I was holding off for over two weeks, decided not go with that outrageous iPhone voice/data racket. Even trying to encourage people to wait in a hope the demand will be weak and Rogers will bend and lower the rates.

Only, it was not. I mean demand. iPhones seems to be selling better than beaver tales on Dow's Lake during sub minus twenty sunny skating Saturday. Especially the 16 GB ones.

Now it's over. I ordered white 16 GB iPhone yesterday.

It's all Gabo's fault. After playing a bit with the darn thing, I can resist no more. It is after all more than just iPod touch with more hardware. Four killer features from my very private point of view:

1) GPS with Google maps. So valuable especially now when I spend more time in Montreal than in Ottawa and walk around during evenings and lunch breaks...

2) Internet access. All my stuff is in the cloud - notes, documents, contacts, emails. With 3G or even Edge it is only 1 second and few clicks away. So much faster than getting notebook out of backpack. Not speaking of not needing WiFi to do so - very useful while sitting in the train. Btw, ViaRail, your WiFi is so unusable ....

3) camera that allows taking only slighly bad pictures. Big upgrade from Motorola where pictures were just plain terrible / hardly usable. Getting them off the phone happens automagically and they end up in proper place - iPhoto, without waiting 10 minutes for bluetooth sync ...

4) Address book synchronization. Finally I will be able to dial from same database that is on my Mac - without holding iPod touch in one hand and phone in other, typing in the number I found on Touch. Yes, I did try to sync RAZR with computer. Three times. It consistently failed and wiped out Motorola twice and Address book once (no damage thanks to Time Machine ;-))

All this is worth spending 30 more bucks a month for 6 GB data plan. Gabo discovered it is more than plenty even if you surf a lot and listen to internet radio 2-3 hours a day. I hate the idea giving Rogers more of my money, but, as Tony Soprano would put it: "What are'ya gonna do ?". Maybe I can find something to cancel to lower the bill - like some cable package. Who needs TV when there is YouTube and Google Video :-).

As added benefit, my daughter is very happy to be getting the Touch really soon now ;-)

And by the way, once for a change talking to the Rogers sales person was quite pleasant experience. Too bad I did not write down her name - but she was really nice. What a change after that groups of obnoxious morons that used to call me regularly to offer HomePhone :-)