I had no intention of buying this thing. I already have a PDA phone with a touch sensitive screen. Yes, it's the size of the new testament and weighs more than a bar of gold, but it serves me well. I'm walking through the mall on Friday eve, June 29th, not coincidentally the launch date of the new iPhone and a line of people have gathered outside the Mac store. I thought to myself... get a life! So I stop to see what all the fuss is about and was greeted by a larger than life display phone in the window, playing the full length version of the trailer that's taunted Mac-addicts for the past few weeks. I step inside the store for a closer look, nudging my way through the herd of cattle tying to feed on this thing. I spot a demo model being handled by an elderly woman. She is clearly baffled. I offer to help her, explain how to use it. Of course, I had no idea how to operate it yet, but she handed it over. Yep, like taking candy from a baby! Few things live up to their marketing hype these days. Five minutes into playing with this pint-size window to the world, I absolutely HAD TO HAVE IT! I have never parted with that much gadget money w/o feeling a little guilty, but I'm here to tell ya... I'm guilt free. No remorse. Knotta! The iPhone. Get it.
This is going to be fun. Carl gets home and finds out how many things he has to press (six, actually ) to make a simple phone call. Gonna be held captive by AT&T for two years at $90.00/mo. to get all the internet goodies, probably bought the $600 model... lessee, that's, um, just under three grand with tax for a cell phone. Oh, yeah, and the expected battery life is ONE year, and you have to send it to Apple for a new McBattery. Carl, I gots a boat I want to sell you!
jep - but its *soo* revolutionary, **** it - it got an ipod!! thats something no other cellphone has got! maybe a mp3 player but no ipod or the google maps tool! no other phone has that (exept the phone of my friend, he has a palm phone with gps, he doesn't have to navigate himself through the map) for sure - i would look at this phone too, but i will wait some years, until they bring it out with gps and a 30gb hdd - thats what they *could* build, but they present it like this is the last stage in iphone _> and the prices, they're horror - I've paid 1€ for my phone and a monthly fee of 10€, with my new sd card i can put 2 gb music on the internal mp3 player, and *wow* i got internet acces over umts (G3 if you don't know this name) i can surf with up to 2mbit over my cellphone .oO(when will it come to germany!!!)
ROFLMAO! Loren, you come up with some good ones, but that was a doozy. You're SOOOO right! Here's a day after, mini review... Not crazy about the keyboard. My hands (or fingers) are about average size, yet 25% of the time I can't accurately type on the keyboard. The letters are simply too close together. Apple could remedy this with a software app that allows you to turn the iPhone horizontal for typing, thus spreading out the keyboard. (included in Safari, but not for messaging) Net surfing speed is slightly faster than dial-up, but nowhere near hi-speed service. My biggest complaint may not be related to the phone, but I'm having trouble hearing callers even with the phone pressed so hard against my ear it cuts off circulation (yes, the volume is turned all the way up). So much for a slim, pocket size cell to carry about, because you HAVE to use the earbuds to hear anything. On the other hand, the problem could be the rock concerts I attended in the 80's! That said, the included earphones instantly remedy the situation. The volume is great AND... it's stereo. Kind of like having a conversation in your head. (did I mention I see dead people too?) In the end, the phone is WAY cool. IMO, the touch screen leaves previous PDA based screens obsolete. The stylus is literally history! I said this earlier, but it's worth repeating... marketing hype has become the norm these days and few products live up to expectation. I think the iPhone is the exception to that rule. For me, the single most important factor in buying the iPhone was to stay connected to YF full time. With my previous PDA, I could barely see the screen, scrolling was a pain and there was no zoom capability. Quite simply, it was difficult to move around a website. The iPhone changed all that. Is it perfect? No. But it's a big leap.
and now guess what happends when you get it with 3G (2Mbit) that'll be real fun! that thing with the browser - on the full overview, can you read anything, or do you have to scroll in everytime? (and are the internet costs in the monthly fee?)
Carl, Congrats on the new iPhone! You're one of the lucky few to get one. Heard that most AT&T stores are out of iPhones. I'm one of thousands who have to wait till our Verizon contracts run out. So here I am ... dying of ENVY! Have fun! Arnie
Thanks Arnie, but don't be envious just yet. I'm experiencing a little buyers remorse, mostly due to the ear-piece sound volume. I may head to the Mac store and lick my $59 return wounds. Over the past year, I stopped carrying my PDA phone with me. Usually I leave it in the car. It's simply too large to carry. In contrast, the iPhone is easily carried in your pocket. BUT... if you can't hear a caller on the other end of the line, what's the purpose? Maybe I should stop by the Beltone hearing aid store too?
Thanks for the review Carl. I promised myself I would wait until I heard some feedback before buying one. Looks like I'll be sticking with my Blackberry until there is an I-Phone version 2.0
Hi Kenny, In the case of the iPhone, I wouldn't trust my opinion. Let me explain... First, I need to make a disclaimer... I'M AN IDIOT! I'm the lamest excuse for a gadget guy I ever met. This really brings my Admin skills into serious question... There is nothing wrong with the volume on the iPhone. The phone was shipped with a clear plastic overlay to protect the screen from scratches. It *appeared* a hole was cut-out of the overlay around the ear piece, to facilitate use. I was WRONG. After removing the overlay, the volume is loud and far better than many other phones I've used. Matter of fact, typing on the touch screen keyboard is more accurate now. BTW... I had a chance to try the phone in a couple of WiFi's today. VERY fast. The phone automatically detects WiFi's where ever you are and prompts you to log-on. Speed is nearly broadband. In the end, I have no more reservations about the iPhone. My brain on the other hand, is questionable.
Congrats, it still lacks many features I need/want, but it's definetly something I will buy in the near future. In the coming months they will definetly update and change many things to the software and possibly add more providers and 3G capability. Good luck with your Iphone, it is truely awsome to browse a forum on the go with such a nifty device!
Over 160 user reviews and counting on cNet... http://reviews.cnet.com/smart-phones/apple-iphone-8gb/4505-6452_7-32309245.html?tag=bubbl_1
Most people that I know that were lucky enough to get one got the 8gb. Has anyone heard the percentage of 4gb to 8gb sales?
I have been waiting for the rumored iNote, Mac PDA, for some time now. It had been a topic of discussion among us Mac users for the past year or more. I wanted an OS X device to sync with my Mac system. When the iPhone was announced I had to have one, Mac PDA with built in phone! I went on Friday after the initial rush of people who had to be the first and bought the 8gb version. I went home and synced up the unit with no trouble and it has been working well for the last three days. I did notice that the audio from the unit is low, but I have not tried the earbuds as of yet. The internet is fair on the Edge Network and very good on the WiFi. I had a couple of setup issues with sending email over the Edge Network, nothing a few keystrokes didn't fix. The keyboard is good, major improvement over the Palm, takes a little getting use to. I went to the Red Sox game on Saturday and tried the camera, works well but does not like objects in motion. SMS works great along with all of the Widget function that are built in. So far I am happy with the unit, I wish that it ran Java apps.
AT&T activated my phone today. We're hitched for the next 2 years. Makes you wonder why marriage licenses don't expire? Anyhow, after a business day with the new toy, it's simply remarkable how Apple is able to interface with humans. Everything should be this intuitive. The more I use the phone, the more I like it, but I sure wish it was delivered with a 3G chipset and a replaceable battery. People are already talking about a newer version, the "iPhone II", which makes me and 3 million others this weekend... living proof that a sucker is born everyday. Our plan is to drag the rest of you down with us. The iPhone. Get it.
Carl, That's great news! Now you can use the phone ... after all it's called the "iPhone". I'm just guessing ... with all the feedback on the iPhone, a New and Improved "iPhone II" may be out 1st Q 2008. Arnie
Hey, I am here so busy dealing with and looking for yacht related news that I forgot about the launch of the Iphone. Carl, i'm glad to see that it seems to be living up to the hype. It seriously looks really good and very very very high tech. Enjoy!