IS THE iPhone REALLY WORTH THE HYPE?

I have to admit, I love how the iPhone looks. The design is uncluttered -- streamlined. It's got fun features. But is it really worth the hype that it has generated? That I do not know. Yet. But based from the specs and reviews I have been reading about in several websites, it might not be as great a device that some consumers think it is.

It would be very likely that a trendsetting "techie"-slash-fashionista (ugh) here in the Philippines, who's got the money to burn, would gladly, willingly, shell out $500 - $600 just so he/she could be among the very first to have this device.

600 bucks? I could buy a laptop or a PS3 with that amount, which I'd likely get to use more often. Or I could get myself some more, already-hard-to-find Sigma 6's, and some 25th Anniversary GI Joes. Or a Lance Armstrong Oakley Radar and a pair of Oakley Standard Issue Assault Boots.

So, what's my verdict on this device? I'd prefer to wait. And here are some reasons why:

4Gb: $500. 8Gb: $600. The 8Gb will only hold about 2,000 songs and a handful of videos and full-length movies. If you're thinking this would replace your iPod, think again. And I've read that at the moment, it's only available thru AT&T (in the US). So you have to buy this at full price, plus sign a two-year contract - the cheapest plan: $60 for 450 minutes, plus an additional $36 for the activation. So, for two years, that's close to spending $2,000 just for the service. And if one thinks that the iPhone can be used without service, Apple's website states that the two-year agreement is required for activation which includes iPhone's features.

The iPhone does not run on a 3G network. It runs on the slower EDGE network. A comparable phone like the Treo 750 ($199 with a two-year contract) runs on 3G. I've also read that it does not have the ability to sync with corporate internal email systems, lacks a keyboard, and there are reservations regarding battery life. And the fact that it's still a first generation gadget, justifies my decision to wait -- and wait long enough: the iPhone will only be available in Asia by next year -- let's just hope Apple has improved this product by then.