UK iPhone is go but are there better ways to spend your £269?

Apple's press conference confirming the UK launch details of the iPhone with O2 felt a bit like unwrapping your presents, only to find out you've received everything that was on your Christmas list – no more, no less.

A satisfying experience, then, but one lacking in surprises. Although we expect the sheer pleasure of making a touchscreen phone call come November 9th will be more than enough compensation. And, to be fair, there was a small frisson arising from the news that iPhone users will be able to use The Cloud's 7,500 UK wi-fi hotspots for free.

The knock-on effects of the iPhone deal are also proving positive for other O2 subscribers, with the news the iPhone's unlimited data plans – priced at £35, £45 and £55 per month – will be available for the company's customers from October 1st.

Of course, other handset manufacturers aren't taking the iPhone phenomenon lying down. Nokia announced a version of its 6300 handset, the 6301, which comes with added Unlicensed Mobile Access technology – something that blends your calls between your operator's GSM network and nearby wi-fi hotspots.

The company was also talking up its business-focused E51 phone. It might not look like much but with 11g wi-fi, 3.6Mbit HSDPA 3G, a QVGA screen and support for lots of email clients, conference calling and VoIP out the box, it packs a pinstriped punch.

Elsewhere, the slow drip, drip of information about neat-looking Motorola's Z10 continued with a new set of photos, while the oddity of any other week would have come courtesy of Intel. Its massive touchscreen device is based on its new 45 nanometer chipset. Thankfully, the hardware's only been designed to demonstrate future tech, rather than provide something that's actually usable. So this week, the prize for strangeness is awarded to iMobile for its touchscreen, stereo Bluetooth, 3G mobile phone watch.

But while handset are the sexy end of the market, it's the things you can actually do with phones that really matters right?

Well, maybe…

Our favourite was McDonald's Korea's use of mobile RFID so customers can order their food and receive an alert when it's ready to be picked up. Of course, no cash changes hands as the price is simply added to your phonebill.

Another to file under interesting-but-why'd-you-want-it? is PhoneTunes, a Symbian app which enables you to control your PC iTunes library via phone.

More creative, however, is a mobile photography competition organised by Wallpaper and Sony Ericsson. All you have to do is send them a picture taken on your cameraphone of something that inspires you.

Finally, though, there are those visionaries who struggle towards making the world a better place. So a big hand for the Open Mobile Terminal Platform group, which this week drafted a recommendation paper that proposes USB should be used as the standard for connecting and charging all future mobile devices.

Let's just hope it also has someone working on a way of recycling two billion unwanted phone chargers.