I do recommend the new iPhone; I've been using one for a few weeks now and previously had the original iPhone for about a year.
There are some minor, IMO, issues with the firmware which should be ironed out in the 2.1 release, FYI. There are also some reports of 3G speed issues, but they have yet to be quantified.
The iPhone never was and is certainly not now a "weekend toy". That's kind of funny, though.
HSBC is considering a 200k iPhone order and I think that Exchange support may be the tipping point for businesses.
Best thing to do is spend some time with the new iPhone and the other leading smart phone and see what you like best.
Good luck!
Best,