I just want to hold it next to my AT&T 8525 and let them battle it out for who has more features.

PTT HACKED! One of the flaws with the 8525 is that there is a PTT button on the left side that is not programable (so it is stuck being used for PTT even though the service isn't available). It can now be changed to bring up voice dialer (or any other program you want to use) thanks to the following website http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=279585 I'm going to try this and the text message thread hack recently posted on engadgetmobile.

The 8525 is available online only. I called multiple stores in NYC and none have it. I also called Cingular's corporate number and learned that the only way to get the 8525 is to order it online (not in stores or over the phone) but if you order online and have a problem you have to mail it back to them and you cannot bring the phone in to a Cingular store. The 8525 will not be available for another week or two in stores. Very frustrating.

There's an actual press release from Cingular: http://cingular.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=1762 which has a link to a second page with a little more content on it http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/cingular/26058/

The link is back up on the business side and linking to the screen for the 8525
http://business.cingular.com/businesscenter/8525/ but i called and talked to a rep and they said that Cingular's management was sent a photocopy of this page the other day and they didn't know where it came from. I showed it to him on his own website (which was a surprise to him) and he said based on the info they have it's probably 2 weeks away still. They just received a memo stating it was getting ready to be released but missing pricing still, and that usually indicates a 1-2 week lead time.