Am I the only Machead who can't take the iPhone seriously?

4456 Views 52 Replies 21 Participants Last post by madgunde, Jul 10, 2007

i stole this name

Discussion Starter · Jul 3, 2007

If a windows pocket PC came out with a very intuitive interface -but cut off third party support, HSDPA and a host of features that the iPhone lacks- in the place of the iPhone, few would consider it. Am I right?

So, what's the deal? It's a novelty, IMO; I just can't not laugh when i look at the price tag and the two-year contractual rape.

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messed_kid

· #2 · Jul 3, 2007

i stole this name said:
If a windows pocket PC came out with a very intuitive interface -but cut off third party support, HSDPA and a host of features that the iPhone lacks- in the place of the iPhone, few would consider it. Am I right?

So, what's the deal? It's a novelty, IMO; I just can't not laugh when i look at the price tag and the two-year contractual rape.

I'm with you on this one. There are tons of cons for the iPhone. Storage space, "weak" camera, huge price tag..yada yada. I would much rather have an iPod, celly and camera seperate. Would probably come out to the same price..but with much better specs.

mclenaghan

· #3 · Jul 3, 2007

Where would we be if someone did not support inovation and high price tags. I am people said the same about the first PC as well as Lisa and the first Macs, but it was the novelty as well as the potential possibilities. Also, who is the target audience for these devices? The high end excutives, or the teenagers who are unable to survive without some type of communication device. Who wanted an ipod when they first came out, now its who doesn't have an ipod.

Just something to think about.

madgunde

· #4 · Jul 3, 2007

mclenaghan said:
Where would we be if someone did not support inovation and high price tags. I am people said the same about the first PC as well as Lisa and the first Macs, but it was the novelty as well as the potential possibilities. Also, who is the target audience for these devices? The high end excutives, or the teenagers who are unable to survive without some type of communication device. Who wanted an ipod when they first came out, now its who doesn't have an ipod.

Well said. In 10 years, almost every cell phone and mobile electronic device will work like the iPhone does. Those that don't understand that, don't get the significance of the iPhone.

It's not about specs people, it's about how usable it is, and how it enables people to do things that they would have never bothered to do before. Surfing the web on any other phone is a chore and hardly worth the hassle. Also, the iPhone will be a moving target. It will gain more features as time goes on, unlike most cell phones, which you have to throw out and buy a new one to get the new features. It will also evolve as newer revisions become available. You'll get your 3G iPhone next year, so if that's a deal breaker, then just wait.

Look at the iPod's life to get an idea of how the iPhone will progress. In 6 years, there will be 2-3 different form factors ranging in price from under $100 to $299.

ArtistSeries

· #5 · Jul 3, 2007

madgunde said:
Well said. In 10 years, almost every cell phone and mobile electronic device will work like the iPhone does. Those that don't understand that, don't get the significance of the iPhone.

Same thing was said about Newton...

Macaholic

· #6 · Jul 3, 2007

ArtistSeries said:
Same thing was said about Newton...

lol.

Newton and iPhone are NOT the same, both as a product, how refined its technology is implemented and -- most important -- the marketplace is RADICALLY different today than it was in Newton's day. The market is ready for what the iPhone represents, Apple is ensconced within the mainstream consciousness thanks to the iPod (unlike in Newton's day). Apple even has serious attention from its competitors (NOBODY laughs off Apple anymore).

It's the perfect storm for "smartphones" to undergo a long overdue overhaul focused on ease of use... and Apple is showing the way.

As for its specs? Specs mean nothing if the user cannot leverage them. And by "user" I mean the general population and not geeks. The POINT of the iPhone is that one can at least easily use what it has. The beauty of it's virtual design -- as Jobs pointed out -- is that there is lots of potential for improvement! It will be very interesting to watch its evolution.

satchmo

· #7 · Jul 3, 2007

ArtistSeries said:
Same thing was said about Newton...

So the Newton didn't turn out to be the Knowledge Navigator that Sculley hoped it would be. But It was way ahead of it's time ushering in the PDA and the various incarnations.

You might say the iPhone is what the Newton should have been.

I'm Winter

· #8 · Jul 3, 2007

satchmo said:
So the Newton didn't turn out to be the Knowledge Navigator that Sculley hoped it would be. But It was way ahead of it's time ushering in the PDA and the various incarnations.

You might say the iPhone is what the Newton should have been.

Sculley was an ignorant fool that should have been booted out of Apple years ago.

messed_kid

· #9 · Jul 3, 2007

Of course the iPhone is a great innovation, and in the future..all phones will have as much features as the iPhone. Lots of people will flock to the iPhones features that have never been all bundled together in one sexy package, but some people would much rather have more than one device to do those things in a better way. I would much rather have an 80gb iPod, my crappy Motorola cell phone and my 5MP Fuji camera.

I'm not doubting that the iPhone has potential, and has opend the door to a whole new era of handhelds. But I am saying...it's not for me, not yet at least.

Pelao

· #10 · Jul 3, 2007

Storage space, "weak" camera, huge price tag..yada yada.

You'll have to do a tad better than that. Storage space: how many other devices with a music player, video player, phone etc come in that size, with that interface and with 8GB of storage. I seem to remember a 4GB Nano doing reasonably (!!!) well in sales with 4GB!

Weak camera...2MP in a phone sized device. It will do what it's aimed at doing: take quick snaps.

Huge price: it's a launch price and other ground breaking devices have opened at similar highs - like the first Palms.

From everything I have read, any valid criticisms come down to personal preference, which is fine because that's called choice. This is the 1st generation iPhone, the first generation of a better personal device. It will only improve and come down in price.

ArtistSeries

· #11 · Jul 3, 2007

Macaholic said:
It's the perfect storm for "smartphones" to undergo a long overdue overhaul focused on ease of use... and Apple is showing the way.

The POINT of the iPhone is that one can at least easily use what it has. The beauty of it's virtual design -- as Jobs pointed out -- is that there is lots of potential for improvement! It will be very interesting to watch its evolution.

On can hope - I know many that have cell phones but only use about 10% of the features.

messed_kid

· #12 · Jul 3, 2007

Pelao said:
You'll have to do a tad better than that. Storage space: how many other devices with a music player, video player, phone etc come in that size, with that interface and with 8GB of storage. I seem to remember a 4GB Nano doing reasonably (!!!) well in sales with 4GB!

Weak camera...2MP in a phone sized device. It will do what it's aimed at doing: take quick snaps.

Huge price: it's a launch price and other ground breaking devices have opened at similar highs - like the first Palms.

From everything I have read, any valid criticisms come down to personal preference, which is fine because that's called choice. This is the 1st generation iPhone, the first generation of a better personal device. It will only improve and come down in price.

hehe

myself said:
I am saying...it's not for me, not yet at least.

I'm Winter

· #13 · Jul 3, 2007

Right now, the Apple iPhone could be better - what my main deal with it is that it needs more storage space. Badly. But it's only available with a phone service provider that thrives on the blood of small, cute animals - AT&T.

Macaholic

· #14 · Jul 3, 2007

ArtistSeries said:
On can hope - I know many that have cell phones but only use about 10% of the features.

Here's a GREAT example: changing profiles to go to silent mode. Right? On most phones this is a total PITA!!!

We don't want a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT profile. Do we?? I would say that most people have vibration in their main profile, anyway, it is just the ringing we want OFF. Land-lines have a ringer off - have had them for decades -- but a cell phone?? NOOOO! Ya gotta dive into the phone's preferences and bang through at least six button presses (typically)... just to watch a damned movie. Well, as Dave Pogue JOYFULLY pointed out in his video last week, turning the ringer off the iPhone is a one-button affair.

This is NOT hi-tech; it is simply care and thinking going into the device by the manufacturer... and it is this higher level of thinking that brought about the touch interface of the iPhone -- NOT the other way around ("Here's a gimmick. Let's USE IT!"). And -- just like Vista in comparison to Mac OS X -- you'll probably see "improvements" to cell phones that look like the iPhone... but don't act like it.

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I'm Winter

· #15 · Jul 3, 2007

The iPhone: Bound to be replicated but never duplicated.

Oakbridge

· #16 · Jul 3, 2007

As someone who has actually had their hands on one, I can sum up my experience using two words: user interface.

I've been cell-less for over two years now, mainly in part to refusing to put up with the crap that has been thrown out into the market. If I was a corporate type, I'd go Blackberry. However without the exchange server, a Blackberry is not the same. Being self employed, I don't need an exchange server running my business.

RIM has been pretty good with their user interface. Not as strong as Apple has shown, but at least you've got a device that can be used. I don't know what most manufacturers are thinking when they put SMS, Email, and Web capabilities into a device without a full QWERTY keyboard.

When I first used a Blackberry in 2000, I didn't think that the keyboard would work, but we are human beings, we adapt. However there is a limit to how far we can adapt. Forcing a user to hit the same key 3 times just to get one letter is not good user interface design. I remember doing some development work at Clearnet (now Telus) around the same time and while we were working on web based apps for their phones, we were also frustrated at how difficult it was to type in a simple URL. Too often designers can get lost in the 'look what we can do' and they overlook the 'what do people want to do?' and 'how practical is it for someone to actual do this?'.

I think what amazes me more is the absolute horrible stuff that people get sucked into buying. This may be where the hype of the iPhone has tainted your view on it. The hype is huge, way too much for an inanimate object. Andrew Lloyd Webber had it right when he wrote the lyrics to Superstar: mass communication, good PR... Sometimes when something receives this much publicity, it is too good to be true and falls flat.

The iPhone is not for everyone. Neither are the Chicago Blackhawks, Anchor Bar Chicken Wings, Diet Coke, and hitting a 3 iron off the tee instead of going with driver. Those are choices (they happen to be my choices). Downloadable ring tones, a camera in my phone, and a design that I can't easily operate are not my choices.

My choices for an iPhone would be to remove the camera, remove the video capabilities, and give me Tasks. I want a device that can smoothly synchronize with my Mac and help keep me organized (contacts, tasks, appointments, etc.), allow me to communicate easily when I am away from my office (phone, email, web surfing), and that doesn't force me to jump through hoops to accomplish this. For me, the design of the iPhone works. I'll take the camera and the video iPod functionality and may or may not use it.

Apple appears to have listened to the complaints of most cell phone users and have come up with interesting designs to accommodate the problems. Not everyone will agree, but at least Apple has done some research. More companies need to do the same. They need to listen to their customers.

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messed_kid

· #17 · Jul 3, 2007

I'm Winter said:
The iPhone: Bound to be replicated but never duplicated.

Like they said at WWDC 2006 about Vista..... "If you can't innovate, imitate"

HowEver

· #18 · Jul 3, 2007

There we go again...

http://www.ehmac.ca/562351-post15.html

Macaholic said:
Here's a GREAT example: changing profiles to go to silent mode. Right? On most phones this is a total PITA!!! We don't want a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT profile. Do we?? I would say that most people have vibration in their main profile, anyway, it is just the ringing we want OFF. Land-lines have a ringer off - have had them for decades -- but a cell phone?? NOOOO! Ya gotta dive into the phone's preferences and bang through at least six button presses (typically)... just to watch a damned movie. Well, as Dave Pogue JOYFULLY pointed out in his video last week, turning the ringer off the iPhone is a one-button affair.

This is NOT hi-tech; it is simply care and thinking going into the device by the manufacturer... and it is this higher level of thinking that brought about the touch interface of the iPhone -- NOT the other way around ("Here's a gimmick. Let's USE IT!"). And -- just like Vista in comparison to Mac OS X -- you'll probably see "improvements" to cell phones that look like the iPhone... but don't act like it.

I'm Winter

· #19 · Jul 3, 2007

messed_kid said:
Like they said at WWDC 2006 about Vista..... "If you can't innovate, imitate"

Precisely. I'd bet in a few years, Microsoft will come out with some type of evil little hellspawn "Zune" Phone. Welcome to the social, my ass.

messed_kid

· #20 · Jul 3, 2007

I'm Winter said:
Precisely. I'd bet in a few years, Microsoft will come out with some type of evil little hellspawn "Zune" Phone. Welcome to the social, my ass.

iZune anyone? hehe

:lmao:

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