50 years ago, Ford Motor Company came out with the Edsel, a product that
became famous as a massive commercial failure.

The Edsel was designed to fill a marketing niche, rather than a specific
need or capability. So is the iPhone (in this case, the fanboys who have
to have the latest toy).

The Edsel was an outstanding design with a badly flawed implementation.
So is the iPhone (no 3G, low-resolution screen, no third-party apps or
SDK, poor keyboard, locked, ...)

The Edsel was more expensive than alternatives. So is the iPhone.

To see the future of the iPhone, we only have to look at what became of
the Edsel. It was manufacturered for only two years before it was taken
out of its misery; and it now sells for premium prices on the collector's
market.

This last may be a reason to buy an iPhone; you intend to sell it NIB some
years down the line for big bucks. Be careful, though. People thought
that Newtons had great investment potential too but they remain a
dime-a-dozen on eBay.

-- Mark --

http://panda.com/mrc
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to eat for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote.