fo0bar: http://maddox.xmission.com/c.cgi?u=iphone <-- Octal, did you know apple is selling a cellular phone?
Octal: No, I was not aware
Octal: So, how's the 3G on that thing? I can't wait to use that to use the internet on my bluetooth macbook whereever I go!
fo0bar: I've heard it's great, but I don't bother. I just leave my macbook at home and use my stereo bluetooth headset to listen to my music on the iPhone itself!
Octal: Wow! You mean I can just download music straight to the phone using iTunes?
Octal: I sure hope the unlocked iphones on ebay aren't too expensive.
fo0bar: they do tend to jack up the price on ebay, what with the removable SD cards they bundle into the package
fo0bar: and extra batteries
Octal: does it have a built-in GPS or do I have to use a bluetooth GPS module?
fo0bar: it's built-in. I wrote a program using the OSX SDK to send my location to my website every few minutes, where it is fed into google maps

(not Ryan Lackey, different Octal)

I'll take Derrick's Treo.

The Treo does indeed have most of what the iPhone has on it... except the wireless part. The iPhone is nice for the wireless in addition to cell data lines. The iPhone also has a much more easily read screen.

But, yah, I'd probably opt for the Treo over the iPhone at this point in time because of pssh and the ability to provide internet to a laptop. Though, I like my Palm TX -- it's not got a data line, but I can live without that.

Really, I like that the iPhone is pretty. I could show off my pretty pictures on that.... cept that with its limited memory, I'd then lose in being able to have music on it at the same time. The lack of ssh really does kill my interest for it, sadly.

There's an ssh shell out there; dunno how good it is.

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mressl/webshell/

I've seen other web-based ssh shells in the past, usually used for getting past company firewalls. They're interesting, and useful for necessity, but usually leave a lot to be desired.

It's not really targeted at you, at least in this iteration, I don't think. I think it's mostly for rich kids who do a lot of TXTing and don't want to carry a separate gadget for their music...

Actually, given the response, it's targetted at the 20-30 something geeks who want something cool. The "Chocolate" phone is for the kids who do a lot of txting and want to put their music on their phone too.

Sounds plausible. Still not you... I don't think you're the type to go for bells and whistles with a patina of cool rather than something simply functional.

Hee, yah. At least if I'm spending that much money, I first ask, "Is this practical for me?" If the answer is "no," well, that solves that!

Everyone I know who has one is an old college classmate in some manner of geeky industry. Overall, everyone's verdict is: not perfect, but better than their old phone.