The year's best gadget

What about best "system"... Certainly NOT the Blackberry Internet Server (BIS) Vodafone offers, it means half the Blackberry's advantages overseas aren't on offer here....

Yep the macbook air has been totally unusable for me now for 4 months, its not light, is reallly hard to take anywhere, doesnt allow me to run open office, vm machines running xp to connect to work cant email people, watch movies, have my library of music, pick it up and put on the bench in the morning for a quick email/surf before work.

you guys do realize that Vodafone has had new iPhone plans out for a while now, starting from $40 a month, which makes it a heck of a lot more attractive. In fact I'm writing this comment on my iPhone right now

I had HTC's touch Diamond and it's nearly as expensive as the iphone to buy and costs the same to run if you want 3g internet access. It also has half the internal memory. As for touchFlo is doesn't come anywhere near iphone's interface. TouchFlo pauses, hangs and does crash. At the end of the day it's windows mobile with yet more bloatware to make it look cool. Yeah, the iphone isn't cheap, but no internet phone with Vodafone is cheap. My monthly bills with iphone are now cheaper than they were with HTC. And no, it isn't going to cost me anywhere near $6000.00 over two years. Closer to $2500.00 including the cost of the iphone.

The iphone is art. It works well, looks great and is fun. You pay a bit more for that. If you want a boring device that makes calls and sends txts, buy a cheap Nokia. If you want the best handheld internet device that's also an ipod, handles push email, synchronizes wirelessly with mobileme and has ongoing software development and system updates then the iphone is a good option. But it's not for everyone.

Be warned, HTC do not develop their software for specific devices. They rarely release patches as many owners have discovered. An HTC software update usually requires buying the next model. Apple don't do that.

Gadget of the year? Stop me if I'm wrong, but isn't it September? Precisely what year are we recognising here??

The idiocy of the timing is akin to that of people who are willing to pay for a $6k mortgage on a phone.

Pah! Humbug.

My 3G iPhone cost $699 on an $80 per month contract, so it's costing exactly what my Nokia 6235 cost me on Telecom. The iPhone is hands-down the finest piece of technology I've ever owned and I love it to pieces. It's just a pleasure to use, and darned clever and stylish also.

To those of you who can only poke holes at the iPhone, I suggest you put up or shut up. I have owned a number of windows mobile devices and none of them (especially the htc touch) come close to the iPhone in any aspect. The original price is no longer valid.

It is the most functional device of it's type - calling it the coolest gadget almost undermines the usability.

Suggesting that it is purely marketing indicates that you haven't got a clue.

That's my unclouded opinion as I sit in LA writing a response to clueless idiots on my iPhone...

Whats with all this $6000? Sure if you get the most expensive plan..but thats not the only plan out there!! I would argue they are the best value phone/music player/web surfer available.

I still marvel at mine everyday, the things it can do are amazing..HTC? N95? What are you guys thinking? iPhone definitely deserved this.

#6 - This gadget article was not about 'NEEDING' it was about gadgets...gee some people..

The iPhone does not cost $6K. The 16GB version is $1129 -- no contract, no ongoing charges. You could buy a whole lot of devices that try to duplicate the functionality but I bet you couldn't fit them all in your pocket or have them work as nicely.

In response to #1 and #6

The iPhone doesn't cost $6k, you can buy it without a contract direct from Vodafone for under $1k.. I own the original iPhone and my partner has the 3G, we would never go back, they are just great phones!!