“The iPhone is revolutionary... it does things no phone has ever done before.”

“You’ll win envious looks on the street toting the iPhone.”

“The iPhone, perhaps the most hyped consumer electronics device ever created...”

“It’s possibly the most fun we’ve ever had with a handheld device.”

The reviews all tell the same story: the iPhone is one amazing invention. The slim consumer gadget has attracted plenty of attention since it was announced January of this year. After that, people were freaking over the idea of an iPod/cell phone combo until it was finally released on June 29.

The top of the line 8GB (gigabyte) iPhone originally sold for $599. The iPhone is exclusive to the AT&T network in the United States. Apple and AT&T stores were packed upon release, with lines running down the street for hours, and sometimes even days. The very first person in line for an iPhone, who simply called himself Greg, camped out in front of Apple’s Midtown Manhattan, NY store for four days. Abi Janus, a Kauai teen, waited in line for her iPhone as soon as it was released. “I love everything about the iPhone. You’re never bored. It’s like having a laptop, phone, camera, and iPod everywhere you go,” she said.

As of September, Apple has sold over 1 million iPhones. AT&T has added on an extra $20 per month for iPhone service plans to pay for unlimited email, internet, and visual voicemail, a feature that allows iPhone owners to view and choose to play their voice messages in a list like they were text messages, instead of calling the voice mail number and listening. “The iPhone is everything you need. I almost expect to find a pocket knife and a toothpick coming out the side,” said Eliott Lucas, an iPhone owner.

In August, Apple dropped the price of the 8GB iPhone to $399 and stopped selling the 4GB iPhone that had previously cost $499. This angered many iPhone owners who had purchased their phones before the price cut. In response, Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, decided to give the upset customers a $100 credit to use at the Apple store or online at Apple.com.

Most people are very happy with their iPhones. Jeff Brock, a teacher at Island School, said “The iPhone has everything. It’s the coolest piece of technology I’ve ever owned. I’m never more than two feet away from it at any time.”

Some people, however, aren’t so happy. Some users had trouble activating the phone, which is done through the iTunes software, instead of having a sales rep activate it for you in the store. Others were unhappy with paying hefty fees for canceling their contracts with their previous network. Some were discouraged from purchasing one because of the high price or because they didn’t want to switch cell phone providers.

Is it worth it? Maybe, if you’re into the “cool” factor and have to be an early adopter. If you want to wait, you also may be in luck, as there could very well be further price cuts, added features, and upgrades that will make the iPhone even better than before