The iPhone - huh?
Sunday, 11 November 2007
When it was launched in America, the iPhone was something of a revelation - people queued for hours, and the first iPhone mugging was committed live on television, although I think it serves the journalist who was waving the damn thing about in public right.
It's just come out over here - Friday, in fact - and the launch was something at a damp squib. Sure, there were people milling around the Apple store in London, trying to look trendy in the minimalist haven of all the plain, white-cased products that aren't good value unless you're concerned with a logo. There were about 300 customers at the London event, being 'whipped into a frenzy' by Apple staff. Compare this to console launches that attract thousands of people - and even the American iPhone hype - and behold the majesty of what could become the dictionary definition of a damp squib.
At the official UK retailer, the Carphone Warehouse (who are, surely, in need of an updated name) the system designed to handle with the predicted deluge of apple-hungry consumers froze, like a deer in headlights, as soon as anyone tried to purchase one of the damn things. After the initial shock, the software then decided to throw all of it's toys out of the pram and slam his bedroom door shut, refusing to come out and play.
In my mind, this is a good thing. People shouldn't be buying the iPhone.
In the US, the handset is known as the 'JesusPhone' - so perhaps we should nail it to a cross and burn it as an example. I just can't see, to be honest, this new technology living up to the ludicrous amount of expectation ladled upon it by Apple-hungry consumers who are more concerned with the brand image and kudos it nets them rather than what their product does.
Plenty has been said about the fancy new Internet browser that, instead of optimising web pages for viewing on mobile phones by skimping on content like movie clips, sounds and images, allows you to view web2.0 masterpieces in all their glory by intelligently zooming content in or out to fit the iPhone's impressive screen. Except the function behind the form is a little bit broken. Apple have stated that they don't want to include 3G services on their phone until it's fully functional - so the iPhone is a 2G device that struggles to load anything that dares to include a medium-sized picture and grinds to a halt, scared, if confronted with anything that a broadband-enabled computer would easily take care of. Sure, it can handle mobile websites and RSS feeds better than most other phones on the market - but you'd expect that. It's a market-leading piece of brand new technology.
Another statistic that may have escaped the marketing is that the EDGE network provided by o2 - the new mobile Internet network that's supposed to bridge the gap between 2G and 3G - only has 30% coverage. Over two-thirds of the country will be subject to even slower connections. Not exactly top-level performance for a phone that costs £279 and demands a minimum monthly contract of £35.
The iPhone, thankfully, comes with built-in wifi connectivity as Apple strive to take a slice of Blackberry's business-user pie - but comes across as something of an amateur compared to the corporate knowledge of their competitor. Decent web surfing and connectivity, though, is hugely reliant on the connection you have and where you're located. So much for the huge technological step forward that the iPhone addicts would have you believe this new phone is offering. Sadly, there's also no Instant Messaging or VoIP services. And my Samsung e720 offered Instant Messaging programs three years ago - and they've been a common sight on several phones for longer than that.
Another feature common on most mobiles - especially those with a business slant, like the aforementioned Blackberry range - is the ability to synchronise data, like your calender, address book and contacts, with your computer, meaning that you're never going to be confused with several sets of information. The iPhone can't do this or, it seems, take decent pictures. Modern mobile phones have upwards of a 5 megapixel camera attached and can rival dedicated digital cameras. The iPhone comes with 2 megapixels - a meagre amount.
The iPod is built in to the iPhone but offers nothing new - it still links to the tremendously restrictive iTunes, will only play certain types of iMp3's and is iAnnoying, especially when you consider that Sony's Walkman phones are superb music players and phones combined which also let you change the memory(the iPhone is locked at a paltry 8gig) and other companies like Creative offer mp3 players that are good, if not better, than the Apple brand that's becoming the name for an music player in much the same way that 'hoover' has become synonymous with a vacuum cleaner. Sony are also soon to release new Walkman mp3 players that should be excellent, if previous products are anything to go by - remember how they original Walkman revolutionised portable music with the CD.
Much fuss has been made over the touch screen which, to give the interface it's due, is pretty innovative. Why deposit sweat, grime and dead skin onto buttons when you can smudge the screen instead, eh?
The iPhone has been heralded, mostly by Apple boss Steve 'everyone's best friend, buddy' Jobs, as a true Smartphone. It's anything but. Ergonomics go out of the window when you consider the handset has all the styling of a concrete breeze block, and the features that could have been revolutionary when all crammed into the same phone are hugely reminiscent of another Apple product - hugely average, concerned with style over features, and annoyingly unable to be tampered with.
Consider PC's that, unlike Apple computers, are easy to upgrade. Other mobile phones have thousands of third-party applications to choose from, ranging from lifestyle tools to games - Apple voids the warranties of any phones that are modified, in any way, to potentially be more functional. Wounded pride, much?
Yes, the interface may be kind of innovative, but I've already gotten calls from people who managed to get hold of an iPhone and accidentally - using this genius new interface - phoned me by mistake. They even had the audacity to still 'mention' that they dialled the wrong number specifically on their iPhone. But it's no good being able to show off in the pub as you navigate to the various features if everyone else already has an iPod, your camera can't pick out any detail, you can't check out your favourite new website or probably collaborate with your PC or any other relevant gadget.
I know lots of people like the iPhone, so I'm sorry. Just my opinion and all that.
Coming next entry which, actually, is when I can be bothered to write it (hopefully tomorrow): the hopeless organisation that is the Royal Mail.
Enjoy! And please comment with your iPhone-related thoughts.
It's just come out over here - Friday, in fact - and the launch was something at a damp squib. Sure, there were people milling around the Apple store in London, trying to look trendy in the minimalist haven of all the plain, white-cased products that aren't good value unless you're concerned with a logo. There were about 300 customers at the London event, being 'whipped into a frenzy' by Apple staff. Compare this to console launches that attract thousands of people - and even the American iPhone hype - and behold the majesty of what could become the dictionary definition of a damp squib.
At the official UK retailer, the Carphone Warehouse (who are, surely, in need of an updated name) the system designed to handle with the predicted deluge of apple-hungry consumers froze, like a deer in headlights, as soon as anyone tried to purchase one of the damn things. After the initial shock, the software then decided to throw all of it's toys out of the pram and slam his bedroom door shut, refusing to come out and play.
In my mind, this is a good thing. People shouldn't be buying the iPhone.
In the US, the handset is known as the 'JesusPhone' - so perhaps we should nail it to a cross and burn it as an example. I just can't see, to be honest, this new technology living up to the ludicrous amount of expectation ladled upon it by Apple-hungry consumers who are more concerned with the brand image and kudos it nets them rather than what their product does.
Plenty has been said about the fancy new Internet browser that, instead of optimising web pages for viewing on mobile phones by skimping on content like movie clips, sounds and images, allows you to view web2.0 masterpieces in all their glory by intelligently zooming content in or out to fit the iPhone's impressive screen. Except the function behind the form is a little bit broken. Apple have stated that they don't want to include 3G services on their phone until it's fully functional - so the iPhone is a 2G device that struggles to load anything that dares to include a medium-sized picture and grinds to a halt, scared, if confronted with anything that a broadband-enabled computer would easily take care of. Sure, it can handle mobile websites and RSS feeds better than most other phones on the market - but you'd expect that. It's a market-leading piece of brand new technology.
Another statistic that may have escaped the marketing is that the EDGE network provided by o2 - the new mobile Internet network that's supposed to bridge the gap between 2G and 3G - only has 30% coverage. Over two-thirds of the country will be subject to even slower connections. Not exactly top-level performance for a phone that costs £279 and demands a minimum monthly contract of £35.
The iPhone, thankfully, comes with built-in wifi connectivity as Apple strive to take a slice of Blackberry's business-user pie - but comes across as something of an amateur compared to the corporate knowledge of their competitor. Decent web surfing and connectivity, though, is hugely reliant on the connection you have and where you're located. So much for the huge technological step forward that the iPhone addicts would have you believe this new phone is offering. Sadly, there's also no Instant Messaging or VoIP services. And my Samsung e720 offered Instant Messaging programs three years ago - and they've been a common sight on several phones for longer than that.
Another feature common on most mobiles - especially those with a business slant, like the aforementioned Blackberry range - is the ability to synchronise data, like your calender, address book and contacts, with your computer, meaning that you're never going to be confused with several sets of information. The iPhone can't do this or, it seems, take decent pictures. Modern mobile phones have upwards of a 5 megapixel camera attached and can rival dedicated digital cameras. The iPhone comes with 2 megapixels - a meagre amount.
The iPod is built in to the iPhone but offers nothing new - it still links to the tremendously restrictive iTunes, will only play certain types of iMp3's and is iAnnoying, especially when you consider that Sony's Walkman phones are superb music players and phones combined which also let you change the memory(the iPhone is locked at a paltry 8gig) and other companies like Creative offer mp3 players that are good, if not better, than the Apple brand that's becoming the name for an music player in much the same way that 'hoover' has become synonymous with a vacuum cleaner. Sony are also soon to release new Walkman mp3 players that should be excellent, if previous products are anything to go by - remember how they original Walkman revolutionised portable music with the CD.
Much fuss has been made over the touch screen which, to give the interface it's due, is pretty innovative. Why deposit sweat, grime and dead skin onto buttons when you can smudge the screen instead, eh?
The iPhone has been heralded, mostly by Apple boss Steve 'everyone's best friend, buddy' Jobs, as a true Smartphone. It's anything but. Ergonomics go out of the window when you consider the handset has all the styling of a concrete breeze block, and the features that could have been revolutionary when all crammed into the same phone are hugely reminiscent of another Apple product - hugely average, concerned with style over features, and annoyingly unable to be tampered with.
Consider PC's that, unlike Apple computers, are easy to upgrade. Other mobile phones have thousands of third-party applications to choose from, ranging from lifestyle tools to games - Apple voids the warranties of any phones that are modified, in any way, to potentially be more functional. Wounded pride, much?
Yes, the interface may be kind of innovative, but I've already gotten calls from people who managed to get hold of an iPhone and accidentally - using this genius new interface - phoned me by mistake. They even had the audacity to still 'mention' that they dialled the wrong number specifically on their iPhone. But it's no good being able to show off in the pub as you navigate to the various features if everyone else already has an iPod, your camera can't pick out any detail, you can't check out your favourite new website or probably collaborate with your PC or any other relevant gadget.
I know lots of people like the iPhone, so I'm sorry. Just my opinion and all that.
Coming next entry which, actually, is when I can be bothered to write it (hopefully tomorrow): the hopeless organisation that is the Royal Mail.
Enjoy! And please comment with your iPhone-related thoughts.
2 comments:
Chris
said...
14 November 2007 23:06
really the iphoneis just gd for everthing apart from the internet. but as chris said sorta it needs time to develope. but yea im happy with my samsung:)
bethy*
said...
15 November 2007 00:51
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
that was a good impartial blog there mike, what about all the other phone companies who are implementing a touch screen into their future devices? 2MP isn't that bad for a mobile phone camera, mines 2mp and the pictures show up great on my computer. Don't forget that this is apple's first venture into this market, and they are inline to upgrade it next year. That is what companies do, psp => psp lite, ds => ds lite, even music artists do it with music, where they release a cd, then a bonus comes out a few months later. 8gig of memory isnt bad either, my 1gig card has over 200 hundred songs, and a fair few pictures.
I don't buy into the hype either, but i think your anti-apple bias has clouded your judgement, the iphone has tried to be the jack of all trades, and master of none, but its not a rubbish phone, and many people will find it more than capable.