[NTLK] IT HAS ARRIVED!

[Forrest Buffenmyer]

>You'll no doubt be able to take advantage  
>of at least a[n iPhone] hardware refresh by the time your phone contract is up,  
>I bet it's worth the wait.

First off, thanks to everyone--especially Gene and Daniel--who helped answer my question. It now looks like I'll be going the iPad route first, then when the BlackBerry contract is up 8/19, going to the iPhone then....

AHHH...but there is an Invitation-Only Apple Event scheduled for April 8, when Apple plans to release details of iPhone 4.0. Hmmpf. That could change things, as afterwards there will be rampant speculation as to what the new iPhone (if history holds up, released in June) will look like. This could be a scale-tipper.

Barring any OTHER unforeseen circumstances...I agree with G Y, it is my plan to get the 32GB 3G model. I'm sure I'm going to want to use it away from my home wifi (that's why I eventually got a broadband PC card for my Mac)...so *NOT* 3G makes little sense for me...unless I get a mobile hotspot-kinda thing. I wonder how cost-effective it is to go that way over the AT&T connection costs? There will certainly be a two-year contract for the mobile hotspot device from my cell provider....

Anyone have any thoughts of using Skype for voice with either the wifi or 3G model, to make it a phone (with a bluetooth headset)? 

Thanks,
--Forrest