We’re here! But, we’re not first in line. That’s ok, we’ll still be bringing you play-by-play coverage of the iPhone launch event. Due to technical issues, we don’t have video for you at the moment, but we’re working on it.

As of now we’re waiting in line behind a bunch of Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone fanatics – and everyone’s have a great time! The people in line are as friendly as can be and, the line is slowly growing. We expect the line to explode early tomorrow (Friday) morning, so stay tuned!

You can’t replace the battery … great engineering my ass:

That’s right, folks. In emails that AT&T (NYSE: T) sent out today, the No. 1 wireless carrier in the US has limited eager iPhone hopefuls to just a single iPhone per person! We don’t know if this is because AT&T stores are expecting lesser stock volume than Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) stores, or if this is will be Apple’s official policy as well.

We’re going to hedge our bets and say that Apple will also be limited the sale of iPhones.

With iPhone arriving June 29th at 6 p.m. in AT&T retail stores, the wait is almost over. Use our online store locator to find the closest AT&T store that sells Apple iPhone (limit one per person). We’ll show you maps, directions, and everything you need to get your hands on an iPhone as quickly as possible.

[Via: MacRumors]

Calamari is good, but you have to find it.

2 more videos to go guys!

Watch the rest here.

Macrumors is reporting that the iPhone-required iTunes 7.3 software has been spotted with a “Ringtone” tab! The “ringtone” tab was first sighted at hte Macworld announcement of the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone. Furthermore, the new version of iTunes has been listed as an iPhone requirement but is still not released.

The speculation goes something like this: iTunes will take any song available on iTunes and convert it into a custom ringtone for your Apple iPhone. The service will run you $0.99, and it’s not clear whether you will have to download new songs for this feature, or if you can use songs you currently own in your iTunes library or on a CD.

You can create your custom ringtone through a “Garageband-like” interface – allowing you to choose what 30-second section you want to use as your ringtone.

The Apple Q&A list also shows a picture of the iTunes software with 8 tabs (as opposed to the 6 we’ve seen in the video). We won’t be able to use MP3’s as ringtones outright, but at least we’ll be able to make custom ringtones from our MP3’s! (and we’re not at all surprised by the very Apple-like move to charge a buck for each ringtone)

Still have Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone questions that our Into iPhone site hasn’t yet addressed? Fear not, AT&T (NYSE: T) has just published their iPhone FAQ for all you hyped-up iPhone hopefuls out there!

Among some FAQ issues are the inavailability of handset insurance – Apple will offer handset warranty; iPhone activation will take just a few minutes; existing AT&T customers can add the iPhone to their existing Individual and Family plans; however, GoPhone customers (pre-paid) will have to sign up for a new account and a new phone number; and existing users will be able to swap out the SIM card and use the iPhone after a quick activation process.

As expected, there will be a 14-day return policy on all iPhones – as long as they are returned to the original place of purchase. However, there will be a 10% restocking fee if the iPhone has been opened and its shrink wrap breached. That works out to $60! You better make sure you really want an iPhone before you buy one!

FAQ on the link.

Read the full article »

People from the Keep A Child Alive and Taproot Foundation are some New Yorker’s with a big heart. They’re camping out for the iPhone just so they can resell it on eBay and donate 100% of their winnings to charity.

I’m glad to see something so good can come out of something I so love to hate.

[Via: CrunchGear]

Fine print sucks, and here’s why. If you pay close attention to Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s new rate plan schedule for the iPhone, you’ll notice some interesting fine print at the bottom of the chart. As far as we can tell, the fine print basically stipulates that those of you hoping to get a brand new iPhone and use it as a WiFi-enabled iPod (without the calling features) can, well, just keep on hoping. The thing is, that little piece of text next to the asterisk (*) makes it so you will not be getting an iPhone without a 2-year service agreement with AT&T (NYSE: T). And that, people, is how you turn a marketing phenomenon into a cash cow!

We’ll have to wait and see what this means for current AT&T post-paid and AT&T GoPhone (pre-paid) customers. It’s likely that current AT&T post-paid (bound to a service contract) will have their service agreement “clock” reset to 2-years upon registering the iPhone. And we’d love to see the iPhone being offered on a GoPhone plan with the purchase of the $20 monthly iPhone Data Plan – but, as with soo many things iPhone, we’ll just have to wait and see. (We’re really getting tired of saying that)

[Via: TUAW]

Here’s how most Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone news will start to sound over the next few days:

“The Apple iPhone is still days away from launching and there are already …”

We’re just going to skip all those formalities and get straight to the point. There are other Apple iPhone reviews out there (cough, Into iPhone, cough) from people who have had a chance to play with the iPhone for a moment, but we believe these are the first comprehensive reviews of the iPhone from well known tech-evangelists: Walt Mosberg of the Wall Street Journal and David Pogue from the New York Times (NYT has a really cool interactive iPhone graphic, go check it out). They’ve had plenty of time to play with the hotness that is the Apple iPhone (putting the iPhone under the proverbial magnifying glass), so their word is something of an authority at this point.

Mr. Mosberg came away fairy impressed with Apple’s first mobile phone offering, but admits the iPhone does have its niggles and faults. He points out that the iPhone is somewhat sluggish when it comes to browsing the web on AT&T (NYSE: T)’s EDGE network – although a WiFi connection makes quick work of surfing the internets. The virtual, on-screen keyboard was much better than expected, although the lack of dedicated Phone buttons were somewhat of an inconvenience.

The iPhone is also missing some key features, among them the ability to record video, use instant messaging and using music files as ringtones. As puts it, “Expectations for the iPhone have been so high that it can’t possibly meet them all. It isn’t for the average person who just wants a cheap, small phone for calling and texting. But, despite its network limitations, the iPhone is a whole new experience and a pleasure to use.” With all the crazy-hype surrounding this near-mythical device, the iPhone lived up to most of the expectations.

Which takes us to David Pogues perspective on the iPhone. His issues are with the on-screen keyboard (in contrast to Walt – which might indicate that user experience will vary widely) being too small, no memory card slot, no chat program, no support for Java or Flash, no MMS and that pokey AT&T EDGE network, yet at the end he thinks the iPhone was met most of the industry hype. His conclusion: “even in version 1.0, the iPhone is still the most sophisticated, outlook-changing piece of electronics to come along in years. It does so many things so well, and so pleasurably, that you tend to forgive its foibles,” adding, “In other words, maybe all the iPhone hype isn’t hype at all. As the ball player Dizzy Dean once said, ‘It ain’t bragging if you done it.’”

Again, with all the frenzied media coverage over what the “revolutionary” iPhone can do, it’s amazing that it can meet even portion of our expectations – let alone live up to the hype.

You can find Walt Mosberg’s review here.

You can find David Pogues review here.

Update: Watch Walt’s review [Via: Atmaspheric|Endeavors]

Update #2: David’s iPhone video review:

When Steve Jobs said the iPhone would be the first cell phone to bring the full internet experience in the palm (NSDQ: PALM) of your hand you could hear millions of S60 users around the world producing a faint moan. The iPhone uses the “Safari Engine,” a marketing term for the open source webkit project. Here is the metaphorical bucket of cold water Ricky and I are throwing on the situation: