“A bit of background: I hate cell phones. They’re a necessary evil in terms of convenience, but with each latest and greatest model I bought, I became increasingly critical,” Michael DeAgonia reports for Computerworld.
“Potentially useful features were hidden underneath menus and submenus and sub-submenus, it couldn’t autosync with my Mac, Internet access was mediocre, and the user interface clunky… The result: clumsy hardware married to lousy software, new features without a new form,” DeAgonia reports.
Apple’s iPhone “is the first phone I’ve liked in well over six years,” DeAgonia reports. “To call the iPhone the best phone I’ve ever used is the biggest understatement of the decade. It’s like saying Jupiter is big, or infinity a long time. From the moment you pick it up, you can feel the weight and sturdiness of the phone, inspiring the sort of confidence you get from a quality build. The display is gorgeously integrated, the streamlined face covered by glass. Finally — a design worthy of being called a design!”
“But the attention to detail doesn’t stop there. The iPhone as a phone is actually remarkable, given that you can easily swap between multiple calls, connect them, separate them, put some on private … all without hanging up on any of the parties. I couldn’t do that with any other phone before and always assumed that feature was faulty. These are among the details I’ve discovered with constant use of my iPhone over the past two months,” DeAgonia reports.
DeAgonia reports, “However, the beauty of the iPhone lies beyond its deliciously simple shell and goes way beyond being just a phone. That beauty — and the iPhone’s success — lies with the way you interact with it. Use the multitouch screen, along with the changing set of ‘buttons’ and icons that adjust themselves to the task at hand, and you can’t help be reminded of classic science fiction, in which devices are so easy to use anyone can pick up anything and begin operating it. That’s what the iPhone is.”
Much, much more in the full article, including what need to be fixed with iPhone, here.
How is your refurb? I’m thinking on getting an 8gb to replace my 4gb iPhone.
Comment from: Ryan
“infinity a long time”
Doesn’t he mean “eternity?”
No, eternity is a Biblical quantity. Infinity has to do with reality.
I disagree. ‘Infinity’ implies space or, in mathematics, numbers. It can refer to time, but that’s unusual.
Eternity is better for an expression of time.
The refurbs are fine so far . . . got two of ’em, one for me and one for Mrs. Dannyg, who can’t put hers down. They look like new. We got the 4GBs. My iPhone did freeze up today, which caused me a bit of panic, but it was an easy reset.
Okay. iPhone naysayers need to take note.
On a trip to DC last weekend, I used the iPhone to:
Get turn-by-turn directions to DC. Got traffic updates that alerted us to Baltimore congestion.
After arriving in DC, typed “cheesecake” in Maps and got Cheesecake Factory restaurants in the area. Two taps and it connected me to the restaurant. I asked about the wait for a table.
Next, we went to a local Staples and my sister couldn’t remember which ink cartridge to get for her printer. So we did a Google image search for HP printers and with the iPhone’s huge landscape display, we zoomed in on a pic that she recognized, and got the model number. Bought the printer cartridge.
Also, the iPhone asked if we wanted to connect to the Staples Wi-Fi in the store. We connected with one touch.
Everyone all around was asking about the phone. Showed a YouTube Simpsons “greatest scenes” clip to a bunch of people and they were freaking wowed. The iPhone speaker, after the update, is verrrry loud.
Checked out some movie trailers too.
Went to Cheesecake Factory, explained how useful the iPhone is. Yes, other phones can do this stuff, but can they do it so easily? My 5 year old niece uses the phone, surfs the Web, checks Youtube cartoon clips, types Notes, and even e-mailed some pics she took to her email account at Nickelodeon. This is a little kid!!!
With the iPhone’s huge screen, she was able to wow kids with photos and TV shows. She “flicks” through pictures with ease.
Next, I take the phone back and check the weather – impending thunderstorm. We hurry up and run across the street to the Apple store (arlington, va) and check out the iMacs. iPhone had about ten open wi-fi networks that it asked to connect with.
Also did some online shopping at Chico’s for Mom. She walked down the block to check on a sale item. Way cool. The pictures was actually big enough so she could see exactly what she wanted.
Got more directions, then searched for the nearest location for the DC Powerball lottery. $300 million dollar jackpot was being drawn that night. We debated as to when you could get tickets last – was it 6PM or later? The iPhone ended the debate with a quick search. We had until 9 PM. With one touch, pinpointed all locations that sold Powerball tickets. Choose the closest one.
We jetted across the bridge to the Georgetown Exxon, right on M Street, got our lottery tickets. Waited in a long line. Everyone asking about the iPhone. The only excuses I heard was: “it’s so expensive.” One girl with a Blackberry Curve wanted it. She was loving it when she saw full Internet AND realized my monthly bill was cheaper than hers. She was flabbergasted!!!
Okay, we leave, get directions back (which were already saved in the iPhone – one click of the “reverse” button and it reversed the directions.)
Showed my friend the entire family photo album. She was loving it as she flicked through huge baby pictures, party pics, etc. Whoops!! Call came in while she was browsing. She squeals. Cool, as a huge pic of another friend comes up.
She reluctantly parts with the phone and we leave. It is a brilliant fun tool, toy, and adult productivity tool. Never again am I out and about, left in the lurch for lack of information. I never have to grab the phone and call home and ask somebody “what model of TV do we have?” or “what time does such and such close?” or “what is the name of that Thai restaurant we went to?”
I can type “thai” and in two clicks and be on the phone making reservations with that restaurant and the iPhone automatically saves that restaurant on my list!! I bookmark all my favorite places in each city.
The average joe has no idea of how productive and time-saving this phone is. No crashes, full internet, even visual voicemail wowed the people I was with. They had no idea a phone could even have full Internet, or voicemail without dialing into voicemail.
Bottom line: the iPhone is much better than my Nokia N95, which is slow and crash prone and with a weak battery. I timed the internet on it, and EDGE speed is on par with it!!!
People, get yourselves an iPhone. It’s worth it.
I haven’t seen anyone mention that the videos play upside down on the iPhone. Try raising the volume on your iPhone while watching a video in landscape mode. The onscreen bar goes to the right while you press the button to the left. Solution, flip the video 180 degrees and the mechanical and visual feedback would agree. These are the kinds of details we can expect Apple to consider, and the kinds of details that make them a great company.
> These people who hate all things apple must have screw loose.
True. But you have to admit there are probably as many people who hate all things Microsoft, just because it’s Microsoft. Many of them are represented right here…
Mr. DeAgonia, that’s what I call love – except for the sex part of course.
That is, the fact that there is no sex involved between you and your phone, that’s what I meant – – – Or is there – I mean sex between you and your phone?
R2 also purchased the refurb 8gb iPhone. Something about that extra $100 off just pushes you over the edge. And even though it no longer displays the 24hrs to ship notification, mine was here the next day with FedEx NextDay Air. So far, so good.
Bob’s post by the way is a perfect example of the powers of the iPhone that I have yet to experience. I look forward to time and even life saving stuff like that in the future.
But does it have tactile feedback? No? Wow, amazing, my cellphone that cost $50 3 years ago has this amazing “tactile feedback” technology known as “buttons” but apparently the brand new iPhone that costs hundreds can’t figure out how to incorporate them so you can operate it one handed and without looking.
Oh well, I’m sure the sheeple that buy every Apple product, no matter how flawed, will continue to buy it.
But… DOES IT BLEND?
Man, I can access my banking website on this thing and transfer funds between accounts! On my cellphone! The iPhone just gets better and better.
No kidding. And another thing… my car used to have a crank in the front to start it. Now I have to use this darn thingy they call a key.
Don’t ya just hate progress loser?
@Reality Check
What are you talking about? Have you seen, used an iPhone? You sound like you have problem with other people enjoying the fruits of their labor.
no need to call anyone a loser. Its his/her opinion. get over it. You don’t want/need an iPhone. fine. move along…
Speaking of the expense of iPhone, which is here now.
“In addition, the company introduced a new release of the N95 phone, intended to present immediate compeition for the iPhone. It ships with with 8GB of flash storage and is due to ship in the fall for 560 Euros ($763). The new N95 is likely to show in North America as an unlocked device, similar to the original”
Hmm isn’t $763>$599
Hi guys, when they mention the new ipod video IF they do when would it be released to the shops?
Thx
Wow, transfer funds from one account to another with a mobile phone?? And just when I thought it was pretty cool when I transferred money from my bank account in Finland to an Ebay seller’s bank account in Germany with my N93 the other day.
As big and bulky as the Nokia N93 is, just like mostly every other N-Series phone as Nokia can’t quite understand the want for miniaturized devices, I’d hope you’d be able to do a lot more than that.