What you need to know now about iPhone 4

Computerworld - The mystery, such as it was this year, is over. We know what the iPhone 4 looks like.

Just like the prototype lost in that Redwood City, Calif. bar. Or was it stolen?

And you probably already know about the iPhone 4's sharper screen, its front-facing camera and video chat capabilities.

With all that out of the way, we can get to the important things, such as how much, when, where, and how much was that again?

Those are the first questions. You'll have more, we're sure.

When does the iPhone 4 go on sale? In the U.S., France, Germany, Japan and the U.K., the new iPhone debuts Thursday, June 24. U.S. customers can queue up at Apple and AT&T retail outlets, as well as at Best Buy and Wal-Mart stores. No word at the moment about when doors will open. (Last year, Apple let people in starting at 8 a.m. local time, while AT&T's opened an hour earlier, although only for customers who pre-ordered via the Web or at a store.)

When can I order one? Both Apple and AT&T start taking pre-orders Tuesday, June 15. Consumers in the four other countries -- France, Germany, Japan and the U.K. -- also can place pre-orders that day.

If I pre-order, when will I get my iPhone 4? Apple didn't say, but AT&T did: "Preorders can be shipped directly to a customer's home or business for delivery as early as June 24," said the carrier in a statement today.

You can assume that Apple will do the same. (It shipped the iPad, for instance, to arrive on the same day the tablet went on sale.)

The alternative is to reserve one, then pick it up at a local Apple store on the 24th. AT&T offers at-store pickup for pre-orders, but you'll be a day late: Friday, June 25 is the first day for picking up preorders through the carrier.

Do I have to stand in line? Nope. Like last year, buyers can order online, and have the iPhone 4 delivered to their door. If you're dead set on getting out of the house, reserve one for pickup at an Apple or AT&T store.

How much will it cost? If you're not an AT&T subscriber, you qualify for the subsidized prices of $199 for the 16GB iPhone 4, $299 for the 32GB model.

Already an AT&T customer with an iPhone? There's a better chance you're eligible for the discounted prices than last year, when subscribers raised a big stink over a $200 surcharge that AT&T levied on customers who had not fulfilled most or all of their two-year contract. (Under pressure, AT&T relented last year, giving customers eligible in July, August and September immediate access to the lower prices.)