I have just spent an amazing hour watching Steve Jobs' Keynote speech from MacWorld - on the Web of course and courtesy of www.engadget.com (superb coverage and reportage by the way guys).

So many people will be talking about the new Apple iPhone/Ipod/Photostore/Movie/TV show/Email/Contacts/Calendar device that you are going to have plenty of opportunity to read all about it and see it! (The online Apple Stores are closed as I write this so doubtless they're all waiting for the end of Steve's speech to reopen.)

I am posting this to say, read the report of the speech "as it happened". You will gain an understanding of just HOW different this device really is and the reporter's and audience reaction has been amazing and unique, even for MacWorld.

As for me, from what I've read so far, this is the first device I've seen that would tempt me away from my Palm Treo 650 - and that's saying something. As I write this Steve's just had Dr. Eric Schmidt - CEO of Google on stage with him. Eric said, "We can take the enormous brain trust of the Apple team and the open protocols of companies like google and put them in an environment for end users. From a Gooogle perspective, we've pushed very hard to partner with Apple and working with many many different data services, -- Steve showed a little bit. It comes together seamlessly. This is the first of a whole new generation..." and it looks as though he might just be right.

Time will tell, as it always does, but here and now, For a 4GB model in the USA Apple are pricing it at $499. There will also be an 8GB model for $599.

Jobs: "When's it going to be available? We're shipping them in June - we're announcing it today because we have to go get FCC approval... we thought it'd be better to introduce this today rather than let the FCC introduce this. Europe in the 4th quarter of this year, Asia in 2008."

To my mind, it looks to me as though Apple have stolen a march on just about every other mobile hardware maker - yet again!

Click the picture to read the report "as it happened".