tOfficial iPhone news and discussion thread

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by AASpartan

Trevor has 135 posts in this thread. I think we know who is to blame.

I blame all the responses to my posts.

[greenballs]

This is actually my first Apple product. I was geeked the first time I saw info about it and it's definitely lived up to my expectations. Sure it has some flaws (I really wish it had GPS). Went to Tawas City for the first time over the weekend so it would have been nice to know where I was exactly. The 3G issue isn't as bad as I thought. If you're not on WiFi, it might take 10-15 seconds to load a page (oh the horror!!). The keyboard is a non-issue after a few minutes. Sure you may misspell some words but for the most part it will correct them for you with a touch of the spacebar. For the most part, webpages show up how they should. The zoom in and out feature definitely is a nice feature. I decoded and converted some of my DVD's and they look pretty cool on the small screen. Overall, a great device for a 1st gen edition.

[Fighting With A Vim]

Originally Posted by mrob

Thanks for a pretty objective post. A couple of comments IN CAPS BELOW. . .

Nice comments- I more or less agree with everything you said

[Sparticane]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

Now this is pretty funny....oh, and probably NOT safe for work...

The iPhone is a piece of ****, and so is your face

I just searched for this thread to post that. Beat me to it.

[Spartytruth]

Originally Posted by greenballs

Sure it has some flaws (I really wish it had GPS). Went to Tawas City for the first time over the weekend so it would have been nice to know where I was exactly. .

Let me help - you were in Tawas City.

[bulldogg]

Originally Posted by mrob

No stereo bluetooth headphones. A cutting edge multimedia device.... needing wires? Tsk tsk

I'M PRETTY SURE THESE ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE AS A THIRD PARTY ACCESSORY.

Nope. You can buy mono bluetooth headphones, but it is my understanding that the OS apparently doesn't support A2DP - a requirement for stereo bluetooth.

Odd that they would leave that off - as it is a music device.

[DeputyMSU]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

I tend to disagree. I think it is a game changer. It will revolutionize the cell phone industry, and what people expect from their cell phones. It already has really.

Tapping on cover art for example is so much more enjoyable than navigating a Windows Mobile file system with a stylus to find an album.

I don't agree that the IPhone is a game changer. I think that the interface is a bit better than some others but nothing really revolutionary.

I will agree that I do not like the WindowsMobile interface. I have a Treo650 that uses PalmOS and really like it. I never use my stylus and can navigate easily and quickly through many applications. I looked at the newer Treos that have Windows based OS and I hated them. Navigation was difficult and taking out the stylus seemed necessary way too often.

[bulldogg]

Originally Posted by DeputyMSU

I don't agree that the IPhone is a game changer. I think that the interface is a bit better than some others but nothing really revolutionary.

I will agree that I do not like the WindowsMobile interface. I have a Treo650 that uses PalmOS and really like it. I never use my stylus and can navigate easily and quickly through many applications. I looked at the newer Treos that have Windows based OS and I hated them. Navigation was difficult and taking out the stylus seemed necessary way too often.

I would love to go back the Windows Mobile device (however my old 3125 used the smartphone version of it, not the PPC version of it). Unfortunately, I had to switch to a Blackberry.

[Gtarent]

Originally Posted by bulldogg

Nope. You can buy mono bluetooth headphones, but it is my understanding that the OS apparently doesn't support A2DP - a requirement for stereo bluetooth.

Odd that they would leave that off - as it is a music device.

That is correct, though an update to the bluetooth stack is a probable future solution

[Gtarent]

Originally Posted by mrob

Thanks for a pretty objective post. A couple of comments IN CAPS BELOW. . .

I'M PRETTY SURE THESE ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE AS A THIRD PARTY ACCESSORY.
not supported in the bluetooth stack... probably fixed in the near future, but who knows

AGREED, THIS WAS A FAUX PAS--BUT WILL AMOST CERTAINLY BE ADDRESSED IN A SOFTWARE UPDATE SOON.
agreed


WHEN I TRIED IT IT SEEMED TO GET EASIER TO USE VERY QUICKLY.
I struggled... like I said though stubby fingers

I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE "FEATURES" THAT WAS REALLY A RESPONSE TO CLUNKY GUIs ON OTHER CELL PHONES--iPHONE USERS "LIKE" TOUCHING THE SCREEN SO THIS ISN'T PERCEIVED AS A DISADVANTAGE.
Voice control to me is a killer feature. You can like touching you screen as much as you like, but having the ability to say "show joe smith", and have all his contact information shown in second even if you have 200 or more contacts is just killer.
"When is my next appointment" "Dial Joe Smith at Home" etc.... It is a huge ability, though it was not a stock program, and could be added to the Iphone.

ANOTHER "FEATURE" THAT WAS BORN OUT OF INADEQUATE INTERFACES--THE TOUCH SCREEN ON THE iPHONE IS SO NICE THE STYLUS IS NOT NEEDED.
I missed it, I only use my stylus about 5% of the time.... usually only when I surf, but I still use it.


Of course part of my equation was the cost. I purchased my phone through a sprint SERO program. I paid $288 for my mogul, and my plan costs me $50/month, and I get 1250 anytime minutes, free sprint to sprint, free nights and weekends starting at 7 PM, unlimited internet, unlimited SMS and MMS. Untouchable plan

[bulldogg]

68 confirmed iPhone bugs

iPhone v1.0 Bugs | AppleHound

To be fair, it does say:

We have spent more than 40 hours tapping around the iPhone screens in an effort to find issues with the applications. This was not an easy task. The OS X graphical interface and applications are extremely solid!

[Gtarent]

Originally Posted by DeputyMSU

I don't agree that the IPhone is a game changer. I think that the interface is a bit better than some others but nothing really revolutionary.

I will agree that I do not like the WindowsMobile interface. I have a Treo650 that uses PalmOS and really like it. I never use my stylus and can navigate easily and quickly through many applications. I looked at the newer Treos that have Windows based OS and I hated them. Navigation was difficult and taking out the stylus seemed necessary way too often.

One thing I love about the Iphone is that is radically influenced many of the add on windows interface options. I hardly ever use my stylus... big buttons, more motion options.

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by DeputyMSU

I don't agree that the IPhone is a game changer. I think that the interface is a bit better than some others but nothing really revolutionary.

The sales figures after a few weeks alone have already made it a game changer.

I've used a Treo and Windows Mobile...and the iPhone interface is more than "a bit" better than either. What's revolutionary is that people who have never owned a smartphone/PDA, like you and I have, are buying the iPhone, are actually able to understand how to use it, and are loving it.

That's why analysts are already saying it will probably exceed even Steve Jobs's expectations.

[bulldogg]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

The sales figures after a few weeks alone have already made it a game changer.

I've used a Treo and Windows Mobile...and the iPhone interface is more than "a bit" better than either. What's revolutionary is that people who have never owned a smartphone/PDA, like you and I have, are buying the iPhone, are actually able to understand how to use it, and are loving it.

That's why analysts are already saying it will probably exceed even Steve Jobs's expectations.

You both are right. Its a game changer because it was marketed correctly ... not because it is so technically superior. Yes, many people that didn't have smartphones want the iPhone. However, many people also say they want the iPhone - because they can get email and browse the Internet on the phone. They are surprised when I tell them that I have been doing that on a Windows phone for 3 years.

I've got to hand it to Apple ... they marketed this thing right on the money. Microsoft on the other hand is a little different - they supply the OS, not the devices.

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by bulldogg

You both are right. Its a game changer because it was marketed correctly ... not because it is so technically superior. Yes, many people that didn't have smartphones want the iPhone. However, many people also say they want the iPhone - because they can get email and browse the Internet on the phone. They are surprised when I tell them that I have been doing that on a Windows phone for 3 years.

I've got to hand it to Apple ... they marketed this thing right on the money. Microsoft on the other hand is a little different - they supply the OS, not the devices.

It's much more than just marketing though. I bet many of those same people wouldn't be interested in a Windows Mobile interface with a geeky stylus though. I used a Palm based PDA, then a Dell Axim with Windows Mobile for several years. I fully realized at the time that the geek factor was off the scale when I pulled out my stylus to use it while waiting somewhere. You don't get that geek factor whatsoever with an iPhone. You'll see plenty of sorority girls walking around with them this Fall who wouldn't be caught dead with a stylus based phone like a Treo or Windows Mobile device...and they'll know how to use it efficiently within 5-15 minutes of turning it on. When they show it off to their friends, their reaction won't be "damn, she's a geek", it'll be "damn, I want one too."

[TurboSpartan]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

Spin? Nevermind of course that much of the iPhone's UI has been in OS X and iPods for years now. Next you're going to tell me that OS X ripped off one of Prada's handbag designs.

Not at all what I said, but nice try. I'm talking about the phone. You're the one who posted that clearly misleading "spot the similarities" pic, not me, so there must be something similar between the iPhone and the LG 850 that was released months earlier.

BTW here's an interesting nugget that came out yesterday:
IPhones flooding wireless LAN at Duke University - Network World

Apparently there's an unadvertised iPhone feature: it'll send out thousands of arp packets per second and take down your entire network. Oops. Hopefully there'll be a firmware update for that.

[TurboSpartan]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

The sales figures after a few weeks alone have already made it a game changer.

I've used a Treo and Windows Mobile...and the iPhone interface is more than "a bit" better than either. What's revolutionary is that people who have never owned a smartphone/PDA, like you and I have, are buying the iPhone, are actually able to understand how to use it, and are loving it.

That's why analysts are already saying it will probably exceed even Steve Jobs's expectations.

Trevor do you own an iPhone?

[bulldogg]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

It's much more than just marketing though. I bet many of those same people wouldn't be interested in a Windows Mobile interface with a geeky stylus though. I used a Palm based PDA, then a Dell Axim with Windows Mobile for several years. I fully realized at the time that the geek factor was off the scale when I pulled out my stylus to use it while waiting somewhere. You don't get that geek factor whatsoever with an iPhone. You'll see plenty of sorority girls walking around with them this Fall who wouldn't be caught dead with a stylus based phone like a Treo or Windows Mobile device...and they'll know how to use it efficiently within 5-15 minutes of turning it on. When they show it off to their friends, their reaction won't be "damn, she's a geek", it'll be "damn, I want one too."

None of my three Windows Mobile devices had a stylus.

My last being a flip phone that was about the same form factor as a RAZR.

[bulldogg]

Originally Posted by TurboSpartan

Not at all what I said, but nice try. I'm talking about the phone. You're the one who posted that clearly misleading "spot the similarities" pic, not me, so there must be something similar between the iPhone and the LG 850 that was released months earlier.

BTW here's an interesting nugget that came out yesterday:
IPhones flooding wireless LAN at Duke University - Network World

Apparently there's an unadvertised iPhone feature: it'll send out thousands of arp packets per second and take down your entire network. Oops. Hopefully there'll be a firmware update for that.

Apple is still trying to figure out that whole TCP/IP thing.

[mrob]

Originally Posted by DeputyMSU

I don't agree that the IPhone is a game changer. I think that the interface is a bit better than some others but nothing really revolutionary.

Your second sentence is the reason for the first.

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by bulldogg

None of my three Windows Mobile devices had a stylus.

My last being a flip phone that was about the same form factor as a RAZR.

Either way, those same people aren't going to want to use a Windows Mobile interface. It's ok for geeks like us but not nearly intuitive enough for the iPod crowd that basically don't own any other gadgets.

[bulldogg]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

Either way, those same people aren't going to want to use a Windows Mobile interface. It's ok for geeks like us but not nearly intuitive enough for the iPod crowd that basically don't own any other gadgets.

There are several reasons that I would want my old 3125 Windows Mobile device over an iPhone. The thousands of applications available are one of the biggest reasons.

Again, I'll give you that the UI is better, but saying that the iPhone is technically revolutionary is a huge stretch.

People are still amazed that I was able to watch my TV streamed over the Internet to my old WinMo phone. They just didn't know - which brings us back to marketing.

I would imagine that they will eventually make a Slingbox client for the iPhone, but it is already there for the others. (Not for my Blackberry though )

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by bulldogg

There are several reasons that I would want my old 3125 Windows Mobile device over an iPhone. The thousands of applications available are one of the biggest reasons.

Again, I'll give you that the UI is better, but saying that the iPhone is technically revolutionary is a huge stretch.

People are still amazed that I was able to watch my TV streamed over the Internet to my old WinMo phone. They just didn't know - which brings us back to marketing.

I would imagine that they will eventually make a Slingbox client for the iPhone, but it is already there for the others. (Not for my Blackberry though )

You're a geek. I'm a geek. The masses of users who will make the iPhone revolutionary are the users who would never download hundreds let alone 2 apps. Their first exposure to really cool portable video for instance will be on an iPhone or their video iPod. Users who never thought they'd use video on their phones will be on their iPhones. You wouldn't believe how much that feature can impress. These same consumers whose first gadget was an iPod will trust Apple to have created an easy and fun to use interface for the iPhone. They pretty much have.

[bulldogg]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

You're a geek. I'm a geek. The masses of users who will make the iPhone revolutionary are the users who would never download hundreds let alone 2 apps. Their first exposure to really cool portable video for instance will be on an iPhone or their video iPod. Users who never thought they'd use video on their phones will be on their iPhones. You wouldn't believe how much that feature can impress. These same consumers whose first gadget was an iPod will trust Apple to have created an easy and fun to use interface for the iPhone. They pretty much have.

Completely agree ... Apple markets well to the technical novices.

[Fighting With A Vim]

Originally Posted by bulldogg

68 confirmed iPhone bugs

iPhone v1.0 Bugs | AppleHound

Very interesting.

One note I'd like to make is that many of these are small UI issues. I agree with the ones they mention, but it is misleading to say "68 confirmed iPhone bugs", when only a handful are major issues (application crash, functionality failure, etc).