The iPhone, as Jobs proudly dubbed the device to thunderous applause ,will be three devices in one: a cell phone, a wide-screen iPod with touch controls, and an Internet communications device. Cingular is the lucky carrier (apparently the companies have patched up their relationship following the Motorola Rokr bust).

We haven’t gotten to hold an iPhone yet, but we’re just as excited as the next person to finally write down our first thoughts, and we won’t sleep until we get our hands on one. Check back near the iPhone’s June release date for our full review.

Design
To be successful, an Apple phone has to sport an iconic Apple design–the Rokr’s dull design did it no favors. Fortunately, Apple fulfilled our expectations this time with a smooth design and an innovative interface. Say goodbye to traditional cell phone buttons–this phone is all touch screen, all the time.
Features
Though we’re pleased Apple made it a quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) world phone, we’re disappointed the iPhone’s data support tops out at 2.5G EDGE networks. Considering the multimedia-friendly feature set, the omission of any 3G compatibility is a bit bizarre, particularly since Cingular now offers UMTS and HSDPA.

We wouldn’t normally spend much time on voice mail, but Apple pulled a new trick out of its hat with Visual Voicemail. Rather than forcing you to call your voice mail and waiting to browse through multiple messages to hear the one you want, Visual Voicemail displays all the messages you have in a list, similar to an e-mail in-box. All you have to do is select the message you want and listen away.

Outlook
After months of iPhone speculation, we were sick of the device even before it came out. But now, well, we have to admit it’s quite lovely. The vivid display is especially attractive, and we like the sleek, minimalist design. The touch screen may involve a learning curve, but we’re excited to try it out. The iPod functionality will no doubt draw many, and in particular, we’re glad to see world phone support, the Yahoo e-mail app, stereo Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.