The consumoeconomy beat goes on . . .

[Strelnikov_]

and on and on and on . . .

The iPhone Matches Most of Its Hype
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/technology/circuits/27pogue.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1


The $500 and $600 models have 4 and 8 gigabytes of storage, respectively - room for about 825 or 1,825 songs. (In each case, 700 megabytes is occupied by the phone’s software.) That’s a lot of money; then again, the price includes a cellphone, video iPod, e-mail terminal, Web browser, camera, alarm clock, Palm-type organizer and one heck of a status symbol.

. . .

Better yet, unlimited Internet service adds only $20 a month to AT&T’s voice-plan prices, about half what BlackBerry and Treo owners pay. For example, $60 gets you 450 talk minutes, 200 text messages and unlimited Internet; $80 doubles that talk time. The iPhone requires one of these voice-and-Internet plans and a two-year commitment.

. . .

Apple says one battery charge is enough for 8 hours of calls, 7 hours of video or 24 hours of audio. My results weren’t quite as impressive: I got 5 hours of video and 23 hours of audio, probably because I didn’t turn off the phone, Wi-Fi and other features, as Apple did in its tests. In practice, you’ll probably wind up recharging about every other day.

. . .

Apple says that the battery starts to lose capacity after 300 or 400 charges. Eventually, you’ll have to send the phone to Apple for battery replacement, much as you do now with an iPod, for a fee.


So, it's a race between your two year service commitment and having to send the device in to replace the battery (ensuring that, what, about half will be throw out at that point and the newest model purchased).

Good thing we don't live on a planet with finite resources.


Sorry for the interruption. Now back to our regularly scheduled nuclear/anti-nuclear pissing match.