I bought the new iPhone (3G S) last month. I love it.

Two years ago, when I decided to go with the Nokia N95, I didn't quite understand the importance of user experience design yet, or how much Nokia sucked at it, and how much Apple excelled at it.

The iPhone is just tremendously intuitive, and it takes one or two clicks to do what took five or six on the N95. That may seem trivial, but it literally makes iPhone navigation exponentially more efficient. Also, and this is really what exceeded my already high expectations: the developer community is incredible! Here are some of my non-obvious favorites applications:

Nimbuzz: free multi-protocol chat program
Flickit: free Flickr uploader
Shazam: records 30 seconds of a song and then identifies it for you LIKE MAGIC
Monospace: mind-bending 3D/2D block puzzle
Shift: positive/negative space-reversal puzzle (port of free Flash game)
Eliss: multi-touch abstract puzzle
Crayon Physics: like The Incredible Machine, except cuter and more open-ended (port of original PC game)
Rolando: I prefer LocoRoco, but this one is fun, too
One Dot Enemies: clever, eye-straining pixel-squasher

My favorite app, though, is the official Geocaching app. Geocaching is a world-wide game in which people hide small "treasures", then post their GPS coordinates online so others can find them, trade treasure, and/or sign the log. In NYC, there's such a critical mass of caches that you can play spontaneously: if you're waiting for a table at a restaurant, if you're early to meet someone, or if you're ready for a venue change but don't know what to do next.

I've been itching to geocache since high school (really!) but never invested in a GPS unit. Dave was out from LA a few weeks ago and showed me the app. We found a couple caches and I was hooked!

The best part of geocaching is that you feel like you're in on a big secret. All of these caches are hidden in public spaces, right under the public's nose, but only those with the secret knowledge can find the treasure! With such specific and exciting knowledge, you develop a more intimate relationship with these public spaces. You form a mental map of the city based on these secrets, and when you're near a previously-found cache, you recall a specific memory for that location and feel more invested in that space. It's great! (This is also a primary argument for installing and appreciating street art.)

I've got my gripes about the iPhone, sure: I still long for tactile feedback; the camera is good but not great; I can't believe processes still can't run in the background; I still need to jailbreak for laptop tethering, video streaming, and to escape Apple's draconian app gatekeeping; AT&T 3G service is terrible in NYC (lowest in the nation!); AT&T unconstitutionally wiretaps my calls; and I don't really like giving into the increasingly proprietary Apple machine.

But! The benefits outweigh the costs. I'm sold. Screw you, Nokia.