At first, I had my doubts about the impartiality of this little video romp from NYT technology columnist David Pogue about the supersweet features of the iPhone (and the perilous dangers of having one before anyone else). But let's face it: the thing has way more than enough fun stuff to turn any technophile dreamy-eyed, and thus turn any review into an ad. Watching Pogue's fingers zip across the iPhone screen and make wonderful things happen is sort of like watching really hot strippers make candy -- enticing, hypnotic, and very likely to bring about fits of Homer Simpson-level drooling.

Still, Pogue does attempt to stay the journalistic course, blending fairness and fun when he fends off a rabid, iPhone-hungry crowd by listing the device's flaws until nearly everyone loses interest. All in all, it's a fairly good overview, and a fairly good time as well.

Plus, if you look carefully as Pogue displays the phone in iPod mode, you'll see that the first album that comes up on his device is by Aaron Carter. Aaron Carter! Now that's just fun.

Nicole Kidman turned forty last week, and as this European commercial for Nintendo DS reminds us, the brain is the first thing to go. Here, angelic-looking Kidman is distressed to find that her "brain score" is 52, which is apparently pretty dire. (Guess that's what happens when you use up all your energy making sure everything in your home and your wardrobe is the exact same shade of white.)

To remedy the situation, Kidman jumps into a rigorous Nintento DS game of... Rock, Paper, Scissors. I'm not sure exactly how that particular game gives your brain a workout, but then again, my brain score's not 52.

Nowadays, those lucrative, super-secret commericials celebs do overseas just aren't so secret anymore, and they know it. Does this mean a trend away from the truly enjoyably embarassing ads of yore? (Well, we've always got Nic Cage.) Kidman may look fantastic here, but she's still advertising herself as being dumb as a bag of rocks (or paper or scissors). So I just don't know.

In this elaborate viral campaign, Cisco Systems leaks us the "candid" video Businessman has meltdown in hotel lobby, featuring a man losing his mind after being unable to reach a colleague, find an electrical outlet, or get a cup of coffee. The video ends in a link for Don't Have a Meltdown, where a kindly therapist explains the toll poor business communications systems can take on your mental health. This leads to a "treatment session" (commercial), which eventually leads to a phone number, which you can then use to get all your business communications integrated, making it easier to reach anyone anytime, and filling your life with bliss thereafter.

What is never explained is how Cisco Systems would prevent any of the problems that drive the poor businessmen over the edge. Are they going to make the colleague answer the phone? Install new outlets at the hotel? Fill the coffee urns? Get him treatment for his anger management issues and flagrant abuse of prescription drugs and crystal meth?

I fear not.

Since my cell phone service provider isn't AT&T, I'm trying really really hard to avoid getting excited about the iPhone. But Apple seems determined to make me suffer. How else to explain these shiny new commercials?

Watching the iPhone touchscreen display move smoothly from media player to internet to cell phone, though, I have to admit to some skepticism. Perhaps I've just gotten too jaded by technology that fails to deliver on its promises -- but can one device really be as excellent as the iPhone suggests? I suppose other people will find out on June 29th.

Lucky bastards.