Popular Mechanics has placed Apple’s iPhone among their “Top 10 Most Brilliant Gadgets of 2007” list:
Of course, you’ve heard about this phone. But have you used it? The best way to understand why Apple’s iPhone ($400) has sent shockwaves through the cellphone industry is simply to check your voice mail with it. Instead of passwords and audible instructions, the iPhone displays a visual list of voice mails —which are saved as audio files. Using the bright and responsive touchscreen, you scroll through the list and tap a message. When you’re done with a message, simply slide your finger over it and a delete button pops up. At the top of the phone is a button that locks the screen, so it can go back in your pocket without risking accidental commands. All phones should work so smoothly. Because of the iPhone, they’ll eventually have to.
Full article, which also inexplicably includes Microsoft’s Big Ass Table here.
Well, it’s not like they had many choices.
The iPhone should also win awards for being the most RESTRICTED piece of consumer electronics since the ankle bracelet also.
Just curious… do you Apple lovers who see nothing wrong with the iPhone do so, just to support Apple notwithstanding the obvious glaring limitations of the phone, or are you really just that clueless with regard to technology? I can understand the latter, as Apple was bashed for no good reason for years, but if you really believe the iPhone is anything more than a good user interface, well I feel sorry for you.
By the way, the absurd prejudice against Microsoft is getting really old.
The cost of the Microsoft Surface is prohibitive at the moment, but the possibilities such a device lends itself too are endless. Why hate it just because it says Microsoft on it?
I hate when people call Mac users a cult or religion, but the irrational belief in something no matter what, is the foundation upon which religions are based.
Sold iPhone:
We bash Miscro$oft just to annoy dweebs like you.
@Sold iPhone
having a bad day, bunky?
You simply need ask one question:
When was the last time MSFT excited?
@Sold iPhone,
I believe Apple will open the iPhone and iPod touch to 3rd party apps, but they need to ensure it won’t open the devices up to anyone who can write a shitty app that will break it.
You knew the conditions when you bought your iPhone, so why are you complaining?
The reason we mock Microsofts coffee table is because it is a butt-ugly “me too” product that costs over $10k, and I don’t think you will be able to use it for more than 10 minutes before backache sets in.
Aww. Look on the bright side. In 15 years the “surface” will have been engineered down to the size of……
wait for it…..
wait for it…..
an iPhone!
We mock the Surface not because it’s from Microsoft, but because it’s a lousy piece of technology, what with its multiple camera sensors, pitiful software, and high cost. It just strikes us as a thrown together hack. We’re just not *surprised* this comes from Microsoft.
“The iPhone should also win awards for being the most RESTRICTED piece of consumer electronics since the ankle bracelet also.”
Really??? Like my Moto phone which has ZERO expandability?
Like my Verizon service which completely cripples my Bluetooth?
Dude… trolls like you give trolls a bad name, give it a rest.
Prejudice: an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason
Since in many cases the ani-M$ comments are based on knowledge or reason, I’d say that accusation is unfounded. Although I will admit that MDN and forum posters do sometimes go too far.
The proper word in this case is “parody.” I still get a chuckle out of the “big ass table.”
You Know,
Sold iPhone might have a point IF the iphone Needed lot’s of 3rd party apps to cover the functions I need, just like most MS and other mainstream cellphone products.
the iphone hits a sweet spot of function and usability that simply wasn’t approached before.
I wonder how Sold iPhone manages to buy a refrigerator, if MS made these with the same mentality, I’d probably have to spend twice the purchase price just to keep the door shut and the compressor running with those third party apps,
and then pay for licensing use of refrigeration technology
on a monthly subscription plan. or maybe I’m just clueless with regard to technology while supporting the glaring limitations yadda yadda yadda
If the product doesn’t offer what you need, buy something else, which is way I bought an iphone.
geez people
get a life
I can’t wait to drop $10,000.00 on a copy-cat, me-too, too-late, anything-so-you’ll-call-US-cool-too, POS BAT from M$.
Wow, it’s the 21st century…what WILL they think of next?
Peace.
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Olmecmystic
Somehow I know if the iPhone, exactly as it is, were put out by Microsoft, you people would berate it as an underpowered, restrictive, monopolistic, device.
You would claim that Microsoft was still behaving in a monopolistic fashion by not allowing 3rd party applications. You would laugh at anyone who bought one after Microsoft disabled the phones when people tried to make them useful. You would point out the substandard speaker phone. You would point out the lack of 3G. You would laugh your asses off at a phone where the manufacture deleted the user’s ring tones! You would point out that it was slow, buggy, and typical of Microsoft. You would make jokes about MS and the AT&T;deathstar trying to own the cellphone industry.
You would not be as kind as you have been to the iPhone. You’ve been kind to the point of being irrational. You make excuses for it.
Sad really. I used to think that as Mac users we were actually smarter. Now I find that we’re just a bunch of cultish haters.
Steve and company could sell a brick in a box and we, the community, would claim it was the 2nd coming.
Sigh.
@Sold iPhone
Somehow I know if the iPhone, exactly as it is, were put out by Microsoft, you people would berate it as an underpowered, restrictive, monopolistic, device.
If Microsoft developed a product as good as the iPhone, I’d never get to comment on it as I would have a massive coronary from the shock…
All I’m saying here folks is we love Apple, but don’t give them a free ride. Hold them up to the standards we expect. The iPhone doesn’t meet those standards.
We laugh and joke about the Zune, but if you look at the laundry list of features being provided in Zune 2.0, and FREE to existing Zune owners, it reads like a wish list for the iPod.
If Microsoft figured did 2 things, just 2 things, the Zune would catch up to the iPod in a couple of years.
1. Provide full Macintosh support (this means iTunes).
2. Allow users to strip DRM.
MS is already going full DRM free for Zune 2.0.
Make Steve put his freaking money where his mouth is. It’s time for iTunes to go 100% DRM free.
All iTunes DRM does now is force you to stay with the iPod.
You said, “Somehow I know if the iPhone, exactly as it is, were put out by Microsoft, you people would berate it as an underpowered, restrictive, monopolistic, device.”
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— First, I believe that would be imposible.
“You would not be as kind (vs MS products) as you have been to the iPhone. You’ve been kind to the point of being irrational. You make excuses for it.”
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
— Troll alert. Some one who cannot see daylight from darkness.
“Sad really. I used to think that as Mac users we were actually smarter. Now I find that we’re just a bunch of cultish haters….Steve and company could sell a brick in a box and we, the community, would claim it was the 2nd coming.”
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—- Proof of Troll alert. Praise then jump into cult cause we like what works vs what they want to sell us.
Actually, I am surprised that Sold iPhone came back. Most trolls just post and move on, except for Zune Tang. He was funny at first but never improved his joke line. 🙁
I have an iPhone. Luckily I was already on AT&T;, so it was easy. I can understand customers of Verizon, TMobile and the rest being ticked. I would be, too, if I had to get out of a contract to get it. But that’s the way they set it up, so what are you going to do? As far as the other complaints, such as 3rd party apps, etc., give it a rest. It works pretty darn well as it is. I think a lot of Apple people are like old hippies that thought it was cool to have a Mac when the rest of the world had PC’s. IT was their little secret. Made them different. Now that iPod is king and iPhone is out and kicking butt, they don’t feel so special. Apple is in business to make money after all.
@ Sold iPhone,
“Somehow I know if the iPhone, exactly as it is, were put out by Microsoft, you people would berate it as an underpowered, restrictive, monopolistic, device.”
Thing is old buddy, Microsoft could never design something as elegant as an iPhone.
And they never will, if the big-ass table is anything to go by.
Wow, this is too good to be true.
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You said,”If Microsoft figured did 2 things, just 2 things, the Zune would catch up to the iPod in a couple of years.”
—– Hey, if Microsoft did certain things is dreaming. If they did, they would not be Microsoft.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> Dream on.
“MS is already going full DRM free for Zune 2.0.”
—– No, sorry they are not. And the song you send still dies in 3 days. “Dreaming on a sunday afternoon. !!”
“Make Steve put his freaking money where his mouth is. It’s time for iTunes to go 100% DRM free.”
—– Troll alert. It is obvious you are a troll or just do not know that Apple/iTunes does not control DRM access. Period.
“All iTunes DRM does now is force you to stay with the iPod.”
—- More FUD. Troll or 10 yr old. not sure which.
TROLL ALERT!! TROLL ALERT!! TROLL ALERT!!
en
MDN=flollowed I think I am being followed by MS agents. They are trying to spam me.!!!
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They also list the big ass uglily (and I really mean uglily!) “Zonbu Zonbox” for $99 and $15 a month that is “Linux-based” and comes with “a slew of genuinely useful preloaded applications.”
Or, you can get a mac mini with OS X from Apple for $15 a month and get real genuine useful preloaded applications.
I do like the concept of the “Big Ass Table” for something like a digital lightboard. After tweaking 1,000 photos from a recent vacation, I was thinking how nice it would be to be able to do it on a flat table with the iPhone interface. Now THAT would be revolutionary.
As an Apple user I am disappointed because the iPhone could have been the undeniably best device if they had decided to allow third party apps. The hackers are proving it can but Apple just won’t; a sad case of missed opportunity. As for the top ten list – anyone who thinks a piece of useless vaporware (one that will never see the light of day) should be #1 on the list, is obviously a paid off by MS.
MDN word: Deal – as in somebody made some money for giving MS an award.
Microsoft has never put out an original best application in it’s entire existence save the original Excel and Word program for the Fat Mac. Those applications would not have shone the way they did were it not for the Mac’s revolutionary interface. Now as for the IPhone and Sold Iphone, Microsoft has had 6 chances in as many years to create a smart phone interface superior to the Iphone.
What you fail to understand is that Microsoft is in the business of leveraging their assets to make the most money. The work required to create a superior cellphone interface that don’t really need a lot of 3rd party apps in the first place is not in Microsoft’s best economic interest. The only way they would get into the game is if a 3rd party interface or app was so successful in the marketplace that they figure they would buy the company making it and so they could get their profits , and if they could not buy it they would make a similar app and give it away for free to bankrupt the company they could not buy.
Many of us in the industry as users tend to forget M$ practices in the 80’s and 90’s. Their modus operandi betrays them as a company that does not create superior interfaces and as such leave a lot of the grunge work to 3rd party app developers. Apple on the other hand has always developed superior interfaces because they put themselves in the users shoes. M$ made the most money from corporate clients with bid IT department. Want a custom app for your company we give you the building blocks you take it from there call us if anything blows up.
3rd party developers have always flocked to M$ products because they can make easy bucks provided they weren’t two successful. Apple tends to put out more complete products and improve on them as an evolutionary process sort of like a betamax to bluray dvd type of thing. That is why most of us that have trusted Apple products over the years tend to be more patient and let the company work.
I prefer Apple products to MS and I admit to taking glee when my co-workers with Vista laptops covet my. old PowerBook G4.
But your blinded love of Apple is an embarrassment to many of us Apple fans. A perfect example was your posting that implied the iPhone was better than any other smart phone for everyone – including business users who need things the iPhone can’t do yet. Today, you slam one of the few bits of forward looking technology MS has presented the tech world.
Give it a rest already.
@Sold iPhone
Please go back and re- read your posts from the start.
Now, after appreciating where you went wrong, promise yourself – never, ever waste our time again.
My aging, lame, far sighted, cross eyed; but with only one eye, aqua-phobic, frazzeld and demented blue Goldfish … Nemo, could compile a more compelling diatribe that your lethargic and ignominious efforts.
–
“It was not my intention to do this in front of you. For that I’m sorry. But you can take my word for it, your mother had it comin’. When you grow up, if you still feel raw about it, I’ll be waiting.”
~ Kill Bill Volume 1