Apple is very good and efficient at convincing us we can't live without something we never knew existed or that we needed it. And that is probably the scret of good marketing.
I am old enough to remember the early day battles Apple had with Microsoft. They could have been swollowed up or lay down and died but they never did, they fought back, found their own niche and survived. More power to 'em.

Should I apologize for being so different? I have a computer bought for me by my brother along with a fairly small income. Call me retrotech. So new
technology strikes me as novel and out of reach. I have no desire to earn
money. My present income is quite sufficient. So,as my previous blog says,
I am not subject to being sucked in except by the occasional software and
the allure of Stumbleupon. Sorry folks.-------Doug

Good morning: This is your devils advocate, here to say how good it feels to not be sucked into the latest tech gadget. It is my pleasure to not be like everyone around me. The same goes for swooning for anything or anyone
in the entertainment field or the latest in automobiles or the latest in anything.
Power over me cannot be had by anyone pretending to enhance my life with
their newest gadget. It's not so much a matter of pride with me as it is a practical matter of knowing that I can't be easily sucked in and be controlled
by some electronic whizbang offering that I don't really need. There is a
philosophical reason for my attitude and also a practical reason. Do I want a particular thing or do I need it? We can Make a list. What are needs and what are wants? I don't need what everyone else slavishly imagines that they need, when in fact, they are being slaves to the latest gadget or
entertainer or anything else or anyone else with the charisma to
enslave them and take away their freedom to decide for themselves
the difference between wants and needs. I will not be such a slave to
marketing trends or to anyone who the majority of people are swooning for. Doug Rosbury

Yes, I did go to an AT&T store and played with it.

The salesman there knew a lot about it. But he didn't know I could sync it with my Mac using bluetooth. He also could not explain why I could not surf the net faster using the iPhone as a Wi-Fi unit. All he said is that AT&T can sell you a $100 unit to insert into the slot on the side of your PowerBook and another monthly fee of $30 (I think that amount is correct) for the privilege.

The carriers are still trying to drain every last dime out of their customers they can. It's not a technology limit. But an artificial barrier to generate revenues that I find irritating. I prefer the European model of moving sim cards around rather than replacing phone to switch carriers.

Hey Ted;

I have no issue with their price cut.

I think it was a smart marketing move.

Early adopters are used to paying a premium for first rights to cool gadgets.

Have you played with an iPhone yet.

I was in the Apple Store this weekend and I must say they are a real amazing thing.

Mike

Mike, how did you feel when Apple dropped the price so quickly and so deeply?

Nonetheless, only my wife is keeping me sane on this. As a Mac geek, I can hardly resist making the purchase for the iPhone right now. But I just can't quite justify the $500 purchase when I can get an inferior phone for free.

But Apple has it right on most things when it comes to marketing and how to delight customers with superior products.

Ted