Tuesday, January 09, 2007

TECH - iPhone

You've GOT to go to Apple's website and check out their upcoming iPhone.

It's an iPod, a mobile phone, and a multimedia device.

Specs include an 8GB harddrive, 2 MegaPixel camera, huge 3.5 inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi and it's less than 12mm thick!


I am *so* damned tempted to abandon my beloved Treo line and go Apple.



EDIT: Let's keep a running tab of the pro's and con's of the iPhone, shall we? (I'll add mine on this page, as I discover/hear about'em.) Feel free to comment.

PRO's
* fewer moving parts
* wi-fi
* 4GB or 8GB storage
* huge touchscreen
* 0.46in. thick
* Bluetooth 2.0
* EDGE (hi-speed) internet
* 320 x 480 @ 160ppi (resolution)
* GSM worldphone
* tabbed browsing
* A2DP (music through Bluetooth)
* no third-party applications (pro & con, actually)

CON's
* no removable battery
* potentially greasy screen
* no tactile feedback on keyboard
* no removable storage
* no mobile office suite?
* only 5hrs of battery life... probably MAX
* no third-party applications (pro & con, actually)

Neutral
* same length as Treo 750

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tempted? You gotta be kidding! I've been using Motorola and Treos for the past two years and this blows away EVERYTHING that either company has put out in that time.

The price point is cheaper than a Moto Q AND a Treo 700p/750w plus the functionality is light years away from anything that either company has released.

Mark my words: iPhone is the device to beat in '07 and by '08 every other mobile manufacturer will have a device out that mimics the iPhone in some way shape or form. Real Talk.

Oh Yeah: A June ship date gives you six months to save up to get it ($100.00 per month... Cha-Ching!) and you know you want that 8BG model, lol!!!!

West said...

Damned right.

I wondered, though, if it'll have a bunch of cool apps, including Office-style programs. If not, it's a waste of functionality.

Also, running Mac OS X makes me think I'd have a helluva time, not just with the learning curve, but also with compatibility.

The potential is incredible.

I hope Cingular doesn't have it locked-up for TOO long.


Oh yeah. I anticipate it having similar shortcomings as the iPod. If it converts all music for play OR doesn't convert the ones it's going to store (but not play), that's inefficient and inconvenient.

Dunno what to do. That 750 that just came out has already got me drooling.

Anonymous said...

Not that into gadgets, but I would be worried having one gadget to do everything. What if it crashes? What if it does not work as promised? What if the screen cracks like the first version of the iPod Nano? I am use to my PC crashing, but my iPod has always been good to me. If started not working properly I would be pissed! I would definitely wait for the second generation before purchasing to see how it all works first.

West said...

re: "Not that into gadgets, but I would be worried having one gadget to do everything. What if it crashes?

Almost anything can crash. There are ways of dealing with that.

With my Treo, for instance, there's a reset button I can press.

In addition, it syncs with my computer, so my information is backed-up there. I can recover my address book, notes, and pictures, etc. simply by pressing a few buttons.

re: "What if it does not work as promised?"

Same as with any other consumer item, it can be taken back to the store or replaced under warranty.

re: "What if the screen cracks like the first version of the iPod Nano?"

Again, it can be returned or replaced under warranty.

re: "I am use to my PC crashing, but my iPod has always been good to me. If started not working properly I would be pissed! I would definitely wait for the second generation before purchasing to see how it all works first."

Hehe. I can understand caution.

It also helps to research the device well before purchasing. Some folks get more phone, computer, or car than they really need, then find themselves unhappy with it. A little preparation (and a lot of usage during the 30-day return period) can solve that.

After that, protect it, back it up, and enjoy it. :)

Anonymous said...

It's a first Gen product with a lot of advanced functionalities. Of course, not every one that ships is going to work perfectly as planned. Unfortunately that's the risk that you take when buying tech. Fortunately Apple isn't the only company that suffers from this: Just look at the track record of Microsoft, Motorola, Palm, et al, when launching new products.

As far as capabities go, beyond IMAP-based email, there will be no Office type applications on the phone... at least not for the first Gen anyway. That's not to say that they won't add that functionality later on. If you watched the Keynote from yesterday, you will notice that Steve Jobs says that they have plans to add 3G network functionality in a future version. And we KNOW that updates WILL be coming because EDGE really isn't all that fast. If you want truly fast WLAN speeds, HSDPA is the way to go, so they'll definitely be adding that in at some point in the future.

The positives that it has going for it are obviously WiFi and the fact that it's GSM/Sim Card-based. This means that you don't *HAVE* to use the device on Cingular if you don't want to despite Cingular having a multi-year exclusivity contract with Apple. Of course, you'll lose some functionality like the Visual Voicemail and the built-in SMS may not display as intended, but other than that you *should* be able to use the device on any GSM-based network which right now only includes T-Mobile and Cincinnati Bell (the last Baby Bell left).

The negatives of course is that you won't be able to download media over the air from iTunes and that you can't sync the iPhone to your Mac or PC wirelessly over WiFi or Bluetooth. Also, you can't share music with others wirelessly like you can with Microsoft's Zune. Of course, they did this so they wouldn't be charged with helping people pirate music and movies, lol!!! All in all though, it sounds like it's going to be a really solid device especially for a first Gen phone. Of course, I expect nothing less from Apple....just look at the Mac: Pure Perfection.

Anonymous said...

I love tech toys. But I will NOT run out to purchase the iPhone.

I like my gadgets separate. Don't need a phone that takes pictures - that's what my digicam is for.

By the time it gets to Canada it'll be an arm, a leg and my firstborn.
I'm concerned about the texting options...it's not a Blackberry with static buttons...it's all onscreen.

Enough room for your thumbs? Don't think so.

No thanks.

West said...

Yeah. I think it's impressive, but falls short of perfection.

I like all-in-one gadgets, but no removable battery, no removable storage, and no third-party apps (including Office-compatible software) = deal-breaker, for me.