iPhone makes me think... again

I love new technology. Really I do. And not much else has gotten my attention recently more than the new iPhone.
I neither have the money or the ability (my current Verizon contract standing in the way) to actually GET an iPhone right now, but I did have the opportunity to mess with one the other day at a local Apple Store.

A lot has been written about the iPhone and I certainly don't need to go on blabbering on here about all of its bells as whistles. But I will take a moment to talk about its interface.

As a designer, I was very interested to see how it actually worked.

I was not disappointed. Apple has been able to develop an interface that was as instinctual as anything I have ever used... even a hammer. To me it was THAT simple. I immediately understood HOW to use the device. And as anyone who gets the newest and latest cell phones can tell you, that is NEVER the case. They come with books for a good reason. And that first night you have your new phone, you lay in bed with all of that stuff on the bed, the phone in one hand and the manual in the other letting out a series of sounds that go something like... "huh? hmmm. Sheesh. Oh! Hmmm. THATS stupid!"

I stood there for some time messing with the latest in interface design and could finally see where all of this is taking us. Hopefully I will find some inspiration in that simple moment and move my little part of the design world along too. But I sure do want to design something for that cool little phone!

In the meantime, if anyone wants to donate an iPhone to my favorite charity... I am sure I, errr... i mean they, would appreciate it.