Have we mentioned that we’re dorks?

Grab the extraordinarily useful wallpaper pattern than we whipped up today, and you too can revel in newfound geek cred.

In many of the more relaxed civilizations on the Outer Eastern Rim of the Galaxy, the ‘Hitchiker’s Guide’ has already supplanted the great ‘Encyclopedia Galactica’ as the standard repository of all knowledge and wisdom, for though it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it scores over the older, more pedestrian work in two important respects. First, it is slightly cheaper; and second, it has the words ‘DON’T PANIC’ inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover.

Macworld/PC World have recorded a video blog entry where they subject iPhone to a ton of stress tests, including keying, scratching and dropping on pavement, repeatedly and violently.

The short of it is, the thing’s built really solid and the screen is astoundingly resiliant. Good news for us because we couldn’t bring ourselves to put ours into either of the cases we bought for them, because the device is just so beautiful all by itself, and the cases available at launch (that we’ve tried on)… aren’t.

The initial round of iPhone reviews have started tricking in from the largest news publications in the country, and they’re very favorable.

No real new information about features (that hasn’t been widely publicized prior) is coming from these reviews, except that:

• The camera’s actually really nice
• EDGE can be annoyingly slow, and AT&T’s network / voice compression for voice can be in the low range of tolerable in spots.
• You can’t use songs as ringtones ( /happydance! this is a negative? )

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Update: Apple has also added rate plan information for existing AT&T customers, even those on a family talk plan. Unlimited data works out to about a $20 premium.

Apple & AT&T announced their combo data/voice plans for the iPhone this morning, and they seem to be rather reasonable:

• $59.99 / 450 minutes of voice / 5000 night & weekend minutes / unlimited data
• $79.99 / 900 minutes of voice / unlimited night & weekend / unlimited data
• $99.99 / 1350 minutes of voice / unlimited night & weekend / unlimited data

All plans include 200 SMS messages per month, and unlimited mobile to mobile minutes.

Update 6/26/2007: The official voice and data plans have been revealed. 

Another day, another complete lack of solid information on iPhone data/voice plan rates, which (in our opinion) is the single most important piece of the launch day puzzle still left undiscovered. Read More »

Update 6/27/2007: Official voice & data plans have been revealed

Applegazette has some possible details regarding the iPhone data plan today, which seem to jive with AT&T’s published rates.

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Kurt Schteck of City Tools recently interviewed Trey Harrell of iPhone Geek, getting his perspective on buzz and industry considerations surrounding the super-hyped launch.

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Noheat.com is carrying an interesting rumor today: Apple may be contracting with Nintendo to develop mobile content for the iPhone.

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According to the manufacturer, Aliph, the Jawbone bluetooth headset will be available alongside the iPhone for launch at Apple Stores.

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German magazine Focus has a rather interesting tidbit today.

Apparently they have word that Apple is partnering with Mercedes to build an in-car navigation system. This seems a little strange at first until you realize the Google Maps integration Apple’s been developing, and the fact that they’ve never quite managed to get in-car iPod integration as elegant as it should be.

Perhaps an Apple-branded built-in headunit that combines stereo, iPod and navigation would be the logical workaround for clunky car to iPod interfaces?

After using the “elegant” BMW/Mini Apple branded iPod dock, we’re watching this one with interest.

The buzz category is for general reality distortion field type information — not quite news, not quite rumor.