New details about the iPhone
By Ryan Block 
posted June 23rd 2007 2:24PM
posted June 23rd 2007 2:24PM
- The keyboard was simply described as "disappointing". Keyboarding with two thumbs often registers multiple key presses (two or three at a time) resulting in a lot of mistakes. The best way to type is with a single finger (as shown in most of Apple's demos), but two thumbs is supposedly very difficult. After trying it for a number of days our source gave up using their thumbs.
- The text auto-correction only works well for simple words, but doesn't work for proper names. We can only assume this bit will get better with time as Apple fills out its predictive text dictionary.
- "It won't replace a BlackBerry. It's not good for text input. It's just not a business product."
- The touchscreen was said to, in general, require somewhat hard presses to register input, and needs some getting used to.
- In addition to its dock, the iPhone comes packaged with a polishing cloth (the thing's supposedly a fingerprint magnet, no surprise) and the usual smallish power adapter.
- The Bluetooth headset will debut in the $120 range, and will come with its own dock for charging both the phone and the headset. The headset will feature a miniature magnetic charging interface á la MagSafe.
- The Bluetooth headset has a hidden LED and is supposedly a very small and elegant device. Sound quality is said to be "typical". There is no clip; like many headsets you're expected to just let it hang out of your ear, as previously shown.
- The browser "worked well" but page load speeds on EDGE were just as slow as expected. It sounds like 3G users will have a tough run with this.
- Users must scroll through the address book (or use the alphabet-drag on the side) -- one cannot bring up the keyboard and type in a name, as many of us are used to.
- Shocker: YouTube over EDGE didn't work well at all, and will basically necessitate use of WiFi.
Dum de dum...
And so it begins. :)
I'm seriously considering making a 'WM5' equivalent to the iPhone Tour video. Aesthetics aside, you'd be surprised how similar the two systems are.
And I CAN use my onscreen keyboard to type... or use handwriting... or use Graffiti... or Block Reco... or voice...
Or the actual slide-out keyboard.
HA!
"Aesthetics aside, you'd be surprised how similar the two systems are."
Aesthetics are the main appeal of the iPhone and what differentiates it from other devices. Yes, many other smartphones have similar or even features. The problem is that the user experience on most of these devices is crap. I've used both WM5 and Palm OS extensively and I'm amazed how poor the design of these systems is.
The iPhone has at least some really impressive interfaces. What we don't know is how well it will work in practice and what the other apps are like. How well will the calendar work? Notes? No one knows yet.
The problem I have with the original post is that we have no idea where this person is coming from, even if they have used the iPhone. Does he or she have an agenda (e.g. have a reason to want the iPhone to fail)? What type of device has this person used previously? How much time was actually spent with the iPhone? What about the rest of the user experience?
We don't learn anything new here aside from the details on the Bluetooth headset (is this poster coming from inside Apple or AT&T - how else would they know the details of pricing which have nothing to do with using the device). The keyboard is going to be highly dependent on an individual person's hands an preferences.
Actually, you'd be surprised how similar a Porche is to a Honda Civic, horsepower aside.
You should make one, it will help Apple more than hurt it. I've used WM5 for 1.5 years and it is a total POS. If you made a shot for shot remake of the Apple video, it would really show just how terrible WM5 is. The music playing software would be the best part, especially changing songs. WM5 is total garbage. When I first started using WM5 i was excited about all it's 'features' and capabilities, but after some time with it's relentlessly poor implementation, I started wishing Apple would make a phone with similar capabilities, cause i knew it could be so much better. I got $600 in my pocket to find out on Friday. I'm a huge Apple user in every aspect, but if this phone doesn't live up to it's promises, i'll easily take advantage of the 14 day return policy and trade it in for an 8525 and not-so-patiently wait for iPhone Rev.2.
Feel the backlash. Oh, yes, it's coming. I've lived with EDGE for awhile now and as anyone who has knows, it aint fast. No news there. This is why you wait for v2 boys and girls. Faster 3G, keyboard software upgrade and all around smoothing out of the rough spots. Take a look at the first iPod compared to what they have today. Shocking.
Everyone keeps talking about the problems with the phones touch screen and keyboard... And I still can't get past its lack of 3G, which still surprises me because of AT&T's pretty good 3G network. This device really could have shot 3G to the spot light over here in the state, which is a lot more revolutionary then a partly finished touch screen.
I don't think enough is being raised about the non-replaceable battery. So what happens after I spend $600 on my iPhone and in 1 year the Li-Ion battery is only holding 60% charge, which is common. Am I supposed to take my iPhone to the Apple or AT&T store and ship it away for a week while they replace my battery and charge me another $100? This is a cell phone, not an mp3 player! I cannot go a week (or even 2 days for that matter) without my cell phone. I guess they could also replace it in-store but then I'd have to sit there and wait for 5 hours in line on a Saturday with all the other iPhone battery customers. Thanks but no thanks Apple!
this phone hasn't even come out yet, and all of you are quick to say this is going to suck, i can't wait for it to bomb, it's going to be the downfall of Apple. I've never cared for critics, i think not everyone is going to have the same opinion ...wether it's about a movie , or now the iphone i think you have you're own likings and not let a critic MAKE YOUR OPINION FOR YOU. So that guy says the keyboard is dissappointing...i have the sk3 and i like it...but a grip load of people say the keyboard sucks. So some of you had bad experiece with touch screen phones?...honestly i'm a gadget girl and i have never seen a commercial for one...don't really see any in stores, haven't heard of any...and you wonder why they sucked? the company didn't even have the balls to advertise for them, or do any sort of marketing for them. I for one think the iphone is going to do great, especially since it's not really for business, it's going to attract alot of like 17-35 year old (yes the younger people will more likely beg there daddys for the money). Sorry but apple did revolutionize the business with there ipods, and a lot of the products..imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and now you have hundreds of different mp3 players.
I'm going to get the iphone, i've read all about it..what it has and what it doesn't have, and i think it's for me.
A landscape keyboard would be worse and slower than a portrait keyboard. You have to stretch your thumbs a further distance to hit the keys. I remember the Magic Cap keyboard was landscape and it was harder to type because I had to move my stylus or finger a further distance to hit the buttons. wider touch keyboard does not equal better.
Am I the only one who doesn't give a damn about the iPhone, in any way, shape, or form?
Another thing...
Why is everyone so worried about the keyboard? It's not like we are going to type an essay on it. And one nice side effect of a touch-screen is that the keyboard can arrange itself to suit the application. Think of the ".com" key. That's 4 keys in one button! Does the blackberry have that?
Apple isn't "hyping" this any more than any other product they have. They call everything they do the "best." The fact that people know the exact day and time of release, and that the press is covering it extensively has to do with a lot of people interested in the product. It's not like Apple is paying for all these stories that pop up on engadget. If anything, Apple has released fairly minimal information on it.
As far as typing going, I'm only interested in what people say about typing after they've been using it for a week, not someone who has been "fooling around" with the unit. Apple says that it takes about a week to get used to it, so I want to hear from people on July 6 if this is true or not. Or, any of the people who have had advanced units and will write reviews soon. Not unattributed leaks.
Would that be the same Walt Mossberg referred to by LoopRumors:
"The Wall Street Journal tech guru, Walt Mossberg, has been living with his iPhone for a week now and the rumor on the street is that he is 'loving' it. Initial reports suggested that he was concerned with the 'virtual keyboard' being difficult to operate. Since that time, however, he is allegedly delighted with the device and loves the iPhone.
Apparently, Mossberg is very pleased with the clarity, sharpness and resolution of
the screen, as well as impressed with the responsiveness to the finger input of
the multi-touch glass. Our source tells us he is going to use an iPhone as his
primary phone from now on.
His full official report of the iPhone is scheduled to be published at launch on
June 29th."
First of all Cingular/ATT's 3G network is nonexistent in most cities, never mind driving down the interstate. What would be the point of including 3G in the iPhone when the network isn't there to support it? The iPhone is supposed to bring customers to ATT and keep them there, not piss them off. And yes, I know ATT is making promises about their 3G rollout, blah blah blah. Sell me something I can acually USE.
Second, the trade-off for the lack of a keypad or sliding keyboard is a big screen in a relatively small form factor. All of you BB, Treo, and HTC fanboys with your QVGA screns can just bite me. QVGA is ok for menus and messaging, but that's about it. The Apple's half-VGA screen and Safari browser is a big step forward over last year's phones.
I'm on the fence still. Everyone keeps bashing the keyboard. Touchscreen for entering text WILL be inferior to other methods. That is for Sure. However, The Music, Video, Internet, Screen, Phone, Thickness will be better than anything else out. So basically it's a trade off. Blackberries suck so bad at multimedia that people don't even use them for that. The UI is complex for the average person. The iphone will be FAR superior to other devices in many areas but inferior for text entry. You'll watch more videos and music than you ever did with your blackberry because it will be easy on the iphone. So is weak text entry worth the additional gains. For $600, this phone should have AOL IM. Not sure who the phone is aimed at. The teens will ignore it and the business people will ignore it too.
What Mammoth said in the third post from the top of the first page of this thread is not only correct, it's exactly why we LOVE SLIDER KEYBOARDS, Mr. Jobs.
I've said more than once before that the onscreen keyboard will be crap, and now Engadget already knows someone who concurs.
No tactile feedback, greatly reduced screen real estate, no landscape typing, and a complete grease and fingerprint magnet makes for the worst possible implementation for text typing.
Not to mention, I can't imagine it's going to be comfortable repeatedly tapping on a nice hard glass surface multiple times throughout the day, everyday, especially if you're using your fingernails/thumbnails. Imagine replacing your laptop's keyboard and the key travel with a hard surface - imagine how uncomfortable that would be after awhile. Could the iPhone present the same problem? Just a thought.
So, if you can't use two thumbs to input data, does that mean a monkey won't be able to use the iPhone?
I don't think the iPhone is a flop. I think it is going to be a great seller. A poll stated that an estimated 3 million people across the nation are willing to buy it. Thats alot and those polls do mean something, think about when the Wii and PS3 came out those polls came true. Myself, I am very interested in purchasing it. I think I am going to try it our before I buy it to get a feel for it. I think this is going to be a revolutionary product, no doubt about it.
Someone mentioned MessagEase™ earlier. They have a simulation of how it would look like on the iPhone
http://exideas.com/ME/DeviceSimulators/iPhone.html
Someone else claimed the iPhone delays registering a key press until after the finger is released. I would assume this behavior to be limited to the keyboard. (Btw, I can't seem to find that comment now, weird.) Anyways, if this is true IMO it would:
1. Avoid the accidental "multiple key presses" claimed by the "inside source," and
2. Help you adjust your aim after touching and before releasing. Remember how the buttons enlarge when touched? For example, if you were going for "R" and "E" pops up instead, just nudge (or roll?) yr finger/thumb rightwards to move the focus over to "R" before releasing. The focus works as a visual feedback.
Ok.. how many people have actually tried this thing? I havent, I know that for a fact.. Maybe the iPhone keyboard is just fine, and this guy who tried it just sucks at life, and cant manage to type on it. I would assume the size of the keyboard is very similar to the size of my Treo 700p, which is just fine for me.
Will we really know until we all get the chance to try it? And then.. if you dont like it, dont buy it.. its pretty simple isnt it?
hmm the keyboard is a big if but that's not the only thing holding me back from purchasing one, off the bat it seems like the PS3 of cellphones, promising a lot, but we will see it if t delivers
I currently use a SK3, I like it quite a bit, if it weren't for T-Mobile (no MMS even though phone is capable of it and their constant network disconnections and speed) and WiFi this would be an even better phone
sure it can't really compare with the iPhone in some specs but I think the market the SK3 aims for is what the iPhone is aimed for and maybe a few business peeps out there
email on this is pretty nice and thanks to Danger's OS everything is WAY easy to access, also I think this is the best QWERTY keyboard on any device, and I don't see how a touchscreen esp if the iPhone one is meant to be pecked at can compete with a hard keyboard
on the mp3 part of the phone
I'm sure it'll be nice like the ipod but for a hefty $600 (I can get a similar phone w/o touchscreen mind you, for about $200-300 and an ipod nano/mini for $150-$200) I don't see the point of switching from my SK3 just yet, yeah I know the interface on the music player on here isn't the greatest looking but its functional, also I can get a 2gb mini SD card at frys for $40 and I think I saw a 4gb one for $80
the non removable battery issue I think is important, I had an SKII, they cetainly fixed that this time
I think I'm actually more excited about the new Sidekick versions that are coming out in the next few months/year than I am about the iPhone and trust me when I was getting updates from the keynote presentation about it, I was really really excited
I still don't know why they didn't allow for grafitti-style input. I had a Newton a long time ago, and was impressed by the text recognition even then. With more proc speed and higher res, that should be even better on this phone - yet they went with a keyboard instead.
Everyone is so obsessed with devices getting smaller and thinner, but if this thing were an 1/8th " thicker and included a stylus I wouldn't have minded at all. Or hell - I could slip a stylus into a case or wallet if I needed too.
Now, if Apple was allowing thrid party development (for real, not through Safari) I could hope someone would implement grafitti input. But instead, they've locked it down (for now) and we're stuck with hunt-peck.
Wow, so much division over this silly little product. It is painfully apparent as to who are the "Windows" and "Apple" users. Claiming the iPhone is already a flop is ludicrous. Now, I am not making any judgment in either direction, time will tell, but certainly a company as large as Apple, Inc. wouldn't stake their reputation on a "flop". THAT is a ludicrous statement.
Has anyone realized that the iPhone screen is capacative? As in, you don't have to touch hard at all, your finger could even be like 1mm away from the screen? This is obviously not a very accurate report.
Does that mean even less tactility?! OMG...I hope they make an iPhone for us touchy-feely types! I'll never be able to take my eye off one which is probably Job's mission. I'll robably get mugged for it too while trying to surf or type and all while I'm doing my two-finger pinch...best bet just listen to the iPod and receive calls lol - I'll save money too!
It's all about user experience.
So if the device is slow, unresponsive, it will be a flop.
About MessagEase keyboard that someone mentioned earlier, I have been using it on my Palm TX and to me it's a shoe-in for iPhone(www.exideas.com). It is designed for touchscreen!
Video on youtube shows it on iPhone (simulated!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfoHwkrIk4o and there are a couple of other videos there shownig it work on various devices.
Am I the only one who noticed the subtle yet incredibly appropriate Simpsons reference in the picture?
dude where i work i work next to an at&t shop and i go in there everyday because i am friends with some of the workers there and they agree with me when i say that the iphone will fail once everyone has one on the first day and start realizing that they just got screwed over what with all the high and. see the iphone is targeted to just about everyone but the only people who can afford it without having mommy and daddy buying it for them is cooperate people but they don't want it because it doesn't do what they need the most and thats the whole email thing that blackberry does best.
All you apple haters are hilarious........enjoy the ride!!!!!
I wonder if Apple will have to deal with lawsuits from jammed fingers! No love to the thumbs? I was reading an article on iphailure.com that shed some serious light on the iPhone's shortcomings.
All the hype in the consumer market can't deter the business market from seeing that the iphone is nothing more than a consumer electronics toy. Where is the enterprising software!? Not to mention GPS, 3G, and picture messaging! I read a great post on iphailure dot com that brought up a lot of good points.
What did Ryan mean when he started this article by saying:
"We posted it after the break, but finding someone who's spent some serious time with a pre-launch iPhone and getting them to talk is basically a lot like that. " ? Anyone? Is he saying it is tough, and needs to be done in a stealth like atmostphere?
Thanks,
S
This is the phone for the rest of us. Those of us who didn't want to spend an entire week to learn how to use a smart phone or for those of us who think the tiny keys on the smart phone keyboards are a real pain.
It is a phone for those of us who wish we could easily take our laptops around with us for maps/directions (and don't want to spend $400 on a GPS system just yet) or to show someone else a video, play a song, etc.. For those of us who do not want to carry multiple items like a cell phone, an ipod, a camera, etc.
It is for those of us who want the multiuse phone to be easy and fun. And to be able to use all those songs we have bought on itunes. And for whom ATT/Cingular is ok. And Wifi/Edge is ok, too. We'll get to 3g...but used to Wifi with laptops at Starbucks now--so no big expectation for this device.
And for those of us who don't yet have a video ipod, or a camera phone, the price is not as far reaching as you imagine.
The best thing I read on this comment board was this on page 4--and most of you have ignored the possibility that this is spot on:
"lars @ Jun 24th 2007 4:20PM
Would that be the same Walt Mossberg referred to by LoopRumors:
"The Wall Street Journal tech guru, Walt Mossberg, has been living with his iPhone for a week now and the rumor on the street is that he is 'loving' it. Initial reports suggested that he was concerned with the 'virtual keyboard' being difficult to operate. Since that time, however, he is allegedly delighted with the device and loves the iPhone.
Apparently, Mossberg is very pleased with the clarity, sharpness and resolution of
the screen, as well as impressed with the responsiveness to the finger input of
the multi-touch glass. Our source tells us he is going to use an iPhone as his
primary phone from now on.
His full official report of the iPhone is scheduled to be published at launch on
June 29th." "
IMO this was ignored because a lot of people have a stake in seeing this phone fail and are more vocal than the people who want this phone to succeed. Competitive phone manufacturers, competitive carriers, music labels, short stock sellers, the list goes on. The difference is that the consumer will vote on this one. The consumer that is the rest of us. Your mileage may vary.
The "rest of us" wouldn't happen to be filthy rich would they? My biggest bone with apple is that , based on initial reports (back in January) the phone ito parts cost roughly $250 to make..and they're making 100% or more on it. For the features (and lack of) it represents a bit of a con in my book. sure you may not need a supercomputer but I'd like to know I had one for paying the price. They would have had an outright winner making this say $100 more than an 80GB video ipod (i.e. 450 for 8 GB version and that's top, better $400 range) as a phone can cost about $100 unsubsidized...but $600 w/contracts (or ETF of $175) makes it a very dear PMP-come-phone that has obvious limitations in comparison to others in its range.
Mileage may vary but I don't think many ppl will be able to drive at all!
I just have to say -- that is a brilliant photo to go with the story. A reference to one of my favorite Simpsons scenes of all time. Come to think of it, I still have that clip on my Newton.....
what about using something like tengo?