Apple iPhone

[Crispy]

HAving read the speculation, and watched the iphone ads, I think the way it works is this:

You push your finger onto the keyboard. Above your finger, a large version of the key you're hitting pops up. If it's not the key you want, you slide your finger over till you have the one you want, then you release your finger.

Sounds odd, but could work I guess.


Once again: SPECULATION SPECULATION!

 

[editor]

It's an interesting one. But Apple's got a record of making things a little more usable in small steps

...Well, apart from sorting out simple, highly useful things like fitting two ruddy mouse buttons to their laptops!

I don't think the iPhone will be awful at all: I imagine it'll be quite fantastic in some regards, but the lack of a keyboard will certainly keep it off my shopping list, no matter how good it is.

I don't care how pretty the UI looks - if I can't fire off a text quickly and write reasonably long emails on the thing - and use a wide range of software apps tailored to my needs - I'll stick to a keyboard device.

 

[editor]

That's a fair point, just last week it was all 'we should be open minded' and wait to actually use the Foleo before judging it. But this week its ok to rush to judgement on the iPhone...

Hold on: my comments relate to all virtual keyboards and I'm not rushing to judge the iPhone at all - only its means of input, based on a media report and my own experiences.

I've never used an iPhone or even seen one, but I've certainly seen and used a lot of virtual keyboards and they have all been awful.

 

[rocketman]

It's smooth as silk to use. I'm more concerned how smoothly it will run after an extended period of use. Is it a memory hog at that point?
Also, the Foleo seems likely to offer iPhone support in future, so you can have both worlds, should you want either.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Hold on: my comments relate to all virtual keyboards and I'm not rushing to judge the iPhone at all - only its means of input, based on a media report and my own experiences.

I've never used an iPhone or even seen one, but I've certainly seen and used a lot of virtual keyboards and they have all been awful.

I thought the point (made by a few people not just you) was to base judgement on the actual experience of the product not on previous experience or your impressions.

Personally I've no problem with speculating, jumping the gun first impressions etc, its all part of the fun of geekery!

 

[editor]

The first reviews are starting to appear:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/0626200...ying_an_iphone_columnists_glenn_fleishman.htm

The writer above is pretty much underwhelmed but this reviewer - who's had the phone for longer - is far more enthusiastic:
http://solution.allthingsd.com/?p=125&ak_action=printable

It looks like there's some really good features on the phone, but this bit is plain crazy: "There’s also no way to cut, copy, or paste text." WTF? That's going to be a real pain as it's something I do every day. There's also no games or MMS or video recording which seems a bit of an odd omission to me. The camera looks good though.

Do any of you reckon that Apple have managed to overhype the phone so much now that anything short of a total revelation is going to seem a disappointment?

 

[Crispy]

That's always an issue with Apple though. And tbh, the people doing the most hyping will blinker themseleves from any actual faults with tthe device anyway.

 

[jæd]

The writer above is pretty much underwhelmed but this reviewer - who's had the phone for longer - is far more enthusiastic:
http://solution.allthingsd.com/?p=125&ak_action=printable

I'm not very impressed by a phone review that critisises the phone because its GSM. But then the American Mobile Networks are still stuck in the Dark Ages...

Do any of you reckon that Apple have managed to overhype the phone so much now that anything short of a total revelation is going to seem a disappointment?

Personally I thinks everyone but Apple hyping the iPhone as some kind of second coming. I'm exepecting there to be tons of reviews all telling me its "lame" because the authors personal favorite feature wasn't included.

(I've noticed Geeks tend to be the worst reviewers. If they don't have an orgasm with 30s of opening the box the will slate it.)

Not having copy+paste sounds like a problem, but I suppose there's an Apple Reason for not doing this.

So... I'm still in the "Wait-Until-I-Try-It-Before-I-Review-It".

 

[Structaural]

There's a new demo video on their website...

I wish I had one - my Nokia-piece-of-platicky-shit-6280 has a broken LCD screen for the second time. The Glass frontage of that iPhone sounds interesting.

 

[Detroit City]

AT&T just announced the new rate structure for iPhone in the US. The cheapest plan will start at $60 US per month. What a rip off. This will be the first phone that will require you to purchase the data package as part of your plan.

Isn't planned obsolescence fun?

 

[editor]

Not having copy+paste sounds like a problem, but I suppose there's an Apple Reason for not doing this.

it really is a bizarre decision. I use cut and paste on my phone every day and it seems such an odd - and dead simple - thing to have missed off.

Mind you, the battery life looks awesome.

Personally I thinks everyone but Apple hyping the iPhone as some kind of second coming. I'm exepecting there to be tons of reviews all telling me its "lame" because the authors personal favorite feature wasn't included.

Surely that's a reasonable reaction to Job's immense and unprecedented pre-launch hyperbole? If someone keeps telling you that they're about to sell you the best phone ever, you've every right to express your disappointment if it doesn't come up to expectations.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

There's the danger too, if they keep over selling this too much wont most people be dissapointed?

 

[editor]

Here's another review:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/technology/circuits/27pogue.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

I didn't realise that the iPhone didn't have a memory card slot, but the web browser looks fantastic.

 

[jæd]

Here's another review:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/technology/circuits/27pogue.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

I didn't realise that the iPhone didn't have a memory card slot, but the web browser looks fantastic.

On the iPhone, you don’t check your voice mail; it checks you. One button press reveals your waiting messages, listed like e-mail. There’s no dialing in, no password — and no sleepy robot intoning, “You...have...twenty...one...messages.”

With my Treo I get a text message/alert detailing missed calls, and whether the person actually left a message... Sounds like a step backward to me...!

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Here's another review:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/technology/circuits/27pogue.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

I didn't realise that the iPhone didn't have a memory card slot, but the web browser looks fantastic.

Neither me, although not sure how big an issue that is given the amount of storage is comes with...

 

[jæd]

Mind you, the battery life looks awesome.Surely that's a reasonable reaction to Job's immense and unprecedented pre-launch hyperbole? If someone keeps telling you that they're about to sell you the best phone ever, you've every right to express your disappointment if it doesn't come up to expectations.

Thats just Steve Jobs... If he flipped burgers at MacD's he would be telling you that each meal is a gourmet delight...!

 

[skyscraper101]

Just to let y'all know...I'm off to New York tomorrow for the weekend so I'll be heading over to the Apple Store on 5th Avenue to check it out on Friday launch day. Yay! I'll try and post pics.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

AT&T just announced the new rate structure for iPhone in the US. The cheapest plan will start at $60 US per month. What a rip off. This will be the first phone that will require you to purchase the data package as part of your plan.

I just got in from the AT&T shop, it looks more like it will be $80/mo for 450 daytime national minutes and the "PDA package". For my Treo with T-Mobile I pay about $60 for 600 minutes, but I get stung by US roaming charges outside the Texas area. I think a Blackberry plan would be more expensive, about $100/mo with AT&T.

So, it's an expensive plan but there are some pluses, like an international plan that might just save me a lot. (my last bill was $1250 for a month).

I decided not to camp out overnight, I'll probably try and get one next week when the fuss has quietened down a bit.

I will report back

 

[Buddy Bradley]

I'll probably try and get one next week when the fuss has quietened down a bit.

Isn't that what people were saying about the Wii..?

 

[dogmatique]

but I get stung by US roaming charges outside the Texas area. I think a Blackberry plan would be more expensive, about $100/mo with AT&T.

Christ they take the piss these mobile carriers don't they? I thought it was bad enough being charged roaming fees for incoming and outgoing calls when in mainland Europe - DESPITE being a customer of the same company in the UK as in say Spain, using the same network.

But an out of State roaming charge for using the same network in the same country? That really is taking the mickey!

 

[Crispy]

Christ they take the piss these mobile carriers don't they?

Can't remember if it's still the case, but US networks used to charge you to receive calls and texts, as well as send them.

 

[editor]

There seems to be some sort or weird rewriting of history by some awestruck writers: the Guardian was saying how amazing it was that Apple had come up with the idea of threaded SMS messages (It was a Palm idea from years ago), while the BBC waxes lyrical: "The new designs means users simply need to touch an icon on the iPhone's 3.5 inch screen to make a call. If another call comes through, users touch a second icon. A third icon allows them to merge the calls into a three-way conference call."

The Palm has done this for years too.

 

[Crispy]

Yeah, but look at that spoddy interface, the black on white text, the lack of gigawatt marketing

There were hard drive MP3 players before the ipod, too

 

[editor]

Yeah, but look at that spoddy interface, the black on white text, the lack of gigawatt marketing

Oh, you can bolt on the eye candy if you want:

I use this one:

And then there's the matter of the price too....

 

[jæd]

The Palm has done this for years too.

Completely agree... Personally, I find my Treo's interface the most useable on a phone since my Nokia 3310... I don't see why Treo don't just issue an update to PalmOs that reskins it with colour gradients, transparent fonts, etc. (Like the DialByPhoto stuff).

Then they could claim that its the greatest thing since sliced bread,

 

[editor]

Completely agree... Personally, I find my Treo's interface the most useable on a phone since my Nokia 3310... I don't see why Treo don't just issue an update to PalmOs that reskins it with colour gradients, transparent fonts, etc. (Like the DialByPhoto stuff).

That TakephOne application is brilliant, by the way. It's really quick for looking up contacts and you can do all that dial by photo stuff too. Well worth a download.

 

[jæd]

That TakephOne application is brilliant, by the way. It's really quick for looking up contacts and you can do all that dial by photo stuff too. Well worth a download.

Will take a look...

 

[editor]

Will take a look...

Make sure you download the blue skin as that's the one that looks the best.

It's a great app.

 

[skyscraper101]

Posting live from the Apple Store 5th Ave...

There's a queue outside for a 6pm launch of the iPhone with Fox News, CBS, NBC vans parked up in place. lol.

Currently 10:40 am here. Don't know if I can be arsed with waiting til 6pm for this to be honest. I'll see how the day goes.

 

[chio]

Posting live from the Apple Store 5th Ave...

There's a queue outside for a 6pm launch of the iPhone with Fox News, CBS, NBC vans parked up in place. lol.

Currently 10:40 am here. Don't know if I can be arsed with waiting til 6pm for this to be honest. I'll see how the day goes.

If I was all the way in New York, the last thing I'd be doing is queueing at the Apple shop