Even if you're not a big technology buff, you probably know that the world is in the grips of a frenzy unlike virtually anything in recent memory.
The almost religious fervour revolves around the most eagerly awaited product since the first iPod, namely, the iPhone, a "smart" phone Apple hopes will revolutionize the mobile industry in the same way the iPod changed the face of digital entertainment.
The iPhone, which has received largely favourable reviews from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and others, has many of the design elements that Apple fans have grown used to from the iPod and other iconic Apple devices.
In other words, the iPhone is sleek and shiny, with a large screen and a well-designed user interface that makes virtually every other mainstream cellphone look like an ugly, fat brick. And it incorporates several leading-edge features, including the ability to use two fingers to resize photos and other documents.
One of the interesting things about the iPhone, however, is the number of things it doesn't have, and the things it doesn't let you do. For such a revolutionary device, much of what Apple has done is actually surprisingly reactionary.
For example, buyers of the iPhone have only one choice when it comes to cellular service: AT&T, with which Apple has struck what is reportedly an exclusive multiyear deal. The only problem with that is AT&T's network uses the EDGE standard, which is substantially slower than the 3G standards used by other carriers.
Another example: One of the appealing things about a phone that works on the GSM or EDGE standard like AT&T's (or the Rogers Fido network in Canada) is that they contain a small SIM chip that can be swapped into another phone, transferring a user's settings and phone numbers to the new device.
Not the iPhone, apparently. According to several reports, the device will not only be "locked" to the AT&T network (a common practice carriers use to dissuade people from switching), but many of its features will only work with the SIM card that comes installed in the iPhone when it is purchased. Some reports say the iPhone's SIM card may not even be removable.
The battery in the iPhone will also be non-removable, in the same way that the battery in an iPod can't be removed and replaced by anyone other than an Apple technician (at least not without voiding the warranty). A small thing, perhaps, but yet another feature that restricts what a user can do with the device.
The iPhone also doesn't have several of the major features that other competing "smart" phones have. For example, it has a digital still camera but does not take video; it has no memory card; it doesn't support GPS; it doesn't have instant messaging; and it doesn't allow photos to be sent through text message (using MMS).
The lack of some of those features is surprising considering the iPhone costs at least $500 (U.S.) for the device itself, plus a minimum of $60 a month for a two-year contract with AT&T - or almost $2,000 over the lifetime of the contract.
Some or all of the missing features may be available in future versions of the iPhone, of course, and it's possible that future models may have removable SIM cards as well. But that's far from a sure thing, given the company's history.
In any case, Apple is clearly hoping that consumers will be so attracted by the unit's sleek styling and by what appears to be an extremely appealing user interface and suite of features.
That has certainly been the case with the iPod, which became a multibillion-dollar success story, despite what some said was its high cost and the overly restrictive nature of iTunes.
In fact, the iPod Shuffle has been a success even though it lacks something that many people felt was a must-have for a digital music player: a screen. Apple succeeded in transforming that into a positive feature rather than a negative.
Perhaps better than anyone, Apple CEO Steve Jobs knows that consumers will accept certain restrictions on a device, as well as the lack of certain features, if the overall experience is compelling.
If the iPhone can manage to walk that line as successfully as the iPod has, Apple could have another billion seller. Or it could become the 21st century version of Apple's Newton - a device that was too far ahead of its time and too restrictive to be practical.
