Walt Mossberg says in a video review of the iPhone that in his 16 years of reporting, he can’t remember any product having the level of hype and expectations that the iPhone has. Let’s jump in:

• The (rave) reviews are in. All of the key players published their reviews of the iPhone today, and they are remarkably positive. The main themes seem to be that: the phone is phenomenal, the battery life is much better than expected, the EDGE network is the biggest drawback and makes downloading a chore. Also, learning the keyboard takes time, but really does work well after a few days.

  The reviews are all very detailed, so I will let them do the typing. There are also videos with most of these reviews, and David Pogue provides photos snapped with the iPhone, showing off the camera application on the iPhone for the first time:

  • Wall Street Journal - Walt Mossberg
  • New York Times - David Pogue
  • Newsweek - Steven Levy
  • USAToday - Edward C. Baig

• It’s old news now, but the pricing plans are out. Pleasantly lower than I had expected.

  I was excited to see that my prediction came true — Apple will activate the plans through iTunes. It’s just as slick as I expected.

  But — remember how well the iTunes Store didn’t preform in the Christmas Day rush of unboxed iPods and when the iTunes Plus tracks first became available last month?

  Imagine a million newly purchased iPhones checking in on Friday night. And picture the amusement or lack thereof from the iPhones’ new owners who have waited for a dozen hours in line that same day for the privilege of buying the $500 device that will not even function as an iPod without activation (read the fine print here).

  Hmmm….

• If you’re thinking of lining up for the iPhone or just like living vicariously (or enjoy a little schadenfreude), take a look at the ongoing blog from line-sitter #3 at the 5th Ave. Apple Store in NYC.

  He is doing it for charity (and to get a gift for his Dad), which is nice. Hopefully, the weather will hold for all of them.