8. Do you use voice dialing or dial by touch?

The iPhone's all-virtual button interface is great for looks and functionality. No doubt, it will also make it possible for Apple to improve the interface on iPhones in a way that no mobile phone maker has yet been able to. However, if you're someone who tends to dial phone numbers by touch or using voice dialing, you're pretty much out of luck with the iPhone.

One last thing ...

There is one final thing to keep in mind when deciding whether to purchase an iPhone: The iPhone announced last month isn't likely to be the only iPhone that Apple will produce. It seems almost certain, based on statements from both Cingular and Apple, that future iPhone models will be released, much like the original iPod has given way to a three-model product range that offers varying features and prices. If you feel that this first iPhone is too expensive, too limited or just isn't for you, keep in mind that over the next year or two, there may be a model that will be more appealing.

That said, given what is publicly known about the terms of Apple's multiyear agreement with Cingular, chances are good that future iPhones will require owners to be Cingular customers.