Now that the iPhone is out, I’ve heard enough reliable confirmation that it isn’t a bomb, that I’m convinced it’s a reliable (and very cool) product. Plus, my major concerns have been positively addressed.

My biggest concern was synching my Outlook data (calendar, contacts, tasks, notes) with the iPhone. This is the primary reason I went with a BlackBerry 8800 a few months ago. Again, I’m a hardcore Outlook user, and having my Outlook information with me wherever I go is of the utmost importance. On this, there is both good and bad news. I will be able to synch my Outlook contacts and calendar through iTunes, but will not be able to synch my tasks and notes. I’m not too worried about my notes, but the items I most use and manage throughout the day are tasks. Besides the iPhone’s price, not synching tasks is the biggest drawback for me.

The iPhone also does not support GPS navigation. I’ve found my TeleNav driving directions to be very useful in a pinch. But I don’t use it enough to say it’s a must-have. Plus, the iPhone does have Google Maps, so I will have access to low-fi driving directions on the iPhone—and it’s free.

The reasons I’ve mentioned so far make the iPhone almost as good as the Blackberry. But where does it excel?

The iPhone beats the Blackberry in multimedia. Obviously, the iPhone has iPod capability. I can add music playlists, video podcasts, TV shows, and movies to the iPhone. Keeping the latest episodes of my favorite video podcasts on the iPhone will be sweet.

The Blackberry has no camera, while the iPhone has a basic phone camera. Obviously, I would use my higher-end cameras for real photo-taking, but having a built in camera in my phone is a good backup for emergencies.

There is much better support for web-based email—like Yahoo! Mail, which is my preferred personal e-mail client. There is also native support for AOL Mail, which effectively connects me to my corporate work e-mail.

And the biggest reason for switching from the Blackberry 8800 to the Apple iPhone is…

The cost.

The iPhone device (8GB) costs $250 more than the Blackberry 8800. However, the monthly plan would be $23 cheaper per month. The iPhone 450 minute plan would be $59.99 and includes unlimited data. The Blackberry is $69.98 ($39.99 for 450 minutes, plus $29.99 unlimited data). Plus, I would also not be paying the $9.99 for TeleNav and $2.99 for 100 text messages (which is included in the iPhone data plan). Thus, my monthly phone bill will be $23 cheaper. Multiply that by 24 months (standard 2-year agreement), and the iPhone is $552 cheaper than the Blackberry. That more than makes up for the difference in the physical device price. Plus, I can resell the Blackberry to get back most of the money I put into it.

So, after a quick look-see at my finances, I think I’ll be heading to an Apple Store today.

I had a very odd night last night. First of all, it was pretty silent in podcast world. And no, I’m not talking about Thursday’s Internet radio “silent out” protest. Friday’s silence was due to the iPhone release. All my favorite podcasters were waiting in lines—somewhere out there—all Friday long.

Thankfully, my preferred podcaster (and most trusted hi-tech consumer electronics reviewer) Cali Lewis had the wherewithal to record and upload a series of short broadcasts (one, two, three) while waiting in line for the iPhone. Way to go, Cali.

Since I didn’t have any reason to sit in front of my computer, I decided to get some reading done. I reread Arkham Asylum, which was a quick read. I only own eight comic TPBs now, and five of them are from the late 80’s. Those were the definitive years of my comic book life—and pretty much the only portion I want to remember. Here’s a quick list of the books I still own…

• TMNT: Book I (1986)
• TMNT: Book II (1987)
• X-Men: Fall of the Mutants (1988)
• Hulk Visionaries: Peter David, v.2 (1988)
• Batman: Arkham Asylum (1989)
• Marvels (1994)
• Kingdom Come (1996)
• Danger Girl (1997-2001)
• 30 Days of Night (2003)

After reading Arkham Asylum, I started rereading Stan Lee’s autobiography Excelsior! which I’ve yet to finish—even though I’ve restarted it several times. This is the book I fell asleep to.

At 2 AM, I woke up for no apparent reason. After lying there for about fifteen minutes, I decided to get up. It was the weekend, so it really didn’t matter if my sleep schedule got bent into some strange shape.

I refreshed my podcast list, and Cali had posted another entry. I could tell something was up, because Cali looked like all the joy had been drained from her body. She said she had purchased two iPhones and would be returning them both tomorrow. Not because of the phones themselves, but because of the cost of the plans. It would cost her and her husband over $100 a month for the most basic family plan. (There was some sort of hidden caveat to the unlimited data plan with multiple phones.) This was beyond their budget, so they weren’t going to keep them. Maybe. It could just be a temporary letdown, which would remedy itself—through constant justification—over the next few days. However, as a Dave Ramsey listener herself, I’m hoping Cali will take a stand on this and return the phones. If you live like no one else now, later you can live like no one else. Stick to your guns, Cali. I know you feel like you need to have one for reviewing purposes (like every other tech podcaster), but gadgets come and go. When the iPhone is no longer the hot gadget, you’ll regret being stuck with a $100+ monthly cell phone bill.

On that note, I decided to watch Primer, which I had just received in the mail from Netflix. (Coincidently, it was a Cali recommendation from a while ago.) I’ll probably write an appraisal in my weekly media review, so no words here.

When the movie was over, it was 6 AM, and the sun was rising. I closed my bedroom curtains and went to bed for another four hours.

At one point during my dreams, I found myself sitting at a desk with Cali, as she trained me on how to use Final Cut Pro on the Mac. Talk about odd. Of all the things I could be dreaming, I spent this time meticulously learning software. All indications show that Final Cut Pro is pretty easy to use!

I just purchased two tickets to the first screening of Transformers — Monday, July 2 at 8 PM at the AMC theater in Tysons Corner. I haven’t been this geeked out to see a movie since Star Wars: Episode 1. Let’s hope Transformers lives up to expectations. Based on early reviews, it’s gonna be awesome!

(If you’d like to join me on Monday, purchase your tickets now!)

Yesterday, the Spice Girls announced they would be officially reuniting for a 2-month world tour in December & January. I’m not sure if they’ll be coming to D.C., but I will definitely be there, if they do! It’ll be one of those “just to say I did” concerts. Ha, ha.

Who’s with me???

I’ve been eating and breathing Apple iPhone news day & night at my job and on all the Podcasts I listen to. At this point, I can’t help but be somewhat of an expert on the launch of the Apple iPhone this Friday, June 29. I’ve compiled a bullet list of tips for those of you who have iPhone fever.

• Apple Stores are your best bet.
• Make sure the AT&T store you go to is a corporate store–not a franchise or reseller. Only corporate stores will be allocated stock.
• Stores that are still Cingular-branded are probably resellers.
• Go to an out-of-the-way store location.
• Forget buying online. Even though Apple.com will/may offer iPhones for sale on launch day (but not AT&T’s website), your order will probably be backordered, if the physical units sell-out in the stores on Friday.
• Current AT&T customers don’t get any preferencial treatment whatsoever.
• The cost of the Apple iPhone is $500 for the 4GB version, $600 for the 8GB version.
• Apple Stores will be closed from 2-6 PM on Friday to prepare for the launch.
• The phone goes on sale at 6 PM local time (no matter where you are).
• There is a 2-phone limit at Apple Stores, and a 1-phone limit at AT&T stores.

My personal recommendation? Stay home & wait for the next version to come out. Wait and see if the iPhone is worthy of its hype. Knowing Apple, there’ll be a G2 in time for Christmas.