I don't remember another gadget that has come along and been so hyped, so sought after and so amazingly impressive all at the same time.   I know there are lots of reviews in the blogosphere by now so I will not go into every little detail about this snazzy new phone but I thought I would put down a few of the things that really struck a chord with me and a few of the things that I think may drive me nuts.

First up...the AWESOME....

The User Interface -  If ever a GUI was lickable..this is it.   This user interface isn't just impressive.   It is miraculous.   Apple has managed to put together a UI that slides, oozes and spins better than anything I have seen before.  I have not seen a single pause or stutter on the iPhone in 24 hours of use.      This would be impressive animation if I could get my 2.2ghz PC to accomplish it (which it often can't) but on of a phone its nothing short of amazing.   I understand completely now why Apple is so cautious of allowing 3rd party development to take place yet.   Just a single slip up from a developer and this super slick seamless user interface could be reduced to a pausing mess  Don't believe me...boot up Windows XP and watch Windows try to draw a menu with Firefox or Visual Studio consuming it's clock cycles and tell me that Apple isn't doing the right thing to preserve the magic.

The Hardware - As always with Apple hardware, I tend to spend the first few days just staring at it wondering how the heck they fit all that hardware in such a tiny package.    I placed it on the table next to my sisters T-Mobile Dash and it made the touchscreenless Dash look almost portly.   The devices feels very solid and well put together and the lack of buttons keeps it looking very simple and sexy.     The hardware is completely dominated by its beautiful glass screen.    Apple has again proven my theory plausible.    I am firmly convinced that Apple goes out of their way to design consumer devices that customers has to touch and rub.   They seem to have figured out the same thing that car companies know.  The more you touch and pamper and polish the more you fall in love with the device.     Well, this device definitely follows the pattern started by the shiny backed iPod and the matt black Macbook.    Like both of those devices, you will be rubbing this thing with a clean cloth ever every few hours to keep screen nice and clean.   It's no worry, and each caress endears the device to you more and more.

Coverflow - If you are like me and very visual, this THE way to look at information.       I love Coverflow in iTunes and I love it even more when it's your finger dancing over a screen to find a particular CD.   It's very intuitive and very impressive to watch.   I can't wait to see it in Leopard either.

What's not to love....surprisingly, there are relatively few little quibbles I have with this device.    Most are things that only I am annoyed.

Where is my LED - Apple, can't you give us just ONE led?    A simple LED to tell us we have a message waiting or missed call would save us a LOT of on/off cycles?   A single LED to tell us when the things is charging?   Maybe you could do one of those snazzy invisible LED's like you did on the new Macbook Pro's.

Let me control the font size - I am no longer a youngster with great eyesight (  well technically I had bad eyesight when I was a youngster) so I would love a way to set a larger font.   Sure, I can do the little pinch/squeeze to solve the problem but I don't want to do it on every email or web page.   Seems like an obvious accessibility change so let's get it in a firmware fix.

Exchange Push - OK, this is definitely just a hope of mine, but I have really grown accustomed to having my email and events pushed to my phone.    The good news is that they have decent Exchange integration built in and it seems to be pushing emails to my phone pretty quickly but without event pushing, I am left with dropping it in a cradle to get my next appointment. 

More Space - 8gb is not bad but i was really hoping for a storage bump before release.    I think with 16gb, the device would be just about right.     That way I could put most of my Music on there with room to spare for lot's of pictures ad a few movies to boot.

eBooks - I read eBooks a LOT.    So far, I haven't come up with a plan on how I will be able to read eBooks on this device.  For me, this is a pretty important feature and one the iPhone seems poised to solve...I am just missing the software.   Come on Apple, lets get on it.  I need my eBook fix or I will have to find an alternative device to solve my eBook reading addiction.   Heck, just a dedicated Word Processor/PDF Reader would suffice.

That's all I have come  with so far.   Its too early to tell for sure but for me, I think it's a winner.   Considering it's a version 1.0 product and almost everything I have any issues with is software related, I am hopeful we will get some firmware surprises over the next few months.

Ok, it's all decided.   I am going to leave work early tomorrow and go stand in line for an iPhone.  Should be quite an event since the new Apple Store is opening tomorrow just in time to sell the iPhone.  I can't wait to get it in my hands.   With any luck the line will not be insane, the inventory will be plentiful and I will home tomorrow night spending some quality time with my new iPhone.

Happy Apple Day everyone and wish me luck :)

OK...OK...I get it.    So the one time I mearly suggest that I might be better off NOT getting  a gadget and low and behold every person I know tells me I am crazy.   So, I am giving in.   I am going to get an iPhone.    The only question is am I going to get one friday and join the lines or just order online and get it the week after that.    I could do my typical thing and do both but this time, I would rather not end up with two.      After all these months of pondering I am totally excited about getting an iPhone....can't wait to see the UI...and if worst comes to worst, I can alway go back to my Treo on at&t.  

To buy or not to buy....that's the question that has preoccupied my thoughts lately.   The iPhone is undoubtedly the coolest gadget I have seen in years ...but ....should I buy one.

For the last few weeks, I constantly have reminded myself that I don't need to buy this thing but for some reason Apple keeps sucking me back in.    Each time I convince myself that I don't need it, Apple comes up with some reason why I do.   So, I am compiling a list of reasons for and against getting it.....here it is so far.

Reasons I want the iPhone.

• All my music on my phone everywhere I go.   I have tried this on my phone before but the UI was so horrible I couldn't take it.   Apples UI is awesome.
• Movies too.  I would love to be able to keep a couple of movies and tv shows on it.    Any time I get bored ....Superman Returns would be right there to intertain me.
• Coverflow - This is my favorite feature in a piece of software in years ....I love it.   I can't wait to get it in Leopard and I can't wait to use it on an iPhone.
• Visual Voicemail.    I hate managing voicemail...this is much better.
• Hello...my name is Jake and I am a Macaholic.
• It's oozes cool.

Reasons I shouldn't get it.

• 600 dollars...ugh.
• The feeding frenzy on Friday isn't something i want to experience.   I can't believe you can't preorder this thing.
• I already have 2 iPods.  I love my shuffle and nano.   If I get a new iPhone ....something will have to go.
• eBook reading is a big unknown.   I use my phone for eBook reading a LOT.  This thing has to do eBooks or I will have to figure something else out.
• I am on T-Mobile so I will have to switch to Cingular ...ahem ...AT&T.   Not that its a bad thing...just don't want to have to switch if I don't have to.
• I have a great phone already.    My Treo 750 is great and does all I need it to.
• As bad as I am do I really want to be seen as even more of an Apple shill.

That's all I can think of right now.    I am on fence right now but boy is Apple making it hard to not go stand in line.   Oh well, another week and I guess I will know everything I need to know.   Wish me luck.

I am sitting on the plane experiencing my least favorite part of travel at the end of my first vacation in about 5 years.     I can  say definitively that I enjoyed myself and think I will be ready to try it again in a few months.    This trip was a blast.   Sure, our trip had it's share of grumps, bumps and altered agenda's but I can honestly say that there was no point when I was not having fun.   When someone was being grumpy, I would take  the opportunity to see if I could turn their frown upside-down... often with unexpected results.       When the group had trouble deciding what they wanted to do next, I would step out and think of something I (and hopefully we) would all enjoy and usually everyone enjoyed it.    During the week, I enjoyed a few moments of pure indulgence such as waiting in line for 45 minutes to get my picture with Jedi Mickey and a few attempts at generosity such as trying to hit every store in the Magic Kingdom in a failed attempt to find a specific Mickey shirt for sis.    

After helping Eric move almost 2 weeks ago, I have been nursing my aching back ever since then.  As I sit here on the plane pondering the trip,  I am noticing that the miles and miles of walking this week seem to have finally cured my troubles and .come tomorrow...my training can finally resume.     The Jenks Aquarium run is in a little over a week.   I am not going to try to shatter my current best but I do want to get one more fun summer run in before the Oklahoma summer heat drives us all into our air conditioned homes.

I am very glad that mom suggested (and generously paid for most of) this fun filled trip.   It was great to re-connect with may memories and see a childhood vacation destination from a few feet higher off the ground.    It's amazing to me how some of the memories I have of being a pre-teen at Disney World were so accurate and some so distorted.   A lot of things were very exciting to me then and now but nothing compares to the feeling I get on the ferry rides to and from the Magic Kingdom.    Just like when I was young, that first glimpse of Cinderella's castle as it became visible across the lake hit me like a beautiful sunrise.  Immediately, I was overwhelmed with joy to be entering  Disney's Wonderful World,  a world where everything you look at is there to make you happy,  to help you re-discover the kid we all have inside.    Then upon leaving, I took a spot on the back of the boat so I could wave a fond farewell to the castle as it disappeared from view.   While in the park, numerous other memories kept popping into my head including some  that reminded me of how great family is to have.....and I hate to admit a few that reminded me of why it's so great to grow up and move out in the first place :)