A method to the iPhone madness?

After a week of iPhone madness, I think I have a pretty good idea of what it's like to cover the Super Bowl.

Every year, the week leading up to the Super Bowl produces some of the silliest news stories of the year, as thousands of journalists exhaust every possible angle. By the time the game rolls around on Sunday, it feels almost anticlimactic, and more people watch the commercials than the real action.

That's what it has felt like, living at the center of iPhone insanity for the last seven days, and it should get even more interesting after the gadget finally goes on sale at 6 p.m. local time. Suddenly, every detail is important, from how many staffers AT&T has hired to prepare for the launch to the cottage industry that has sprung up around waiting in line outside Apple's stores.

You think you're sick of the damn iPhone? Believe me, you have no idea. Just think of all the iPhone-related stuff we rejected covering (such as the shall-be-nameless PR rep who pitched a story about "a candid look at the challenges that companies face in aligning their value chains to successfully introduce products rapidly to an ever-changing consumer market").

You think you're sick of the damn iPhone? Believe me, you have no idea.

Still, a few hundred people fired off flames criticizing what they perceive as a page-view mentality that has us stoking the hype. But the iPhone has provoked thought and debate on our pages like almost no other product launch in the past.

This is online journalism. Unlike print, radio, or television, we can track exactly how many people are reading each story. And you folks are soaking up as much iPhone content as you can get your hands on.

You keep coming back for more. And if you don't find it here, you go somewhere else. There aren't many tech-news organizations that are making a principled stand on iPhone hype this week.

That's because there's an intense interest in anything related to Apple among the technology community. Whether people come to praise it or damn it, Apple evokes a passion rarely found in other sectors of the business world.

And when the company finally confirmed the long-standing rumors that it was developing a mobile phone, the tech industry sat up and took notice. Despite its complete lack of experience in this market, Apple had to be taken seriously because of how the iPod changed the way people listened to music. The company earned that sort of credibility the old-fashioned way; it wasn't bestowed on them by a fawning press or rabid fanboys (for the most part).

Considering the big picture
But I give most of our readers credit, because I think they understand that this week has been about more than Apple or the iPhone itself: this is about the future direction of personal computing.

This is where the innovation will be over the next 10 years. The past 10 years were all about the PC, as prices plunged, processing power skyrocketed and the Internet showed us how powerful networks can be. But the PC is passe; one of the biggest stories in the PC industry over the past year was how Hewlett-Packard and Dell were finally starting to realize that people cared about the colors and designs on their laptops.

Special coverage
iPhone: The wait is over

News.com tracks handset's
long-anticipated arrival.

Mobile devices such as smart phones aren't going to displace PCs. You've probably still got an AM/FM radio in your house fairly close to your 42-inch plasma television. But mobile computers are where the growth and excitement will be, as we start to realize what we can do with the Internet anywhere at anytime.

I call my Treo 700p "The Phone of Life." It's not because of anything specific to the phone itself (sorry Palm, although I do like it), but simply because the device makes my life easier.

While crawling back from South Lake Tahoe to San Francisco this past winter in treacherous conditions, I was able to check highway closures, plot alternate routes, search for nearby hotels when the snow grew too thick, call to make reservations, and send e-mails to my bosses letting them know we were stuck in Truckee, Calif. Having those capabilities made what was a harrowing journey that much less stressful, with partial credit assigned to Poison's Greatest Hits and two very calm travel companions.

The iPhone is hardly a perfect device. I'll never understand why Apple worked so hard to make a rich mobile browser that's a hit with reviewers but hamstrung the iPhone with a slow data pipe when outside a Wi-Fi hotspot. Apple has mentioned that it's related to concerns about battery life. But as one person posted on CNET News.com put it, "No point having a Ferrari if you can only drive it at 15 mph."

In a rarity for our coverage about Apple, most of the discussion accompanying iPhone stories was not the usual religious flame wars about security and Microsoft's antitrust sins. It was about what people really want in a mobile device. That's because this is about more than Apple. Even if it's a flop--perhaps even more so if it's a flop--the iPhone will change the way mobile devices are designed, whether that's closer to Apple's vision or further away.

The Super Bowl is just a game--albeit, the most important game of the year, but there will be an equally important one next year.

However, product launches like the iPhone that generate massive amounts of interest from regular folks don't happen all that often. The cellular and PC industries will be watching Apple and the iPhone very closely over the next six months to see if the company has hit on something with the user interface built into the iPhone.

The iPhone really could change the future of computing. It's quite possible that June 29, 2007, will one day be remembered as the day that the average consumer realized what mobile computing was all about. Or it could be marked as the day Apple overestimated its reach and watched its remarkable 10-year renaissance begin to wane.

It's up to you: is the iPhone what you really want?

[demobigen]

iPhone

It's a nifty device. good ideas. not perfect. but, considering speed and what it has rejected as a current day norm for internet browsing and the possibility of document editing, I would wait for the 2nd Generation iPhone.

Personally, if I have that money for a gadget, I'd spend that money on the PS3.

[GRMorgan]

Nothing new

Other than some styling what does it offer. It has no Java functionality just as Sun Microsystems have made a serious effort on bringing Me up to modern standards. It has weak networking in comparison to it's competition.

The only things it has going for it is that it looks nice, will be able to tie into iTunes and will be bought by a fanatical Apple consumer base.

The other problem Apple face has been picked up upon before. The phone market is amazingly fast and it is doubtful whether Apple can keep up.

[Thrudheim]

nothing, eh?

Arguments such as this are so tiresome. Apple fans are just
idiots who will buy anything no matter how bad it is. It is a
fundamentally egocentric point of view. Just because YOU don't
like it means that everyone who does like is a stupid, mindless
fool.

Why not just respect the fact that people might really love Apple
products because they work well for them? There is a reason
why Apple inspires loyalty in customers.

Sure, if one looks at it very simplistically by comparing a
checklist of functions, the iPhone does not have much that is
new. But that fundamentally misses the whole point. The key is
not just "style" but the substantial software improvements and
UI enhancements brought by the iPhone. People will be able to
pick up an iPhone and use it without ever looking at a manual.
You can't say that about very many tech products. That is where
Apple excels.

Java is big and piggy. It is not the way of the future. Apple is
right to leave it behind and focus on Javascript/Ajax/etc.

[garkon38]

Interesting

See, I'm really curious this exchange between the two of you. I'm not a tech-geek and no particular loyalty to Apple. I like their stuff though and am pretty impressed with what I've seen in the iPhone.

Now, every time I have raised the above point with a techy friend of mine, we have more or less exactly the conversation you two just had. I say it's cool, he rattles off a list of features it doesn;t have or do well enough that I barely understand, I point out it does most of what I need pretty well, and he says "well, you're just fooled by the design."

There's got to be something profound in this miscommunication between the tech world and the average consumer. I suspect it is why Apple beat the pants off other MP3 players and why it has great odds to wipe the floor with other mobile computing options (Blackberry, etc.) -- though not sure it will do the same for phones per se.

Design and simplicity matter. The average consumer uses only 3-4 functions on even their most advanced gadgets. If those work well enough, if the product is pleasing and clearly designed to work into their lives, and offered at a good price, it will outsell any high-end optimized tech-friendly product with a phone book for an instruction manual and more capabilities than a Cray.

I respect tech purists. I really do. But I suspect they are having the wrong conversation, or , more to the point, they explain when they should listen.

That said, you could probably say the same about me. : )

[deanrd7]

Keep up?

apple not only can keep up - in their first product release they just blew past every other phone maker!

LOL

[Bellette]

Yes, iPhone Is What I Want.

Good article, nicely written.

Yes the iPhone is what I want. I asked Steve Jobs about eighteen
months ago for a device, better than my camera and Nokia
6230, is an iPod and runs on OSX. Now (2008 in New Zealand) I'll
be able to take my life with me in my pocket, all the while using
it too.

Thanks again Steve!

[larue777]

Opening

I think Apple has left an opening by committing themselves to only
AT&T. Was this their only option? Even if the device is a success
other carriers can fill this space with products made by the
competition. They may also be the first to offer the new 3g
networks.

[darryl365]

re:Opening

I share your concerns about the length of exclusivity with AT&T. I believe the problem developed when Apple presented it's terms to Verizon that an exclusive deal with any carrier was likely necessary. The approach to selling this phone turns the industry on it's ear and none of the other carriers were willing to relinquish the type of control they've become accustomed to.
Too bad for Apple that AT&T was the only carrier willing to adjust. It remains to be seen if Verizons' rejection will wind up being a major corporate blunder. If the iPhone does become the raging success it appears that it will be, those guys at verizon will be kicking themselves for the next decade.

[DrtyDogg]

Closed

A story I read on here a few months ago said that Apple approached the other wireless carriers first but was turned away.

[jayhawk73]

Makes me wanna stand in line for one

Sounds like a great gadget to have:

Finally Confirmed: What the iPhone Doesn't Have
? Songs as Ringtones
? Games
? Any flash support
? Instant Messaging
? Picture messages (MMS)
? Video recording
? Voice recognition or voice dialing
? Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Streaming (A2DP)
? One-size-fits-all headset jack (May have to buy an adapter for certain headphones)

Stuff we already knew it didn't have
? 3G (EV-DO/HSDPA)
? GPS
? A real keyboard
? Removable battery
? Expandable Storage
? Direct iTunes Music Store Access (Over Wi-Fi or EDGE)

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/what-the-iphone-doesnt-have-272571.php

[savagesteve13]

Well the iPhone can't have EVERYTHING

Unless you want it to look like a chrome and glass brick.

[1st]

willingness to pay

iPhone is proven to be the best marketing for the trend setting and
willingness to pay value (pricing) success. Forget all the racing to
the bottom low cost products that doomed the industry. Bravo!
way to go apple!

[Thrudheim]

A good article

The article gets to the heart of what this is all about. Love it or
hate it, it's a game-changing device.

The Apple haters out there can trash the iPhone all they want, but
the device that they choose as an alternative will be better because
of the iPhone. That's what competition is all about.

And I say that as someone who will not buy one yet due to it's well-
understood shortcomings.

[hounddoglgs]

I agree

It's nice to see an unbiased, well thought article on CNet once in a while.

[J.G.]

iPhone: A ray of light

I think at least part of the fervor over the iPhone is because it is a positive development in a disappointing time. The immigration bil just failed. Troops will not be home from Iraq until Bush leaves office. The Supreme Court pulled the plug on diversity in education yesterday. Enter a renaissance tech company with a novel product that is useful in several ways. Of course we want the iPhone.

[ssmiroldo]

Guffaw

Please... Don't taint users comments as well as this excellent
article with your liberal (anti-American) dribbling.

I agree the iPhone is a "Ray-of-Light" in dark times and hope
the American leaders (not just Bush) can find a legitimate out
from Iraq, but your other liberal comments are definitely not
shared by me. I'm glad the immigration bill failed! Wow... what a
cost to the American citizens and the nation as a whole that
would have been (not just $$).

This is an exciting day for tech-freaks! Thanks again Mr. Krazit
(author) for the broad perspective the iPhone plays in computing
future. I also believe Apple is going to use these "3 legs" (Mac,
iPod, iPhone) to tie into and build AppleTV - the "4th leg".
Imagine accessing AppleTV from your iPhone or iPod one day.
Your complete library of music, movies, TV shows, and photos
available anywhere at anytime using the iPhone or future iPods.

[BlueBearr]

What it's really about

Good article, but I think that ir actually does kind of miss the point. I don't think the main point of the iPhone hype is that mobile computing is important. We've various mobile platforms (like the Treo) for years.

What I take away from the whole iPhone frenzy is that technology companies keep forgetting that consumers care about good design. Or maybe that should be CONSUMERS CARE ABOUT GOOD DESIGN. People are going crazy over the iPhone because they see the videos and say "that's cool" and, unconsciously, "I understand how it works." There were music players before the iPod, but what Apple did was make using one intuitive and simple. There are other smart phones, but this one is exciting to people because it looks like they can use it without devoting 100 hours to learning how to use it.

What other technology companies need to do is to learn to duplicate Apple's attention to design detail and not just throw tech products out on the market that are only 75% complete.

[garkon38]

Agree, but...

Like the thrust of your note and hallelujah - great to hear someone hammering the point home about tech and design. Still, think it's both -- design is what will make this palatable to the broad public, and the inevitable consequence will be (assuming it's successful, maybe even if it's not) a revolution in the demand for and the choices in mobile computing. It took a good design to make it happen though. I have friends who absolutely hate apple and each time we talk about the iPhone, they keep pointing out other smartphones at similar prices with better individual features. What they don't get (and why these phones haven't driven a mobile computing boom) is that they're clunky, buggy, ugly, poorly thought out from an ergonomic standpoint, and damn hard to use. Add to the fact that the companies that make them come and go with the breeze, and no one appart from afficianados takes the plunge.

[ewelch]

Not the real reason

Technology companies don't want to pay for really good
designers. They take their time. They don't crank out useless
tweaky features at a blinding rate. Features that don't really do
anything. To find a designer of Jonathan Ivy's quality (mostly
responsible for a majority of Apple's design hits since the iMac,
and a few not-so-big hits like the Cube) they would have to pay
a lot of money. And give him freedom to go against focus
groups and egg-headed engineers and management that
wouldn't know good design if it fell off the Empire State Building
and crushed them.

The biggest problem in this world is that business models that
run the country don't allow for the culture that's inside Apple
and makes it such a great company. Apple doesn't kiss Wall
Street's rear end and they don't over emphasize stockholders.
Though they do give them a great return - especially since the
iPod came out!

As long as they have a "good enough" attitude, and not an
attitude of "this must be the best I can possibly make it" there
will only be Apple. Steve Jobs for all his quirks really serves the
rest of the world. Because now the cellphone companies are
being put on notice. The iPhone seems to be living up to the
hype to a large degree. Of course not completely. And they are
going to be burning the midnight oil trying to figure out why
every other phone on the planet just became obsolete. They
make have more tweaky pieces and bits. But that doesn't matter.
They not elegant, cool, easy, and ultimately useful.

[Sea of Cortez]

Loser = IPhone buyer/user

Who but a brain dead loser would want to look at the web via a 3inch screen! If you want to actually surf/use the web, you need at least a 12-inch screen. And if you want a cell phone, then u don't need to pay $600 for it, set aside stand in the line. Iphone is even worst than the above description of its problems, set aside that you need at least a 12 inch screen to really use, benefit from, the Web, you need a KEYBOARD too - Doh!!! And iPhone does not have an actual Keyboard, its Keyboard occupies same space as it's screen! So who but a TOTAL brain washed LOSER would want to look at the web via a 3inch screen and then continuously flip to the Keyboard that takes the same space as this screen, to for example fill a form. It would literally take
20 times as long to fill the form and look at the content of a screen you need to look at to fill that form using iPhone compared to a laptop.

Iphone = more useless crap from Silicon Valley hyped by their Big media gang

Japanese give us Prius that gets 60 Miles per Gallon, French give us TGV that goes 300 Miles per Hour while seating in lap of luxury from city center to city center and what do we get from USA (Silicon Valley), useless Hypes such as iPhone, 2nd life, etc. etc., nothing useful or new.

[Thomas, David]

YO YO YO SOC

Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled
masses longing to be free...
This is how the iPhone
speaks to those that listen (metaphorically speaking)

I wonder
what you did in a past life to become such a tiresome,
unenlightend person?

[protagonistic]

RE: Loser = IPhone buyer/user

A couple of comments here. First, it is iPhone and not Iphone.
Second, it must be horrible to have such a closed mind.

You obviously were not around for the early days of computing
when a 5" screen was the norm. Yet plenty was accomplished
with those screens. You also seem to be under the impression
that people will be using the iPhone to replace their desktop
computers.

As a last observation, when you have to resort to name calling
you have already lost the argument. The article was well written
and objective. Love it or hate it, I think the device will reshape
the phone market. And BTW, I will not be buying an iPhone on
this go around, but might when the next model comes out.

[dansterpower]

I surf on a 1.5 inch Blackberry just fine

My Pearl is a VERY useful internet tool for business.

I surf very effectively on 1.5" screen and on EDGE -- slow sure, but
not for what I use the web for during business travel hours. (ie.,
getting comparison info, address, list of vendors, etc).

A 3.5 inch screen is a MASSIVE improvement.

[open-mind]

iPhone = Troll Magnet

The Apple-hating trolls just can't resist it. ;-)

[deanrd7]

ME ! Me! I'm a loser!

If you define loser as someone who wants to have an easy-to-use phone, video iPod, and browser.

"It would literally take 20 times as long to fill the form, blah blah blah". Really? And how would you know? I think I'll take the word of the likes of Walt Mossberg and David Pogue who say the keyboard has a small learning curve but then is fast and easy to use.

I think LOSER is someone who flames and bashes a product without ever having used or even seen it.

LOL

[Thomas, David]

WOW ... Finally True Objectiveness ...

Usually all of these stories have been slanted one way, or another.
But finally, someone realizes why some of us tech nuts have been
so excited over this device.

Congratulations TK!

[Jintexas]

Loser = Misses the point

It would seem that this respondent has only one view of internet access and use ... 12" screen, mouse and keyboard. No mention of 'mobility uses'. It is after all a phone with features that extend it's usefulness beyond voice communication. As has been noted in other responses here, there are many other devices that also offer extra features ... some do it well, some not so well. Some have rush to market design and lack of user friendliness, others try to overcome that.

It seems to me that any device that is out there today can be critically examined and fault can be found with any numbers of features ... usually by those who don't use it.

So it is/will be with the iPhone .. it has shortcomings in the eyes of some and not others. The fact remains that it will get released tonight, and I and many others who have been reading the reviews and commentary for some months now, will be delighting in it's features tomorrow.

[ralfthedog]

I wonder if Paris Hilton has her iPhone yet?

:)

[K.P.C.]

Who Cares

;-)

[d_m77]

OMG - I HAVE TO HAVE ONE

Hyperbole. A phone is a tool, it's not going to save the world. This mania too will die down for the next greatest thing.

All you clowns waiting in line - you're guinea pigs for a v1 product. The minute you buy it it's obsolete, they've been working on v2 probably since this was announced. Remember how much better the 3g etc. iPods were compared to the overpriced and too small 1g? There was one guy locally selling his truck to afford an iPhone and then he was going to buy a moped for transportation - guess what - you won't be able to use your iPhone while driving (blessing in disguise?) your moped dude.

So now we wait for the hoopla to die down and the next great POS to hit (the fan-boys in the face).

[monkeynetman]

iPhone sorta like the Wii?

To me I think the iPhone could be the next Wii - sorta. The interface has been changed dramatically. Web browsing with Wi-Fi. Photo viewing. I don't know, for some reason iPhone to me felt like a Wii launch...

I personally would like an iPhone, to simplify of not carrying a bulky mp3/video player and cellphone seperately. The web browser seems like a nifty add on since most of the time I'm in a Wi-Fi environment (airports and such). The only concerns is what would battery life be like if I constantly play music, plus the price is a bit hefty at the moment.

[devoted2]

We'll get them . . .

My daughter and I will definitely get our iPhones when our current family contract ends in early January. My husband is thinking about it.
We all know we'll love the thing since we've been playing with it on-line.
It's technology is a huge leap into the future, and it just looks WAY cool! It will be well worth each and every penny it costs.
We call it the "MyPhone" or the "MacPhone", names that mean more to us.

[ckerins]

Man Suffocated by iPhone on his Way to Buy Coveted Device

Funny satire over at My First Mac:

http://www.myfirstmac.com/index.php/mac/articles/man-
suffocated-by-iphone/

[M C]

Considering recent events, maybe not so funny.

Wonder how "suffocation" just happened to pop into their mind...?

[Charlie_V]

I am on the Edge

As a very heavy user of cellular voice and data in Edge and 3G areas, I can tell you that the comment by Jintexas is right on point. As nerdy as I am (8 on a scale of 10), I cannot fathoom sitting and "surfing" the web on a tiny cellphone. Get a life, folks. That is what notebook computers are for.

Edge is plenty fast for typical mobile tasks like: emailing, syncing email, getting directions, looking up a number, checking the weather, etc. Further, 3G is not so sexy when you consider how it affects battery life (like, HALF). Unless you are going to use a phone as a tethered modem, 3G is a troublesome extravagance.

Everyone uses phones differently, and I also fall into the trap of iinitially wanting a phone that does things I'll never do, so I take pity on the nerdlings lining up to spend $600 ON A PHONE and will be understanding when, for the first few weeks, they walk into traffic blankly staring at their tiny screens while checking the latest Wired News every ten minutes. After that wears off, and when the 3G iPhone comes out (either with half the battery life or twice the thickness or the original iPhone), I am confident that yhe nerdlings will still be proud of their EDGE phones and find ways to justify continued use.

[Charlie_V]

I just played with an iPhone

Is replying to one's own comment permissible? Let's see...

Since I am still within the thirty days since my recent Blackberry 8800 purchase, I went over to a local Cingular store and asked to fiddle with an iPhone and, to my surprise, they said "sure." I have had WimMo devices, Nokias, and motorolas galore, and, most recently, the Blackberry 8800, so I really have high expectations.

Now, this is a review based on a five minute test, but I have to say I was very, very impressed. The user interface is slick, slick, slick. Without boring details, here is why I walked back out with the recently-bought Blackberry:

1. The iPhone text input method is lightweight. No tactile feedback and I had to press harder than I expecgted on the screen to register input.

2. While the screen is big and beautiful, and reportedly optical grade glass, I put numerous smudges on it in less than five minutes and think that it would still be very easy to scratch. I am not particular about scratches, but I know that the screen/body would be difficult and expensive to replace, unlike just about any other phone that you can buy parts for on Ebay.

3. No GPS. Do not underestimate the value of GPS in a cell phone. That is the coming thing.

4. Several steps to reach a dial tone. You really have to look at the device and pay attention to what is on screen and where you are poking to do anything. Not a phone you want to be using while driving or walking.

5. Multimedia capabilities looked very cool, but superfluous for my use. I already have an iPod.

6. Blackberries have visual voicemail (free add-on software). Otherwise, that would be a killer-app for me.

7. Can't picture walking around with something that nice in my pocket. Concerned what would happen to it if I dropped it.

8. I did not get to test the voice q

[Charlie_V]

I just played with an iPhone

Is replying to one's own comment permissible? Let's see...

Since I am still within the thirty days since my recent Blackberry 8800 purchase, I went over to a local Cingular store and asked to fiddle with an iPhone and, to my surprise, they said "sure." I have had Windows Mobile devices (HTC and HP), Nokias, and motorolas galore, and, most recently, the Blackberry 8800, so I really have high expectations.

Now, this is a review based on a three minute fiddle test, but I have to say I was very, very impressed. The user interface is slick, slick, slick. Without boring details about the iPhone that have been well-documented elsewhere, here is why I walked back out with the recently-bought Blackberry:

1. The iPhone text input method is lightweight. No tactile feedback and I had to press harder than I expected on the screen to register input.

2. While the screen is big and beautiful, and reportedly optical grade glass, I put numerous smudges on it in less than five minutes and think that it would still be very easy to scratch. I am not particular about scratches, but I know that the screen/body would be difficult and expensive to replace, unlike just about any other phone that you can buy parts for on Ebay.

3. No GPS. Do not underestimate the value of GPS in a cell phone. That is the coming thing. The uses to which a Blackberry with GPS can be put are truly mind-bogglingly neat.

4. Several steps to reach a dial tone. You really have to look at the device and pay attention to what is on screen and where you are poking to do anything. Not a phone you want to be using while driving or walking.

5. Multimedia capabilities looked very cool, but superfluous for my use. I already have an iPod.

6. Blackberries have visual voicemail (free add-on software). Otherwise, that would be a killer-app for me.

7. Can't picture walking around with something that nice in my pocket. Concerned what would happen to it if I dropped it.

8. I did not get to test the voice qquality or signal quality, but I bet both are terrific. Steve Jobs pulls no punches on hardware (cept for those laptop screens, I guess).

9. There are no Apple stores in this part of the country, so Apple doesn't have the hipness factor that might exist elsewhere, and repairs by my local AT&T/Cingular folks, well... like leaving your BMW with a guy named Bubba.

10. Blackberry is the easiest to use device (considering a thousand contacts, numerous email accounts, calendar sync with Exchange,etc.) that I have ever had, for my purposes.

11. The price. I think the price is just about right (could be 50-100 bucks less) if you want to make this baby seem exclusive. When all of the hipsters have one, I bet Apple lowers the price to about three hundred bucks. I am not really price sensitive when it comes to new gadgets, but $599 plus tax plus activation plus two additional years on my Cingy contract... too high.

12. Sadly, only one battery, no way to change it out, and no way to replace it. The case is practically seamless, like an iPod. That is part of the neatness (it is like holding jewelry), but undermines its functionality for my purposes.

And lucky 13: Once you master all of the pre-programmed options and screens, there does not seem to be a high tinker-factor in this device. No SEEMS to edit, no registry to hack into. That could be a plus (unless you enjoy risking bricking your phone), but might be a minus, for me.
Still, I felt a twinge. A BIG TWINGE. Temptation was high. For people less concerned with business use and living where repairs and hipness are abundant, this would be the new "it" gadget ot play with at Starbucks.

[wylbur]

Today show failure

Did anybody else see the iPhone not work on the Today show this
morning? Ooops.

[savagesteve13]

The iphone will be an Apple triumph.

Anybody who says otherwise has a celeron running vista on 256mb at home, is tightly gripping their Zune, and still thinks that the Xbox 360 overheats because users are careless.

[accssdenied]

Apple Iphone = Garbage

1. 2-megapixel camera when others have 5-megapixel shooters on board

2. 5-hour talk time: not enough battery life

3. No expansion slot. Go for the 8-gig model and that's it.

4. No 3G: EDGE is so last year

5. No removable battery: You mean we can't take along a spare battery? ***


and I'm running vista ultimate/osx86 dual boot on a amd athlon 64 x2 5600+ AM2 with 8gb of DDRII ram, oh 800 mhz ddr2 I might add. Oh and don't forget the x1950xtx 512 hooked into my 40 inch lcd via hdmi. Got an xbox 360 elite that DOES NOT overheat what so ever. Would you like pictures? oh, btw did you read why the Iphone sucks big donkey DIC*. well if you didn't use google, it is mighty helpful. Iphone=garbage=SLOW. The only people dumb enough to pay for one of these garbage cans are the itunes/apple fanboys. GAY!!!!!!