Last September I wrote a blog post entitled 10 Reasons Why I Returned my iPhone. I purchased an iPhone just prior to leaving for Interbike, and by the time I came home I was happy to get rid of it. And I told you some of the reasons why.

With the new 3G iPhone coming out on Friday, I am once again caught in the Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field and have caught iPhone fever once again. This time, however, I’ve decided to carefully analyze whether or not this really is, as some have called it, the Jesus Phone.

So I decided to go back to my original post and revisit some of my earlier criticisms of the iPhone as an objective way of determining whether I need to be at the Apple Store at 8:00 a.m. on Friday Morning. Under each, criticism I explain the new situation and indicate whether this is still valid or has now become moot.

Here goes:

Criticism 1: 3G v. EDGE
This should be easy, right? I mean, the new iPhone is called the 3G iPhone after all. Unfortunately, all is not as it seems. Yes, the new iPhone has 3G capabilities on AT&T’s HSDPA network. Unfortunately, this network is nowhere near as widespread geographically as the CDMA 3G networks of Sprint and Verizon. As a current Verizon 3G customer, I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have 3G coverage. Looking at AT&T’s Coverage Viewer, I won’t have 3G more than I will. Including at home.
Valid

Criticism 2: Typing
Nothing has changed here.
Valid

Criticism 3: Third Party Apps
In a matter of hours, iTunes 7.7 will be released and, along with it, the iTunes App Store. The App Store is supposed to launch with thousands of applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, many of them free.
Moot

Criticism 4: They Want to Brick my iPhone
Prior to the App Store the only way to install third party applications was to unlock your iPhone, something Apple and AT&T looked down upon. So much so that if you did it, you might just end up with a doorstop instead of a communications device. Now that the App Store is here, I don’t care if they want to brick unlocked phones because there’s just no reason to unlock one in the first place.
Moot

Criticism 5: I Can Do That With My Treo . . . Only better
Once again, the App Store has made this a moot point. Apple’s developers are well-known for creating elegant, easy-to-use, powerful programs to handle a wide variety of tasks. Compared to what I expect on the App Store, the Treo’s apps are about to look about as elegant as those on my old TRS-80.
Moot

Criticism 6: Headphone/Microphone/Speaker
Steve listened loud and clear (pun intended) to this criticism. The headphone jack is no longer recessed, the speakers and microphone are improved. All is right with the world.
Moot

Criticism 7: Crippled Bluetooth
Just when I was on a roll! Bluetooth is still inexplicably crippled on the iPhone. You can’t use stereo Bluetooth headphones and you can’t use Bluetooth for tethering the phone with your computer. Come on, Apple!
Valid

Criticism 8: GSM Buzz / GSM Gurgle
Apple chose GSM presumably so that the phone would work all across the world. There’s no changing the technology so this is a take-it-or-leave-it issue.
Valid

Criticism 9: AT&T Can’t Port My Number
Turns out this is more a problem with my present carrier (Verizon) than with AT&T. When I moved to Utah, Verizon gave me a number that coincides with a prairie dog colony somewhere in the middle of nowhere. AT&T doesn’t offer service there (who whould?) and so they therefore can’t port my number. I can live with a new number.
Valid, but who cares?

Criticism 10: Not Enough Memory
16GB is better than 8GB, so I guess this has become moot. 32 or 64 would have been better, but I can live with this too. How often do I listen to Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five anyway?
Moot

Okay, give me a second while I tally the score. . . .

You’ve got to be kidding me!

It’s a tie. 5-5 on the Valid-Moot-O-Meter.

Oh well. Guess I’ll see you Friday morning. You bring the coffee and I’ll save your place in line.