The iPhone is sadly one Apple product that I simply don’t lust after. The Apple TV is of course a very close second. I’m coming off as a Luddite but I think a phone is first and foremost a phone and in this day and age the cell phone is the modern day version of a little black book. It’s also my portable email client when I’m away from the computer.
Still, there are a couple things that would make me want to buy an iPhone and I’m sure at some point in the future they’ll make one that I really want or spur a cheap imitation to take their best features. Seriously, I would buy a Sony Vaio with an officially licensed copy of OS X in a heartbeat. It would probably be smaller, lighter and not burn my legs if I used it as a laptop.
Put a Keyboard on It
This is one of the things that boggle me about the decision to have “Multi-touch” input. Not only is there no keyboard but there’s no stylus either. Using stylus input on the Nintendo DS or even a Palm is still a challenge with lots of words rendered wrong (yes my handwriting is bad but it’s also bad in a consistent way). Keyboards and number pads are still the most natural and error-free input method for the average user unless you are going to exclusively use it as a phone and email reader.
If going the touch screen route a stylus is essential. The fact is without any tactile feedback (the little bounce we get from the keyboard) we end up hurting our fingers no matter how gentle we touch the screen. Try pretend typing on the nearest hard surface and you’ll see what I mean. Eventually all the grease from your hands makes input more error prone and the screen starts looking ugly with scratches. If the iPod clear finish is any indication we don’t have any hopes for a scratch-free surface.
Voice Input Perhaps?
This is definitely related to the first point but not quite the same. I think voice input is the future for inputting text not only for phones but even computers. We can not only type faster but also avoid any kind of stress injuries from typing. There is always the debate about privacy and nuisance of people speaking to their devices but I think these are things that can eventually be overcome. Many busy business executives rely on dictation to crank out more work and eventually technology will bring this to the masses.
If the iPhone had good voice input it would definitely make the touch screen-only input less of a handicap. I hate typing messages into a phone regardless of how it’s done because it simply doesn’t compare to having a full-size keyboard. Voice input would be nice. If I have to write a long reply on the phone I usually call the person up.
Less Bulk
Don’t let Steve’s distortion field fool you. This iPhone is huge. Check out the iPhone size comparisons. I know it doesn’t seem like much on a glance but remember that you have to carry this around with you everywhere you go. I only have limited space in my pockets and I prefer to travel bag-free to the point of simply walking around with a bare book in hand at times. I use one of those waterproof G-shock phones which I love because it can take a punishment but even that is borderline bulky. They’re cramming TVs, radios, music players into our phones but I simply long for the day when they run out of things to cram and focus on shrinking it and durability.
The iPhone’s no exception. Once the novelty wears off and your friends refuse to bat an eyelash when you whip out your iPhone, you’re stuck with a bulky, over-priced device. Luck you.
Open Platform
If the iPhone was opened to third party developers I’m sure we’d see a lot of interesting applications that might make someone want to buy one. It would be like the Firefox of phones (only hopefully less bloated and more stable). Apple and whatever carrier they license it to can’t know what every user wants.
Maybe Next Time
I simply don’t trust Apple when it comes to their track record with hardware. Especially when they first release something. I can guarantee you that we’ll see lots of indignant user reports about a variety of defects and software bugs. Apple is also known to drag their feet on these matters so it’s always better to avoid buying anything newly released.
Take Out the Phone
I’d be tempted to buy an iPhone more if it wasn’t a phone. It looks like a great PDA. I suspect that some users will buy a phone and cancel their contract if the iPhone’s other functionalities continue to work (not sure it will). All my adventures using a Palm PDA have been miserable failures but for some magical reason I’d be willing to give it another try if it was an Apple PDA. Taking out the phone functionality means less bulk and less cost. It sure would make a great iPod replacement if it came with a bigger hard-drive.
And no, I’m not an iPhone hater or detractor. I think it has potential.
I’m with you my fellow Luddite! The cell phone I have now is the basic free phone Sprint gave me three years ago. I think it is a Samsung.
Funny thing is that Sprint keeps calling me and offering me a “newer” phone (and a new long term contract) but I keep telling them no. I have a cell phone for one reason; to make phone calls.
I already have an iPod, why would I want this monstrosity that costs twice what the best iPod costs?
I’ve tried PDAs in the past. Now I just carry around a small notebook and a pen.
Paper and pen is the wave of the future. If they can make that sync, we’re in business for sure.
I don’t know about that. I have a problem with bandwidth and lost bits between sending the thought through the pencil and then seeing it on the paper.
So, if I digg this, will it get buried?
only one way to find out. 😉
7. Remove that annoying fruit from the device. .
Good points. I’m actually leaning in your direction. Especially with the point that it’s more compelling as a PDA or widescreen iPod than a cell phone.
I might this device if it had nothing to do with phones but could still access the Internet, and of course if it were a few hundred bucks cheaper (as usual).
At the end of the day the jury is still out until I can check it out in a Apple Store live and in the flesh. It’s crazy to recall that all this speculation is around a product very few people have actually used in person.
But seriously, this was the first Apple device I was actually planning on getting (supposing I’d get it free with my contract).
But it seems Nokia is catching up, and as I do every year I’ll probably end up getting their latest offer when my current contract is up.
As for all in one devices, I actually prefer them. My dream machine would have full PDA capabilities, at least 20GB of space (god forbid I have to listen to the same song 2 days in a row), play Nintendo DS games, and be connected to the Internet for free all the time (regardless of available Wi-Fi connections in the area). I gave up coffee, but I would appreciate it making me a cup of camomile tea every once in a while.
A boy can dream…
If at&t lowers the price by subsidizing this thing to the point that it costs less than an iPod then it will be a hit. If they do not it will not sell well enough.
There is no business use for this thing, it’s a trendy and hip tech device.
I think the iPhone will be good for spurring competition. I like a lot of the ideas. I just can’t bring myself to splurge on a phone. I think it’s cool that we’re moving in the direction of all-in-one devices. Wont be long before we get Buck Rodgers style super wrist watches.
iPhone is for fashion and usability, Nokia N95 is for features and reliability. Apple is new to the mobile phone market, Nokia is leader.
Search for “iphone vs N95” on Google and read the first article you get…
Great points, really. Except that the platform seems to be open now and developers are free to start delivering Web 2.0 applications for everyone to install and use.
BTW, I wanted to let you know that this summer Profy is giving away 5 iPhones (http://www.profy.com/2007/06/18/profy-iphone-competition/). Would getting it for free change your mind or is it still a no-no?
if the phone has a vibrate feature, then I’m sure it can be programmed to give off a small spurt of vibration when entering text via the onscreen keyboard. Tactical feedback solved.
World Wide Web Resources…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…
Cell Phones Tracer…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…