iPhone 3G

So, as most of you know, I have the original iPhone (2G) and I totally love it. Best phone I've ever had hands down. So when Cdubya says she's sick of her Razr and wants something that can do more I explained to her that she couldn't go wrong with the iPhone. I spend time showing her mine, letting her play with it, explaining all the cool functions (especially the new apps that came out with the new software update).

She's not convinced that's the phone for her. She wants to go to the AT&T store and look around. So we go Friday evening. We talk to Jimmy Chipmunk and he says that you can't beat the iPhone. She says she wants to look around. She looks at all the other phones (almost every one of them costs more than the $199 price of the iPhone and they all have the same $30/month unlimited data plan). After all that she says "Well, that guy said the iPhone is the best, I guess I should get one."

WTF, had I not been saying that for a week?!?!?!? Why would you believe your husband, someone that actually has had the phone for a year and loves it. Someone that works in IT. Someone you should trust...

No, but she'll trust junior at the AT&T store because he must be an expert... sheesh.

So anyway, we're told at the store that they have a wait of about 20 days for one. Wow... uh, ok. We decide to check what that Apple Store has (West Towne). The web site says they have them in stock, so we decide we'll try to get there an hour before they open Saturday morning on the outside chance we might be able to get one. I told her not to get her hopes up, from what I'd been reading it was still very difficult to get one.

We show up at West Towne at 9:15 (10:00 opening) and turn the corner and there's no line out front, cool! We walk up to the Apple Store and it's open already. Weird... ok. We walk in, 2 people are getting iPhones! We are next in line and we get the phone, activate it and are out the door in 20 minutes!

So, moral of the story is the Apple Store gets a LOT more iPhones than the AT&T store and AT&T is not telling people that they have an option (in cities where there is also an Apple Store that is).

Also, the Apple Store has been doing this "soft opening" for a while now so don't be surprised if you can get in before they open.

And yes, the iPhone 3G is all that. I downloaded the iphone sdk yesterday (only a 1.2 gb download!) and made my first iphone "Hello, World" app. Their documentation is very good and they also have video instruction on how to use it. Anyone with an ADC id can download the sdk. If you want to sell your app in the App Store you must pay a $99 fee to join.

I already have 3 or 4 apps in mind to build, now I just need some free time.