In an information age, there are secrets and then there are secrets.

The Apple iPhone, the dreamy device for the cult of Mac fans everywhere, represents the former. Due to its meticulously planned, glacial rollout, images of the soon-to-be ubiquitous phone methodically clubbed the senses of every media consumer for months. Nevermind that the actual phone was under pre-launch lockdown (available only to a few senior-level executives at exclusive partner AT&T) and only four journalists were allowed to preview the device ...