'Super geek' first to buy iPhone

Brett Howell has crowned himself Australia's "super geek" - the first person in the country to get his hands on Apple's long-awaited iPhone 3G.

The wait is over a for a few hundred hardy souls, who camped outside Optus's Sydney store on a cold and windy winter night to get the phone at midnight (AEST).
Optus held a launch party before opening its doors, treating the hundreds queuing up for the multi-functional device to free pizza, coffee, massages and entertainment as the clock inched toward 12am.
And the man at the head of the line was Brett Howell, a 36-year-old business analyst from Sydney.
Mr Howell began queuing outside Optus's George Street store at 1.15pm (AEST), and said he was surprised to be the only person camped outside the store.
"I was shocked that no one had lined up," he said.
"I'm not a super geek, but apparently I am. I'm Australia's super geek."
Mr Howell said he became hooked on the iPhone, which he called a "mini-Mac", after witnessing the US launch of the original iPhone last year.
"Last year, I happened to be in New York for the launch of the original iPhone and loved it then, and waited and waited for it come to Australia," he said.
"I wanted to make sure I got the phone when it first came out - I didn't want to be the first."
The iPhone 3G is arguably the most anticipated technological release of the year, with the device being launched in 20 countries on Friday.
Apple's new iPhone combines three devices in one, the standard phone, an iPod music player, plus an internet browser.
Such is the fever for the touch-screen device, that analysts predict sales could pass the billion-dollar mark within days.
Thanks to Australia's place in the international time zone, Australians will be among the first in the world to purchase the much-anticipated gadget.
Optus's midnight launch for its registered Sydney customers beat the likes of Telstra and Vodafone, who begin selling the iPhone in the morning.
Telstra stores around Australia will open from between 6am to 9am in anticipation of a rush for the new hand-held device.
Vodafone customers were expected to start queuing at its central Sydney store at 6am ahead of its 7am opening, along with about 100 other Vodafone stores across Australia.
Optus was due to open its doors nationally at 7am, and charge $729 for those wanting to purchase 8GB iPhone upfront.
Third in line outside Optus' Sydney store, Nicki Bam, told AAP she had booked a room at the nearby Four Seasons hotel, and as soon as she picked up her iPhone she planned to rush back to play with her new toy.
"I've booked a room at the Four Seasons, my other half is waiting for me, so I'll go there and play with the iPhone," the 38-year-old manager said.
"I'm a big, big Apple fan. I've been waiting for ages for this. I wanted to be one of the first."
In an admission that might disappoint some Apple fans, Australian "super geek" Mr Howell said he would wait until the morning before tinkering with his new phone.
"The first thing I'm going to do when I get it is go home and put it on charge and go to bed," he said.
"It will wait until the morning - all that matters is that I've got the phone."
A few people were braving the cold outside Sydney's new Apple store, rugged up with books and blankets as the waited for it to open at 8am.
Head of the queue, Elly Hurley, began waiting at 3pm and admitted to being sucked in by Apple's clever marketing.
"It's a sexy piece of kit, it's a fantastic looking phone, and it does lots," the 41-year-old said.
"Apple just market their products exceptionally well and there is just a lot of hype that comes with it, and I got caught up in it."

aap 11 Jul 2008

In the U.S. the 8GB iphone can be purchased for approx. USD$200. Given the current exchange rate, the outright price of the iphone in Australia should be similar.

The ACCC is nowhere in sight in this matter, and the muppets are paying way too much for an overrated device. The Australian Telcos are holding their users at ransom over such technology.

An online survey by ninemsn reveals that 80% of the general public believe that the iphone is OVERPRICED.