Posts Tagged ‘iPhone’
Apple, Hardware, iPhone, iPhone 3G S
In General on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 at 11:47
Nice review of the iPhone 3G S by David Pogue at the NYT. It’s a good review, and I was struck by a statement he made in his conclusion:
At this point, the usual list of 10 rational objections to the iPhone have been whittled down to about three: no physical keyboard, no way to swap the battery yourself and no way to avoid using AT&T as your cell company.
Here are my comments on the three remaining reason he gives:
- No physical keyboard. I’ve written about the difference between software and hardware keyboards elsewhere. I believe the universal landscape keyboard in iPhone OS 3.0 addresses some of the complaints people had re: needing a hardware keyboard in terms of two-handed typing.
- No swappable battery. This is a non-starter in my opinion. Some people still think the iPod needs one. In any case, the new iPhone has increased battery life pretty significantly; the more battery life, the less need to swap it.
- AT&T only. Valid, but valid for anyone no matter what. In other words, if you don’t live in an area with AT&T service than you can’t consider the iPhone. Besides, without that exclusivity we wouldn’t have the iPhone as we know it.
To me, unless you’re outside AT&T coverage it’s really come down to people who will always find a reason to ding the iPhone.
Hardware, iPhone, keyboard, Pre, smartphone, Software
In General on Thursday, 11 June 2009 at 11:01
Harry McCracken at Technologizer wrote a nice piece about the virtues of hardware keyboards on smartphones.
I think one reason a keyboard argument even exists is because when competing in a given market you have to tag a competitor’s hot product with a “missing feature,” and then provide that feature. (How many manufacturers claimed FM radio and replaceable batteries were glaring omissions from the iPod, only to find adding it to their devices made no difference?)…
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
Apple, Hardware, iPhone, iPhone 3G S, Macbook, Macbook Pro
In General on Monday, 8 June 2009 at 14:46
I did some coverage on the new iPhone 3G S and MacBook Pro family for theAppleBlog. You can read about it here:
Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Palm, Palm Pre
In General on Friday, 5 June 2009 at 12:17
Palm’s been working hard to mastermind the Pre launch this Saturday, but I think they’re getting it all wrong. Now Sprint has joined in. It’s reached the point where they look like a couple of companies seriously in need of some business acumen.
Early reviews of the Pre are promising, yet I wonder if the bumbling, stumbling, Three Stooges approach Palm and its partners have used from the Pre’s introduction to its launch aren’t enough to ruin it anyway…
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
Apple, iPhone, iPhone OS, Software
In General on Tuesday, 17 March 2009 at 13:10
Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Palm, Pre
In General on Tuesday, 17 March 2009 at 13:09
There’s a story going around that some of what Apple may announce today for the iPhone 3.0 OS will be to counter Palm’s Pre. Kevin Rose mentioned this, and it’s covered in a few places, including right here.
Personally, I think such discussion is Pre-mature…
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
Apple, ATT, iPhone, Verizon
In General on Thursday, 5 March 2009 at 13:11
So Verizon is finally acting like they “get it,” specifically asking people who leave their service if “the iPhone” has anything to do with it.
The problem with this is that by saying “the iPhone” they imply having the device just like it exists on AT&T’s network. But knowing Verizon there’s a good chance that wouldn’t be the case.
So I’ve fixed the survey, and offer it to Verizon free of charge so that they may get an accurate picture of whether people would stay on their network for “the iPhone”…
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
Android, Apple, Google, iPhone, Software
In General on Monday, 23 February 2009 at 11:05
Apple, iPhone, Multi-Touch, Software
In General on Tuesday, 3 February 2009 at 12:50
I wrote about the patent Apple received for this, but I’d like to comment further in light of all the discussion going on about the relative usefulness of this patent.
A lot of the discussion seems to stem from these sources:
- A Gizmodo article using a “professor of patents law” as a source.
- An analyst report that claims Apple going after Palm could cause more harm than good.
I do not dispute these are valid opinions, but so are the opposite…
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Multi-Touch, Software
In General on Wednesday, 28 January 2009 at 23:09
So Apple is finally awarded their multi-touch patent, and the hue and cry from the Apple Bashers is pretty loud. But not only Apple Bashers are worried, Daring Fireball had this to say:
Very broad language – taken at face value, Apple effectively owns the IP rights to multi-touch in the U.S. This sucks.
DF’s major beef is with the patent office awarding the patent in the first place due to its broad language. However, what other type of language does one use for the concept being patented? We’re talking a whole new UI here. The implication seems to be that the patent is short on specifics, yet it’s 358 pages! When you’re patenting a new UI, I’m thinking you’re going to have to brush with broad strokes lest you forget a corner of the canvas that a competitor uses to white out your picture.
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
App Store, iPhone, Software
In General on Saturday, 13 December 2008 at 19:31
So a new app for the App Store was rejected for using private APIs. Let’s see if I can get in front of this before all of the “OMG!! Apple wrongly rejects another iPhone app!!” articles begin to appear. Please keep in mind that none of this is meant to disparage the app itself, which appears quite nice.
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
App Store, Apple, iPhone
In General on Thursday, 11 December 2008 at 0:13
Apple, Hardware, iPhone
In General on Monday, 8 December 2008 at 0:18
Now that recent rumors of a $99 iPhone seem to have been settled — Wal-Mart will sell the 8GB model for $197 — we can get back to the broader discussion of just what an eventual $99 iPhone could mean to Apple.
I believe the answer to the question depends on just what a $99 iPhone is. Prior to the latest rumors, it was usually discussed as some sort of “iPhone nano.” Maybe a flip phone, and generally acknowledged to be much more limited than the current iPhone. I’m sure these rumors will creep up again soon.
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
Blackberry, Hardware, iPhone, WiFi
In General on Wednesday, 26 November 2008 at 22:14
I was surprised when I first learned that the Blackberry Storm would not have Wi-Fi. This was especially surprising to me since the other recent new Blackbery, the Bold, does have Wi-Fi.
It seems more and more of the upper-tier smartphones include this feature, and it got me wondering if it should be a feature a potential user should insist on. For me it definitely is.
Keep in mind that if you think Wi-Fi as just a high-speed data pipe, then I believe you’re underrating what Wi-Fi can do for your device. Here is why I’d insist on Wi-Fi in what, let’s face it, are hand-held computers that happen to make phone calls.
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
Apple, Blackberry, Hardware, iPhone, RIM
In General on Monday, 24 November 2008 at 18:24
There have been a lot of reviews lately regarding the new Blackberry Storm. I summarized a few myself, but things haven’t improved much. While there are some bright spots, the overall tone of the reviews is that the Storm is a disappointment.
Still, as a Blackberry on the Verizon network I suspect it’ll do fine regardless. Instead of dwelling on the reviews, I want to disagree with comments I’ve read that say RIM should be cut some slack because it’s a 1.0 product, which makes it the same as the iPhone’s initial release.
No, not at all. RIM had it easy
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
iPhone, review, Software
In General on Thursday, 13 November 2008 at 11:23
I read a lot, and have been very impressed with Stanza for the iPhone as an ebook reader. Like many, however, the idea of Classics was appealing, and upon release I purchased the app.
So how does it compare to Stanza? Would I recommend it? The answers, in my opinion, are that it doesn’t, and I wouldn’t. Not now, anyway.
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
Garageband, iPhone, Ringtones, Software
In General on Thursday, 30 October 2008 at 23:59
If you own an iPhone and a Mac you can easily create ringtones within Garageband. I love music, but am not a music maker, so I don’t really use Garageband at all. Luckily, you don’t have to know much of anything about the program to easily create ringtones for your iPhone. Trust me. If I can do it, so can you, and I’ll show you how now.
Read the rest of this article on theAppleBlog >>
App Store, Apple, Google, iPhone, Mobile, RIM, Software
In General on Monday, 6 October 2008 at 11:17
An article today mentions that RIM’s new Blackberry will begin the use of a RIM-hosted app market, and attempt to outline the three recent models for selling mobile apps:
iPhone – Apple is controlling what Apps can and can’t come through their store…
Blackberry Storm – RIM is starting up an App Center that they’re handing control of over to the carriers…
Android – Google’s App Store claims to be completely “open” but we’re already hearing that they may not allow applications that tether the phone to a laptop…
The article then goes on to ask:
Which model do you like better, and why? Or better yet – do you like ANY of them?
Is this a trick question?
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Apple, iPhone, Software
In General on Saturday, 4 October 2008 at 14:20
Apple, iPhone, Software
In General on Wednesday, 1 October 2008 at 10:39
So today Apple dropped the iPhone NDA for released applications, saying in part:
…the NDA has created too much of a burden on developers, authors and others interested in helping further the iPhone’s success, so we are dropping it for released software.
Sure, it only applies to released items, but having unreleased apps/features under NDA is not at all unusual.
Bottom line is the primary NDA complaint was that even released apps/features were covered, which prevented the publication or use of books, tutorials, presentations, classes, discussions groups, etc. that could help spread the word. It’s that restriction that’s been lifted. This is very good news, indeed.
Apple, iPhone, Software
In General on Thursday, 7 August 2008 at 21:58
It seems you can’t swing a dead cat on the Internet without running into an article about this latest proof of the Pure Evil that is Apple, Inc. (As usual, the headlines end with a question mark, which should be your first clue not to click the link.)
Oh, brother.
Meanwhile, the original discoverer of the URL in question, to his credit, is much more rational about the whole thing (see his 8/7 post):
Read the rest of this entry »
App Store, Apple, iPhone, Software
In General on Wednesday, 30 July 2008 at 22:02
Apple, iPhone, iPod, Software
In General on Sunday, 27 July 2008 at 22:02
Apple’s iPhone Remote application is great. It’s so convenient to control an entire iTunes library — and any AirTunes speakers — from any iPhone or iPod touch.
But instead of telling you how great it is I’d rather take the time to request that Apple add the Remote app’s interface improvements to the iPhone’s native iPod interface. In my opinion, the native iPod interface on the iPhone/iPod touch no longer makes it the best iPod ever. The Remote app’s interface supersedes it. Let’s take a look…
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iPhone, Software
In General on Monday, 21 July 2008 at 20:54
Automattic released a WordPress blogging app for the iPhone today.
See the screenshot below for how it looks when writing.
Hmmm, you don’t see photos when you do a preview, so you have to take the app’s word for it. This throws a wrench into embedding Safari for live previews.
I deliberately quit the app and it saved my post, which was nice.
I don’t know how much I’ll use this, but if nothing else I can start posts here and save them as drafts. In the past if I had a blog idea I’d type them in the iPhone’s notes app and email it to me.
OK, these two paragraphs are being added from the WordPress blog on my iMac. This thing is actually pretty slick. After typing the above paragraph I looked for the draft on the web site and couldn’t find it. Duh! I guess it’s called a local draft for a reason. Anyway, you can bang it out and modify it all you want locally on the iPhone, and then either publish it or promote it to a draft on the web site. Which is what I did.
On the web site it shows in the draft folder, but on the iPhone it shows up in the list of the 30 most recent posts. In fact, in that list it’s impossible to know if it’s published or a draft unless you click the post and check the status (see below):
Sorry to keep switching on you, but the above picture and this paragraph are courtesy of the iPhone again. This is actually pretty sweet, considering I just installed it and haven’t read how to use it yet. Once it’s a draft on the web site the iPhone can still edit it, though there appears to be no way to make the draft local again.
OK, this final paragraph is courtesy of the iMac, and now I’ll publish it via the iPhone.
[UPDATE:] This update is from the iPhone, and as you can see it published just fine.
This app is going to be more useful than I thought. Biggest drawback is it’s not WYSIWYG, but it will be great for drafts and edits and inserting iPhone pictures without having to email them to me first.
[UPDATE #2:] Another update from the iPhone. In playing more with this app it’s clear local drafts are just meant for banging out rough ideas or text. Inserted pictures give no indication of being there, and in preview mode it just displays text that says a picture will be added to the bottom of the post.
Web drafts, however, are great. Though not WYSIWYG, when editing it shows the HTML code so you can verify the picture was placed where you wanted it. Further, preview mode displays the pictures beautifully. Embedding the Safari browser was a good idea after all. This is good stuff.
Apple, iPhone, Software
In General on Sunday, 20 July 2008 at 22:04
I doubt the folks making Amazon’s Kindle are scared, but I’m surprised at how much I’m reading books on the iPhone now that I have the 2.0 software and the Stanza application.
There are lots of books or readers for the iPhone, so why did I finally settle on Stanza? There are four reasons:
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone, iPod
In General on Tuesday, 15 July 2008 at 22:03
I wrote earlier about why I’m not upgrading to and iPhone 3G at this time, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t given some thought as to what will become of my beloved original 8GB model.
After working with the 2.0 software and App Store for the last few days on my iPhone and my daughter’s iPod touch, I think I know…
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone
In General on Tuesday, 15 July 2008 at 10:46
I am not upgrading to an iPhone 3G at this time. The reason for this is one I haven’t seen mentioned before, so I’ll mention it for others to consider if they haven’t already.
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Apple, iPhone, MobileMe, Software
In General on Monday, 14 July 2008 at 22:22
Apple, iPhone, MobileMe
In General on Monday, 14 July 2008 at 22:22
I have two iPhones and two Macs that were sharing the same Calendar and Contacts. Each Mac/phone had unique email, bookmarks, music, etc., but the calendars and contacts were identical.
I have one .Mac account and purchased an additional email account, so how did I do it?
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Apple, ATT, iPhone
In General on Monday, 9 June 2008 at 22:23
In a previous post, a comment from Rus at FIXYOURTHINKING.com stated that the iPhone was being subsidized by AT&T to get the price drop seen today. Since it seemed the device would be available at $199 anywhere in the U.S. — and according to Steve Jobs will be no more expensive than $199 (U.S.) in all other countries – it didn’t seem to me like a subsidy at all.
However, in wading through post-WWDC Keynote discussions, blog posts and news stories about pricing, plans, etc., the most important data bits come right from AT&T’s own press release (emphasis mine):
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone, iPod
In General on Monday, 9 June 2008 at 11:14
[UPDATE 6/10/08] I originally wrote this post based on preliminary information about the iPhone’s new price. Subsequent data made it clear the $199 price is based on a subsidy from AT&T. You can’t buy the iPhone online, but rather must buy it at an AT&T or Apple store and activate it in-house (there is no more at-home activation) in order to get the $199 price.
Therefore, the “true” price of an iPhone is still $499, and the value of the old generation and iPod touch are not impacted as badly as I had first thought.
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone
In General on Monday, 9 June 2008 at 11:07
It’s got:
- 3G speed
- GPS
- Improved audio
- Flush headphone jack
- Plastic back (black on 8GB, black or white for 16GB)
The 16GB model is $299.
GPS was a big one for me, because I want to be able to use the iPhone in lieu if getting a portable navigation device from TomTom or Garmin.
I’m smack dab in AT&T’s 3G area so I’ll be able to take advantage of that, too.
I strongly suspect the plastic back will help overall signal reception.
I’m 90% certain I’ll get a 16GB model. I have until 7/11 to decide…
Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Microsoft
In General on Friday, 6 June 2008 at 8:43
The letter Microsoft’s Andy Lees sent to their hardware, carrier, and software partners is comical on many levels, not the least of which is that why would you want to emphasize the fact that you’ve got nothing to say?
It really is kind of a stupid letter, but it follows the classic Microsoft argument (indeed, the only one they’ve ever had): When you got nothin’, toss around big numbers.
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone
In General on Friday, 30 May 2008 at 8:04
With all the speculation about what the new iPhone will include, I’ve yet to see something mentioned that I think is critical, and what I’d probably like to see most.
First, keep in mind that a lot of the improvements people want in the iPhone (myself included) are software-based. Therefore, they do not require a new hardware generation. For that reason, features such as MMS reception, cut and paste, multiple email selection, etc. will not be covered here. I want them, but they could be delivered by Apple at any time.
From a strictly hardware standpoint, if you summarize the list of all the rumors the following are probably most commony specified:
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Microsoft, Software
In General on Wednesday, 28 May 2008 at 11:41
OK, now that Microsoft has demoed Windows 7’s multi-touch interface (”Forget Vista, look, shiny object!”), let’s look closer at these two products with multi-touch interfaces.
The idea is to look at the facts and determine who can really be said to be in the multi-touch race. For purposes of this post (and any other article that claims to be making any sense), we’ll assume the ultimate goal is to have this technology in the hands of actual users while turning a profit.
With that said, let’s look at the products:
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Apple, iPhone, Mac OS X
In General on Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 22:20
Three new ‘Get a Mac’ ads are available (I love Group and Sad Song). I love this campaign, but in various blog comments I see statements about how they’re not good enough, and that Apple should advertise the Mac like they do the iPhone. In fact, I’ve seen comments like this since Apple began advertising the iPhone.
This isn’t likely to happen because there’s no GUI advantage of the Mac over Windows that can easily be portrayed in a 30-second spot.
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Apple, Blackberry, iPhone, RIM
In General on Tuesday, 15 April 2008 at 22:04
The title says it all. This is not in any way, shape, or form meant to be a review. These are just some observations I gathered watching Blackberry usage last week.
On vacation I saw lots of iPhones and BBs (FYI, I don’t recall seeing a single Palm). On three occasions I sat right next to a BB user (once on a plane and twice in the airport), and it was very interesting to watch their interactions with the device. Certain things struck me:
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Sunday, 13 April 2008 at 22:13
A week ago Thursday — just one day before leaving for a week-long vacation — I noticed my iPhone was not connected to my WiFi network. The other iPhone in the house was on it, as was the iPod Touch, iMac, and MacBook, so I knew the network was fine.
Trying to connect to the network was flaky. It took a while for Settings to even open, and then it either wouldn’t find the network, or if it did I could “join” for a split-second before it reverted back to EDGE.
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Windows Mobile
In General on Monday, 17 March 2008 at 13:34
So Microsoft licensed FlashLite from Adobe for use in their Windows Mobile software. Not sure when it will be available in a mobile release, likely later this year.
Some have speculated this was to buy time until their own Silverlight product is ready for mobile use (with a few sites actually using it).
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Apple, iPhone, iTunes, Music, RIM
In Uncategorized on Tuesday, 11 March 2008 at 22:10
I’m sure the Apple-bashers will be all over this one.
Starting in April you can get music tracks OTA on your BlackBerry. And they’re DRM-free. And you can transfer them to your computer. And all is right with the world. And iTunes is going out of business. And the iPhone is dead in the water.
Or something like that.
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Microsoft, Windows Mobile
In General on Monday, 11 February 2008 at 20:04
From Paul Thurrott’s Windows SuperSite today, a shocking revelation:
In the second half of 2007, Microsoft’s partners shold [sic] 14.3 million Windows Mobile phones. This compares to 4 million iPhones that Apple sold in the same time period.
Put another way, Windows Mobile outsold the iPhone by over 3 to 1.
Most would compare iPhone sales to other smartphone sales, but not Paul. Windows Mobile is on many phones no one would consider “smart”. So, put even another way, non-smartphones outsell smartphones in general.
Thanks for the newsflash, Paul. Got any updates on the Hindenburg?
Apple, Hardware, Humor, iPhone
In General on Saturday, 9 February 2008 at 23:18
One of the video podcasts I subscribe to Mr. Deity, now in its second season. In the latest episode, Mr. Deity claims ideology is the problem with fundamentalism. When asked if ideology is bad, he replies:
It’s the worst. Are you kidding me? Look at all the great evils they’re all ideologically driven. You got the crusades, the holocaust, communism, no third-party apps on the iPhone. Never, never surrender yourself to an idea my friend, never.
So it is spoken, so shall it be done?
Apple, FUD, Hardware, iPhone, iPod touch, storage
In General on Thursday, 7 February 2008 at 23:02
Philip Elmer-DeWitt rarely writes anything that makes much sense. He jabs at Apple, but his best shots are the kind Mohammed Ali would be throwing today.
Most of the time I just ignore the guy, shaking my head. Still, every now and then he exceeds a threshold and I feel like I should point it out.
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Apple, Apple TV, FUD, Hardware, iPhone
In General on Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 23:39
Carl Howe at the Blackfriars’ Marketing wrote a great piece on Wednesday refuting all the garbage about Apple having to slash prices and sell loss-leader products. It’s fitting the headline began “News flash to reporters and analysts”, because a few of them appear to have read it.
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Apple, Google Maps, iPhone, Software
In General on Tuesday, 15 January 2008 at 12:13
OK, fresh from all the keynote blog reading, I plugged in my iPhone and the 1.1.3 upgrade was available. Install went without a hitch and I’ve been playing with it a bit. Overall this is a nice upgrade, and there’s a guided tour video for it. I really like Apple’s guided tour videos and think they’re a nice touch.
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Microsoft, tech headlines, Universal, verizon voyager, Vista, Zune
In General on Saturday, 12 January 2008 at 0:20
Let’s face it, next week we’ll all be discussing Macworld news, so I thought I’d review some tech headlines from the last few days and get them out of my system before the real fun begins next week…
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Apple, ATT, iPhone, wireless
In General on Wednesday, 9 January 2008 at 23:24
Good article from Wired on the untold iPhone story. It’s not a hit-piece, or even a worship-piece, but rather an article that confirms — for those to blind to see it — just how the iPhone has shaken up the wireless industry in the US.
Well written, and with numerous details I had not yet heard. Recommended reading.
(Landov photo from the Wired story.)
FUD, iPhone, Microsoft, Software
In General on Monday, 7 January 2008 at 1:16
Apple, FUD, iPhone, Thud
In General on Thursday, 3 January 2008 at 0:01
I don’t know what Paul Thurrott’s New Year’s resolutions were, but apparently being objective about reporting anything Apple was not one of them. On his Windows IT Pro site he’s posted an article on how Apple can fix the iPhone. Forget about the fact that as a huge success the iPhone can hardly be said to need “fixing”, when you look at his actual “fixes” you see this is a ridiculous article even by Paul’s standards.
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FUD, iPhone, Microsoft, Software
In General on Thursday, 13 December 2007 at 0:31
On his blog, a software test engineer in Redmond had this ridiculous thing to say:
“I will say that if you are impressed by the “touch features” in the iPhone, you’ll be blown away by what’s coming in Windows 7.”
First, what’s with the phrase “touch features”? Did he think referring to it generically in quotes would minimize the iPhone’s interface? Come on, guy, say it with me: Multi-Touch. This is a bona-fide user interface with over 200 patents running on a successful, shipping hardware platform. It’s really silly (if not ignorant) to try blowing it off with the use of a quoted phrase.
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Apple, Greenpeace, iPhone, Microsoft, Nokia, Universal, Vista
In General on Saturday, 20 October 2007 at 12:32
Let’s face it, the big news for Apple is next week with their quarterly earning call on Monday and Leopard release on Friday. Still, there was a lot of interesting stuff this week to comment on…
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Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Security
In General on Monday, 1 October 2007 at 19:26
TechCrunch’s Erick Schonfeld provides an indication of why Business 2.0 went under with a post on Apple that claims Apple is thinking like the phone company and Jobs should “think different.” For any writer to imply the iPhone is something the phone companies would ever have produced is reason enough to ignore the post completely.
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Apple, iPhone, Mac OS X, Software
In General on Friday, 21 September 2007 at 17:00
iPhone, Software
In General on Tuesday, 18 September 2007 at 14:34
Adobe had a great quarter. Good for them. Their new CS3 products were very well-received and doing well.
However, the amazing iPhone doesn’t use Flash, so is that any concern? Not if you spin like this:
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Apple, iPhone, iTunes, Media, Music, Sony, Universal
In General on Saturday, 15 September 2007 at 14:12
Apple, iPhone, iTunes, Microsoft
In General on Monday, 10 September 2007 at 13:40
Oh brother. I take a small trip to Vegas (the team I rooted for won the football game, thanks for asking) and look at all the stuff that goes down. I’ll just touch lightly on these because it’s all old news:
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Thursday, 6 September 2007 at 13:30
On his Internet Nexus site, Paul Thurrott takes Apple to task for dropping the price of the iPhone so much, and then baits current iPhone owners with a question about being ripped off.
“So Apple took the unprecedented step of lowering the price of the iPhone by $200 to $400… My God. It’s kind of insane”
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Saturday, 28 July 2007 at 13:25
On the Apple 2.0 site today there is an article that implies the class-action suit filed against Apple for the iPhone may possibly, in some slight way, maybe, just a little bit, have some actual merit. Um, no.
Just so there can be no question about it now, go to the iPhone Tech Specs page and you’ll see this: “Rechargeable batteries have a limited number of charge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information.” This is similar to what the iPod Tech Specs page has said for a long time.
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Apple, iPhone, iPod
In General on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 at 17:55
Apple, earnings, iPhone, iPod, Mac, revenue
In General on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 at 13:22
Well, Apple’s press release for 3Q results is out, and it mentions no specific iPhone sales numbers:
““We’re thrilled to report the highest June quarter revenue and profit in Apple’s history, along with the highest quarterly Mac sales ever,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPhone is off to a great start—we hope to sell our one-millionth iPhone by the end of its first full quarter of sales—and our new product pipeline is very strong.””
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Apple, iPhone, iPod, Rumor
In General on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 at 6:50
Many sites have published links to a video with the alleged new interface for the 6G video iPod (here is MacDailyNews’). The video doesn’t necessarily remind one of the iPhone, though clearly elements have been borrowed.
I’ve gone on record stating the 6G iPod would have the iPod interface from the iPhone, or something very close (for example, the iPod might add a virtual scroll wheel for games).
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Wednesday, 18 July 2007 at 23:02
This isn’t a review of the iPhone. I love the device and feel like I always have a laptop computer on my hip now wherever I go. If you’re looking for a “conclusion” from me, I gave that in an interview on Fix Your Thinking when I stated this:
“I’ve had an iPhone for six days and am simply amazed by the device. Let the others too “cool” to be impressed downplay it or quibble about what it can’t do, perhaps in the interest of acting “fair” or unbiased. I’ve got a list of improvements I’d like to see myself, but what it can do, and how it does it, is amazing. I tell people it’s the best laptop I’ve ever had. It’s the PowerBook 170 all over again! Last night I was sitting with my feet on my desk listening to tunes and reading sites via Google Reader all on the iPhone, when my regular computer was right there! To me, that’s a pretty good testament to what a great little device this is. And it can only get better.”
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Apple, FUD, iPhone
In General on Tuesday, 17 July 2007 at 23:01
InfoWorld posted a piece on the iPhone that claims it has more misses than hits. Even if you don’t like the iPhone, no person in their right mind who’s actually used the device would make this claim.
Tom Yager produced a list to show that indeed the cons exceeded the pros. Pretty easy to do when you list hardly any pros for a revolutionary and game-changing device. That Mr. Yager could only scrounge up nine pros is surprising to say the least (and bad reporting to say the most). I know that iPhone competitors are in denial over this device, but why is InfoWorld?
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Apple, FUD, iPhone
In General on Sunday, 15 July 2007 at 23:02
There’s an interesting piece on eWeek regarding the clash of cultures between iPhone supporters and more traditional IT departments. Some of it is FUD, some of it valid, and most of it we’ve heard before.
Still, occasionally some IT guy will spout something so inane that it almost makes you wonder how they got their job in the first place.
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Apple, iPhone, Photography
In General on Saturday, 14 July 2007 at 23:36
Apple, iPhone
In General on Thursday, 12 July 2007 at 9:30
Literally.
[NOTE: I originally posted this on 6/29 after I ordered from the Apple Store. But I removed the post a day later when I canceled the order to buy one locally and not wait 2-4 weeks. Turns out supply shriveled up and I had to wait a week anyway.]
Just sunk my money into a phone. Not just any phone, of course. An iPhone. I’ve been planning on getting a new Mac as soon as they get upgraded. Well, I just did. Sure, it’s a phone, but it’s a Mac, too. A hand-held, touchscreen Mac.
Bought it at a local mall last Saturday. Checked the Apple retail store availability and got there at 9am. There were probably 40-50 people there. They had 75 iPhones (all 8GB) and I got mine.
But what about all its “drawbacks,” you ask? Click the iPhone category on my site and you’ll see what I think of those. But here’s a rundown of the usual suspects, and how I apply these directly to me and my decision to purchase:
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Thursday, 12 July 2007 at 0:25
Apple, iPhone
In General on Wednesday, 11 July 2007 at 15:30
So now politicians are jumping on the iPhone bandwagon.
No, not the one to talk about the device itself, I mean the other one. You know, the one where you blast it for some ridiculous reason in order to get your name in the papers and have a few minutes of fame. That one.
There was a hearing on “wireless innovation and consumer protection.” Nobody would have known that, of course, so the Democrats decided to play the iPhone card in order to get some publicity:
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Apple, FUD, iPhone, Thud
In General on Monday, 9 July 2007 at 12:52
In an earlier article I explained how Paul has gone off the deep end regarding the iPhone. He accused respected tech journalists of not doing their job and simply ‘furthering Apple’s brand.’ What prompted this tirade? They dared to review the iPhone positively. Of course, Paul knew better. He didn’t have an iPhone yet, mind you, and was probably a little more than bitter about that fact, but he felt he knew better nonetheless.
Then the day he got an iPod, he took the time to ignore his own advice from the previous article and started taking shots at the device.
Bottom line is that Paul will not give the iPhone a fair shake; he’s already made it clear he doesn’t like it. The device itself wasn’t helping him support those conclusions, but that didn’t stop him from sniping.
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Thursday, 5 July 2007 at 21:48
Apple, iPhone, iPod
In General on Tuesday, 3 July 2007 at 10:14
There are several stories surfacing (for example, here and here) about how to kill the AT&T service and just use the WiFi functionality of the iPhone along with the coolest iPod Apple’s ever made.
This is an interesting intellectual exercise, and its kind of fun to see what can be done and what you can get away with. Deep down perhaps all of us like to see how we can “cheat the system,” as it were.
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Monday, 2 July 2007 at 11:08
Apple today announced the iPhone’s battery replacement policy, and I’m disappointed.
It’s somewhat similar to their iPod policy, but the iPhone is not an iPod. My complaint is that the process takes three business days. Include time for shipping back and forth and you’re without the phone for five days!
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Apple, FUD, iPhone, Thud
In General on Saturday, 30 June 2007 at 18:16
Apple, iPhone
In General on Saturday, 30 June 2007 at 16:25
Now that over 24 hours have passed since the official release of the iPhone (and official review samples are in more publications’ hands) many reviews are coming in for the device.
In this post I’ll concentrate on publications and avoid personal bloggers (no matter what their stature), though I may round them up in the next few days.
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Friday, 29 June 2007 at 13:45
Apple, iPhone
In General on Thursday, 28 June 2007 at 19:23
While nightmares of iPhones danced in IT heads.
OK, so my poetry sucks. Sue me.
It appears that even at this late date there are a few revelations to be made about the iPhone. Well, maybe not revelations, but at least tantalizing tidbits that, if not as tasty as sugar-plums, are food for thought nonetheless.
For the last couple of weeks, most of the iPhone press from Apple has been targeted primarily at consumers. They’ve been pretty mum about what role, if any, the iPhone would play in the enterprise, and what services might be available for it. But today, a few things have come out. Not all of it is from Apple, and most of it is not in the form of a hard press release, but given the source it’s significant anyway.
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Apple, FUD, iPhone, Thud
In General on Wednesday, 27 June 2007 at 17:17
Paul Thurrott has now thoroughly debased himself. His Microsoft meal ticket threatened, he spends a lot of time taking shots at Apple with little or no reason. You can click the THUD label on my blog to see some of this crap.
However, today Paul reached a new high in low. No longer content to ridicule bloggers or the Apple community, he’s taking shots at big names in technology journalism. It’s pathetic, and Paul ought to be ashamed, though it seems clear at this point he has no shame.
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Wednesday, 27 June 2007 at 14:13
In yet another list of so-called missing features, Apple 2.0 has posted the iPhone’s “missing pieces”.
I like Apple 2.0, and have it linked right here on my blog, but this piece is a bit off. Not because of the few reasonable complaints about the iPhone it points out, but rather because of the number of unreasonable or even outright ridiculous complaints it discusses.
I’ve listed them in order, and in each case I place it into one of three categories:
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Apple, ATT, iPhone
In General on Tuesday, 26 June 2007 at 19:05
AT&T and Apple announced their plan rates for the iPhone today. A chart listing all the options is here.
When AT&T announced that there would be special plans for the iPhone, a lot of people thought that maybe this meant there would be some price gouging, but if anything the reality is otherwise.
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Monday, 25 June 2007 at 12:35
There have been a lot of reasons explaining why the iPhone will be a hit or a miss. I wouldn’t try to count how many unique reasons have been postulated for the success or failure of the device, but the ones listed below are what I consider the ‘Top 5′ for each.
The lists are mine, and based solely on my own memory of what seems to be a common consensus of analyst and pundit comments in all the articles I’ve read.
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Friday, 22 June 2007 at 9:20
There’s been a bucketful of negative iPhone articles lately, as usual. Want to read something more positive for a change? I’m linking to three articles that actually thought the subject through and have a realistic outlook. After all, why start the weekend on a down note?
I’m sure these articles won’t generate the number of page-hits the typical “The iPhone is insecure and has a touchscreen with fingerprints so it will destroy your life!” articles do, but you could help that by reading them.
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Apple, FUD, iPhone
In General on Thursday, 21 June 2007 at 10:57
As I’ve said before, the iPhone FUD circus is in town. If I tried to report on all the horrible articles with “reasons” to avoid the iPhone, or alleged “problems” it has (most of which effect any electronic device) I’d be glued to my keyboard for the next nine days until the iPhone launch.
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Apple, FUD, iPhone
In General on Wednesday, 20 June 2007 at 9:29
The FUD campaign against the iPhone is really ramping up.
First, there’s the reported FUD campaign by ZDNet. Now, there’s a report by Gartner telling businesses to avoid the iPhone. But, get this, the report won’t be released until next week, so to get double the press and double the impact (and double the FUD) Computerworld Malaysia has a issued a report on the report!
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Tuesday, 19 June 2007 at 12:52
I was going to write a piece on a Wall Street Journal article that decries the use of the iPhone for business, and the IT departments’ general resistance to the device even in the face of clear employee desires for it. So much so that they may even get one anyway.
I don’t mean everyone at your company should get an iPhone, but I do believe that if a smartphone of some kind is justified for the work you do, then why not get the one people are drooling over? There are numerous ways to route email to the device.
At any rate, I don’t need to write a piece, because Jon Gruber of Daring Fireball nails this one good.
Apple, FUD, iPhone
In General on Monday, 18 June 2007 at 14:19
A recent article on The Red Ferret Journal seeks to warn us all of the 10 “serious problems” with touchscreens that we should know before June 29 (i.e., the date the iPhone is released). Remember, these are “serious problems.”
Well, let’s get started.
“1. Sunshine is not your friend. Don’t bother trying to dial from that sunny beach.”
Yes, this is not only “serious,” but since it’s well known that most iPhone users will be spending their time at the nearest beach, it will be a major issue. Of course, any other backlit screen will be washed out, too, so I suppose the legions of people bringing their other phones to the beach are in for a struggle as well.
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Apple, iPhone, iTunes, Music
In General on Friday, 15 June 2007 at 7:45
So the mobile market is getting together to “take on” Apple’s iPhone in relation to music. What’s wrong with their offering? Well, let’s see:
1) The iPhone uses songs you already own (ripped from CDs or bought online) and syncs them beautifully based on criteria you specify in iTunes. Their phones, well, not really. The music you own? Play that at home, pal, on the phone you use ours.
2) It’s a subscription model. Oh goody, we need another one of these. Well, at the very least I’m sure Alexander Wolfe at Information Week will be happy. Subscription models fail, and it’s not hard to see why. People want to use the music they already own, and they don’t want to have to keep paying to play it. They also don’t like the idea of losing all their music if they miss a payment. Oh, and here’s a hint for Omnifone: If you need to quote the price of your service per week, then it’s too expensive.
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Apple, iPhone, Mac OS X
In General on Monday, 11 June 2007 at 12:00
Apple, Hardware, iPhone
In General on Friday, 8 June 2007 at 18:35
I believe that electronics consumers are savvier then they were 20 years ago, and are not as easily fooled by marketing statistics and checklists. They are a very “show me” bunch, wanting to see it before they believe it. If so, this bodes very well for Apple’s iPhone.
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Apple, iPhone
In General on Monday, 4 June 2007 at 18:45
Enough!
I’m not referring to the iPhone hype. That’s fine, especially now that we have Apple’s ads for the product, and an availability date of 6/29.
No, I’m referring to the many articles asking ridiculous questions about things we already know (or should have known) about the iPhone. As if Apple’s own web site and six months of constant discussion have not revealed so much as a clue about the device. Below are a few of the things I’m talking about.
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Apple, iPhone, Microsoft
In General on Sunday, 3 June 2007 at 19:28
The smoke is beginning to clear from Microsoft’s announcement of Surface, a specialized system consisting of numerous components (transparent glass table top, rear projector, infrared grid, five cameras, and barcode reading capability) built within a coffee table enclosure. The demo looks pretty good, but just how real is it, and will it ever be more than an intellectual exercise or high-priced item for retail outlets and casinos?
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Apple, iPhone, iPod
In General on Saturday, 2 June 2007 at 19:19
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