I just read that the Apple iPhone (pictured right) will be released on June 29.  Coincidentally, that's the date of my first marriage.  Had she and I stayed married, it would be 22 years.
It then occurred to me that my first wife and the iPhone have a lot in common.
So in that vein, let me share with you the top 10 reasons why the iPhone is like my ex-wife.

  1. It's expensive.
  2. It seems special because it's unique, but ultimately it's just a mediocre piece (of equipment).
  3. People will want one,if for no other reason that they know how easy it is.
  4. You don't have to be smart to do everything it's capable of.  In fact, it helps if you're not.
  5. It comes with a lot of baggage you may not want (in the case of the iPhone, that would be iTunes).
  6. It's got a lot of open connectivity to the world.
  7. At first it sounds like a great idea, but once you've had it for a while you realize you're stuck with it.  (iPhone requires a 2 year contract).
  8. You can put a nice package on it, but inside it's based on old technology and eventually you're going to get tired of its annoying way of doing things.
  9. "Think Different" is not always better than "Be Normal"
  10. No matter how fun it will be to play with, you'll soon realize that because of all of the things above, you shouldn't have got one in the first place and if you can't find exactly what you want that will last you a long time, you'd have been better off with a Palm.  It may not do everything, it may not be as fun, and it's not something you brag about to your friends, but it's reliable, somewhat enjoyable, and it'll get the job done.