iPhone: coolest gadget of 07?

[Hien]

I'm sure you all hear about this already but I'm pretty psyched about this sexy phone! A bit expensive but I think it's definitely worth it!
http://www.informationarchitects.jp/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/iphone_b.png

[Andy]

:amen: Are you gonna get this baby soon, Hien ?

Pretty slick, I gotta admit. Only if we can afford. (MSRP starts at$499 and is exclusive for AT&T first). This should good to double as phone + Ipod.

By the way, Max sent me a link last night about the Cisco's trademark lawsuit over the name iPhone. Maybe Apply will change it to iHone instead

[Andy]

This is a low cost alternative to the expensive iPhone !

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2059/iphone1fd7f7a0nz2.jpg

[Hien]

The phone won't be available until June since they still need to get approval from the FCC. I'm salivating over it! If it was available on the same day of the announcement I would have probably ordered it impulsively! I've been itching to get a new gadget...:-k

If I had to change the name of iPhone, I'd call it Apple Phone, just like their other product, Apple TV. Anyways, they really did reinvent the phone! It's just so cool some of the new features. The ability to have random access to your v-mail is just awesome. :thumbsup:

[maxrum]

The things I don't like about the iPhone are some priority features:

MP3 player: iTunes only
Cell phone: Cingular only
Chat tools: I guess no MSN&Co

We will see what happens. I was also impressed by the presentation, but somehow I don't have a desire to buy it. I will wait for the Blackberry Pearl with 26 keys to come out. ;)

[Andy]

Are you still waiting for the iPhone, Hien ? I've been waiting for an excuse to get a new phone too ;)

My next phone may be one of those new Blackberry 8830 series

http://www.blackberry8800series.com/assets/images/photo_eight.jpg

[Bridgett]

my personal opinion on the looks only: the Blackberry 8830 looks a lot more sophisticated and professional than the iPhone.

And for whatever reason, I'm not impressed by the iPhone in any way -- maybe just don't feel it.:smt102

[alain]

I tried the BB Pearl and I didn't like it. The BB 8830 looks much better. I do need the full keyboard!! However, I still love my Treo.

I'm just waiting for the software RIM announced couple of days ago. That will let me use my Treo with the BB infrastructure. I'm tired of carrying two PDAs with me everywhere + my luggage...err... backpack (you know the size of that "thing")

[Yuriy]

Blackberry 8830 looks more impressive to me :)
I don't know about iPhone, nice picture but thats all I can tell.

[Andy]

BB8830 will be released to Verizon first on May 14th. http://estore.vzwshop.com/blackberry/
The picture you saw above is of an 8800 model. The 8830 is supposedly a better version. It will be the first World edition Blackberry.

The new BlackBerry 8830 World Edition smartphone packs the latest features into a stylish global device and offers the following capabilities and features:
- EV-DO/GPRS network connection for high-speed data transfer in more than 60 countries
- GSM/GPRS (900/1800 MHz) for continued voice and e-mail while traveling internationally
- Auto-selection of CDMA/GSM Mode
- Thin form factor of just 14mm for both style and easy handling
- New Trackball navigation system
- Media player
- Expandable memory option with microSD(TM) card (sold separately)
- Speakerphone
- Bluetooth(R) capabilities for certain profiles inclusive of hands-free, dial-up networking and serial port
- Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD)
- Instant Messaging capabilities for quick and easy communication
The BlackBerry 8830 World Edition smartphone will be available in May for $299.99 after a $100 rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. An
additional $100 credit toward the purchase of the device is available for customers who sign up for qualifying voice and data plans at the time of
purchase.
Customers signing up for Global BlackBerry service will get unlimited e- mail in the United States, Canada and more than 60 countries worldwide
for $64.99 monthly access with a qualifying voice plan, or for $69.99 monthly access without a voice plan. Customers can also add a "Pay As You
Go" data feature to any qualifying voice plan for an additional $20 per Megabyte. Customers wanting to use the BlackBerry 8830 for e-mail solely in
the U.S. may opt for an unlimited e-mail plan beginning at $49.99 monthly access.

[Andy]

Apparently, majority of people working on Wall Street uses a Blackberry (instead of iPhone ;) ) because it's geared toward business people.

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/gallery/handsets/t-mobile-blackberry-8800-unboxing/

Here are a few more pics of 8800 model from T-mobiles

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/wp-content/gallery/00-single/normal_T-MobileBlackBerry8800.1.jpg

[Yuriy]

One big advantage of Blackberry is the keyboard, helps a lot typing e-mails. Maybe I'll get Blackberry for myself one day.

[Andy]

Maybe I'll get Blackberry for myself one day.
Just do it, Yuri ! \\:D/
I'm targeting May/June for one myself.
One big advantage of Blackberry is the keyboard, helps a lot typing e-mails.
I bet it will help you a lot better than the pocketbook you have now ;)

[Yuriy]

Just do it, Yuri ! \\:D/
I'm targeting May/June for one myself.

I bet it will help you a lot better than the pocketbook you have now ;)

Well :) I have Nokia 9300 and don't really like it, every time I'm on the Internet I have to scroll to see whats on the screen. Need a bigger screen, plus it does not support advanced features of the Internet (can't read forum from my phone).

[woody]

My bb is a piece of junk, especially the keyboard. All those buttons with multiple purposes... bleh.

iPone's target market is not business people, so bb will still have it's base.

[Andy]

My bb is a piece of junk, especially the keyboard. All those buttons with multiple purposes... bleh.
Said Evil Mastermind. ;)
You must have gotten a very very old BB model. On the other hand, you can make tons of BB jokes and put on your site. It will sell like icecream. :thumbsup:
iPone's target market is not business people, so bb will still have it's base.
Incidentally, the only people who expressed interest in iPhone so far in this thread are Mac users :D

[Hien]

Blackberry 8830 looks more impressive to me :)
I don't know about iPhone, nice picture but thats all I can tell.


my personal opinion on the looks only: the Blackberry 8830 looks a lot more sophisticated and professional than the iPhone.

And for whatever reason, I'm not impressed by the iPhone in any way -- maybe just don't feel it.:smt102

You guys should see the demo...it's awesome! That's all I can say.

[Hien]

Are you still waiting for the iPhone, Hien ? I've been waiting for an excuse to get a new phone too ;)

My next phone may be one of those new Blackberry 8830 series


Most likely...i've been itching to get a new toy! :-ss

[Yuriy]

What do you think about Palm Treo 750?
Looks quite similar to BlackBerry. Most features are the same.
Question for all: which one would you choose? :)

[Andy]

Ah, Yuri throws another monkey wrench into the discussion :D

http://www.palm.com/us/images/products/smartphones/treo750/overview_devices_hdr_img.jpg

It does look like Blackberry but it uses MS OS underneath. I used to have several Ipaq and a Phone+PDA until recently. All of them used Win Os. The good thing about it is the variety of applications you can find. I was able to unlock my Phone PDA to use with another carrier.

I guess it comes down to what you use it most. My future device should be my workhorse. I need to get some work done on it too. Phone, email, work. For that, Blackberry is my ideal choice. With a Blackberry, I will fit right in with the Wall Street crowd ;)

[Yuriy]

Andy, besides being with the crowd on Wall Street :) what other advantages do you think Blackberry has over Palm Treo? What are the things that Blackberry can do that Palm treo cant?

The way I'm thinking is the following. If Palm Treo runs some sort of Windows, then there should be more applications available for it (don't know about the OS in Blackberry). The more applications, the better :)
One problem with my current Nokia is that it uses Symbian OS and I can't find applications for it. Took me a long time to find a PDF file reader, but so far I cannot find a good web browser (that handles advanced features of the Internet properly).

[alain]

Yuriys,

I have a Palm Treo 650 and I like it a lot. I have always had Treos so I'm really familiar with Palm OS. Regarding the applications, there are thousands and thousands of applications out there for Palm OS. Some of then are really cool and useful and some of them are not. Let me know if you want to know more, I can show you mine in class.

BTW, one of the coolest applications is called Pda Net. It allows you to use the Treo as a Modem so if you have a high speed connection on the Treo (like EDVO), you can use it with your laptop from anywhere. I have used it in the past and I really like it.

[woody]

I'm down with Palm OS. Palm originally had it right with their devices in the 90's. Then they got too complicated and lost market share to MS. The original handheld device suffered the same fate (I am of course speaking of the Newton).

A friend of mine has a device (Treo?) with MS and has to restart it almost every day due to freezing.

[alain]

I'm down with Palm OS. Palm originally had it right with their devices in the 90's. Then they got too complicated and lost market share to MS. The original handheld device suffered the same fate (I am of course speaking of the Newton).

A friend of mine has a device (Treo?) with MS and has to restart it almost every day due to freezing.

I have a Treo 650 with Palm OS. My brother has a Treo 700p with Palm OS. We used to have Treos 600 each. No problems whatsoever with the OS or the apps. The only issue with 600 was the static in the communication but that was fixed in the 650. I will highly recommended to anybody.

I can't say anything about the Palm with Windows though.

BTW, I have a BlackBerry 7902 for work and that doesn't come close to the Treo 650. I have to carry both around. If I lose the BB, I can survive (it happens already twice). If I lose the Palm, I'm in big trouble.

[Andy]

Andy, besides being with the crowd on Wall Street :) what other advantages do you think Blackberry has over Palm Treo? What are the things that Blackberry can do that Palm treo cant?
I own neither so i don't have first hand experience. Blackberry uses RIM software. They update it quite frequently. My future BB will have GPS, Wifi, Ipod capacity.
Everytime I plan to buy something, I do extensive research on it.
Not sure if you know this site, but this is one of the best sites about hand-held device
www.howardforums.com
For Blackberry, I do www.blackberryforums.com

I'm aware that BB is very business oriented so their software is quite pricey. But if you do research hard enough, you can find any piece of software. I'm very resourceful when it comes to info digging ;)

[alain]

I own neither so i don't have first hand experience. Blackberry uses RIM software. They update it quite frequently. My future BB will have GPS, Wifi, Ipod capacity.


In my old Palm I have MP3 player, a SD slot for more memory (I have Madden 2006 in mine so I can play football), bluetooth and I can get adapters for GPS and TomTom, WiFi, etc.

[Yuriy]

Alain, thanks for the information :)
If I buy Palm Treo and we all will be around this forum at that time I'll ask you a few questions. High speed wireless internet is a great thing, sometimes I'm using my Nokia as wireless internet provider but its too slow :)

[Yuriy]

Andy, thanks for the links! Looks like I have a lot of info digging and phone hunting coming this summer :)
I wonder if any wireless carrier has a feature where you can get 2 phones and see which one you like and return the other after one month :)

[alain]

Andy, thanks for the links! Looks like I have a lot of info digging and phone hunting coming this summer :)
I wonder if any wireless carrier has a feature where you can get 2 phones and see which one you like and return the other after one month :)
Verizon has some kind of "test" period. They let me use the phone and comeback and exchange it if I didn't like it in the first 15 days. They just made sure I already signed up with them.

[alain]

Alain, thanks for the information :)
If I buy Palm Treo and we all will be around this forum at that time I'll ask you a few questions. High speed wireless internet is a great thing, sometimes I'm using my Nokia as wireless internet provider but its too slow :)

As far as I know the only two services that offer something like high speed are Verizon and Sprint using EVDO. My Treo 650 doesn't support EDVO but my brother's Treo 700 does. The highest speed I could get with my 650 was 144Kbit/sec.

[Yuriy]

My Nokia can get a maximum of 100 Kbps, which is OK only for browsing web in one page :)
It seems like in addition to the phone, we need to carefully research service providers.

[woody]

AT&T has a high speed internet. The current one is not as fast as Sprint. They have a new one coming out in the next year or so that is supposed to be real fast.

[Yuriy]

Woody, since you mentioned AT&T. How is AT&T related to Cingular?
Somewhere on their website, Cingular has a phrase "Cingular is now the new AT&T". What has happened to AT&T? Is it a part of Cingular or a separate company?

[woody]

It's all one company, but like Sprint and Nextel, I imagine it will take a couple of years to fully combine.

[Yuriy]

I hope that by the time I decide between BlackBerry and Palm Treo most providers will have Hi-Speed Internet and I won't need to choose my provider just because of that :)

[Andy]

I hope that by the time I decide between BlackBerry and Palm Treo most providers will have Hi-Speed Internet and I won't need to choose my provider just because of that :)
By the time you find out which one is better, people will telecommunicate by superwave thoughts. No need for any device then. Just focus and send your thought across to someone else and they will get it. :)
Buy Blackberry now and enjoy the moment.

[Yuriy]

By the time you find out which one is better, people will telecommunicate by superwave thoughts. No need for any device then. Just focus and send your thought across to someone else and they will get it. :)
Buy Blackberry now and enjoy the moment.

Cingular won't let me upgrade my phone until July, so I hope people won't be able to telecommunicate by superwave thoughts by July. I will take a week off from school and study cell phone forums ;)

[Andy]

Please welcome Microsoft oFone :D
Microsoft Spoof: The 'Windows Mobile oFone' (http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/114741.asp)

WazA77xcf0A

[Yuriy]

Nice joke by Microsoft :) but maybe some people would buy a phone like this if it gets manufactured ;)

[Andy]

T-mobile just released Blackberry 8800 ;)
$349 with a plan

T-mobile BB8800 (http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Detail.aspx?device=b7240caa-3ba4-4422-b49f-fc2e2d264d11)

http://www.t-mobile.com/images/products/blackberry_8800_myfaves/250x270.jpg

[Andy]

1 more week to go for the iPhone fans. It is set to released on June 29 at AT&T.
Take a look at the guys at the Apple 5th ave store setting up a giant iPhone display. They never admit it is iPhone...:)

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/2007/06/iphone_nyc1.jpg.jpg

[iosakwe]

I don't know Andy, i am a big Mac fan but I am not interested in the iPhone just yet. Its usually not prudent to invest in first generation products. I just bought the Treo 755p , http://www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones/treo755p/index.html (http://www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones/treo755p/index.html), about 2 weeks back, at a premium but I trust Palm for a reliable Smart phone. It will be interesting to see how the iPhone is received though, I heard of a couple bugs a few months back and that Apple had to restructure its engineering staff to focus on fixing and meeting the delivery date.

For now, I am a satisfied consumer of the Treo 755p.

[woody]

I'll let you guys know how it works. I'm getting one when the lines die down (if there're any left).

Check out the 20min demo video.

Apple - iPhone - A Guided Tour (http://www.apple.com/iphone/usingiphone/guidedtour.html)

[Andy]

Woody,
You may find this article interesting http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/28/technology/circuits/28pogue.html (David Pogue is my fav tech writer)

I'll let you be the coolest guy in the Quantnet lounge with your iPhone ;)
I'm saving for a Blackberry.

[Yuriy]

Andy, no change of plans so far? You still want to get a BlackBerry?
A relative of mine has a phone (I forgot which one, maybe Treo), and he says one of the most important things for him is the pen and the ability to write on the screen. I'm not sure if BlackBerry has this feature.

[Andy]

Wow. Apple did a great job -most super hyped phone ever. I watched TV last night and saw lot of iFan sleeping on the street to iWait for the iDay to get the iPhone
Very funny iPhone review by Stephen Colbert http://www.ifilm.com/video/2869650/

[Andy]

Woot, iGot an iPhone

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20070630/2007_06_29t183348_450x396_us_iphone.jpg

[Yuriy]

I was passing by a mobile phone store today and saw a huge line waiting to get... yes, iPhone :) and recalled Andy's comment.

[woody]

posting from my iPhone now. It is nice.

[alain]

posting from my iPhone now. It is nice.

Nice... looking forward to check it out on Monday. Although, I don't plan to get an iPhone until it is released with Verizon Wireless support.

[Chris]

Hey guys,

I caught this on Slashdot and may interest some of you guys. The iPhone gets dissected here.

Welcome to AnandTech.com [ Article: Apple's iPhone Dissected: We did it, so you don't have to] (http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.aspx?i=3026)

Gallery: iPhone Take-apart (http://thinksecret.com/archives/iphonetakeapart/)

Thanks,

Chris

[Andy]

Went to an Apple store today with my friend and the crow is light. Maybe 10 people playing with the 4 phones they have set up.

I played with it some and even though it is really slick, I would not pick it if I need to email or SMS a lot. And I can imagine how dirty the touch screen can get with sticky fingers.

And yeah, did you know you have to switch your phone service to AT&T to use this phone ? Add couple hundred dollars more if you are still under contract with your provider.

Overall, it's a great machine and I'm sure Woody will love it to death ;)
Can I play with it some more, please ? :D

[Hien]

Went to an Apple store today with my friend and the crow is light. Maybe 10 people playing with the 4 phones they have set up.

I played with it some and even though it is really slick, I would not pick it if I need to email or SMS a lot. And I can imagine how dirty the touch screen can get with sticky fingers.

And yeah, did you know you have to switch your phone service to AT&T to use this phone ? Add couple hundred dollars more if you are still under contract with your provider.

Overall, it's a great machine and I'm sure Woody will love it to death ;)
Can I play with it some more, please ? :D

What an awesome machine! I went to the Apple store in SoHo and the line inside the store to see the demo version was crazy! I waited so long to play with it.

Woody, How do you like it? You must be walking on the street with the phone on your chest heh :D

[Andy]

Woody, How do you like it? You must be walking on the street with the phone on your chest heh :D
Woody, we are looking forward to seeing you in class wearing your iBadge on your chest :D
Anyone wants to play with Woody's phone, please wash your hands before asking. ;)

[alain]

I will check that iPhone tonight!!!

[woody]

This thing is really more of a handheld computer than a phone. Very easy to use. Excellent interface. I raced with a guy at work who has a treo. We took a picture and emailed it to someone. He first had to figure out how to do that. I've never done it before but did it in less than 15 seconds (including typing the email address).

Here is everything that is wrong with iPhone/AT&T. I cannot list everything that is great about it because there is a text limit for posts :)


1. AT&T Edge is a notch below DSL in speed. Web pages do load okay, but slow. On WIFI it is as fast as a computer.

2. A conversation I had with a friend on Verizon mobile was a difficult conversation filled with 'can you hear me now?' That was pretty disapointing, but when I called other phones everything was okay. I'm not sure if it's just inconsistent or if it was the Verizon phone, although Verizon cell service is pretty solid from what I hear.

3. You cannot select text, and therefore cannot copy/paste. I'm sure they'll put this in a software update.

4. To type a period (.) you should be able to type space twice (as in the bb) but you cannot.

[Andy]

posting from my iPhone now. It is nice.
I believe you. Here is the browser agent that your iPhone reports back to Quantnet. \\:D/

Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en)
AppleWebKit/420+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobi

[Tigga]

I got couple of friends who slept in front of the Apple stores on Thurs night. And look on ebay for how many iPhones has been sold there ? Some are going for close to 700. Hype machine in its perfect form ;)

[alain]

I got couple of friends who slept in front of the Apple stores on Thurs night. And look on ebay for how many iPhones has been sold there ? Some are going for close to 700. Hype machine in its perfect form ;)

I don't think that is the case. Check this link (NY Times - Free Registration... blah, blah, blah):

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/technology/06iphone.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin


It looks like the iPhone is not selling as hot as you say. There is plenty of phones in stock.

[alain]

It looks like changing the battery could be an expensive proposition

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070705/ap_on_hi_te/apple_iphone

[Andy]

It looks like the iPhone is not selling as hot as you say. There is plenty of phones in stock.
This is so funny. I read it yesterday too and I know exactly what those ebayers feel. Let's just pray that one of those ads on Ebay/Craigslist demanding $1500 for the iPhone is not by Woody. :)

It looks like changing the battery could be an expensive proposition
Apple issues battery program for iPhone - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070705/ap_on_hi_te/apple_iphone)
This is bad. I never knew of the battery tie-in trick they have. $79 for a battery ? I imagine the warranty is void if you use battery from after-market. I always buy phones that I can patch to use on other networks or can buy accessories from after-market.

Apple, don't be evil.

[Yuriy]

It looks like changing the battery could be an expensive proposition

Apple issues battery program for iPhone - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070705/ap_on_hi_te/apple_iphone)

Alain, how often do you think people replace battery in their phones? I've never done that. My phones usually break faster than batteries :)

[alain]

Alain, how often do you think people replace battery in their phones? I've never done that. My phones usually break faster than batteries :)


True, I have replaced the battery of my Treo only once. I had to do the same with my wife's miniIpod. I didn't have to replace the battery on my iPod... but buy a new one (I bought a nano ;) ) because it went kaput... I know that me and my wife abuse the iPods more than regular people because running outside under any condititions (no anymore :D)

[woody]

Apple was sold out at all stores except two by Wednesday. They restocked and now have more available. They built 3 million this time around I believe and are said to have activated about one million so far. So, more iPods have sold this week than Zunes all-time. hehe.

The battery replacement is the same as iPod policy so this doesn't surprise me. Apple is approaching this as an iPod (mini computer) with phone capabilities, rather than a phone that plays music.

I didn't have to wait in any line at all. Saturday morning in Annapolis I just went to the counter and bought it in 1 minute. I am not sure why anyone would pay more than the normal retail price for this. You can order it from apple.com and it will ship soon enough.

btw Alain, I heard that the AT&T contract is only two years. After that the iPhone may be available on other carriers. They're close to closing contracts with other carriers in Europe.

[Andy]

Usually, the idea of user-replacable battery is that for bussiness users who travel and need to be on the phone for several hours, they can buy extra battery and swap in a new one when old one runs out. This would eliminate the need for being close to an electronic outlet.

With Apple's clever plan, now they have to send in their phone and wait 3 days to get back. Yeah, you can go to Apple store and get a loaner but who would do that if you are a bussiness power user.

Oh wait, bussiness users aren't iPhone's primary targets, right ?
Just as bussiness users are Blackberry targets.

[woody]

I'm sure everyone will find all kinds of reasons to hate the iPhone and why those big dumb-phones with the tiny screens are so much better because they have feature 'x.' This device I have now is only iteration 1 and its interface is beyond any handheld device. If you judge a phone by a feature checklist, then you will end up with a big complicated MS phone. If you prefer things that work well, then you might do without some of the features like a removable flash card.

Y'all just jealous !!! Now, what time is it?:banana:

[alain]

The battery replacement is the same as iPod policy so this doesn't surprise me. Apple is approaching this as an iPod (mini computer) with phone capabilities, rather than a phone that plays music.

I got hit with that policy with my wife's mini-Ipod so whoever was complaining (as in the NY Times) probably didn't know the policy.


btw Alain, I heard that the AT&T contract is only two years. After that the iPhone may be available on other carriers. They're close to closing contracts with other carriers in Europe.
YEAH!!! I just need two things in the future iPhone: Verizon Wireless and Bluetooth Audio.

[woody]

One thing no one complained about, but I can... The headphones are like those sucky iPod headphones. I'll buy the first good accessory for that.

[Andy]

Y'all just jealous !!! Now, what time is it?:banana:
What can I say :prayer::prayer::prayer:

You got all the cool toys : Plasma, iPhones, MacBooks,...
I need to get a real job to keep up with the Jones and the Woodys :)

[woody]

What can I say :prayer::prayer::prayer:

You got all the cool toys : Plasma, iPhones, MacBooks,...
I need to get a real job to keep up with the Jones and the Woodys :)

Soon, Andy, soon.

I'm just playin' of course. But never has any phone elicited such an emotional response for/against. Hey, I just wanted a good inet phone.

[Yuriy]

What can I say :prayer::prayer::prayer:

You got all the cool toys : Plasma, iPhones, MacBooks,...
I need to get a real job to keep up with the Jones and the Woodys :)

Andy, you are not the only one who needs a real job :) should we compare our "once I get a job I will buy" wishlists? ;)
By the way, my wishlist on Amazon has recently doubled after your posting about interesting books :)

[woody]

Remember when the iPod came out? Seems many are noticing similar comments about the iPhone.

"Apple clearly had similar goals in mind when designing the two devices: Get the main features right and make them simple to use. Integrate those features in a way people haven’t experienced before. Use a computer for those things that are more easily done on a computer and sync the two seamlessly. And make the entire package look and function in a way that will make people want to use it. As the platform matures and new models are released, add new features—without going overboard—and improve existing ones, all the while keeping the product easy to use.

Which means that the first iPhone, just like the first iPod, isn’t perfect. It’s missing features, some of which seem like forehead-slapping omissions. Some of the features it does have don’t feel quite finished. And there are plenty of phones out there that do more. On top of that, it’s not cheap. All of which, together, would appear to support the argument that, Apple’s PR spin aside, the iPhone is far from revolutionary.

But here’s the thing: Although the Apple- and iPod-haters won’t want to hear this, the truth is that the iPhone is every bit as revolutionary as was the iPod. Not in terms of which features it offers, but how it offers them—the stunning interface, the ease of use, the innovative way you interact with the device, the slick integration with iTunes and your computer, and the way features that are obscure and unused on other phones are accessible and useful on the iPhone.

That’s not to say we can’t quibble over little interface issues (http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2007/07/itapping/index.php) and which minor features should have been included in version 1.0. And there are valid complaints about major features omissions. But many of these complaints—including my own (http://iphone.macworld.com/2007/06/obvious_missing_features.php)—miss the larger point, which is that the iPhone has, in one fell swoop, transformed the mobile-phone market, just as the iPod did the portable-media-player market six years ago. Expectations and standards just got a lot higher, for everything from external design to software interface to the activation process. As a result, just as portable media players have improved tremendously thanks to the iPod’s influence, you’ll be seeing other phone vendors (finally, it seems) take the overall user experience seriously. (At the same time, just as Apple stayed ahead of the iPod’s competition by regularly introducing new models with new features and at different price points, I think we’ll see a similar process with the iPhone.)

Oh, and after using the iPhone for a week, I can tell you there’s one other way in which the first iPhone is like the first iPod: Whatever your initial impression, the more you use it, the more you appreciate it—and the more you wonder how you got along without it."


link:

Macworld: Editors' Notes: The iPod of phones (http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2007/07/iphoneipod/index.php)

[Yuriy]

By the way, it is nice to observe how Apple's stock has been performing in the past few weeks :) I think it is partially influenced by iPhone.

[Andy]

Yeah, samething happened to RIM stock the last few days when they got permission to sell Blackberry in China. It took them 10 years trying to do this.
RIM cleared to sell BlackBerrys in China - Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/rim-cleared-to-sell-blackberrys-in-china/)

I'm excited for RIM. Now they can enter the biggest market in the world.

[Yuriy]

Yeah, samething happened to RIM stock the last few days when they got permission to sell Blackberry in China. It took them 10 years trying to do this.
RIM cleared to sell BlackBerrys in China - Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/rim-cleared-to-sell-blackberrys-in-china/)

I'm excited for RIM. Now they can enter the biggest market in the world.

Andy, why were they not allowed to sell BlackBerry in China? Sounds strange to me, but I'm not an expert.

[Andy]

Andy, why were they not allowed to sell BlackBerry in China? Sounds strange to me, but I'm not an expert.
It took RIM 8 years to clear regulatory hurdles by the Chinese gorvernment. The main telecom companies in China are state-run so they do not want a direct threat to their business.
The BlackBerry delay has provided an opportunity for China Mobile's rival, China United Telecommunications (China Unicom), which introduced its own "RedBerry" push e-mail service last year. BlackBerry OK'd for sale in China - Network World (http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/070507-blackberry-oked-for-sale-in.html)

Among the concerns regulators had was the ability of BlackBerry users to quickly exchange messages with its SMS Latest News about SMS (short message service) without having them routed through a central location. The device also has encryption capabilities that may have raised concerns among Chinese regulators, who closely monitor and control Internet discussions. E-Commerce News: Global: RIM Gets Green Light to Sell BlackBerry in China (http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/58167.html)

[Yuriy]

Interesting, I think China is not the only country where certain cell phone companies cannot get through government regulations.

[Andy]

An unexpected result of all this iPhone hype is that Quantnet picks up a huge traffic pike from people searching for iPhone review. We have close to 100 concurrent visitors reading this thread at any moment. At first, I thought it was a fluke or some kind of spiders but it's been happening for the last several days and all the visitors are legitimate users. :D Look at the pictures for proof.
They probably google for the phrase "iPhone coolest gadget of 07" ;)

Thank you Apple and Hien !

[Yuriy]

Andy, maybe some people looking for info on iPhone will be interested in MFE as well :)

I think we should start discussing more of current events :)

[Hien]

An unexpected result of all this iPhone hype is that Quantnet picks up a huge traffic pike from people searching for iPhone review. We have close to 100 concurrent visitors reading this thread at any moment. At first, I thought it was a fluke or some kind of spiders but it's been happening for the last several days and all the visitors are legitimate users. :D Look at the pictures for proof.
They probably google for the phrase "iPhone coolest gadget of 07" ;)

Thank you Apple and Hien !

In fact, this threat is #1 hit on Google! Way to go QN!

iPhone coolest gadget of 07 - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?q=iPhone+coolest+gadget+of+07&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official)

[Andy]

Wow, this is crazy. According to this article The iPhone - Doesn't Slice, Doesn't Dice, but Will It Blend? | CrackBerry.com (http://crackberry.com/iphone-doesnt-slice-doesnt-dice-will-it-blend), the author tried to put a Blackberry Curve and an iPhone into a blender to see which will blend. It turns out the Blackberry broke the blender while the iPhone blends pretty well with a resulting black iSmoke. Watch the video clip for some fun.

7F_ZPhf1Bgw

[iosakwe]

You don't say Andy, I am currently quantnet'ing from JPN and here's what I got clicking on the link...
http://www.google.co.jp/search?q=iPhone+coolest+gadget+of+07&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

[Andy]

I think I want this phone. Blackberry 8820 has wifi, GPS, microSD, etc...everything I want. Can't wait till it gets here. :smt100

http://www.blackberry8800series.co.uk/assets/images/8820_large_black.png


Blackberry 8820 arrives…But in the UK? : The Boy Genius Report (http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2007/07/17/blackberry-8820-arrivesbut-in-the-uk/)

[Yuriy]

Andy, it looks good to be true :) I thought you planned to get a phone in June or July.

[Andy]

Andy, it looks good to be true :) I thought you planned to get a phone in June or July.
I know ;)
Probably the current plan would be to get a job, see if they come with a work-provided Blackberry. If not, then i'll have to spend money to get my own. I don't want to carry 2 Blackberries at the same time.

What's your plan then ? :)

[Yuriy]

I know ;)
Probably the current plan would be to get a job, see if they come with a work-provided Blackberry. If not, then i'll have to spend money to get my own. I don't want to carry 2 Blackberries at the same time.

What's your plan then ? :)

Andy, my plan is very similar to yours :) The first step is to get a job and then if my employer decides to give me a Blackberry or Treo, I will be more than happy to have it. Otherwise, I'll get whatever will be useful on the market. I still have not decided between Treo and Blackberry.

[maxrum]

Now it's getting more reasonable. Let's wait till they put it on T-Mobile network and let use mp3 features without iTunes. :)

Apple Inc. said the company was cutting the price of its iPhone and was on track to sell one million phones before the end of September.

"We want to make the iPhone even more affordable" Jobs said at a product event, announcing that the price of the model with 8 gigabytes of storage was cut to $399 from $599.

[Hien]

Now it's getting more reasonable. Let's wait till they put it on T-Mobile network and let use mp3 features without iTunes. :)

Nice price drop! not sure if you want to wait until they support T-mobile, I didn't have any good experience with them and had to switch to Cingular (now AT&T).

I'm waiting for the second gen one though :)

[woody]

You could also just get an iPod Touch with WiFi and use your normal phone.

[Hien]

You could also just get an iPod Touch with WiFi and use your normal phone.

Definitely...but who wants to carry that many things around any more. I do have an ipod now...and I want to get rid of. So my next cell phone & iPod will be the iPhone for sure.

[maxrum]

You could also just get an iPod Touch with WiFi and use your normal phone.

But it will not rotate the image when you move the piece - the most attractive feature of the iPhone :)

And still I will have to deal with iTunes if I get one...

[Andy]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) Chief Executive Steve Jobs on Thursday offered a $100 store credit to early buyers of the iPhone, seeking to calm customers angry over an unexpected and steep price cut.

On Wednesday, Apple slashed the price of its $600 iPhone model to $400, saying it wanted to make the combination phone, music player and Web browser more affordable.

"Even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price," Jobs said in a letter posted on Apple's Web site.

The offer applies to people who bought iPhones at Apple or AT&T Inc (T.N) stores but did not qualify for rebates or other compensation, Jobs said. AT&T is the exclusive service provider for the iPhone in the United States.
Apple shares fell for a second day on concerns about iPhone profit margins because of the price cut and rebates.
Apple has not disclosed how many iPhones it has sold since its launch in late June, but has said it sold 270,000 iPhones in the first two days and expects to sell 1 million units by the end of September.

Although Apple faces potential costs of tens of millions of dollars if most qualifying customers take the company up on the offer, that will still be a drop in the bucket compared to the $818 million in net profit it made last quarter.

"From a Wall Street perspective it will be mostly ignored, people will say, 'Hey, Apple did a goodwill gesture, they are taking good care of their customers," said Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research.

Apple has a policy to refund the difference to customers who bought a product within 14 days of a price drop.
Web sites and forums were quickly inundated with messages from irate iPhone buyers, some of whom felt that they had been punished for their early support. Jobs said he had received hundreds of e-mails from upset customers.

"Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these," Jobs said.
Darren Chervitz, a money manager with Jacob Internet Fund, said he was concerned about the underlying damage the rapid price cut may have caused to Apple's most loyal fan base.

"You cannot do that without doing damage to your brand and to future launches," Chervitz said. "The early adopters are a big part of Apple's fan base. They want to cultivate it and not think they bought too early."
His fund holds a small position in Apple after paring back over the past year.
Jobs' full statement can be read at www.apple.com/hotnews/openiphoneletter/ (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/nm/tc_nm/storytext/apple_iphone_dc/24357609/SIG=11gbl2d0h/*http://www.apple.com/hotnews/openiphoneletter/)
Apple shares fell 1.3 percent to $135.01 on Nasdaq.

[woody]

But it will not rotate the image when you move the piece - the most attractive feature of the iPhone

Apparently the iPod Touch *does* do this.

[maxrum]

Apparently the iPod Touch *does* do this.

That sounds cool... lets see it when it arrives to the stores.

By the way, after Jobs' announcement about price cuts for iPhone and new line of iPods Apple's stock tumbled over 5%. Thus, investors are not that optimistic about company's decisions.

[Yuriy]

Interesting article :) but I wouldn't buy iPhone for $400 either :) $250 is the maximum I will pay no matter how cool it is :)

[woody]

I'm going to make a couple of predictions for Apple and RIM.

1. For calendar Q3, in the US, Apple sold more iPhones than Rim sold Blackberries. RIM already reported 1.45 million BB sold last quarter worldwide. Since about 1/3 of their sales are foreign, I'd say it's an easy bet that Apple sold ~1 million or more iPhones last quarter.

2. Apple will sell more iPhones (total) than RIM sells BB in the fourth quarter.

[maxrum]

2. Apple will sell more iPhones (total) than RIM sells BB in the fourth quarter.

I will not be surprised if it happens to be true. However, I'm sure BB will show steady sales in future while iPhone is in hands of fashion. If Nokia comes up with something cooler then iPhone, the days of iPhone sales will be counted. In fact, LG made an iPhone-styled phone for Verizon called "Prada": Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/photos/hands-on-with-o2-prada-or-prada-vs-the-ghetto-phone/) Motorola also is making another iPhone killer called "M". Therefore, Q4 might be the last quarter when iPhone will show good sales especially because of entering the European market.

[woody]

I will not be surprised if it happens to be true. However, I'm sure BB will show steady sales in future while iPhone is in hands of fashion. If Nokia comes up with something cooler then iPhone, the days of iPhone sales will be counted. In fact, LG made an iPhone-styled phone for Verizon called "Prada": Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/photos/hands-on-with-o2-prada-or-prada-vs-the-ghetto-phone/) Motorola also is making another iPhone killer called "M". Therefore, Q4 might be the last quarter when iPhone will show good sales especially because of entering the European market.

Sounds exactly like what they were saying about the iPod in 2003.

The other touch phones have a touch screen, but none can 'touch' the user interface of the iPhone. Plus, it is the gadget that young hipsters 'have' to have. Those of us that are hacking, computer geeks are not the number one target market for the phone. It's those cool college students. I'm guessing iPhone sales will accelerate and Apple will carve out a nice % of the smart phone market by the end of next year. They will probably have sold 10-15 million by then.

I agree BB will not go away. It is still the best solution for corporations. iPhone growth will probably benefit BB in fact. iPhone will push the smartphone market further. In 3-5 years every phone will be smart and Apple will have a *significant* part of the market.

[alain]

Sounds exactly like what they were saying about the iPod in 2003.
The difference is that the iPod has a monopoly in the market because of iTunes. That's the kicker.


The other touch phones have a touch screen, but none can 'touch' the user interface of the iPhone. Plus, it is the gadget that young hipsters 'have' to have. Those of us that are hacking, computer geeks are not the number one target market for the phone. It's those cool college students. I'm guessing iPhone sales will accelerate and Apple will carve out a nice % of the smart phone market by the end of next year. They will probably have sold 10-15 million by then.

I agree BB will not go away. It is still the best solution for corporations. iPhone growth will probably benefit BB in fact. iPhone will push the smartphone market further. In 3-5 years every phone will be smart and Apple will have a *significant* part of the market.

The day that Apple starts to sell iPhones to companies, that will be the day when the iPhone will outsell the BBs in general. If not, RIM products (combined) will still outsell iPhones.

[woody]

The difference is that the iPod has a monopoly in the market because of iTunes. That's the kicker.

iPod doesn't have a monopoly on the market. They dominate the market due to iTunes, good product design, and marketing (which all make the product the 'must have' product for young consumers).


The day that Apple starts to sell iPhones to companies, that will be the day when the iPhone will outsell the BBs in general. If not, RIM products (combined) will still outsell iPhones.

I'm saying they will outsell BB this quarter. We'll find out mid Jan. Only 1.45 million BB sold worldwide last quarter. iPhones sold 1 million in their first 2.5 months and sales are said to be accelerating, especially after the price cut. So they've almost caught up to BB sales and still have the holiday season coming. Also, note that (as you mention) iPhone is only on one carrier. And still it will outsell BB this quarter.

Disclosure: I've done quite well with Apple stock.

[alain]

iPod doesn't have a monopoly on the market. They dominate the market due to iTunes, good product design, and marketing (which all make the product the 'must have' product for young consumers).

The same way that Microsoft doesn't have a monopoly on the OS market.

[woody]

The same way the Microsoft doesn't have a monopoly on the OS market.

Microsoft doesn't have a monopoly on the OS market, but they do dominate it (for different reasons than Apple's dominance of the mp3 space).

[alain]

Microsoft doesn't have a monopoly on the OS market, but they do dominate it (for different reasons than Apple's dominance of the mp3 space).

Actually their dominance is very similar... Nothing against them though.

[John]

Actually their dominance is very similar... Nothing against them though.

At the same time, Microsoft is slowly gaining acceptance for its Windows Mobile OS. One of its biggest partners, HTC from Taiwan, has been releasing a quite amazing lineup of smartphones, including HTC touch HTC Touch (http://www.htctouch.com/), and the newly released HTC Tytn II HTC (http://www.htc.com/product/03-product_tytn_II.htm), aka AT&T Tilt, AT&T Tilt for Business | AT&T wireless services (http://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/atttilt/?_requestid=14998)

[woody]

At the same time, Microsoft is slowly gaining acceptance for its Windows Mobile OS.

After 6 years, their Internet browser market share is up to .06%. Probably accelerating due to more smart phones and fast mobile networks. (iPhone browser is .07% btw).

[Andy]

I had one from HTC for a couple of months before I broke the screen. I agree HTC is one of the dominant makers in that space. They release a lot of new devices lately. I think it's my last Mobile OS device. I'm going BB.

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/image/phones/8125.jpg

[woody]

Any predictions for what a new iPhone will be like? We'll find out today.

[Sanket Patel]

Forget the iPhone, I'm waiting for the Android platform. :D

Regardless of what phone, all the new technology is useless until the U.S carriers expand their 3G networks. Here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOSk9TW7z-4) is a demo of the Android platform.

[doug reich]

Any predictions for what a new iPhone will be like? We'll find out today.

I think we can safely describe ourselves as "blown away". They really seem to have delivered here, no?

[woody]

I'm happy that they have an app called iCall which will let me switch between wifi VOIP and cell calls seamlessly. Reception at my home sucks.

New phone has three things I really wanted: 1. Faster, 2. GPD, 3. Better audio (voice I assume).