iPhone thoughts

[Rob Williams]

The iPhone is more than just a DS with a few minor add-ons, so that's not an appropriate comparison. The iPhone is more like a PDA, with built-in map software, MP3 player, video player, phone, calender, note-taking, web browsing and so-forth. Like other PDA's, it has numerous features that one would need/want on the go. As much as I am tired of hearing about the iPhone, compared to other PDA's, it's not overly expensive. Most decent Palm hand-helds cost between $500 and $700.

 

[madstork91]

I can see google maps with the PSP if I am not mistaken. And all the DS lacks to take notes is a way to store something in pictochat.

Combine these two things are you are still only looking at ~< $300 + a mem stick.

So I will add again... You are paying for what exactly?

I actually wonder how hard it would be to turn a DS into a phone...

Like other PDA's, it has numerous features that one would need/want on the go. As much as I am tired of hearing about the iPhone, compared to other PDA's, it's not overly expensive. Most decent Palm hand-helds cost between $500 and $700.

I kinda wonder why those cost as much as they do... What does Microsoft charge them for that OS?

Edit: A friend of mine just mentioned to me that the iPods have a 40% markup at launch and that figure usually grows as the manufacturing becomes cheaper.

Last I heard most electronics were not quite that high.

I'm just going to copy pasta the convo:

Kunan: the iPod line from apple has a 40% markup at the launch of a product
Kunan: and it grows as it becomes easier to manufacture
Kunan: it only costs about $60 to make the DS a movie player now
Kunan: get a 1 gig micro SD and a M3 DS Simply which goes in the DS Slot
Kunan: $10-20 and $40-50
Kunan: there's homebrew pda software for ds
Kunan: that uses the movie player

That takes the high end of those figures I was throwing around a post or so ago down.

 

[Kunan]

and another thing: You can get the DS PDA homebrew software for the M3 DS Simply, which with 1 gig of micro sd costs around $60-70. Still not an iPhone but look you've got functionality for much less. Buy a PSP and 4 gigs of Mem Pro Duo for $190 and a BlackBerry Pearl for less than an iPhone and be done with it :/

Here's the real kicker about the iPhone though. All those internet browsing advertisements are a lie. They use EDGE, not 3G, so they get worse than Dial-Up internet unless at a wifi hotspot. This in comparison to other phones that are running at around 380kbps downloads is terrible. It's supposed to take TWO MINUTES to load Yahoo.com alone, let alone play a youtube video. Anyone who buys the first iteration WILL BE BONED.

Another issue is the onscreen keyboard, it just isn't good for anyone with big fingers.

 

[madstork91]

Its about time you registered on here ;-p

<3 teh Tifa

 

[Enigmachine]

If the iPhone is indeed nothing more than a re-branded Samsung, pre-tell what model number would that be?

Sorry, rebranded wasn't the correct word. My point is that there's nothing special about the iPhone's hardware (apart from the full-length touch screen) that is special, only the software makes it "better" than other phones.

 

[madstork91]

Yeah, I'm thread-grave digging.

So I recently got my DS and my hands on a G6 16M card. It does everything I said previously that it could, and much much more.

With 2GB of storage on that chip I can store movies, ROMS (If I choose), and several homebrew applications for the NDS.

Some of these homebrew apps include PDA's, MP3 players (one looks like an iPOD lol), Linux ports, and one that lets me play the guitar. Yes, the guitar. (there is a game coming out soon that is 100 times better than this homebrew app, but this was the first)

So what would it take to turn this thing into a phone? Some sort of GBA cartridge that let you plug in a SIM card and had the capability to send the phone call digitally. Yeah, that's it. Granted getting support by a phone company or cell phone manufacturer for this would be a feat worthy being permanently chronicled on every web page there is, but hey... It's possible! And to take it further, Id buy it.

Total cost of the DS and this miracle chip that lets me do all of the above -phone?

$129.99
+ 88.95
U do the math...

 

[madmat]

I've got a Treo 650 (no the OS is not from M$, it is a Palm OS) that ran about $350 new. It does (almost) everything the iPhone does but doesn't look as slick doing it. I personally can't justify the price of the iPhone nor the fact that it's tied to Satan... sorry, AT&T out of the box. Yes, it can obviously be unlocked but still, it'll have to come down in price to make me want to get one.

 

[Rob Williams]

Total cost of the DS and this miracle chip that lets me do all of the above -phone?

$129.99
+ 88.95
U do the math...

It's already public knowledge that the iPhone costs under $250 to make, so yes, they are really reaming people. But many Apple fans would love nothing more than that.

 

[madstork91]

I still question why it costs $250 to make. I paid less than that for everything minus the phone. I suppose being able to flip it on its side to view things in a wide screen resolution was worth the $30-40 extra maybe?

Even still I know that it didnt cost Nintendo $129 to make the DS and it sure didnt cost the makers of the chip $88.

Seriously... People must really like anal.

 

[Rob Williams]

Even still I know that it didnt cost Nintendo $129 to make the DS and it sure didnt cost the makers of the chip $88.

The iPhone has higher quality parts than the DS... for one thing. The DS Lite feels cheap to hold, while the iPhone is sturdy and designed to laugh. Secondly, you bought some unauthorized cartridge off the black market, I am sure Apple has to pay for the robust software their product is using.

If anyone misunderstands me, no, I am not standing up for the iPhone.

 

[madstork91]

um... Black market? I don't know if I should be mildly insulted or strangely appreciative of the suggestion that I am in the know on of such pirative actions as the leader of some Mafia.

:-D

 

[b1lk1]

It's already public knowledge that the iPhone costs under $250 to make, so yes, they are really reaming people. But many Apple fans would love nothing more than that.

I cannot be from Apple unless it is highly overpriced and hardly worth the money. Period.

 

[madmat]

The iPhone has higher quality parts than the DS... for one thing. The DS Lite feels cheap to hold, while the iPhone is sturdy and designed to laugh. Secondly, you bought some unauthorized cartridge off the black market, I am sure Apple has to pay for the robust software their product is using.

If anyone misunderstands me, no, I am not standing up for the iPhone.

Actually it'd be the grey market. The black market is for goods of an illicit nature such as drugs, guns or even flesh but stuff like chips or things of that nature (as long as it's not stolen) is grey market because there's still some doubt as to the legality of it. It's still quasi legal.

 

[Rob Williams]

How 'bout I give you a grey eye for calling me out like that.

 

[madstork91]

Better than a white eye.

 

[moon111]

Haven't the Finns over at Nokia copied the thing with their own version?

 

[madstork91]

Aye... still wanting a price check on that.

Actually... they are releasing a new n-gage like product as well... Will be interesting to see if the thing has a touch screen.

then my gaming machine/phone will be there.