That apple phone looks pretty "goofy" to me too. There's no way in hell I'd ever buy it. It's the wrong size, the wrong shape, and has the wrong features.
I want a phone that fits into my pocket in such a way that it doesn't bother me, I don't ever worry about cracking the screen, and if I put my car keys in the same pocket it shouldn't ruin the display or dial 911 by itself.
I have never, and probably never will, browse the web from a cellphone. The closest I'd ever come to that would be using an integrated phone book feature to look up stuff near where I am. I have a palm pilot and take it with me on the road, but it's all "wrong" for a phone as far as I'm concerned. The palm phones are simply too big to stick in a pocket when going out to do *whatever*, so I'd never use it just like I never carry my palm pilot with me when I go to parties or to get groceries. My cellphone goes with me almost everywhere, because it is small and unobtrusive.
For that matter, here is all I want in my phone:
Thin "flip" design with a 3-1 or greater aspect ratio when opened. Those short wide phones do nothing for me, and sound quality is best if the speaker is near your ear and the mic is near your mouth. The screen and buttons are protected when closed.
Good battery life. I'll give up a color screen for an additional 2 hours of talk time anyday.
Good reception and voice quality. I couldn't care less about any of these other features if the damn thing doesn't function as a phone when I need to talk to someone.
GPS. Knowing where I am is good, and if integrated with a 911 service it can save your life.
No web browser, but instead a phone book feature that has both name, store type, and "near me" search features. Like "find a PF Changs near me".
Bonus feature but only if kept REALLY simple: 8 gig MP3 player with a SIMPLE interface like the ipod mini or ipod nano. No stupid tiny videos, no color screen, just music and playlists like my ipod mini.
I don't even need or want bluetooth, PIM, calendar, or any of those other features. I'm not a road warrior even though I travel TDY on business a couple times a month. I do some work at home and use a real computer (with dual monitors...) to do my work because real computers are designed to do that better. For a phone, I want something that can slip in my pocket and be the best freaking TELEPHONE, first and foremost. If it lets me leave my gps, phone book, and mp3 player at home, then that's a bonus.
Texting is for children and the unemployed... What a freaking time waster. I will argue that even "pro" road warriors and executives who use blackberrys are not really optimizing their time, because it is a constant distraction and it dilutes the attention they spend on anything, all the time. The most effective managers I've met do not use blackberrys and they also hate powerpoint presentations. They want information fast and on demand, but they also focus intently on what they're doing and when they're doing something else, they don't fiddle with email.
Some people swear by their crackberries but I am convinced that a great number of those people are fooling themselves into thinking they are being more effective. Some jobs can be greatly enhanced by mobile connectivity but I think most people do it because they either think it's cool, or they WANT to be distracted because they hate whatever else it is they have to do. I am personally far more productive if I can focus on what I'm doing, take pen/paper notes, and then sit down at a real computer (or my awesome IBM T41p laptop when I'm on the road) to check email and do other work that requires a computer.
Apple's phone... It is almost the exact opposite of what I want in a mobile phone.
