iPhone thoughts

[Greg King]

With what Apple is treating as the second coming of Christ, the iPhone is dropping in what seems like just a few days. What are your thoughts on this new modern marvel (could be marketing.)

Personally, my feelings about apple aside, I like what I have seen so far. The one draw back that I find at this point, and it's a large one with me, is that you cannot sync it was exchange. If I want a smart phone, I want to send and receive real time emails... much like what Windows Mobile and Blackberry provide. Aside from that, it looks like a large iPod with internet browsing capabilities that you can make calls on. Don't get me wrong though, I would love to get one, but how long before the novelty wears off? Will the damned thing scratch as badly as my iPod? Can it Fold? Will it beat Christ by a day and rise on the second? All things will be revealed in time.

 

[MacMan]

All I know is....

With what Apple is treating as the second coming of Christ, the iPhone is dropping in what seems like just a few days. What are your thoughts on this new modern marvel (could be marketing.)

Personally, my feelings about apple aside, I like what I have seen so far. The one draw back that I find at this point, and it's a large one with me, is that you cannot sync it was exchange. If I want a smart phone, I want to send and receive real time emails... much like what Windows Mobile and Blackberry provide. Aside from that, it looks like a large iPod with internet browsing capabilities that you can make calls on. Don't get me wrong though, I would love to get one, but how long before the novelty wears off? Will the damned thing scratch as badly as my iPod? Can it Fold? Will it beat Christ by a day and rise on the second? All things will be revealed in time.

All I know is that I wish I had a penny for every time I have seen an article about the iPhone in the press. As cool as it is, the attention is just a wee-bit too much! Its just a piece of plastic and silicon after all, though a rather sexy piece at that. It seems that from the main press rooms of the world, to the bloggers of the world, everybody seems to have something to write or say about it, be it negative or positive.

I personally will probably buy one, but I will wait for the 'Real' iPhone which will be the second version. It should hit just before Christmas and by then, hopefully, any bugs in the first version should be worked out. New features, better prices and better reliability should be the hallmark of the iPhone's second version.

All-in-all, it looks absoulutely fabulous, but enough already with all of the articles, survey's, etc. That said, I bet, I will still write about it another ten times before it hits the streets. Its good for hits; its also good for the revenue generated with my Google ads. Why, its like having a Paris Hilton scandal to write about.... good for business!

 

[Rob Williams]

Nothing on the iPhone has impressed me really. What will make it is all of the third party applications. I don't care if it plays video or if it moves to landscape mode when I turn it... I wouldn't watch movies on something that small. The biggest bitch about the iPhone is the locked providers. If you don't like the provider you are going to be forced into (like me) then you are shit out of luck.

That also said, nobody seems to care that, for a phone, it's huge. Set it down beside a regular cell phone and you'll see it's twice as big. nGage anyone? Not to mention that the on-screen keyboard looks like a pain in the ass to use. That will all depend on how great the touch sensitivity works I guess.

So yeah, I am not impressed or see why it has so much attention. I'm looking more forward to Leopard to be honest.

 

[madmat]

I don't like that it's only available through one carrier. Why on earth hobble your product that way?

 

[MacMan]

iPhone is really......

Nothing on the iPhone has impressed me really. What will make it is all of the third party applications. I don't care if it plays video or if it moves to landscape mode when I turn it... I wouldn't watch movies on something that small. The biggest bitch about the iPhone is the locked providers. If you don't like the provider you are going to be forced into (like me) then you are shit out of luck.

That also said, nobody seems to care that, for a phone, it's huge. Set it down beside a regular cell phone and you'll see it's twice as big. nGage anyone? Not to mention that the on-screen keyboard looks like a pain in the ass to use. That will all depend on how great the touch sensitivity works I guess.

So yeah, I am not impressed or see why it has so much attention. I'm looking more forward to Leopard to be honest.

Actually the iPhone will be rather small compared to the original photos as you can see from the link below; also, here's a link to a 3D view of the phone. Enjoy!

http://www.looprumors.com/article.php?apple-updates-iphone-imagery,2148346750

http://www.apple.com/iphone/technology/

 

[Rob Williams]

It's smaller to use, but it's still bigger than most cell phones for storage. I mean, throwing that thing into your pocket is going to hog up a lot of room. Of course, people could be douchebags and wear it on their belt.

It's still bulky to me. I might feel differently if I had one to hold onto.

 

[drewd]

I don't have a problem with the size of the phone - I have a Cingular 8125 now and actually wish that it had a screen more like my Palm LifeDrive (which is a catastrophe of its own). I thought that I would have a difficult time getting used to dialing on the touch screen, but it isn't a problem at all, at least for me.

I'm also not too put off with no 3G wireless - it's not in my area, so I can't miss what I don't have. Exchange sync would be nice, but it's not critical for me.

I like the interface as it's been described and shown. I can see that it will suffer from the same problem that my 8125 does - gunky screen if you use it like a phone. I think that a headset/earset will be almost mandatory.

What I really don't like is the price. I guess that I've become used to heavily subsidized cell phones and $500 for a video Nano and a (slightly) crippled PDA in one package seems too steep. I won't buy one this go around, but maybe when the next version comes out I'll take a look. I figure that I didn't get an iPod until the 3rd generation and it lasted until well into the 5th generation before I upgraded, so I can wait on the iPhone.

Incidentally, I'm still wondering just exactly what the iPhone is - a phone with a PDA and a media player or a media player with a phone and a PDA?

 

[Rob Williams]

Incidentally, I'm still wondering just exactly what the iPhone is - a phone with a PDA and a media player or a media player with a phone and a PDA?

You make a point here. One issue I have with a lot of phones recently is that the actual call quality is getting worse. Cell phones from even 8 years ago sounded so much better than todays phones. Phones are getting more sophisticated, while call quality lacks.

This is not just the iPhone of course, but all phones in general. I have a feeling 95% of the people who want an iPhone don't even have call quality in mind.

 

[Greg King]

Macman, are you serious about the size differences? It quite literally looks like they just found someone with a larger hand.

 

[Rob Williams]

That's why I only date chicks with really small hands.

 

[Greg King]

That's why I only date chicks with really small hands.

Classic.

 

[madstork91]

That's why I only date chicks with really small hands.

All jokes aside...

I await the fail/fall of the iProducts. I realize that it is a huge marketing ploy, and that fanboys of the products mean that it will sell, but seriously... How much longer will this ensue?

Call quality has been dropping. And Yeah... I agree, that is not a point some people will be considering when purchasing this phone. Why I cannot still have my analog signal phone boggles my mind, it had far better range and quality than anything I've had since. And it worked in buildings!

As I understand it, the initial launch will be more scarce than a PS3 launch and will not see a let up in that department for a LONG time. I think this too is a marketing ploy. A "keep up with the Jones'" type of thing. And personally when it comes to things like this, I cant under stand that mentality. This isn't like the car industry where there is a year in between car models; This is technology: The thing that grows and develops exponentially with disregard for years and dates. The one who leads the race is either the one who waits and buys a new hot thing sparingly and leads temporarily, or the rich guy who can continuously buy the new hot item and make us hate ourselves. Either way most of us are losing, so why be poor and lose the perpetual marathon?

iPhone = uStillSuckPenisFor$

 

[Rob Williams]

I await the fail/fall of the iProducts. I realize that it is a huge marketing ploy, and that fanboys of the products mean that it will sell, but seriously... How much longer will this ensue?

I wondered the same thing with they released their first <strike>giant ass plug</strike> iMac, so I agree. I believe the 'i' before all their products is ridiculous, but hey, that's marketing. As you say, people will buy it regardless. It's an Apple product, which is as good as God putting his stamp of approval on it.

I didn't hear about a shortage, but there are apparently many people who don't mind handing over $600 for a phone. I am not going to dismiss the fact that it's a cool piece of tech, but I'd rather wait until I can use one extensively before I make any conclusions. I paid $500 for the phone I have now, and it's nowhere near the iPhone, so I give it that.

 

[ccdarkness]

Nice phone. but i'm waiting for sony-ericsson P1. it will be best phone SE ever made...i'm a sony-ericsson fan...

 

[drewd]

Madstork, I'm not sure if your question was rhetorical, but I'll take a stab at it. You can't have analog anymore because everybody and their dog has a cell phone. The call density is just too great to process the number of simultaneous calls per cell that analog will allow. Add to that the power requirements for an analog signal and the features that everybody wants and you just can't do it with an analog signal.

But I agree - I believe that my old Motorola Startac had better voice quality, even if it was pretty doggone big. Still, I can't really complain about what I hear through my GSM phone. I understand what everyone says, they understand what I say and that pretty much satisfies my needs.

 

[Greg King]

Madstork, I'm not sure if your question was rhetorical, but I'll take a stab at it. You can't have analog anymore because everybody and their dog has a cell phone. The call density is just too great to process the number of simultaneous calls per cell that analog will allow. Add to that the power requirements for an analog signal and the features that everybody wants and you just can't do it with an analog signal.

But I agree - I believe that my old Motorola Startac had better voice quality, even if it was pretty doggone big. Still, I can't really complain about what I hear through my GSM phone. I understand what everyone says, they understand what I say and that pretty much satisfies my needs.

Mmmmmm.... StarTac memories....

Yeah, analog is virtually impossible (or reasonable) from a technology standpoint. I do agree with drewd in the sense that as long as I can hear the person I am talking to, and they can hear me, I am happy. But this is becoming more and more rare and that makes me sad.

 

[Rob Williams]

I remember my first cell phone in 2000... it was fantastic. It was bulkier than what we see now, but it sounded perfect. My latest phone, which is probably close to two and a half years old, is absolute crap. It's really insane how many times I say, "Sorry, what?" during a conversation because I can't hear the other person clearly.

 

[Greg King]

My first cell phone was a Nokia something or other. The ones that looked like bricks with an antennae on top that ever asshole who thought they were cool (me included) had. It also had snake, something that every phone should have. No exceptions. The iPhone is dead to me with out that game. Nothing like eating little 2x2 pixel blocks with a "snake" with the 2, 4, 6 and 8 keys. Take that Apple.

 

[MacMan]

My first cell...

My first cell phone was a Nokia something or other. The ones that looked like bricks with an antennae on top that ever asshole who thought they were cool (me included) had. It also had snake, something that every phone should have. No exceptions. The iPhone is dead to me with out that game. Nothing like eating little 2x2 pixel blocks with a "snake" with the 2, 4, 6 and 8 keys. Take that Apple.

My first cell was also a Nokia. Yes, I too remember playing Snake to kill the time. It was an el cheapo modal, but it worked better than my expensive Moto flip phone!

I too, with all the features of the iPhone, would have thought that Apple would have put Snake on the stupid thing. I guess Jobs forgot as I just read that he is busy buying a new multi-million dollar, 275-foot yacht from France. It must have slipped his mind?

Its amazing what you can buy when Apple pays you what amounts to $610,526 per hour! (And he even got a 90-million dollar jet and a free iPhone to boot!)

I think I'm in the wrong business!

 

[madstork91]

Umm... WTH?

Madstork, I'm not sure if your question was rhetorical, but I'll take a stab at it. You can't have analog anymore because everybody and their dog has a cell phone. The call density is just too great to process the number of simultaneous calls per cell that analog will allow. Add to that the power requirements for an analog signal and the features that everybody wants and you just can't do it with an analog signal.

But I agree - I believe that my old Motorola Startac had better voice quality, even if it was pretty doggone big. Still, I can't really complain about what I hear through my GSM phone. I understand what everyone says, they understand what I say and that pretty much satisfies my needs.

I understood/stand why we don't still use it. But isn't digital supposed to be an improvement in quality?

I have been up way to late tonight... er... morning.