“I cannot stress this enough: You need to get an iPhone. Sooner rather than later. With Apple dropping the entry price on this innovative device to just $200, while fixing all of the major issues I described in “How Apple Can Fix the iPhone in 2008,” there are precious few reasons to ignore this seismic shift in mobile and cloud computing. (One potential reason is the cost of the data plan: It looks like the minimum monthly outlay for an iPhone in the US is going to be $70 before taxes, about $10 more than it was before.) I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The iPhone is a dramatically important computing platform and one you should not ignore. Trust me, once you’ve used an iPhone, that Blackberry or Windows Mobile device you’re settling on now will seem like ancient Soviet-era technology by comparison,” Paul Thurrott writes for SuperSite for Windows.
“Despite some fears about the monthly cost of owning an iPhone, the iPhone 3G appears to eliminate virtually every major complaint I’ve made about the original device. As a result, I’m almost unreservedly excited about the iPhone 3G and implore you to seriously consider making the switch. I’ll have more information about the iPhone 3G in the SuperSite Blog and in an upcoming MobileMe preview before my final review hits next month. But don’t wait on me: It’s time to start evaluating Apple’s innovative new smart phone. Finally, the iPhone really is the smart phone for the rest of us,” Thurrott writes.
Much more in the full article here.
@Mad Mac Maniac
“This equates to less THAN $20 a month for mobile phone service!”
Cell phone service is not equivalent to network connection via HSDPA. The iPhone is a “cloud computer” that also handles voice telephony. Yeah, $70/mo is a lot more than @$20/mo, but don’t try to equate the level of service you get for these.
“that Blackberry or Windows Mobile device you’re settling on now will seem like ancient Soviet-era technology by comparison” ….
ROTFLOL
I can forgive this windoze hack an awful lot for this one line….
So what was in those boxes shipped to Apple stores which were labelled “Do not open before Tuesday”?
Following to above comment. If the iPhone 2.0 is being released in most countries on July 11, what was in those boxes?
COULD IT BE?!!! Thurrott has drank the kool-aid?
Sounds like the conversion of Saul to Paul. He’s now seen the truth, fine!
Hey troops – a little bit of sanity for a sec: is the iPod touch also getting updated for next month’s availability. Ya know, optional black/white back, etc??
@IT guy
In this case – though uncomfortable as it may be
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> – Thurrot is right. There have been no significant advancements for mobile chips since launch of the iPhone, and you can see this in the battery life expectations provided by Apple themselves:
Talk time:
Up to 5 hours on 3G
Up to 10 hours on 2G
Clearly no now lower energy chips here.
What happened I think is that Apple realised that to be succesfull outside the US, customers mostly prefer faster speed over longer batterylife. So Apple made a U-turn here, but a good one.
Where I work (in Europe) people are now talking suddenly about the iPhone, and they all mention the three same things: 3G, GPS and Lower price. That’s what the market here wants, and Apple gives them that, and lots more. This iPhone I think will now even be faster a smashing succes then the iPod.
Apple did some brilliant market choices, it will be fantastic. 😀
@Ton Palmans
Here’s the link for first-generation iphone components.
Apple is currently using either a newer Samsung chip (SGOLD3 or SGOLD3H). The 2G talk time has improved from 8 hours to 10 hours!
It may not be much, but note that these chips did not exist in January 2007 (if iPhone is released then, then they must have evaluated the chips atleast 6 months ago), so by June 2006 these chips did not exist?!
its simple to me, Apple will go the traditional subsidy route with iPhone…and keep their options open with iPod touch
iPod touch will gain access to WiMAX, Apple will also evaluate the the option of leasing Clearwire’s network to create a true end-to-end wireless alternative, potentially branded as a higher tier of MobileMe.
iPod gets a $Paid download to upgrade to iPhone 2 features.
And, yeah, what was in those australian boxes?
Most of you guys don’t get it. He sees which way the wind is blowing, sees huge potential for the iPhone, and wants to be seen as one of the ‘experts’ on this ‘new’ platform.
When I read that I thought it was April fools day or Hell froze over. I looked over to see if the Grim Reaper was ready to take me home. I thought Superman Bizzaro was the real Mccoy.
Ok, everyone is complaining about copy and paste. That Apple needs to implement it…
How do you suppose they do it?
@bioness
In a text area, spread fingers like you are enlarging a photo to select text. Go to new text area and double tap. That could work.
You want Cut Copy Paste Undo then get a MFn Macbook fools!
It is a phone – not a computer.
Stupefies me.
“Trust me, once you’ve used an iPhone, that Blackberry or Windows Mobile device you’re settling on now will seem like ancient Soviet-era technology by comparison”
—
Good line
From article:
“The first major portion of the keynote focused on the iPhone 2.0 software platform and was largely just repetition from the March event, right down to the developer-oriented bits presented by the somewhat smarmy Jobs protégé Forstall.”
I have to admit that I had the same impression of Forstall. He appears very talented and capable, but he presents himself like he KNOWS that he is the most talented and capable person in the room. He had a “wiseacre” smirk on his face most of the time. I hope he works on his public persona a bit because I think we are going to see more of him. Jobs is like a kid in a toy store and his enthusiasm is infectious. Forstall reminded me of Eddie Haskel. And what’s with his little wrist flip everytime he changes a slide. You work with the Master, Scott, observe and learn.
@Ton Palmans: Altho a new 3G chip was released in the springtime just before iPhone 2007’s sale date, it was too late to make it into the iPhone design, which was frozen long before then. Last July, I searched thru all of Nokia’s 3G phones and none offered more than 3.5hrs. And that’s what Jobs said last year, that he needed 3G to get to 5 hours. Still today, if you look, most phones are still using chips that only get 3 to 3.5 hrs on 3G.
@Spark: Altho Apple might choose to do what you said, the approach you offer doesn’t seem to be exact enough to get the exact beginning and end, whether in the cutting or in the pasting.
@ kwalos
Nice.
“Wow. Thurrott has come out with some crazy insulting talk about Apple in the past”
yes, now he just schizophrenically posts it on Wininfo.
Go check.
@IT guy & Mark
You are right, chip design and thus batteryfile have improved a notch up. And it could very well be that this notch was signifcant enough to provide Apple with the opportunity to reach their minimum standards for 3G. So I think you have a good point here.
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Where I was more coming from was that there were quite firm opinions – MDN including – that 3G was hardly an improvement over iPhone 1.0, hardly worth the effort and much downplayed, and that batterylife was way too short compared to IPhone 1.0.
But it is clear now (as was then) that 3G is way faster then 2/2.5G, and that people – or at least the European market – cares more about speed then batterylife. 5 hours for 3G with iPhone 2.0 is still well below the 8 hours for 2G with iPhone 1.0 (now 10 with 2.0), but Apple listens to the market instead of ‘some’ websites. .
From the early reactions I get over here from mostly non-Apple users, is that they are rapidly becoming aware of iPhone 3G, and voiced interest is building up like I never seen before. And if you look at what some of the devolpers showed at WWDC, it is just encedible.
I think Apple will hit the motherload with this one, and that it will be even bigger then the iPod. I really do.
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Ah, talk about tide turns. Hmmm even Zune Thang has been quiet.
I do like the blind frog that will catch a fly every now and then.
@Mark
Yeah, I suspect you’re right. But the question was HOW it could be done. I gave a HOW, not a HOW WELL. I’m sure when it is done by Apple, it will be done a lot better.