First, the good news: According to Reuters, T-Mobile will sell the iPhone in Germany without a contract requirement.

And, the bad news: If you want the phone without a contract, it will cost you almost US$1500.

Holy crap. I don’t know, maybe the Germans have rooms filled with money like Scrooge McDuck, but I have a sneaking suspicion they aren’t keeping 1000 euros set aside for a rainy day when they can blow it on a little phone. Don’t get me wrong. I definitely like the iPhone, but I would never ever be able to justify spending that kind of money on a phone (unless it was made of pure gold and I could resell it). I’m one of those people who has a hard time spending any amount of money for a phone after the discounts, rebates and $100 off for renewing my 2-year contract. (Which is why I still have a Razor, even though I have dropped it in a toilet and gotten it wet on two other occasions. Surprisingly it still works. Well, kind of.)

So my advice to Germans: Don’t do it! It’s not worth it! It’s just a freakin’ phone people! I have first-mover friends who have to spend ridiculous amounts of money just so they can say they bought whatever gadget on the first day it was available. I think those friends are crazy, and you will be too if you spend that kind of money on a phone. If you desperately need to spend money, I’d be happy to give you my address and you can send me a check. Sound good to you? Fantastic.