iPhone Enabled

Just got back from the IASB conference this weekend and when I got home I realized that I had left the power adapter for my MacBook Pro at the hotel. I called there and they said they would UPS it out on Monday but that’s at least three days without my laptop, that won’t work.

So I call the Apple Store in Northbrook to make sure they have my adapter in stock before I drive down there. Sure enough they did. Of course, I couldn’t resist asking “I’m sure you don’t have any iPhones, do you?” To my surprise the response was “We sure do”. After canceling my online iPhone order (delivery “2-4 weeks”) I sprinted to my room (as much as a person of my size sprints :P) and got my things to hit the door.

After the pensive drive I arrived and the place was packed, mostly with kids at the front playing with the iPhones on display. I grab my laptop adapter and get in line, there’s three people ahead of me and all three registers are selling people iPhones. Quite a few people were buying more than one. On the table behind the counter I saw a good sized stack of them so I rested assured I would get one. So after the wait I got my 4GB iPhone (with the 60GB iPod holding the collection I didn’t see a need for the 8GB iPhone, I’m sure the 2nd Gen iPhones will have abundantly more storage so I cheaped out this time around). Then began the agonizing drive home. I was glad I didn’t have to wait in line for hours to get one on the second day though, Apple has done it right by having ample product on hand at introduction.

Got home, pleased my MacBook Pro with the AC river of life and then commenced to unpacking the iPhone. A minute or so later I have it hooked up to the MBP and it sees my new little pride and joy and starts the whole registration process. Within 10 minutes I would say I had my old cell phone number with US Cellular switched to my new AT&T account for the iPhone, synchronized with all my email accounts, calendar (crucial), address book, etc, activated and taking calls — the whole smash. I was stunned because I expected there would be some hiccups for a brand new device.

Using the little beastie? Quite simply, jaw-dropping amazing. Sure, there are some rough edges (voice activated dialing would be nice, flash capability in iPhone’s Safari web browser would also be nice) but I have never had one device so eloquently, simply, and beautifully integrate stuff I need on a regular basis. Best of all, it slips in my pocket (phones are devices, not fashion accessories worn on your hip). So, believe the hype I say, this thing is amazing. My pictures, video, online video content, it’s all there for you with the iPhone. Believe the hype.

Oh, and leave it to Apple to come up with a “set to vibrate” function that doesn’t require multiple key presses or hunting through menus to activate. Their solution? A simple flip switch on the upper left side — switched one way it’s in ring mode, switched the other way it’s in silent mode (in the configuration menu you can turn vibrate off or on in silent mode). Amazing and thank the maker!!!