Personally and sadly, they'd have to pay me to use it, then again I need a real phone, something that is a true extension of my Macs (Address Book, iCal, Mail, .Mac) with some 21st century features and add-ons like MMS and GPS. On second thought I can't be bought. My Nokia e61i with apps like Smart2go and excellent iSync synchronization is pretty damn good until Apple can come up with something better, and I wished they would have.

Like it has been said, the iPhone isn't a smartphone, so dumb people will buy it.

In Q2 of 2009, Apple will announce iPlant, the cerebral cortex implant for true convergence. iPlant will provide all the functionality of the iPhone via iHead (the in-your-head heads-up display), 16GB of iRemember in-head memory, 802.11n wireless connectivity to Apple products such a desktops and Apple TV, as well as Skype and custom ringtones.

iLive, custom environment skins for iHead, will also be released along with the iPlant launch. iLive will provide iPlant users the ability to skin the environment around them, from jazzing up the cubicle to making one's significant other look better, especially in bed. Users can use the included skin development tool to create custom environment skins and avatars, or download pre-made designer skins and media star avatars from iTunes.

Apple will announce their excitement of teaming with Humana, regarded as the best national health care provider out there. After years of negotiating with various health providers, iPlant can only be installed by a Humana-affiliated healthcare provider, with deep discounts for those with a Humana insurance plan (2 year minimum contract required). Announcements regarding international availability of iPlant will be discussed at a later date, but an unlocked/unsubsidized version of iPlant for the European and Asian markets is anticipated.

Why can't our government be reformed to shut-out these stupid influence peddlers?

Yeah, I can't understand what Apple is thinking either. Activation of the .n feature of Macs that currently support it should be as simple as an online Software Update, right? Other firmware upgrades are pushed to Macs if I'm not mistaken.

I'm also miffed at the lack of gigabit ethernet ports on the Airport Extreme, and only 1 USB port. Maybe I'm a security freak but I prefer to do data transfers amongst my computers via gigabit ethernet, it's also more robust than WiFi in the crowded urban environment I'm in (my Mac's Airport drop-down shows about 20 connections available at this moment). I'd like to simplify my life and not have extra gigabit hubs and Airport Expresses just for wireless printing. I guess the Apple mindset is to have customers buy two Airport Extremes if they want both hard drive and printer connectivity, plus a 3rd party gigabit hub if they're so inclined; it's just too much stuff. I thought Apple was all about the simple life, not clutter, unless you buy into doing all your networking over WiFi (including network backups).

I think its less of a store and more of a tourist concept, exposing consumers to GPS equipment who may never have seen one in action. I think its great, hope it expands consumer interest in GPS, and glad something is taking over Sony's old space after over a year.

Yeah, the Sony store *was* there, but who wants to pay retail when there's PriceGrabber?

What? No "Silent Running" jokes about Huey, Duey and Louie?

My MacBook never mooed but that upper left corner sure is cool now. Can't grill an egg anymore.

That's nothing, check out this news from April 2005...

Phone thief's intimate hiding place
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1356419.html?menu=

Romanian police caught a female mobile phone thief by dialling the stolen phone - and hearing her knickers start ringing.

Police in Pitesti, Southern Romania, stopped Ruxandra Gardian, 34, and her female friend after an eyewitness reported they had stolen the phone when a customer in a busy shop put it down for an instant.

After a search of both women failed to find the phone, police wanted to let them go, but the eyewitness insisted the pair had taken it, and suggested they call the number.

The officers then heard a muffled ringing coming from under the woman's dress.

They took the pair to the local police station where a strip search by female police officers revealed that Gardian had hidden the NEC mobile phone in her vagina, local daily Ziarul reported.

Police officer Aurel Popescu said: "I've seen a lot in my time as a policeman but never anything like this."

He added that the owner of the phone had refused to take it back, claiming it was damaged goods, and had filed a claim with his insurance company for a new device.