As Philip Elmer-Dewitt says on Business 2.0’s website: “it may be the most impressive demonstration to date of Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ legendary mastery of the art of media manipulation.“

The hype has definitely works on me and this has a historical basis. I was stuck in an airport lounge late one night just when the Nano was released. I must have seen the same Nano ad 30 times that night and a few days later, I bought one (my very first iPod ever). But  for the iPhone I have a few things to protect me making the same mindless grab: 1) no iPhone’s in Vermont (no AT&T) and 2) in the long run, I think I’m too cheap.

I have a simple phone and if/when I get another, it would be to get access to my email and also share my calendar from outlook. I don’t download music or need to carry around my dogs pictures. My iPod (nano) mostly has podcasts (ala Wait Wait Don’t Tell me, Fresh Air, DotNetRocks) on it and some old Bonnie Raitt, etc. albums. When I see the iPhone ad, I GOTTA HAVE IT, but then a minute later reality seeps back in and I remember I don’t have much need for it.

There are plenty of people that will tell you the more technical reasons why you might not want in iPhone (yet) such as issues with the EDGE network if you are interested in it’s web capabilities. Others worry about the fact that you can’t replace the battery if you need to, can’t expand memory, can’t add SIMS, etc.

I bet that all of those people who lined up at the Apple stores around the country yesterday don’t care. All that matters to many is that it’s COOL and it’s SHINY and it’s made by Apple. 

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