Here's an email exchange with my brother regarding the new G3 iPhone...

I think I'm stalling once again due to the OUTRAGEOUS monthly expense/upcharges of the phone via AT&T greed.

I'm considering buying an older 8gig iPhone and just activating the WiFi service on it, so basically I can have an iTouch with a camera on it ($120 a year) and keeping my regular phone. If the iTouch had the camera, hell, I would just do that instead. You can only do this with the older model... The new ones you are "required" to activate in store with contract and blood in hand to sign on the dotted line....

Adapting to the technology comes at an expense I can afford, but can't simply justify... If it were a $60 max cost per month, I'd be waiting in line like the next techie this Friday. AT&T...you can simply SUCK IT.

I wish all parties could play fair for once to the consumer instead taking advantage of them with this "modern miracle"...

The shift in pricing via AT&T plans are simply obnoxious... The idea of having to pay additional for text messaging is insane and not comparable to what like companies are doing in the market. This ridiculous add on is really the deal breaker for me in pricing.

The idea of developing a product with a single carrier has infuriated me, it's like a monopoly and consumers need fair competition in the market to keep pricing plans reasonable.

AT&T turned greedy (what's new...). And funny enough Apple has an honest price on the technology now (since they have backed out of getting the kick-backs they were getting from AT&T's monthly fees on top of that...)

I'm so incredibly disappointed... I can't even describe how much of a buzz kill it is for me...

I would have to call this "Vampire-tech ism" a simple mash up of Vampirism and Technology.

Frick 'n' frack,
Mark.

LOVE THE CANADIANS, as usual: (check this out)
Rogers issued a press release today announcing a last minute special promotional offer for the iPhone 3G in Canada.

Effective July 11, and as a limited time promotional offer for customers who activate by August 31 on a three year contract, a data-only offering of 6GB of data for $30 per month is being made available that can be added to any in-market voice plan. For example, with 6GB of data, iPhone 3G users can visit 35,952 web pages, or send and receive 157,286 emails, or watch 6,292 minutes of YouTube videos each and every month.

The rate plan appears to be in response to the overwhelming consumer outrage at the original iPhone plans announced two weeks ago. Initially, data plans for the iPhone topped out at 2GB for the highest $115/month plan which also came with 800 voice minutes + unlimited voice nights/weekends.

Select Rogers stores in Canada will open at 8 a.m. on July 11th for the iPhone 3G launch.