I'm in the 'don't care' camp about the iPhone being named the invention of the year. I also 'don't care' about any of the other Time magazine "of the year" declarations. They're trying to sell magazines. But I 'do care' that the data from every call an iPhone user makes (and all other cell users) are being collected and monitored by the NSA.
Deniseellen, what are you doing that you're worried about NASA collecting info. I suggest you find a VILLAGE as there is one somewhere missing an IDIOT.
NASA can listen to all my calls, but I warn them that they will be so bored they'll fall asleep.
NSA is the National Security Agency. NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The posting said NSA--not NASA. And please do refrain from insulting fellow posters.
Saying the Apple invented the iPhone is like sayint McDonald's invented the Big Mac. Sure, in the most literal sense it's true, but the Big Mac is just another cheeseburger, and the iPhone is just an MP3player, cell phone, and touch-screen PDA stuck together sans duct tape. If slapping pre-existing inventions together is enough to get recognized as an innovator of new things, then I've been missing out on lots of money making opportunities.
Now pardon me while I go whip out the duct tape and get inventing.
I agree that the iPhone is a great innovation but there is not one aspect of it that is either original or unique. It is great to have several hand-held devices in one pocket-size package, but even the idea behind that is nothing new. It is just unfortunate that the American market is so far behind the Japanese and even several European markets for technical advancements to be made available to the general public
Of course, Apple did not invent the cellular phone. However, the iPhone is significant in the way it changes the game for the rest of the cellular industry. No longer will brands like Nokia and Motorola get away with the crap they've shoved down our throats for years and years. Apple designed the iPhone to be upgradable, just like Mac OS X itself. New features will be added, new applications will come. Because the device relies purely on a software based user interface, the user experience can be changed and refined over time, something that cannot be done with traditional phones. Sure, other mobile phones are capable of a firmware upgrade, but until now, there's never been a compelling reason for these companies to be bothered with fixing their firmware. They've never cared about the end user. That mentality will no longer be acceptable. The iPhone changes everything. Whether you love it or hate it, you will benefit from the iPhone. It raises the bar. It will encourage competition and spur innovation. I've owned a number of high end mobile phones and they've all been absolute crap in comparison to the iPhone. If you think the iPhone is good now, just wait until Apple opens the flood gates and allows the developers into the iPhone. It's not just a device, it's a platform, and already, it's a successful platform. No matter how much you hate Apple and love Microsoft, the iPhone is here to stay.
...I don't even know where to start...
> Apple designed the iPhone to be upgradable, just like Mac OS X itself.
Right. No other cell phone has upgradable firmware.
> New features will be added, new applications will come.
At the behest of Apple. Where's the innovation there? Closing your platform? That seems like a step backwards to me.
> Because the device relies purely on a software based user interface, the user experience can be changed and refined over time, something that cannot be done with traditional phones.
HUH??? On what planet have you come from? Have you not seen any other smartphone? Ever? What, because it has a soft keyboard, it's more modifiable than any other smartphone? Sorry, that statement is 100% incorrect. The iPhone is more closed than anything else out there! You make it sound so seamless, but when a simple firmware upgrade can wreck every other 3rd party piece of software on the phone, that's pretty lame coding. They're stifling innovation, not encouraging it. Who'd want to add apps to the iPhone now? Hackers, maybe, but that's about it.
> Whether you love it or hate it, you will benefit from the iPhone. It raises the bar. It will encourage competition and spur innovation.
Finally! A true statement!
BUT
Your post is off-topic.
The question was "Does the iPhone deserve to be called the 'Invention of the Year'?"
You didn't answer that question. You told us why you think the iPhone is great. And in some cases, you're right. It is innovative, and it will encourage companies to think differently about the devices they manufacture, and that's great for the industry.
But it's far from an invention.
"Right. No other cell phone has upgradable firmware"
I addressed this in my original post. Didn't you read it? How many cell phone manufacturers actually release firmware updates for their phones? How many of them actually improve the end user experience? Of the number of phones I've owned, not once did I receive a firmware update. Not once did Motorola refine it's UI. Apple's already added new features and refinements to the UI.
"At the behest of Apple. Where's the innovation there? Closing your platform? That seems like a step backwards to me."
Hello! Where have you been? Under a rock? Apple is opening up the iPhone to developers. There will be a native SDK soon. This whole "closed platform" FUD won't apply much longer. Run with it while you can.
"What, because it has a soft keyboard, it's more modifiable than any other smartphone?"
Yes, it is. The possibilities are endless.
"You make it sound so seamless, but when a simple firmware upgrade can wreck every other 3rd party piece of software on the phone, that's pretty lame coding."
Hm... Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Apple, for the moment, doesn't support 3rd party software or even intend for it to be installed on the iPhone. By using such hacks, you do so at your own risk. Myself, I can stand to wait for the official SDK and officially support applications. Yes, it will be seamless. Why is it lame for Apple not to support hacked iPhones with 3rd party applications? How does it make any sense at all for Apple to support them? It doesn't. It's impractical and retarded. Apple's not going to stop iPhone development dead in it's tracks for a few hacked iPhones.
"They're stifling innovation, not encouraging it."
Whatever helps you sleep at night. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If they were stifling innovation, there wouldn't be so much drivel written about an "iPhone killer."
"But it's far from an invention."
It's not an invention, it's an innovation. They might not have invented every single piece of technology in the iPhone, but they did a damn good job putting it all together and giving it a great interface. That's what Apple does. It's the same thing they did with the Macintosh and the iPod. They just build a better product with a better user experience. Get over it.
you just said that they improved it. then why are you saying that it should win the best invention award?
Ok, i have an iphone and i take it with me everywhere. I have my movies, tv shows on it. my email is always with me. safari is great.
BUT...the iphone is apple's first entry into the mobile phone world. What about 3G data speeds?? yeah, people want a 3G iphone. steve jobs announced back in january that a 3G iphone would come in the future.
Some things I would like to see included in their next model:
-more memory. say, 25GB??
-High speed data
-Better battery life. It's fine now but it could be better.
I think those are the things that consumers are looking forward to.
TIME can name the iphone "invention of the year". but what if apple releases the next generation of the iphone at macworld in january 2008? this time next year, will the newer iphone be the best invention of 2008? Cell phone manufacturers are taking note of the iphone's strengths and weaknesses. Though they may not replicate the multi-touch interface. there are phones out there right now that rival the iphone. If apple keeps on truckin, they'll keep being loved.
I say iphone should be invention of the year. i wanna see the cover of that magazine.
by the way, they didn't invent it. iphone is a name, and the brought devices together, which we have done in the past. no invention there!
Never seen one in person but the technology for this was out there. I think it is awesome, cool, but not greatest and there was a lot of deception in the initial release leading many to disappointment. No points from me on incredible marketing. Very glad I didnt get stuck with the ones whose battery doesnt come out, what a step backwards. A magazine like Popular Science or even deeper, Scientific American, I would like to see what they would pick or if there even were any outstanding developments this year, 'that your average Time reader would understand'. I dont look to Time when I want an evaluation of technology and insights into developments in Pure Science. The most amazing thing that happened this year concerning Apple is they actually dropped the price on something in the course of a year. To me that was totally unexpected and the first time Apple ever behaved like they were a normal company. This may be an even greater move than releasing the phone itself. I will now look to Apple for products in the future, I never would have before just as I have always tried to avoid anything Sony.
Mainly for the whole design and colletion of so may features, the fact that it is so small, can do so much, and for the majority of the puplic react beautifly, to the way they want it to - is my reson for thinking it should be "invention of they year"
P.S. the interface is a new invention and that alone is very well put together.
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