Buzz Out Loud Lounge: Thoughts on the iPhone?
Keyboard
by rtemp - 1/10/07 11:12 PM In reply to: I agree on one part... by sleepwalkersI don't think that some people realize how tightly Apple designs their hardware. Apple designed the iPhone without a physical keyboard in mind, and as such, I can almost guarantee that there is absolutely no possible way to include any form of keyboard in the current form factor. If they were to increase the size of the phone to accomodate the keyboard, then they lose their size and portability, hurting their design image.
-Ryan
can I just have the internet communicator/video ipod part?
by limburger2001 - 1/11/07 2:09 AM In reply to: I agree on one part... by sleepwalkersI pretty much agree with everyone to some level:
1) Put an apple badge on anything, make it sexy, and people will pay.
2) It works as a video ipod and an internet communicator - great screen!
BUT, I have issues with it not having a keyboard and having just my fingers to tap away at a virtual keyboard for data entry (no handwriting recognition? I assume this since Steve doesn't want us to use a stylus) - it may suffice for the occassional input of phone numbers, and the odd short text msg, but how about email, chat, or participating in forum discussions? And virtual keyboards take away valuable screen real estate when they're being used.
Also, that screen's gonna get awful smudgy with all that finger poking, no matter how clean and dry your hands are...and just a thought about style - can you imagine what you'd look like holding up one of those to your face?
Bottom line: Apple fanboys will buy it and accept its faults, and if I had the cash, I'd buy one for its video and internet features alone, and live with the shortcomings...but I don't think people will be giving up their treos, blackberries and nokias just yet.
Big seller, no doubt - but gen 2 probably the sweet spot
by giorgitd - 1/10/07 7:52 PM In reply to: Thoughts on the iPhone? by navsimpsonI own zero Apple products presently, but went down to my local Apple store the second I heard Jobs say 'iPhone'. I was disappointed to learn there that I arrived 6 months too early.
I agree with many of the opinions about the device limitations, but I carry a PDA (Toshiba e755) around all day, every day - and the iPhone is narrower, shorter and thinner. The PDA was about $400 three or so years ago, so the price isn't far off the mark in terms of the value I'm confortable carrying around. You do carry your $1,000+ laptop around, right?
Oh, and I can ditch the phone - mine is a real cheapie (long story), but I'm on Net10 and am a free agent when it comes to contracts.
Oh, and I can ditch the 1Gb SanDisk Sansa m240.
Oh, and there's added functionality in the convergence of music/phone/contacts relative to my current, three-device distributed system.
Oh, and it's the coolest device from a design standpoint I've seen in a long time.
I could go on, but the bottom line: this isn't your grandfather's phone. I'm in line.
Price is fine (now), will be lower not long after launch
by Tunbers - 1/10/07 9:28 PM In reply to: Thoughts on the iPhone? by navsimpsonPrice sounds high, but here in Australia that price is right on the mark for a "smartphone" with a basic contract.
Depending on the deal with the Network Provider there will probably be other prices based on contract length, data allowances etc.
Anyway, if you think the price is high just wait and the price will drop, just as the iPod has to smash any competition.
My Thoughts: iPhone Lite
by defensorfortis - 1/11/07 9:19 AM In reply to: Thoughts on the iPhone? by navsimpsonMy thoughts on the iPhone is "wow" and "gotta have it." Although after the rush of enthusiam faded, reality kicked in. So I begin to question the iPhone's functionality and purpose to my daily lifestyle. I take a phone with me where ever I go. I never listen to music on my phone (even though it's capable) b/c when I'm on the go, I'm... in the car, at work, at school, shopping, or at the gym.
If I'm at the gym, I have my iPod. When I'm in the car, I have my iPod connected to the Alpine iPod Unit. So all my iPod angles are covered.
However, the iPhone with Safari and Wi-Fi is fantastic! But, I'm not sure how often I'd use it. If I'm surfing on the web.. I'm "on the web" so I'll just use my 12" PowerBook.
I'd prefer an iPhone Lite that would just sync my address book and have mp3 playback so I can have customized ringtones. I have a Motorola PEBL purley for it's form, not it's function and I regret it because I dislike it's interface. I'd prefer something cleaner, functional, and smoother.
My next phone would probably be a Samsung or Sony b/c of the iPhone's price and my actual use of the iPhone. BUT!!!! If I had it, I'd keep it and make love to it.
Can't stop comparing to Stand Alone iPod
by mcrhodeszz - 1/11/07 1:06 PM In reply to: Thoughts on the iPhone? by navsimpsonEven though I know it's not a fair comparison, I just can't stop thinking about the fact that I got a 5th gen iPod with 30 gigs for $249. Apple wants me to pay double that price for 4 gigs. I carry about 14 gigs on my iPod right now and that is going up as I download more video stuff. It just seems like to much money. It would be great if they could strip the phone stuff and just sell it as a Wide Screen Video iPod at the iPod price point.
it is an apples to oranges comparison
by ackmondual - 1/13/07 12:35 AM In reply to: Can't stop comparing to Stand Alone iPod by mcrhodeszz1) even tho technology gets better and cheaper over time, you can't expect to pay the same price (or even only somewhat more) for the same capacity but now with many extras like wifi, BT, cell phone, touch screen, higher res screen, OSX (not to mention the faster proc needed to run it), reportedly better internet access, email, iTunes integration, personal information managers, etc. If you want all of that cheaper, then stick with your ipod at $250, get higher end cell phone for $250, and it'll cost no more than an iphone, but you'll still get many of the features/functions you're clamoring for.
There seems to be an expectation that having more features and functionality bundled as a package or single set item, or having that said item become physically smaller in size, should mean we'll get our purchase at a discount rate. But unlike value menus where the burger + fries + drink are less then the sum of it's parts and where some people wish a salad was cheaper than a burger b/c it's less calories and less filling, technology doesn't necessarily work that way. One can only say "you can get a desktop with more power and it would still cost much less than that laptop" to the point that it just won't pan out anymore. Sure, that's certainly true, but you reach a certain point that you spend extra $$ for less specs and features for MOBILITY.
2) flash memory is expensive. Case in point... the 8GB Ipod Nano and 30GB Ipod Video both cost $300. Is the former a pure trickery by Apple? Perhaps, but that Nano has it's merits. It's even smaller than that Video so it's great for working out or to fit in tight spaces. Having flash memory over microdrive means it's much less affected by shocks and high impact and no moving parts increases battery life. Both great for working out and field work. Of course it's been said that APple would rather you get the better deal. Then consumers will be more tempted to buy music, videos clips, movies, and podcasts with all that extra space, which'll mean more $$ from iTunes. Although there are 20-30GB flash modules, I believe they're only small enough for laptop computers, and they're still in development phase. Even if it were ready for the iphone, it would surely jack up the price at least another $150.
iPhone screen not 4:3 or 16:9
by nthsquare - 1/11/07 1:57 PM In reply to: Thoughts on the iPhone? by navsimpsonIs it me, or does anyone else find this odd. The specs on the iPhone list a screen that measures 480 px X 320 px = 3:2 which don't quite match current TV or widescreen. Am I missing something?
the video display doesn't have to fill the screen exactly
by ackmondual - 1/12/07 11:54 PM In reply to: iPhone screen not 4:3 or 16:9 by nthsquareIf there is 16:9 video they'll just use the black bars at the top and bottom, or maybe even use that for controls or some task/nav bar.
My thoughts
by Alendar - 1/11/07 8:14 PM In reply to: Thoughts on the iPhone? by navsimpsonJust wow, I want one, only if I could afford it.
My questions are:
1 How many songs can it hold?
2 Can you record videos or only take pictures with the iPhone?
3 How many voice mails can you fit up to?
4 Are there RSS feeds?
5 Is there any news widget?
6 Are there games?
7 Is there a To-Do list feature?
8 Is it a service plan or pay as you go?
9 How strong is it? Can it take a beating from children and being tossed around in the car?
10 Can it record sound? If so, how long?
11 Can the screen get smudged from being a touch screen?
12 Can it use iHome?
13 What if you have pudgy fingers, does it make a lot of typos?
Takin' A Bite Out The Apple.....
by PolzyB - 1/12/07 12:48 AM In reply to: My thoughts by AlendarClearly a case of Applephiles' knee-jerk reaction to anything Apple-like! I wouldn't choose one if it was free with contract!!!! Give me a Nokia N95 anyday......... Some reasons why.....:
Wait til some non-Apple staff get their hands on it before you all go waxing lyrical.... You'll be spending half your time cleaning the screen of your greasy digit marks - and let's hope Apple have learned their lesson about too-easy-to-scratch surfaces... PLUS NO 5mb camera, NO sat-nav, No 3G?!?!? AND what are all the ipod owners gonna do with their, now obsolete, iPods? Except they wont be obsolete cos the phone will only come in 4gb or 8gb flavours so you'll have to carry your 80gb whopper with you for all your video storage....
SO, when you are sewing more pockets into your trousers to carry your iPhone, iPod, 'iCamera','iSat-Nav' and cursing the intrinsic difficulty (not to mention frustration!) of 'trying' to speed txt/type on a touch-sensitive interface I'll be thinking of what to do with my free hand and my Nokia N95. Maybe put my feet up and sip an iced tea........
Plus THAT price!?!?!?
Maybe the expression 'you've gone bananas' should be changed with reference to another fruit........
I love Macs, but this thing sucks...
by dougieb - 1/12/07 1:44 AM In reply to: Thoughts on the iPhone? by navsimpsonI love my Macbook and my G5... can't beat them for some things...
However the iPhone... like the iPod, leaves much to be desired...
1. Cingular (You can get a pocket PC for any carrier - including some that don't suck).
2. No WMA's (If you're going to play music/video, get a creative Zen - can't beat it for value, price, ease of use and flexibility, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, Mpeg, etc.)
3. Closed to development (Apple, true to form shut out many of their supporters and has the iPod closed to development. The Pocket PC on the other hand, anyone can develop for. Apps, Games, whatever!)
4. Price. More than annoying.
5. Memory size. This is a joke.
6. No 3G
7. 2 year contract? With Cingular? Geez... Um... Yeah. Need I say more?
What a waste of two years. I'm just going to bet that after the initial boom, that people realize what they are NOT getting and this thing will tank.
New York Times think different
by peternachtkracht - 1/12/07 3:25 AM In reply to: I love Macs, but this thing sucks... by dougiebIf you visit the New York Times web site on your mobile phone you will see a specially designed mobile friendly web page. It loads quickly on your WAP browser using a 2.5G connection. Great! (Auto redirect detection of browser type)
It is different from the web page you see on a pc (or mac) from a desktop machine with a broadband connection. Fair enough you might say.
But my readding of the idea behind the I Phone is that you see the whole page (just like the desktop version) and the zoom in. Is there something really clever going on in the new I Phone browser or is that going to be very slow? I am I missing something?
actually its the phone browser
by peternachtkracht - 1/12/07 4:34 AM In reply to: New York Times think different by peternachtkrachtLooking at the New York Times again. I think its the phone browser that has interpreted the page and re-presented it for mobile...and done a very good job (pulling out xhtml content?). I still cant get my head around how the i phone can load a 147k page easily. Is there going to be some sort of giant proxy server sitting in a back office in Apple? Does the image on the apple site of the whole New York Times web site represent the fact that the whole page has loaded and that zooming in is only a matter of graphics rather than more page loading.
If the apple I phone web browser really works well and fast then it is clear that the I phone is genuinely the phone re invented. But I cant understand how it loads big web pages through a very narrow bandwidth?
demo on u tube
by peternachtkracht - 1/12/07 4:57 AM In reply to: actually its the phone browser by peternachtkracht
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