So you're patiently waiting for your new iPhone. You have dreams of it in your hands, your fingers caressing the gentle polished touch screen. Your mind is obsessed with imagining all the 'new' things you can do with it, & the girlfriend / wife is telling you to shut up about the '3G' and give her some lovin'

So... how can you satisfy your restless desires until July 11th?

Here's a great article from John O'Brien - suggesting what we can do to prepare ourselves, and our computer systems, for the brand new 3G iPhone.

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THE official Australian iPhone release is finally upon us, after what seemed like an eternal wait. And Mac users will have a particularly seamless experience, as the breakthrough device runs a mobile version of their desktop OS X.

Here are the top five things Mac users can do to prepare for the coming of the “Jesus phone”.

Make your own ringtones: The iPhone comes with some nifty default ringtones, but chances are you’ll want to personalise it with some of your favourite songs. Apple’s GarageBand music-making software can help. The program, which is bundled free with new Macs or can be bought as part of Apple’s $99 iLife package, lets you drop any unprotected music file into its timeline, define a loop of 40 seconds or less (with fadeout if required), then export it to iTunes as an iPhone ringtone.

Update your Address Book: If you’re already using iSync to synchronise your system-wide Address Book with your existing mobile phone, you probably have all your contacts in order. If not, it’s worth checking Address Book has not only your buddies’ e-mail addresses but also their phone numbers (in international format if you’re likely to be roaming). You’ll also want to add their mugshot so you’re greeted with their picture when they call, rather than a generic silhouette. Address Book is integrated with your iPhoto library so you can browse, select, and crop and zoom pics of your contacts. And OS X Leopard adds Photo Booth effects to Address Book, so you can morph your friends’ faces.

Convert your video: Sure, the iPhone is an iPod, but what’s truly great about it is that, like the iPod touch, its crisp, large widescreen display makes portable video viable for the first time. The Australian iTunes Store is finally selling TV shows, and you’ve probably downloaded vodcasts as well, but what if you have video from other sources you’d like to put on your iPhone? Mac utilities such as VisualHub will convert pretty much any video format to the open-standard H.264 favoured by Apple. And if you’re not concerned about the legality (or otherwise), HandBrake will rip your DVDs in anamorphic format at their original size, for use on both iPhone and Apple TV.

Organise your iPhoto albums: The iPhone’s revolutionary Multi-Touch interface takes photo browsing to a new level. And not only can you view the photos you’ve taken with the device’s built-in camera, you can synchronise your iPhoto albums too, just like with the iPod. So if there are any prized snapshots you’d like to carry with you, now’s the time to compile albums in iPhoto for easy synchronisation.

Check out web apps: The App Store will launch alongside iPhone 3G, allowing you to install all manner of widgets and utilities on your iPhone. However there already are dozens of web-based applications available, from shopping list compilers to games and presentation programs. Identify the ones you’re likely to find useful at Apple’s site.
I want my Apple TV

JUST in time for the iPhone launch, the Australian iTunes Store finally has released TV shows for sale. And the so-far-slim pickings are a mix of local and American content.

iTunes is offering hit Aussie shows like Summer Heights High, McLeod’s Daughters and Sea Patrol II, and US fare such as Lost, Desperate Housewives and South Park. Episodes are $2.99 each (compared with $US1.99 on the American store).

No word yet on movies to buy or rent, in HD or otherwise. But Apple’s media centre extender, the Apple TV, just got a whole lot more useful.