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Apple and AT&T have finally announced the rate plans for the iPhone, which will be released Friday in most of the United States. If you live in Alaska, there’s no iPhone at all for you: AT&T doesn’t offer service in that state. See Consumerist and MacWorld for more details.

I mentioned on June 6 that two web sites (Consumerist and CenterNetworks) predicted that the first year cost of iPhone service would be US$1936.

I should have read the articles a bit closer. That figure was for the entire 2-year contract.

Based on analyses published at several web sites over the last 24 hours, that US$1936 figure might be low for heavy users, even as a two-year prediction.

On the other hand, users who can get by with a 900-minute per month calling plan might get two years of service at that US$1936 price.

Engadget has posted several charts that compare the various iPhone plans. Users can buy additional minutes and more SMS messages, and it looks like iPhone users will get unlimited data through AT&T’s cellular network.

Some of the iPhone plans are about $20 higher than their regular AT&T counterparts. Coincidentally, AT&T has been charging cell customers US$19.99 per month charge for an optional unlimited data plan.

iPhone reviews are starting to appear. I just watched David Pogue’s video review and read the print review on the New York Times web site. He seemed to like the iPhone. He’d probably like it more if it weren’t on AT&T. Pogue has posted his answers to frequently asked iPhone questions here.

USA: It’s business as usual in the GOP. W’s boys speak out about the growing suspicion that the latest terror alerts are bogus. Read these articles.

Meanwhile, President, um, Vice President Cheney claims the Democrats can’t protect the nation, and they also deserve the blame for high gasoline prices. And yes, Cheney suggests more drilling, including in Alaska. Halliburton and the oil companies have proposals on the table, I’m sure.