A few people have publicly described why it’s a bad idea to get one, and I had previously conceded that I would be waiting until at least the third-generation models are launched, but about a week ago I broke down and purchased an Apple iPhone from a store in San Francisco for $399 plus tax. I took it straight back to my hotel room and had it unlocked + working with my CellC SIM card in under 20 minutes. That’s already 10 points for the *unofficial* iPhone user-community.

I thought it would be self-medicating to list my justifications for doing so:

1. It’s an iPhone!
2. I firmly believe the iPhone is a revolutionary ICT-convergence device, and it’s therefore something I need to keep tabs on in my professional capacity
3. Based on the Rand-Dollar conversion rate, it’s still much cheaper than purchasing an equivalent DumbPhone™
4. It’s the first device I’ve had that successfully synchronised all my photos, music, email, contacts etc., simply by plugging in a USB cable, and the battery charges at the same time too!
5. The iPhone graphical user interface (GUI) is simply the best I’ve ever experienced and it really turns mundane tasks into something slightly enjoyable
6. Not only does an active user-community exist for the iPhone, but it’s also a dream for people that like to customise their gadgets, and once unlocked (read: hacked), a bevy of applications from 3rd-party developers await your perusal ranging from standard productivity tools to web and application servers (I particularly love my etch a sketch and spirit level apps).

Although I am the first one to admit that the device is far from perfect and issues such as lack of 3G support, limited storage capacity, awkward keyboard and being reliant on firmware hacks going forward are some of the things I really dislike about it, I am completely satisfied with my acquisition and hope that the iPhone shakes up the mobile device sector in the same way that the iPod revolutionised the personal music player.

Useful resources for iPhone owners/fan-boys:
- Great step-by-step guide to unlocking an iPhone (and iPod Touch)
- Application sources for Installer App
- Instructions for setting up your voicemail on a different network
- Adding custom ringtones to the iPhone here and here