Rather tragically, I now own a new iPhone 3G. It’s important you know that I didn’t camp outside an O2 shop to get it though. I just walked in and bought one.

I needed a new phone so why not get an iPod/GPS/PDA/camera thrown in? But, unfortunately, I’m a little embarrassed to get it out, and worried I might get mugged by hoodies who seem to spot it at over hundred paces.

However, I’ve become so attached to it I think I’d rather hand over my wedding ring than be parted from my iPhone.

My iLove affair started way back when I got my first iBook. I now own one of everything Apple makes, in some cases two.

I used to ridicule Mac-heads in this column. Now I have become one. All my Apple devices work beautifully together, except for one extremely annoying aspect: they all have different chargers.

Having to travel with a digital support bag full of the bloody things is my pet hate. When you include the ones needed to support my wife’s technology too there is hardly enough luggage allowance left for a tooth brush.

So imagine my horror to find that the iPhone cannot use a standard iPod charger despite having the same shape socket!

All manufacturers play this game. New phone, new charger. But Apple is the worst and there is nowhere else you can buy them from if you leave them behind in a hotel room socket.

They once charged me £45 for replacement power lead, which I have yet to forgive them for.

Motorola have the best idea. They use the micro USP connection for power on many of their models, which is an industry standard. Apple have never been one to follow hardware standards. The word ‘interoperability’ isn’t really in the Apple lexicon.

You might argue that now I have an iPhone, I don’t need to take all those other devices away with me.

However, the iPhone camera is not good enough to warrant leaving 10 megapixel disk space guzzler camera at home, and of course there is no video capture function, which could prove annoying if a UFO lands outside my hotel and I have no way of proving it.

I’m finding the iPhone’s WiFi access a bit hit and miss too and you really don’t want access any online services via the 3G network unless you’re on an unlimited data contract.

Accidentally leave international data roaming on when you’re abroad and you’ll have to become a mugger yourself to pay the bill.

I particularly like the GPS function which can locate your position on Google Maps to the nearest metre. Having a ‘where am I?’ button in my pocket is surprisingly reassuring.

Of course, all this functionality drains the power so battery life is short. Which wouldn’t be such a problem if compatible chargers were easier to find.

* Chris is taking a career break to go travelling (with his iPhone) and will be back in the spring.