I got an iPhone. I got swept up in the hype and did what I swore I would not do: I got a 1.0 device. I knew full well that 2.0 would be far better and that by getting 1.0, I would not be able to get 2.0. But on the other hand, while the very first iPod was not at all compelling to me (I didn’t get an iPod until the 3rd generation), the iPhone is a very compelling first generation device. And in the two weeks I’ve had it, I have come to depend on it. It’s my grocery list, it gives me directions to get places, it lets me take pictures when I don’t have my camera with me, it’s my iPod, I watch movies on it, I watch TV shows on it, I find myself watching YouTube on it, something I never did before, I show off photographs on it, I follow stocks on it (why on why did I not buy Apple when it was $12/share?), I surf on it… oh, and I also use it as a phone!

A lot of people have complained about the AT&T part of things but I was already in an AT&T contract so I had no qualms about that particular move. I firmly believe that all of the cellular providers are fundamentally evil so I really don’t see the downside of this one versus that one.

I’ve even submitted my first hint to MacOSXHints…

A few blogs and podcasts have made my iPhone experience that much better. They are as follows:

• NetNewsWire: This venerable RSS/Atom Newsreader is an excellent way to keep up on my news feeds. I follow nearly 200 sites in a fraction of the time I would were I visiting each one sequentially. It is made even more useful by the addition of search feeds which allow me to search the net for arbitrary terms (such as “iPhone”) and capture news from more than just those sites I regularly follow.
• The Apple Phone Show: This podcast and blog has been one of the better sources of news and info about the iPhone.
• CaliTV: Cali Lewis provides wonderful, short video podcasts (perfect for watching on the iPhone) of quick tips, news and notes.
• MacBreak Weekly: This is a LONG podcast and yet I manage to find the time to listen to the whole thing. Leo Laporte has a virtual roundtable with Scott Bourne (of the Apple Phone Show, above), Merlin Mann (43 Folders and much more), and others. It’s 40% bizarre banter (which I find endlessly diverting and fun) and 60% good information. My only wish is that I was part of the conversation. I often find myself wanting to interject a comment or correction or quip. You guys taking volunteers?
• The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW): While not iPhone specific, it still provides a wealth of good information and news. I am late to this particular party but finding it one of my favorite Apple-related blogs.

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