The iPhone secret is out, and now we’re really jonesin’ for a new one. You see, we have here the old iPhone, and it now just seems like yesterday’s overpriced fishwrap. Wondering what’s so great about this new trinket from Cupertino? Good, because we’ve put together a quick list of the five ways the new iPhone 3G pwns its predecessor:

1. 3G. Of course this is top of the list. Finally the iPhone catches up with the rest of the cellphone universe, making it actually practical to visit websites on the go. Worth the price of admission. Steve Jobs says his version is even faster than other 3G phones.

2. GPS. Attach it to your dash and go. Real turn-by-turn directions and GPS phototagging can’t be far behind. Garmin’s got to get on board with this. And since it’s connected to the intarwebs, the Dash Express GPS better watch its back, too.

3. Apps Galore. It’s going to be a software bonanza with the iTunes App Store selling every imaginable software enhancement, and some are free. Thousands of developers are building apps as you read this. Who knows what we’ll see! Plus, by September you’ll be able to get a notification if you have an IM, even if you’re not running the app.

4. Longer battery life. This is why the original iPhone had that dog-slow EDGE (2G) network inside, because with last year’s tech, the faster 3G ate up too much power. Now, Apple says talk time for 2G calling is now 10 hours, up from 8, and 3G gives you five hours of talk time, 5-6 hours of browsing and 7 hours of video viewing.

5. Price. It’s $199 for an all-black 8GB iPhone when it goes on sale July 11 worldwide. The 16GB model will be available in your choice of black or white for $299. That’s a far cry from the $600 I paid for my 8GB phone less than a year ago. Wow. While we're talking price, now the big question is, how much will the monthly payment be for this 3G service (click here for the answer)? And can the AT&T network handle all that extra traffic?

Apple press release