So Apple finally announced the new version of the iPhone, and from what I'm reading, the reaction was less than stellar.

I'm not going to get into all the techno babble and regurgitate all the specs for the thing, or all the developer stuff that was announced... head over to Gizmodo for that. They were there, they took notes, they know all the minute details... they even took the pic below of the new iPhone.

So, you want details, go to them. You want the highlights, read on...

As expected, some of the rumors were true, some were not.

Not true:
The new iPhone does not have a matte black shell. It is still shiny black, and is still also available in shiny white.

You'll also have to wait for your lime green iPhone at least another year... It is not, as was thought, going to be available in colors.

And the Apple logo does not glow on the back like the notebooks do. (Which was a rumor few believed anyway.)

It also, unfortunately, did not get the front facing camera people have been screaming for since it came out.

But, here's what it did get:
Besides a whole new slew of apps, including a slick one from TomTom that turns it into a complete GPS unit, and a medical diagnostic app that turns today's doctors into Doctors of the Future...

It also got faster. The (S) in the 3G(S) stands for "speed", and it'll run your apps and browse up to two to three times faster than the current 3G.

While the camera is still rear facing, it did get bumped to 3MP, with auto focus, auto exposure, auto macro (shoot from 10cm away), improved low light sensitivity and a "tap to focus" feature.

It also gets the widely rumored video camera (go from "still" to "movie" with the flip of a switch), that shoots at 30fps and captures audio. And you can trim the vids with a tap, then send them immediately to Facebook/YouTube/Etc.

Also added is Voice Control, the feature so many other phones have had for a while, where you can say "Call Christine" and it'll dial. However, a big plus is it will also voice control iTunes for you, and play songs or playlists at your command.

Another great feature is hardware encryption, making it tough for anyone to get your personal stuff (and those pics from last weekend), if they nab your iPhone.

It also has Instant Remote Wipe, so in case someone does steal it (or you leave it in a cab and get blackmailed like Liz Lemon), you can erase any incriminating evidence immediately.

In the event you lose your new 3G(S), an optional service let's you find it via GPS locating. And once you get it back you can reinstall everything you wiped instantly and remotely, right from iTunes.

Battery life is also improved, giving you:
9 hours on WiFi, up from 6
10 hours of video, up from 7
30 hours of audio, up from 24
12 hours of talk on 2G, up from 10
5 hours of 3G talk, which stays the same.

Now for the pricing. The current iPhone 3G, with 8GB of storage, as is on the shelf right now, will immediately drop to $99. (Looks like they're going after Blackberry finally.)

If you want to go for the upgrade and get the new 3G(S), you'll have to wait until June 17 for it to hit the shelves. And it will cost you $199 for the 16GB version and $299 for 32GB.

So basically for the same price you would have paid for the iPhone last week, you get twice the storage space, three times the speed, longer battery life, a better still camera and a video camera.

Worth it? Sure. Better for the same price is always good.

Plus, if you don't need all the extra stuff, you can get the current G3 and keep $100 bucks in your pocket. And use it to grab some of those new killer apps they're releasing.