iPhone thoughts

[Rob Williams]

Umm... WTH?

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.

No, it makes things cheaper and more efficient for the phone companies. Anything to degrade quality and improve $$ they are happy with. Let's just blame the lack of call quality from all the SMS messages that float through the air at $0.15 a piece. I think my sister sends about 700 - 800 of them per month, and I know she is not alone. It's ridiculous.

That, and the phones just generally seem to be made crappier lately. I picked up this 'top-end' phone two years ago for $500, and it was SO highly recommended to me by the salesman. What a sucker I was. Even at max volume, I can barely hear someone on the other line unless I am in a totally quiet room. If I am outside, I say "what's that?" every other minute.

 

[Rob Williams]

Well, as posted in todays news, the iPhone reviews are starting to finally show themselves. The best review by far is this one by David Pogue: <object height="350" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VcRfAaIb2Ro" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></object>

Other reviews can be had here:

• New York Post - Glenn Fleishman
• The Wall Street Journal - Walt Mossberg
• MSNBC - Steven Levy
• USA Today - Edward Baig

I can honestly say, after watching the two video reviews available, I lost every last ounce of enthusiasm I had for the iPhone. Even before watching them, I was still intrigued, but for some reason afterwards, I could care less. Walt Mossberg said the call quality was "just ok", which is funny since it's a $500+ phone, but he still highly recommends it anyway.

No memory expansion to me, is ridiculous. 4GB or even 8GB of space is not a lot of storage, so an SD slot would have been ideal. To each their own though. I am sure a lot of people will love the iPhone once they get their mitts on it, I just can't be bothered to care anymore.

 

[Greg King]

"Or you can get on AT&T's cellular network, which is slow and horrible."

Brilliance. He's got an iPhone!

 

[madstork91]

I look forward to the less expensive version that Apple will release in the next year or so for half the price...

oh... and the pinch out is classic... USE BOTH OF YOUR THUMBS YOU NOOB!

 

[Rob Williams]

CrunchGear is often controversial with their posts, but their latest iPhone post I can really agree with:

http://crunchgear.com/2007/06/28/iphone/

 

[Greg King]

Brilliant. It walks the line of lame and genius but my distaste for the iPhone, more so the attention it's been getting simply because its an Apple product, makes me think of it as brilliant. The shit of it is is that there is actually an iPhone commercial on the TV as I write this. If it would only grant me the ability to sync it with Exchange..... and not cost so damned much, I would actually consider it. For my money, give me a Treo and I will be happy. It's as simple as that.

That is all.

 

[MacMan]

Enough iPhone chatter already!

As cool as I think the iPhone is I'm getting so fed-up with the none-stop chatter regarding it!

I'm not sure Rob will let me get away with posting a story from my blog about my feelings, but I'm about to find out. Here's the piece from my blog about what I think about of all the iPhone dribble:



Its iPhone Friday and all one hears, sees and reads about, it seems, is the iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone and more iPhone! Enough iPhone already!

Since over 300,000 blogs are reporting on the iPhone; all of the major and minor newspapers are reporting on the iPhone; all of the major magazines have iPhone stories and since the major TV and radio programs all have their iPhone related dribble, I will refrain from writing anything about or related to the iPhone.

Why? Simple: For one thing, I've had it up to here with all of this iPhone hype and fooliness and I hereby refuse to write another word about the iPhone or to even mention the iPhone's name again. Well, at least, for this iPhone Friday. Maybe when all of the iPhone hype subsides a bit, I will yet again write about the iPhone, but not today - no iPhone related stuff here today, baby!

So, to all of my faithful readers, all two of you, were ever you may be, please forgive me if you wish to read about the iPhone on my little blog, this iPhone Friday. Today, iPhone Friday, I hereby declare to be iPhone Friday Free on this blog.

So, there you have it, my promise not to write or mention the iPhone again, so sorry if your looking for me to mention or write about the iPhone today, because I'm not having another thing to do with the iPhone today.

If you want to read about the iPhone, you will have to look elsewhere for iPhone stories, because I WILL NOT mention the iPhone. I also refuse to write about the iPhone, quote anybody about the iPhone, or even think about the iPhone. Enough iPhone already! Ok?

Ahhh.... I must say that I really love not having to write about the iPhone! So nice not having to mention what cnet.com is saying about the iPhone; what ZDnet is reporting about the iPhone; what macsurfer.com is saying about the iPhone; what techgage.com is saying about the iPhone, or anybody else, for that matter, is saying about the iPhone.

Apple has been getting a free ride on the iPhone for long enough. They have tons of more money than I, let them promote the iPhone, because I, for one, refuse to add any more hype about the iPhone and that's final.

So, despite the fact that I respect and look up to Paul Thurrot, I will not quote him when he states,"No The truth of the iPhone will be told in the coming weeks, not right now. We need a review that forgets the hype instead of wallowing in it."

Yes, even though I agree with him on this one, this is a iPhone Free blog, so sorry baby, no iPhone dribble to be posted here on this iPhone Friday.

If your looking to get your hands on a iPhone today, well, good for you, may the iPhone be with you, but just don't expect me to write or mention anything today on the stupid iPhone!

Maybe tomorrow an iPhone piece, but not today... no iPhone hype and that's a promise you can expect me to keep, because when I say no iPhone, I mean no iPhone!

And thats my 2 cents 4 this iPhone Friday, the 29th. of June, this year of the iPhone, 2007.

 

[MacMan]

Well, as posted in todays news, the iPhone reviews are starting to finally show themselves. The best review by far is this one by David Pogue: <object height="350" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VcRfAaIb2Ro" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></object>

Other reviews can be had here:

• New York Post - Glenn Fleishman
• The Wall Street Journal - Walt Mossberg
• MSNBC - Steven Levy
• USA Today - Edward Baig

I can honestly say, after watching the two video reviews available, I lost every last ounce of enthusiasm I had for the iPhone. Even before watching them, I was still intrigued, but for some reason afterwards, I could care less. Walt Mossberg said the call quality was "just ok", which is funny since it's a $500+ phone, but he still highly recommends it anyway.

No memory expansion to me, is ridiculous. 4GB or even 8GB of space is not a lot of storage, so an SD slot would have been ideal. To each their own though. I am sure a lot of people will love the iPhone once they get their mitts on it, I just can't be bothered to care anymore.

I love David Pogue's reviews. They are always funny and witty! As for the iPhone, the second version is the one for me. 3G, GPL. Even one Apple expert said he would rather wait for it than current one. Oh well, he'll be getting the first one free anyway!

As for the New York Post, forget it. The writer claims it is a first review, it is NOT! Apple only sent four iPhones out and the New York Post wasn't one of them. The writer held an iPhone for 5 minutes or less last January, but acts like he has been using it for the past two weeks! I for one, wouldn't bother to list it; it's a very bias piece.

 

[Matt Serrano]

God dammit. I told myself I wasn't getting one. I knew it wasn't worth it. And I know, as much as I hate Verizon, Cingular wasn't going to be any better in the long run.

What do I think? I'm smitten. Sign me up baby.

Truth be told, I tried stopping by an Apple store a while after they opened at six expecting to at least see one. I knew Apple was hiring security for their stores, but I assumed they would have sold out sooner. They actually had a line extending down at least 20 stores in the mall, zig-zagging back and forth. After people yelled one-by-one when they bought one, I have to admit apart of me died inside. Jealousy? Yeah, whatever.

The biggest draw to me is having a two-in-one device. I always have my cell phone and my iPod (and don't count me as a fanboy just yet - I've tried my fair share of players) in my pocket, so having both would be the perfect solution. Just really really expensive.

Then again, if I don't have one in a week, I probably won't be interested until the next version hits.

 

[Greg King]

I honestly have no desire to even entertain the thought of getting an iPhone.

 

[b1lk1]

No no no never never never never.

 

[Matt Serrano]

That's your prerogative.

Steve may have put up some reality distortion fields at the Apple store, so I'll get back to you in a week, if not less.

 

[Rob Williams]

I love the iPhone. I was so tired of reading about it, that I actually spent near the entire day off the computer, it was fantastic. God what it feels like to actually go outside once in a while. Great stuff!

Seriously though. Reading through my RSS feeds yesterday of about fifty websites, there were eight iPhone related stories in a row, followed by some IBM story, then another eight iPhone stories. It was with that, that I got up off the computer and found something else to do.

BTW, the new Die Hard movie is good, non-stop action. Over the top, but good. Justin Long isn't even that bad of an actor, either.

 

[Enigmachine]

As far as I can tell, the iPhone is a rebranded/repackaged Samsung phone.

Most of the chips inside are made by Samsung in any case, so apart from the software there isn't really anything to set this phone apart from the other phones it copies...

 

[MacMan]

Rebranded Samsung?

As far as I can tell, the iPhone is a rebranded/repackaged Samsung phone.

Most of the chips inside are made by Samsung in any case, so apart from the software there isn't really anything to set this phone apart from the other phones it copies...

If the iPhone is indeed nothing more than a re-branded Samsung, pre-tell what model number would that be? Just because the Xbox 360 uses an IBM Power Pc cpu doesn't mean that the Xbox 360 is just a re-branded IBM, or does it?

 

[Matt Serrano]

Seriously though. Reading through my RSS feeds yesterday of about fifty websites, there were eight iPhone related stories in a row, followed by some IBM story, then another eight iPhone stories. It was with that, that I got up off the computer and found something else to do.

We can all relate to that.

 

[MacMan]

Extremely Kool iPhone Effect's Video

Engadget has a really cool HD Video Demo of some extremely cool iPhone effects!

As sick as I am of all of the iPhone hype, I must say that based on what I am seeing and reading..... I WANT A iPHONE NOW!

Wow, if the first version which we all know always has a few gliches is indeed this good, just imagine what the second version which will have G3 etc. comes out some time before Christmas. First verision owners are going to feel ripped off!

Enjoy Engadget's video; I did:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/30/hd-video-iphone-on-screen-effects/

 

[b1lk1]

Like Rob, I have been spending the majority of my time outside, in the sun playing with my kids and getting some much needed exercise. Since I have turned the PC off and lived real life, I have lost 22lbs and can now walk a few miles without feeling like the end is near. I have my trusty little Nokia 3220 in my pocket should I need to call someone. Some people are gadget freaks and that is their choice. But just looking at this device, I see something else I personally can easily live without. If I need an internet fix, I just pop online for a few minutes and poke around. Lately, that has been not very much. Enjoy your iPhones, I am just gonna enjoy the sunshine, and set my cellphone to "silent".....

 

[Matt Serrano]

As the iPhone fire was dwindling, I hear about this. Great job Gizmodo!

If you have bad credit and fail the credit check, you can get a "ToGo" plan with the iPhone. They're actually cheaper (for my needs, anyway) than the standard plans, with no early termination fee if you decide to cancel.

Anyone want to spot me $600?

 

[madstork91]

food for thought.

So... on my on my drive back home today I had a revelation.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16868100016
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16868110001

The above links are to one Nintendo DS (129.99) and one Sony PSP (169.99)

Now as I was driving I realized something... What exactly does an iPhone have that puts its value at $600?

The Nintendo DS can play video with the right adapters... It wasn't built with that in mind, but it is capable. (The parts are ~ $100 - 150 depending on what exactly you get) These parts turn your little portable into a portable emulator, an mp3 player, and a Video player... Total cost for this set up, $280-330.

The Sony PSP only lacks a touch screen in this area, well... once it has a memory card. But once a flash stick is acquired... Well... the touch screen is all it lacks to equaling the DS contraption mentioned above. Hell, they even make movies for the PSP!

So what do these two things lack from the iPhone? Oh yeah the Phone part!

So... um... You could be paying $170-2??(depending on the card for the PSP and DS) for simply the phone function, the ability to have all of these things on one object, and lets not forget that one video's mention of that Apple logo.

Why does this cost so much?

Hell if I know... I did hear that Nokia is coming out with one similar to the iPhone though. Knowing Nokia the thing will be able to take a #$%&ing beating and will cost a lot less. But even if it is "less," How much less?