I got one of the 3g iPhones when they came out last year. You can add the txt bundles so not too bad. I have jailbroken it so I can use Snapture the better camera app, 9see what I can do now!
http://pix.ie/djspider!) as well as using shazam, and the video app. I also don't use 3g as it does run the battery down. i find it pretty good on battery use, I use the iPod app every day for about 3 hrs and it still stays fairly well cahrged. I do find using 3g, wi fi and chaecking for new emails run iot down.
Basically unless you are someone who gets 50 emails an hour what is the pioint of it checking for you? Anwya I am a little one over the eight,

so I will say goodnight and jailbreak your phone, then don't have to use iTunes! (yes I hate it as well, especially as I am a DJ and have over 50K tunes!)