  I think this is a GSM issue, but I need to check on that.
• No GPS - I imagine for 499 or 599 folks would expect to see that - live driving directions, positioning etc.
  

Anyway, it makes the Palm OS and Windows mobile look a bit childish. I have used mobile computing devices since the first US Robotics Palm Pilot back in 1996 (see this wiki).  This indeed was the coolest device I have seen and looks to get convergence right.