The new Apple iPhone 3G will be launched next friday. I know that for you Americans the iPhone is almost an old story (you are using it from over a year) but you should read the European forums and feel the level of frenzy.... almost incredible. If the Messiah Himself had announced His return, the waiting would not be so spasmodic.

The "funny" thing is that here in Italy, for example, a big share of families has real money problems. "Non si arriva alla fine del mese", that is, it's hard to survive until the end of month and the next salary. Yet, EVERYBODY is crazy about the new phone    . People will buy it on hire purchase (instalments? Loan? Please forgive my bad English, you understand what I mean).

And here in Italy there are no "flat data" charges: you must pay for each MB you download, or at least a limited quota per month (no more that 1 GB, and if you exceed the quota, your wallet cries in pain). And wi-fi free access points are almost non-existant. So a device like the iPhone is seriously impaired. Yet EVERYONE WANTS IT!

(ok, me too :tt1: , but I have no money for it, so... never mind! :mad: )

Giorgio

Hmmm ... an interesting post and ... You have a nice website (even though I don't read Italian :o)

You have created a neat character in phantomgirl there.  My favorite image is 06- Quick decision ... well done!

cheers,
dr geep
;=]

Thanks Dr. Geep! It's a great compliment coming from you!

(All those images are also in my gallery here on Rendo, but this is an off-topic of an off-topic!)

Giorgio

Hmmm ... maybe we should get off this off-topic of the off-topic ... what cha think?

"Non si arriva alla fine del mese"

Good saying.  We have an increasing number of poor people in America,
thanks to uncontrolled inflation.  Our version of the saying is
"More month than money".

Italy may be slow in receiving the iPhone, but if I recall correctly, Italy has been
ahead of America in Internet service because every phone connection
has DSL without extra payment.  (Is that true?  I heard it from an Italian, but
he might have been mistaken, or I might have misunderstood.)

Quote -
Italy may be slow in receiving the iPhone, but if I recall correctly, Italy has been
ahead of America in Internet service because every phone connection
has DSL without extra payment.

Unfortunately it's not true. On the contrary, diffusion of ADSL is not so widespread as in most other European countries.
Technically, Italian phone lines are often based on old copper wires, in need of service and replacements. Italian geography does not help, with a lot of mountains and small towns: this means often a long distance between houses and telephone exchange (--> low ADSL speeds).
Phone companies are trying to fill the gap, but there is still a sizeable share of Italian population without ADSL, or with limited access to it.
And please do not mention hotspots, free wi-fi access points, urban wireless coverage, and so on. Only few cities have it, and costs are still very high.

BUT, there are more cellphones than inhabitants. Strange country, this Italy! :biggrin:

Giorgio

Well, that makes me feel a bit less envious.  Sounds similar to the
American situation.   I must have misunderstood the earlier conversation.

jobs (apple corp.), who (officially) is being treated for a viral infection, had them lower
the price of the iphone and iphoneG3 to encourage sales.  however, in the states, the
cost of the two-year contract to be connected to the net is either $1440 or $1680 (approx),
hence the user is locked into a contract costing nearly $2,000 american.  obviously, one
doesn't fancy the idea of paying 40 euros per month for two years to connect at 64 kbps,
especially since the phone will be obsolete before year's end IMVHO.