You Luk'y Luk'Y Bastards

As each day passes, I'm getting more and more glad that I've made a decision to hold out until iPhone 2

And it's not even out yet here in the UK.

This time next year... will I be buying the gPhone? Will it be Nokia's inevitable iClone (but unlocked and 3rd part configurable), or maybe iPhone 2nd Gen?

Whoever I go with, it better be unlocked so that I am not tied into an 18 month contract for a £35 per month (A ridiculous price considering that I am having to also pay for the phone!)

Apple, I love ya, but not THAT much!

Is it a coincidence that out of the handfull of Apple stores in the UK, Manchester has 2?

As a person from Manchester (and late to the party), I would like to also chime in.

I was all hell bent on buying the iPhone, but after some deep thought, it seems absolutely stupid for me to buy the iPhone, in that there are too many compromises.

1) Tie myself in for 18 months
2) At a rate of £50 per month!!
3) 30% Edge coverage
4) Edge!!
5) No GPS
6) Steve Jobs has admitted that they are working on the 2nd & third Gen models already.

Myself? For the last 3 years, I have been buying phones off E2Save (a Carphone Warehouse company), and with cashback, been paying a maximum of £0 per month. (sometimes even less)

I am an Apple Fanboy, with 3 Ipods (nano, 4G 60GB and 160GB classic), a 24" imac and a macbook.

But this??? I think Apple have made a very bad decision by tying the iPhone in with one carrier. They could have made the iPhone a generic non-tied phone... They would have sold millions all over the world...made many more deals with many more carriers, and a lot less hassle to boot.

So upon reflection, it seems stupid for me to try to justify buying the iPhone. I mean, it's Apple's job to entice me as a potential purchaser. Not my job to make excuses to buy it as an Apple fanboy.

For the record, I think the multititude of Apple annoucements on Engadget is appropriate. The company is cutting the edge of the cutting edge. I think Apple's problem is that they make it look too easy, most of the time.

As for me? I'm waiting, with my PAC code and credit card ready to go to the Trafford Centre Apple shop today should the iPhone be announced. There's also a Carphone Warehouse on Trafford Rd, and an O2 shop in the Lowry Centre should I get desperate. (Manchester, UK, BTW..200 miles from his royal Jobsness)

I agree with some of the posters here.

I am sure that there are plenty of people who know who the fake Steve Jobs is... but they realise that keeping it a secret is something that would be of more benefit to the Apple & Geek community as a whole.

I feel it was bad form doing what you did...Tantamount to stalking.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Matt

RE: The Muslim analogy

That was a crap comment based on an ignorant, media driven, stereotype of 1 Billion people on this planet.

My advice: Switch off Fox News, get out and actually meet some Muslims before you spout you hatred.

Friggin 'ell. That thing is designed for the consumer through and through.

If Apple's iTV came out with those specs it would fly off the shelves.

Unless Apple's iTV tops those features, I'm buying one of these babies when I get my 50 incher in the new year.

WOW!

There are known knowns, there are unknown knowns.....

No body really known what Apple is going to do, but the truth is, that a significant part of the success of the iPod has to do with Apple being there at the right time. It's debatable as to whether that was due to luck or design.

The thing with phones, is that the all-in-one solution actually sells phones. People WANT an MP3 player, emailer, picture taker, radio player phone. But historically apple has shied away from that in order to keep things simple.