Before I bought my first iPod I’d nearly convinced myself that I didn’t want or need one based on the fact that it’d be an unnecessary luxury and besides, did I really need to be able to carry my music around with me? In the end I bought one and realised that even if I didn’t want one (which, of course, I did really) then I did at least need one; it’s become invaluable in many situations as a portable hard drive, it’s great for listening to music when you’re tucked up in bed and is great to be able to lend to people — it’s currently residing with one of N’s brothers-in-law, loaded with the first six Harry Potter audiobooks.

Then came my MacBook. Why would I need a laptop when I have a perfectly good desktop computer? I wouldn’t be able to carry it myself. Blah blah blah. I shan’t bother mentioning how great it is to be able to use a computer from the comfort of my (extremely comfortable) bed. Nor shall I say how liberating it is to be sat in the lounge (or anywhere else in the house) with N and Rocco whilst typing this rather than being sat in the back bedroom all on my lonesome. Oops, too late.

Anyway, the iPhone. My reasons for not buying one as soon as it was released are entirely different to the bollocks I’ve just spent five minutes typing. I know that being able to read my email and surf the internet using a ‘phone without having to curse the crappy layout or worry about the cost will be liberating. I also know that having a ‘phone that finally syncs my names, postal and email addresses, profile pictures, appointments, reminders and to-do notes properly will please the geek in me no end. And I also know that even though I probably wouldn’t bother having more than a couple of songs or videos stored on my iPhone, being able to keep and show off my photos in a decent way will please me mightily. No, the reason I haven’t bought one yet is because of my hands.

Well, I have muscular dystrophy and they don’t work quite how most people would expect their hands to work.

Yes, I know I rarely mention it — sometimes I can go as long as ten minutes without complaining about it — but it’s a factor in many of my decisions in life, big or small.

So, I’m wondering if I’ll be able to hold an iPhone and be able to use it comfortably. If I’m at home and I want to text someone or indeed type anything into my current mobile (a Nokia 6131) then I park myself at a table or desk and rest my hands on that — this should work equally well with the iPhone. But the main problem I do see occurring is when I need to use it as an actual ‘phone, i.e. making and receiving calls: to lift a ‘phone to my ear I need to hold it in my right hand and then support my right hand with my left hand, so then I can only press buttons using my right thumb and it isn’t all that accurate — will I be able cope with the iPhone’s touch sensitive screen?

I’m due to travel down to Southampton this weekend with Tugger and, luckily, he has a shiny new iPhone, so I’m hoping to be able to bribe him with some Dairylea triangles in return for him letting me try it out for an hour or six. I shall report back with my findings once my inevitable hangover has cleared sometime next week.