So let’s talk about the iPhone and Apple for a bit since Google is dishing out at least 60,900,000 returns for the term and Technorati is spitting out around 100,000 posts on the term. Also, I’m starting to notice things are getting a bit ridiculous (Hat tip:Richie ). I should hope my response isn’t alarming or a surprise.

I understand why there is so much hype and I congratulate Apple on being able to throw the entire world into a feeding frenzy for a device that is similar to other products already out on the market. Like a hand full of other people who enjoy tech toys but aren’t thrown into zombie mode by a logo and light show, I am waiting for two things, the “real” user reviews and the price tag.

You can’t review a movie you haven’t seen. No, makes no sense. It’s like saying some kind of food is good before you try it. Yet all over the net there are claims of iPhone reviews of people who haven’t even touched one. And what is even funnier is that they are giving a product that they haven’t owned for a day great reviews like it some sort of magical item they’ve never heard about. I’m guessing, and its just a guess, that the very same people that “OH” and “AHH” at the text messaging, web browsing, sensing screen and conference call never owned or seen a BlackBerry. But, like I said, I’m waiting patiently and I am trying to step around the people setting up camp in front of Apple stores waiting for the product’s release.

Another surprise that I am awaiting to be revealed is the price. Of course the rumor around the world is $300-$600 $499 to $599 dollars. I personally hope its somewhere around $1000. Why? Remember when the iPod hit the streets and it was around $300 and people were getting robbed for their iPod in the streets of New York and California? They said to themselves, “Wow, I just lost my $300 iPod.” I want to read about people saying “Dang, I just lost my $1000 iPhone.” Now I’m not saying I hope you get robbed for your iPhone, but well,it’s just like a kid waiting to hear if his school is closed due to a snow storm. Another funny fact is that people will pay that much for it. It’s all about how Apple markets its iPhone. When I think of Apple, I think of Anpanman here in Japan. Anpanman is a kid super hero here in Japan. Along with his TV show, games, toys, and laundry list of apparel, he also sold his name to many knick knacks which are double and sometimes triple that of regular name brands. Here is one case study:

Here at a store, I found two similar umbrellas. I even opened them to make sure they were the same and the design was pretty much the same except one difference. The graphic on the rain cover. The regular one with the plain graphic was priced at around $3.98 in USD. Now how much do you think the graphic Anpanman is worth? Double the price? Triple? No….quad it up baby! The Anpanman was priced at around $16.45 USD. Despite them being the same overall size and color and material, they get to charge FOUR times the normal price. Same goes for any other big market business items. And people will still pay for that because of its influence. Now try to imagine if the business said that the Anpanman umbrella reinvented the way we use umbrellas. How much more could they charge?

So enough with the reviews unless you owned one for more then a day, and enough of the gaga over something that has technology thats been out for years. Save it for when it does come out. Save it for when you do own one. And to answer your question, yes, I am WAITING to get one too.

Correction: Expected price of the iPhone ranges from $499 to $599, just a mear $400 shy of my dream price. Thanks RandyW!