Obama for iPhone!

In advance of the Vice Presidential debate this evening, Obama for America just announced the release of Obama ’08: The Official Application for iPhone and iPod touch. The application is free and can be downloaded now. Its main feature appears to make it even easier for Obama volunteers to get involved by making phone calls on the candidate’s behalf. But it also includes news updates, news coverage, local event information, media from the campaign trail, and–last, but hopefully not least– Obama’s and Biden’s stance on “essential issues facing Americans.” While we’re all for getting involved in the political process and voting, we have to wonder how much of an effect this will have on the election results. We’d wager that more iPhone users than not are likely to support Obama, so is this application just preaching to the choir? Will the Obama app become the new political awareness status symbol within a status symbol? Or will it actually encourage otherwise reticent Obama supporters to actively engage in the politcal process? Either way, it will be interesting to see the response to this application and if the McCain/Palin camp will develop something similar once McCain begins using e-mail.