WOW, the new iPhone

[EXPAT]

http://images.apple.com/iphone/images/indexhero20070109.jpg

 

Apple has done it again with their new iPhone. I may have to invest.

[JasonK]

Very intriguing! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070109/ap_on_hi_te/apple_macworld

 

Look at Stock-- Increased 100% in about 6mos, in spite of Cramer's recommending it a few months back. Up over $7 today after the news.

 

I would wait about a year before buying; $499 seems a litle pricey.

[Jay_O]

Awesome! And available in June - just in time for my birthday.

 

-J

[JasonK]

yum!

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Aestetically, it's pleasing. Apple wouldn't have created this new gadget any other way.

 

I think the idea of the touch-screen QWERTY keyboard isn't such a good one. Unless you're using the stylus pen to do all of your input, people with anything less than finger-thin digits will end up hitting 'W' when they really meant to hit 'E.' I'm hoping that Apple can implement this in the most functional way possible.

 

The visual voicemail is a cool feature. The price tag (at nearly $600 for the fully tricked-out version) is steep. Also, exclusively pairing with Cingular for iPhone's service might not have been the best move. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

For now, let's all just stare and slobber at Nokia's Vertu luxury cell phone:

 

http://www.VERTU.com

 

 

 

BN

[JamesK840]

MEH, the new iPhone

 

Ben's on to something when he points out that lack of a keyboard is a pretty big issue. It's impossible to dial by touch, so you have to look at it, and typing messages is going to be a bear.

 

All in all, like so many Apple 'innovations' it seems to be about screwing the customer. It's exclusive to Cingular, and they're going to require a two year contract to buy it.

 

Even worse, it's going to be a closed system. That means Apple is going to actively prevent 3rd party development of software for it. So if there's some feature you want to add you'll just have to wait for Apple to add it to a future version--and throw out your current iPhone and buy the 2.0 to get it...

 

The biggest thing that struck me though is that there's nothing this phone does that a Microsoft Windows Mobile phone doesn't already do. These are available from every cell phone company, from many different manufacturers. They do everything the iPhone is supposed to do (in 4-8 months--Cingular's NEVER released a phone on time) and SO MUCH MORE.

 

For example, the Cingular 8525 has 3G connectivity--more then 3X the cellular data speed of the iPhone, a slide out keyboard, a slot to add memory, PLUS all the iPhone features: 2MP camera, BT2.0, WiFi, etc. Most importantly though, there are THOUSANDS of applications and games available for it and every other MS phone. GPS navigation with turn by turn directions? Got it. Play any one of hundreds (thousands?) of old arcade games through an emulator? Got it. Skype? Got it. IM on any provider? Got it. Voice recognition? Got it.

 

So before you commit to waiting (and waiting) for the iPhone, at least take a look at:

Cingular 8525

Cingular Blackjack

Cingular Treo 750v

Cingular 3525 (sexy black flip smartphone)

Verizon Motorolla Q Pro

T Mobile SDA, MDA II, etc.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

RE: MEH, the new iPhone

 

James, you're getting me hot & bothered with all of this tecnho-cell talk. Let's instant message through our respective handheld devices and have some muy hot cyber-action...

 

*wink*

 

 

BN

[Lookin]

RE: MEH, the new iPhone

 

When it comes to creating an easy, fun user experience, I wouldn't bet against Apple. I just opened up my Powerbook in a coffee shop I've never been to before, and the ONLY thing I had to do was click a pretty blue button asking me if I wanted to join the network it found for me. Next time I won't even have to do that, since the Mac added it to my list of trusted networks. It'll just be there when sit down and flip up the screen.

 

I've got all my CD's on my laptop, and I can stream any tracks I want to my stereo(s), wirelessly, from anywhere in the house or yard. The new iTV will allow the same experience from videos - in high definition.

 

The iPhone may or may not work as well out of the box. If it doesn't, I bet it soon will. It's got predictive typing, and I'm sure it will be well implemented. (I had to turn off predictive typing on my current cell phone, since it was more trouble than it was worth.) The promo says it will anticipate what the user wants to do, and Apple has an excellent track record in delivering on that promise.

 

From what I can tell there's not much in i/o hardware, except a microphone, a speaker, a screen, and wireless connectivity. Everything's in the software, which can be refined forever. If the graphic "buttons" are too small, make 'em bigger. I can't see any reason why voice recognition won't follow. In addition to telling it to "Call Rick and Derek on their cell phone.", I should one day be able to tell it to "Play some Smokey Robinson in the bedroom."

 

I trust Steve Jobs to deliver a very refined user experience. He has bet the whole brand image on putting magic in the user's hands. A certain market segment will pay a few extra bucks for fun and ease of use. And I expect that's why he won't let Microsoft or anybody else get into the operating system.

 

As others have said, we shall see.

[JasonK]

RE: MEH, the new iPhone

 

My radar just measured a huge spike in dirty thoughts; My imagination is running wild; Its getting hot in here... Off to another Hot and sweaty workout, that always works best.

[+ deej]

RE: MEH, the new iPhone

 

>When it comes to creating an easy, fun user experience, I wouldn't

>bet against Apple.

 

Agree. And I'd extend it to mass-market consumer devices.

 

MP3 players were a niche market mostly for nerds, competing with Sony's WalkMan, until the iPod came along and made it easy for the average person.

 

The difference here is cell phones are already ubiquitous. Everyone has one already, and almost everyone has very strong opinions on features that are absolute requirements vs. fluff. Personally, there is nothing about the iPhone that would pry my RAZR out of my hands.

 

Time will tell indeed.

[Lookin]

RE: MEH, the new iPhone

 

You're right. I expect the iPhone will get a fairly small share of the phone market, like it does with PC's. In both cases, they've got a profitable sliver of an existing market.

 

With the iPod, where they set the standard, they've got the lion's share of the market. Of course that also means they've got folks like Sony gunning for them.

 

It will be interesting to see whether or not Apple can make another category killer like the iPod. I'm sure ol' Steve is trying!

[JasonK]

RE: MEH, the new iPhone

 

Ouch... Just when it looked like this thing was nailed-- every once in awhile a new poster comes along and completely changes the game plan!

 

Speaking of changing the game, besides the iphones immediate possibilities accross the spectrum of the digital phoen world, I liek ot look at, among other things, the guy leading the helm: Steve Jobs. It is often said that the sign of a good company is to know the Ceo, his past history, & promise to deliver stellar products... It is said that Steve is Apple, & Apple is Steve.

 

Some interesting stats: In the early years Steve had first worked for Apple, his performance was good not bad; He soon left the company at that time & the stock rose 120%, only to have Steve return 12hrs later moving Apple up 2,220%; This soon caught the attention of Bill Gates, & at one time tele-conferenced Steve via saellite prime time from his Seattle home...

 

The Working guy, Christopher Null no pun intended) wrote, "...There is no question that, when the iphone is released this summer it will be the most advanced phone and capable on the planet..." After describing such cool features such as, Gesture-based Computing, OS X, and its Wireless 802.11g Wi-Fi, he completely turned around and shocked his audience & said that our understanding of this stellar new product is inerently flawed-- Its possible he said, that extra-terrestrials have beat us by 5,000yrs.

[JasonK]

RE: MEH, the new iPhone

 

Correction: New poster, in this context meaning new to the link, and not the overall board; Sorry deej.

[Louis]

RE: MEH, the new iPhone

 

We will see what affect it has on the Blackberry.

I think the Research In Motion guys will have to do more things with their products now.

A lot of very smart individuals work at Research In Motion, so I am sure they will be forced to make changes, and have the brains to do it.

By the way, some of you may be interested in knowing that Research In Motion is also called RIM. They put a few million dollars towards a sportsplex in Waterloo.... its now called RIM park....:-)