May 22, 2007
(Photo from Mac Life)
There are a couple of interesting articles on the coming iPhone (MacIdolater, cease worship now) I read this week.
- First, Information Week's Alexander Wolfe posted his top 7 iPhone Questions Steve Jobs Doesn't Want you to Ask
- Second, Mac Life asks a question that sends shivers down any Mac fan's spine - iPhone, Will it be the next Newton? For those unfamiliar with tech history, the Newton can be studied here. Basically Newton was technology before its time and it never really caught on - it was very cool, but did not sell so well. It was too big, too expensive, and the handwriting recognition didn't work so well at first...but it did open a category that the PalmPilot stepped into in the late 90s to make some cash.
Anyway, the iPhone has buzz, but whether it will see longevity and market penetration remains to be seen. My concerns:
- No removable storage can be added
- Cingular network is Slllllooooow with data
- No removable/replacable/extra battery, which sucks if..
- Battery life may be weak
- Price very high (though Mac people will pay)
- 8mb is pretty small storage for iPod freaks and you can't stick a mini/microSD card in it because...well, no removable storage.
- Lack of tactile keys for texting - you have to look right at the screen to text/e-mail
Comments
Does any battery on any mobile device last more than 18 months? I think both cell phones I've had (prior to current), their batteries crapped out after 18 months.
the whole battery thing is an epidemic that no wireless device can escape as the technological advances of batteries has been ~0 compared to the increase in functionality on these nifty gadgets.
just to assure you that i have some rationality, the iPhone is one mac device i'm not so excited about.
Posted by: BV | May 22, 2007 11:52 PM
Ben, I know that you are no idolater of the Macgod. Your rationality is deeply confirmed.
Yeah, how does a grad student get excited about a 600 dollar phone :)
Posted by: Reid Monaghan | May 23, 2007 08:57 AM
As with most gadgets, the second generation will the one to have.
Posted by: R. Mansfield | May 23, 2007 12:23 PM
correction: will BE the one to have
Posted by: R. Mansfield | May 23, 2007 12:24 PM
I agree Rick - in fact, I will probably look closely at the 2nd gen iPhone. I may get at Treo 755 soon and run that for a couple of years...and try not to covet a wide screen, touch enabled, non phone iPod :)
Posted by: Reid Monaghan | May 23, 2007 12:44 PM
I'm a total Mac guy and I'm not buying the iPhone, figuratively nor literally.
I don't have an iPod, either. I don't like uni-taskers for which one needs to buy a bunch of extra stuff in order to get them to multi-task. That's why I have an iRiver instead.
I just got my new freebie VX8600 (Chocolate's cousin) from Verizon for re-upping and I'm looking forward to sticking some songs on it, soon as my microSD card shows up. 15 bucks a gig, gotta love it.
If the interface is any good at all, it'll be nice to have at the coffee shop for when I have to chart songs.
Still waiting for my brain-chip implant, though. sweet
Posted by: Mike Radcliffe | May 23, 2007 02:26 PM