It's not just the iPhone itself, but the way people think about it and using it. There's this whole category of augmented reality apps that, more than flying cars or other scifi ideas, make me feel like I'm living in the future. That I can be standing downtown in a city I've never visited before and hold up my phone and have it tell me where I can get a good sandwich, a tasty drink, or have my coat tailored ... this is magic! It can also tell me about the history of landmarks near where I am or the geology of the area. Suddenly, the world is full of information that I can access right where I am. This is incredibly awesome.
It's this ridiculous toy, and also a whole new way of thinking about ... all kinds of things. I love the crazy ideas people pursue with it. I love the social networking apps like foursquare and buzzd and loopt. It's ridiculous, and it's fantastic. What's not to love?
Also, I'm surprised by how much I like having access to my email when I'm on the bus or waiting at a cafe or in those in-between times. This leads to my spending less time in front of my computer at home, which is wonderful.
So, I'm thankful for being wrong, living in the future, creativity and ingenuity, and less time at the keyboard. Awesome.
