Pros: Easy to use, great features, attention-getting, impossible to live without.
Cons: Attention-getting, finicky sometimes, jack not compatible with all headphones, EDGE can be sluggish.
The bottom line: If you are a technology lover and can handle the attention and the occasional hiccup, then the iPhone is calling your name.
I originally did not plan on jumping on the iPhone bandwagon when it came out in the summer of 2007. A month or so after it came out, I went to the Apple store at the local mall and played with one for a few minutes. I still found it cool but not worth $600. Several months later, we had some family friends over for Thanksgiving and one of them had an iPhone which he let me check out. I couldn't put it down. Once I had it figured out, I was totally smitten by the thing. I had to have one. The very next day, I went out to the Apple store and bought my 8GB iPhone and paid the standard $399.95. It was a tough pill to swallow but I simply couldn't live without it.

As a phone, the iPhone excels. Scrolling through contacts is a breeze and if you need to dial a number, that's simple too. It will even tell you where the number you called (or called you) originated from (i.e. Richmond, VA). The visual voicemail is a wonderful feature, too. There's one thing I hate about your standard voicemail is that you have to listen to the oldest messages first. Visual voicemail allows you to choose which ones you want to listen to and in the order you want. You can even call the person back without leaving the voicemail screen. My one gripe about the phone aspect is the fact that the iPhone's Bluetooth does not support voice dialing from your earpiece, something my basic Motorola phone did.

As far as Internet and e-mail are concerned, the iPhone is a champ although it is hindered by the often-sluggish EDGE network off which it operates. Thank goodness for the Wi-Fi connectivity option. Not to quote the Apple commercials but with the Internet in your pocket, those little dinner table disputes over a trivia fact can be quickly put to rest. I also love being able to check my e-mail on the go, especially when I'm waiting to hear back from somebody on something important.

Maps, weather, and notes are the three accessory features I use most frequently. As I drive for my job, the iPhone has gotten me out of many binds where the printed directions have steered me wrong. It's also great for checking traffic conditions before heading out so I know if I need to take back roads. Weather is off a bit but the national forecasts are never quite as good as the local ones. I still use, it though. Notes is a very handy feature for when you hear a song you want to download and don't want to forget.

The SMS (text) function's predictive text can get a little agitating but sometimes, it's spot on in guessing your next move. Text messages between your friend and yourself are shown in the same window in alternating colored speech bubbles (green and white). This means there's no going back and forth between Inbox and Sent to see who said what. One drawback is the fact that you can't send or receive picture messages. In this day and age, that could be considered by many to be a huge drawback although to me it's not the end of the world.

Apple claims the camera is a two megapixel but I think they're lying. It's probably closer to 2.5 because this camera takes some good pictures. It may not zoom, auto-focus, or have a flash but it does the trick pretty well.

Drawbacks? There are a few. Despite having been out for almost a year, there are still many people who haven't seen one, let alone interacted with it. So at least once a week, I get somebody who wants to check it out. I don't mind this but it starts to get old after a while; makes me glad I didn't get one of the first ones. Also, the phone will intermittently refuse to do anything you tell it. This can usually be solved by doing a soft reset, or simply shutting the phone off and turning it back on. Also, the only headphones that will work with the iPhone are the crappy ear buds that came with it. Personally, I hate ear buds as I find them uncomfortable and produce poor sound quality. Hence, I don't actually use my iPhone as an iPod.

Other than that, I love my iPhone and am very satisfied with it. Don't expect to see me lined up at the gate for Version 2, though. I'm not that rich...