“Just how slippery is Apple’s iPhone? Scattered reports from people who have put their hands on pre-release models say that its main problem is not the rumored battery life shortfall, but the sleek, slippery surface,” hilip Elmer-DeWitt blogs for Business 2.0.
“I handled one for about 15 minutes in January and didn’t find it any more prone to flying out of my hands — or my shirt pocket — than an iPod. But others who have spent more time with it say different,” Elmer-DeWitt writes.
Elmer-DeWitt writes, “Alexandros Roussos recently interviewed a ‘tipster who had the chance to play with the device for a longer time than just a few minutes.’ He reported on MacScoop that its real-world battery performance would ‘surprise us,’ and, in fact, exceed Apple’s posted specs: up to 5 hours talk/video/browsing, and up to 16 hours audio playback.”
“Overall,” he added, “our source found the iPhone awesome but he mentioned, as a sole negative point, that the material used on the device’s case makes it feel even more slippery than the iPod and will probably require the purchase of a protective skin or case so as to avoid unintentionally dropping it.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “DLMeyer” for the heads up.]
Judging “slipperiness” by pre-production units is probably not the best idea. We’ll reserve judgement for the shipping product.
that you can’t drive while using the touchpad!
WTF!!!
“It’s a phone not a bar of soap. Just hold it.”
Just like a bar of soap, don’t drop it in the wrong place.
It won’t slip out of my hands
Newsflash:
People drop phones!
It’s gunna happen, no matter what. But I can aready see the headlines…
@MDN
Whoa! Hold on one minute! You can’t have it both ways MDN!
Either it is not pre-procution vaporware…thus it is effecting Palm sales and Crackberry sales…or it is pre-production vaporware…hence it cannot be judged until it is released from its vaporware state. This site has had way too many “me too” takes on pro-iPhone-already-exists articles to play the Prototype card now.
I have always said it is vaporware and all reviews bad or good are useles. All speculation on it’s sales, capabilities, and usefulness are stupid.
This is what annoys me about the koolaid drinking side of this site. Stay consistent! You can’t hide behind the prototype excuse when it is convenient and treat the iPhone like a real product when you are trying to thumb your nose at other phone makers or M$.
The iPhone will be what it will be. Most ppl here willl buy one and be very happy with it even it is not flawless and the quintessential mobile phone. I know I will be happy with mine (when my current contract dies..hopefully iPhone 2.0 will be out).
Just my $0.02
“People drop phones!”
Especially people who have just been jerking off looking at their collection of Apple hardware and go to pick it up.
Nobody jerks off looking at their collection of PC hardware then goes to pick up their Treo.
Hence you see the problem. Apple can predict this kind of behavior and the iPhone should be designed to perform OK in that situation.