Hype for the iPhone?

Last week, I got an iPhone. A shiny new iPhone. And when I say shiny and new I mean a hand-me-down 3G from my sister, half battered with her year-old information still on it. I waited for quite some time to use it, debating whether or not I should change over to o2 or get the phone unlocked and stick with my trusty old meteor. After inspecting the call plans offered by both companies, I opted for requesting a legal unlocking of the phone online. Five days later I received a text saying I was good to go and the phone would turn on without the annoying Sim Locked preventing me from using anything worthwhile on it.

I typed in the code, waited patiently for it to unlock, excitement building, expectations of this new ipod/phone/ netbook causing butterflies to do their familiar dance, and then finally….

It worked. And that was it. It simply worked. No fireworks, no life altering moment, no realization that I could never go back to the 5 year old nokia I was using before it. The only epiphany I experienced was that it was just an iPhone. A phone; a fancy, high-tech…….mobile phone.

After using it for a few days, trying to download apps, searching for covers to customize my new gadget, desperately trying to use the damn touch screen, I still feel the same. I have no idea why it’s such a massive deal and why people queued overnight just to spend $500 on a device that will turn them into that annoying iPhone friend who never shuts up about the new useless app they just downloaded. “What time is it?”, “Hang on, I’ll check my iPhone, theres an app for that”……no sh#t Sherlock, it’s called clock.

Now, don’t get me wrong. As far as phones go it is magnificent, killing numerous birds with one stone. It is perfect for when you're in any situation of potential boredom or awkward moment when you need something to play with. But people seem to forget that this $500 device is just a phone. It will be outdated, there will be cheaper versions made by other companies and people will still be a slave to the all powerful apple masterpiece which took the world by storm. I say, why not buy a decent phone for $200 and spend the rest on someone who needs clean water and food to, you know, live?

H"app"y.....not sure where I was going with that one....

Aila Maritz xox