iphone on technabob...

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the user interface designers over at Apple should be feeling pretty good about themselves these days. We’ve seen everything from knock-off devices, to an online screen smudge simulator, to PSP-based menu frontends. Now the Windows Mobile crowd can jump on board the iPhone lookalike train with this new set of applications…

While Apple is offering a service to replace batteries in the iPhone when they eventually wear out, there’s no question that the service is a quite expensive, costing $79.95 plus shipping.
Now, the first (of what will no doubt be many) third-party battery replacement services is offering Apple some competition. ipodjuice.com will take care of replacing a dead iPhone battery for just $45…

If you just can’t stand the simple good looks of your new iPhone, you can now have it indelibly imbued with a splash of color by the folks over at Colorware.

Starting at $149, they’ll take your iPhone and and coat it with a durable automotive-grade color finish. They’re also offering brand new pre-colored iPhones for $649 (4Gb) and $749 (8GB) if you don’t have one yet…

Back in the early 1980’s, industrial designer Hartmut Esslinger of frog design fame was cranking out machines for a young little tech company called Apple Computer. As a matter of fact, he was the man behind design of the wildly popular Apple IIc personal computer.
Now, Esslinger’s son, Marc, has put together a never before seen gallery of designs that Apple never released…

Those of you with Sony’s PSP portable gaming system can now install a menu system that looks remarkably similar to the one on Apple’s iPhone.

The iPSP software installs onto a Memory Stick and provides ready access to your e-mail, photos, instant messaging, and other applications on the PSP…

Seems like the latest trend in technology is to make fabric versions of your favorite electronic gadgets. A couple of weeks back it was the felt Nintendo.
This week, some kid’s Mom was way too cool, and knit him a wool iPhone. Please to enjoy…

As far as I know, this version doesn’t require a 2-year contract with AT&T, and the screen doesn’t smudge.
[via CraftZine]

Now that Apple’s iPhone has hit the market, it’s time for a bunch of the cheap knock-offs from the Far East to start popping up…

Well, now that I’ve had about a day to try out my new iPhone, I’m ready to give you guys my initial impressions.
First off, my purchasing experience was surprisingly painless. I arrived around 5:20pm on launch day at the AT&T store that’s by Harlem and Irving Park Avenues, just Northwest of Chicago…