Wolf Tracking

As the widely hyped and attended 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) comes to an end, I, like just about every other PR guy, sifted through the week’s tech press to read about the exciting new gizmos and gadgets I can add to my wish list of toys. I was surprised to find that the highlight of this year’s show wasn’t at the show at all – it was at Macworld!

After years of widespread rumors, Steve Jobs finally unveiled Apple’s iPhone on Tuesday – a device he touts as 3-in-1.

“Today, we’re introducing three revolutionary products,” Jobs said. “The first one is a widescreen iPod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary mobile phone. The third is a breakthrough Internet communications device. These are not three separate devices. This is one device and we are calling it iPhone.”

iPhone introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and new software, enabling users to control everything with their fingers.

“Today Apple is reinventing the phone,” Jobs added.

According to CES attendees, “iPhone-mania” rocked the show as the implications of a mobile device, combining portable internet access, an iPod and a ground-breaking phone, were digested by industry players and quickly realized as a cause for concern.

According to traditionally conservative TIME, the industry’s fear is well founded. “Apple’s new iPhone could do to the cellphone market what the iPod did to the portable music player market: crush it pitilessly beneath the weight of its own superiority.”

Two versions of the iPhone will be released in June, a 4GB version priced at $499 and an 8GB version priced at $599, available exclusively from Cingular.

My wish list is short this year, but boy am I excited for June.