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Don't blame yourself for expecting Apple to launch the iPhone with a fully-functional Apple Music Store, downloadable ringtones and several third-party applications. One or all of these additions seemed to be the last Ace the company was holding, a final, last-minute announcement to blow sales through the roof. It's now several weeks later and we're still waiting on that announcement. It probably won't come until October.

Fortunately, unauthorized third-party companies are stepping up and filling in the vacuum created by Apple's slow start.

Social Networking
The biggest new addition to the iPhone is Facebook (see top image), the addictive Web site that allows you to link with other people from work, school and other social circles. As a recent Newsweek cover story proclaims, it's pretty much taken over MySpace and Friendster as the place to connect.

This month the hottest social Web sute launched on the most popular cell phone - and, most importantly, Facebook on the iPhone is free. Go to the Safari Web browser, type in http://iphone.facebook.com and log in. That's all you need to do.

The iPhone version of Facebook has most of the original Web site's features including your e-mail. Facebook e-mail Inbox, the status of your friends and colleagues, and a robust search engine that makes it easy to find long-lost people. You can even view your network's latest photos while on the go.

In fact, the photo viewing may be the best part of Facebook on the iPhone. The application has a smooth interface similar to the iPhone's own photo library, and your can shuffle through friends' pictures quickly and easily.

The resolution is as crisp as any iPhone photo. Unfortunately, you can't upload your own iPhone photos, which stops this just short of being the perfect traveling app. For a free and timely program, however, it doesn't get much better than portable Facebook.

The Movies
The iPhone also has the potential to be the ultimate portable movie device, but there are at least two hurdles.

One, Apple only allows movies purchased through the Apple Store. Apple TV notwithstanding, it seems impractical to pay up to $20 for a low-resolution movie only watchable on a screen measurable in inches—especially when DVDs, a more practical alternative, can be had for as cheap as $5. Two, Apple couldn't use a standard DVD if it wanted to since the discs are larger than the iPhone itself.

Which brings up one of my favorite new iPhone applications, Red Kawa's Videora. The small application adapts video files to the iPhone format. AVI, divx, mpeg, and yes, DVD, are listed as supported. Ironically, the iPhone program only works on the PC.

After a brief setup, Videora will help you find media files on the computer. It can only convert one file at a time - no batches here - but the process is quick and painless. A 30-second Windows Media video took just as long to convert.