iPhone facts from the first reviews
By Ryan Block 
posted June 26th 2007 8:19PM
posted June 26th 2007 8:19PM
Well, the first reviews are in. But you may have missed some of the more interesting factoids unearthed by the trio of gadget reporters deigned worthy by El Jobso to get a pre-launch iPhone. Here's a few fresh n' interesting iPhone facts right off the presses:- The mobile version of OS X or whatever it is the iPhone runs takes up
700MB of the device's capacity. Damn son! Update: we think Pogue got this wrong, we don't really know exactly how much space mobile OS X uses, but it's nowhere near 700MB. - There's no way to cut, copy, or paste text! WHOA! Big, big mistake.
- No A2DP support. That, friends, is such a huge bummer right there.
- Sorry, music can't be used as a ringtone -- even if it's just a raw MP3. No additional ringtones will be sold at launch.
- On a PC the iPhone syncs with Outlook for calendars AND addresses! Noice.
- It supports Exchange in some capacity, according to Walt, but he doesn't exactly say how.
- Pogue again confirms document file reading -- but not editing -- for PDF, Word, and Excel (only).
- Adobe Flash support is officially out. It's just not in the browser. Neither is there any other kind of embedded video support. Sorry everybody, that's that.
- It will take snaps, but won't record video. How can Apple love YouTube as much as it does and not realize cellphone-shot movies make up a sizeable chunk of the crazy crap you find on there?
- Oh, and no MMS. And sorry, no voice dialing, either.
- Contact groups can't be emailed as contact lists.
- Apple sez between 300-400 charges the iPhone will lose battery capacity -- you'll send it in and get the cell replaced for a fee. Meh. We knew this would be the case, but still, meh.
- Apple can (and supposedly will) be rolling out periodic updates -- no surprise there.
- Battery life is, somehow, almost as mind-blowingly good as Apple claims for calls, music, and movies.
- As we suspected, users are prompted with lists of WiFi networks if you're not nearby a trusted hotspot. We've seen this on other phones, and we're afraid this would get friggin annoying.
- It's said to be very scratch resistant. The facade both front and rear apparently just doesn't pick up marring like regular iPods do.
- Voice quality is said to be good -- not great.
The race is on between Blackberry and iphone. I'll let the dust settle ...... before I choose. http://www.go-offgrid.com
The race is on between RIM and Apple. I'll let the dust settle before I choose..... http://www.go-offgrid.com
I will be waiting for the second gen. I learned my lesson when I purchased the first ipod that was released;)
Im sure much of the complaints about the phone will be covered by then.
In our country where 3g costs 40cents (USD) per hour, buying this phone is just an absolute mistake.
hate to say i told you so but- hahaahhahah frigging told you so- just another nail in Apple's coffin. "revolutionary..." if i had a dimebag for every monkey who claimed something was going to change the world- i'd be high as kite.
going to be cashing in those Apple option shorts, sooner than i expected. lolling all the way to the rolfcopter at Jobs and every jackmonkey in line today to buy that horrible piece of junk.
wonder how many folk will return them in the 30 day grace period.
I just don't get it. I like Apple products-they're elegant and aesthetic. I'm not some nerd that just wants a gazillion functions I'll never use.
However, Apple omitted some things that are hard to swallow.
No mp3 ringtones? My Motorola V3x does that. In fact that REALLY sucks as I love listening to individualized ringtones.
No video? Wtf? See above. (Quality sucks on mine but its nice to know you've got it).
Disposable battery? Now that's just stupid. I like to travel so what happens if the battery gives out??
Locked phone. Not sure how to deal with this if you're in another country. That's why mine is unlocked-just switch out the sim card and you've got it made.
Minor thing. 2MP camera. Not a big problem (as they didn't hype it up and my Motorola's is equivalent) but for this $600 price couldn't they have at least added autofocus? The picture's of that level tend to sucks as imho.
N95 seems superior in what matters to me except for the "coolness" factor (which the IPhone has in spades).
As a Mac user I always copy/paste with Command-C, paste Command-V.
I certainly hope Steve of all people didn't forget to put the Command button on his OS X device.
Thats a huge pity if he did... everything else is silly.
AT&T has the most customers in the world, why wouldn't Apple start there, even with AT&T's drawbacks. I wouldn't be shocked if they had some of those 'Our network can't handle that' conversations.
If I want to use an iPhone to listen to my music, who cares if it plays my music to ring?
My home phone has never played music I've never even considered it. I do have a cell phone that barks though.. advantage? NO...
The iPhone is pushing other phone companies & Microsoft to step-up, thanks STEVE.
According to Wayne Westerman's PhD thesis "Hand Tracking, Finger
Identification and Chordic Manipulation on a Multi-Touch Surface" (on which the iPhone's multitouch tech is based), copy & paste was planned to work as follows (page 13, section 1.2.2.5):
"Even after all this, some room remains in the chord space for common menu commands. Setting the thumb and forefinger down apart and then pinching them together intuitively invokes cut. Copy becomes a simple, simultaneous tap of the thumb and a fingertip. Setting thumb and forefinger down together and flicking them apart invokes paste. A clockwise rotation as if turning a screw saves the current file, and a counter-clockwise rotation pops up the open file dialog. Additional menu commands could be invoked on future systems with handwriting gestures."
I've head that some "deletes" on the iPhone are accomplished by
sliding your finger across the length of the item (as if you were
going to cross something out) which brings up a "delete" icon. Has anyone tried the copy and paste finger chords on the iPhone? It'd be strange that, after having spent all that money purchasing Fingerwork's chordic/multitouch patents, Apple decided to leave out something as useful as "copy & paste".
Cheers,
Chuan
I waited an hour at the AT&T Store in Virginia Beach and the guy in front of me bought THE LAST iPHONE! But they let me in to peruse the demo model. And even on AT&T's Wi-Fi... WEB SURFING WAS PAINFULLY SLOW. Over EDGE, one might expect an even slower surfing experience. Once theimage loaded, however, it was crisp and clear.
Video was crisp and clear and the user interface was as cool as was expected.
The glass screen did seem impervious to scratches, but not to fingerprints... I had to tilt the screen at a slight angle to make them disappear in the reflection of the room light.
The reality is that the iPhone has set a new standard in todays cell phone market. Like it or Not. The only issue with the iPhone is that it is using AT&T. There are many phones that do use the 3G network, but their internet is dumbed down completely, because the phones don't have a good enough processor to view the internet in its entirety, That like driving 10mph on the Autobahn. How serious is it to MMS your friends or have a mp3 ringtone. Really. You can email your friends if you need to contanct them, besides apple will include it in the next version. Marketing baby!!!
forget the iphone i have a phone that has not yet cames to the us and it's hotter then the iphone
the new motorola A1200 this phone has music vido photo email browser and touch screen
and it smaller then the i phone look it up when this comes to the US you all will foreget about the iphone
I'm disappointed, It may be just a small glitch but, if you get an iPhone don't have USB 2.0 and on a Mac at least 10.4 you got a beautiful fishing weight. There is no other way to activate it that I know of. My G4 is not easily upgradeable to USB2.0 and all my pics and ITunes are on that old computer....
My Helio Ocean does everything the iPhone does, plus MP3 ringtones, video, MMS, full internet(no flash though) and I got it for only $200 from Fina Wireless.
ok im no apple fan but i got to admit, this phone is swish, it shiny in all the right ways with all the right kind of flashing lights and what not
but man it has some real irks, i wont even bother ragging about how slow the Internet connection other then flash back to 56k dial up days whoop, youtube streaming was a painful exercise in patience to say the least
yeah hate the touch keypad like no tomorrow, i got small digits and i still hate it, when using my thumbs it always seem to hit the key to the right of the intended one, sure i could probably compensate but it been nicer if they allowed me to shift the one screen keyboard so to the left so i wouldn't have to
the turn the iPhone on it's side was nice but there weren't that many stuff that used this feature
but my biggest gripe, the thing that really makes me wonder who apple are trying to target with this phone, it's the woeful lack of application, this is a smartphone right? so whats so smart about it? and watching the loading bar on the mini safari is not what i call entertaining (flash support might well have been omitted just cause load times may well have you growing grey in your boots), a smartphone needs at least 2 dozen apps useless or otherwise and if not half a dozen games, all the iphone had was youtube, mini safari and erm, the ipod stuff
this is not a smartphone, this is a ipod with a cellphone attached
As long as it's Cingular-exclusive, I'll stay iPhone free, thanks.
Am I the only one with a problem with the lack of a spam filter on the email? It makes the mail app almost worthless.
Short and simple: The IPhone is a glorified iPod, that allows you to make some communication. The fact is that they are putting another device out there that may not necessarily stand out all that much from the rest (if you bother to do your homework). Lets see if they get as lucky as they did with the iPod (when it was released it was not the best MP3 player out there, but they got lucky and it took off, thanks to marketing)
You can put lipstick,eye-liner and a wig on a pig but its still going to be a pig under it all.
The Iphone has a lot of nice features and it has a cool design, but as for now I think it has some flaws that are pretty serius for a phone.
Heck Sony took a bashing for the 600$ PS3, but its ok When Apple charges 600$ for a phone :P
not able to use mp3's as ringtones, I think is the biggest blow! PocketPC's welcome the revolution of obsoleting mobile ringtone companies like itunes and others.
The only service out their that is the most original ringtone content in my view is www.voxtoneonline.com. Its called the VoxTone Ringtone and I was actually looking forward to using this for my iPhone. I herd there is a way to use mp3 files as ringtones with the ipHone, does anyone know out there??? I'm dying to use this new ringtone with my iphone...
Some of you just don't get it. It's not what an apple does, it's how it does it. apple computers don't do anything incredible just like the iphone, but it's the simplicity and revolutionary way that it gets things done. For those that have nothing but negatives. don't buy it. Or is the real reason you are justifying not buying it because you can't afford it anyways haha. LOL.
The truth is, Apple did not overmarket the iphone so the iphone is not all Apple hype, If you remember TV commercials did not hit until the last week or two before it's arrival. Most of the hype was by techy publications, Why? because Apple has never made a phone. Simple ! And just like Apples computers do not do anything differant than other computers, actually it kind of sucks that there are so many applications that can't be used on a MAC unless it's an intel based one, Its just the fact that MACs do it better and easier. Just like the iphone. So to all you iphone haters, get a grip and don't get the iphone. to those of us, who like to be modern and contemporary, we will enjoy our iphones, ipods,imacs, G5 and powerbook G4s. No it is not Perfect, but no cell phone is. Is it the hottest phone on the market. Yes! obviously since everyone is talking about it. Since when have any of you seen a line to buy a cell phone. hmmmmmm. Stop being egotistical and thinking you know all the answers. Step outside the box, the world obviously knows something you don't.
I've never seen so many people cry over a phone they don't want. If it's no big deal? hmmmmmm why are you wasting your time talking about it?
I could affoard it, and actually go myself two for that matter, one for my wife. But, didn't expect the basic element of not able to set my own mp3's as ringtones?? that was like, crazy...overall the iphone is great, but they do have a major flaw with that ringtone thing and their email _activiations
im looking for information on the iphone or any other thing like it ,, has anyone know of an ( unbiased web site)
Do you people think that maybe Apple wanted this hype about the iPhone. Be it bad or not, you are still promoting their product by talking about it on a regular basis, you can't hardly go to a website without seeing something about the iPhone. One more thing, for all you haters if you don't like it then keep it to yourself. I mean seriously, is it going to kill you or affect you in any way if Apple sells a few iPhones, you all act like you're Steve Ballmer (that's Microsoft's CEO for all those who don't know).
Hey There is a way to put my VoxTone Ringtone onto my iPhone. Just convert the mp3 or wav into ACC format, and input it into the ringtones dir, you'll be all set to go..works fine..
can someone help me out, I'm trying to install the VoxTone into my iPhone and it's not taking it. I have mp3 and wav file format of the VoxTOne. if you need more info, visit www.voxtoneonline.com to know what I am talking about..
Any help would be apreaciated.
Thanks,
The following are all, for the most part, realtively minor issues that Apple should never the less consider remedying prior to the release of the inevitable 16gb iPhone sometime next year.
1. Downloadable Content - iPhone users will not have the ability to access and download music, video, games, and other files directly from the iTunes store. Given the iPhone's considerable internet capabilities, incorporating such a feature seems like an obvious next step. An even bigger step forward would be making available for free on iTunes store, current television shows with advertisements spliced in, the very same advertisements that accompany their television counterparts. All this would require is a proprietary iPhone media player that allows users to do everything short of fast forwarding past commercials. The iPhone itself could keep track of the videos viewed and television stations would be generating the same amount of revenue by making their shows available for free download on iTunes store that they generate from broadcasting and airing those very same shows on television.
In response to the popularity of digital recording devices and piracy issues, ABC has begun to make popular programs available for viewing online on their website within a day of the programs first airing. Networks should jump at the chance to reach an even broader audience with their programming and generate higher ad revenues in the process, even when people are away from their homes. iPhone users would certainly appreciate the ability to directly download and watch any of the hundreds of television shows they may have missed the past week, or just rewatch a favorite, completely free of charge. The difference is, the users can go online and choose from literally hundreds of television shows and play them whenever you feel like it. The bandwidth and server costs could easily be more than offset by the additional ad revenue generated by people watching television even when they are outside of their homes, leaving Apple with a tidy profit afterwards.
2. Wireless Syncing - As reported by Time, although the iPhone has both Bluetooth and WiFi, users can't sync it wirelessly with a computer. It is currently unknown if the device will even allow music playback through a boothtooth headset. The ability to sync a phone through a Bluetooth connection is a standard feature nowadays and not including a feature as basic as that just doesn't make much sense. In fact, Apple should go one step further. The iPhone should be able to transfer data directly to any wireless network compatible printer, allow users to print photos and documents directly off of their phones without ever having to transfer the document over to a computer first.
Along the same lines, techophiles would certainly appreciate the ability to network their iPhones with their Tivos, Macs, and PCs allowing them to download and wirelessly transfer videos, music and photos back and forth from any location where they have access to a WiFi network. That would certainly make up for only having 4gb-8gb of flash memory on board. Imagine being on an extended vacation but still being able to transfer over new music and videos off of your Tivo or Mac 200 miles away. Many WiFi enabled devices nowadays are offering such features, including competitors such as the Archos and the Sony PSP, why not the iPhone? And on the same note, enabling a disk mode as found on standard iPods would be a great feature.
3. Cross Compatibility - The iPhone will not be compatible with programs offered on the OSX or with office applications such as Word, Excel or Outlook. While it does support pdf's, offering compatibility with Google Docs & Spreadsheets and even Powerpoint presentations so that users can open and read relevant attachments to corporate emails would be a great use of the large real estate this phone offers.
While on the issue of compatibility, the following would all be steps in the right direction: allowing the iPhone to be compatible with E-Books, AIM Mobile, ipod FM radio, online radio stations and video sites such as youtube, and Java which will not be supported upon release, removing any hope of users being able to access and play Java Games Online. It would be a shame not to allow people to use a device with so much real estate to peruse Ebooks. But perhaps the most important step would be making the iPhone compatible with the DivX and Xvid formats. These formats have become extremely popular and still allow for much better compression of video than any currently available standards. The Creative Zen Vision: M Player supports playback of these formats out of the box, it would be nice if the iPhone did as well.
4. Gaming on the Go - The advanced touch screen is just begging to have solid games built around it. Yes, rereleasing classics like Pacman and Tetris are an easy way for Apple to make a quick buck, but a few fresh titles that are built around the touch screen would be major hits if made well. The DS has been a steller success due in part to its touch screen. Current iPods have games built for them, games that are even purchasable over the iTunes store, so Apple releasing games for the iPhone is pretty much a given. The issue is in regards to the quality of the games, given the powerful processor found within the iPhone, Apple has the opportunity to go one step further, to support newer handheld gaming features such as online multiplayer sessions, with players matched up based on their playskill, as well as support downloadable demos and other downloadable content.
5. Recording & Networking - There are currently no plans for the upcoming iPhones to have any video recording capabilities. Some recent portables feature some very functional video recording capabilities. Should the next generation iPhone utilize this technology, users would be able to use their phones to make video phone calls and even partake in video iChat with fellow iPhone users. Podcasting, videoblogs, social networks, these all show the desire of people to interact with each other through their technology. Allowing fellow iPhone users to find and chat with each other and network together seems like the next logical step from podcasting. On a similar note, the iPhone will also have no voice recording or voice recognition capabilities. Incorporating such features would allow users to record voice memos, record lectures in class, tape meetings and such.
6. Voice Recognition - A keyboard on a portable device will never be absolutely perfect no matter how well designed. The current units being distributed for demonstration and review do not even feature any speed dial functionality, and the touchscreen keyboard itself does not recognize key presses as quicky as normal keboards and does not support landscape orientation. If Apple really is out to make the perfect handheld, why not enable voice recognition technology as an alternate text input method and to allow for voice dialing. Service calls, navigation sytems, even videogames already make use of voice recognition technology to great effect. Many physicians offices allow doctors to dictate their medical reports and use a computer to transcribe that dictation into text. Even most high end cell phones allow users to voice dial their friends, a feature that won't be available in the iPhone, this would just be the next logical step. You dictate, and the device types up the email, it can even translate the text to a different language before sending it.
To have perfect voice recognition, you could even have the user be required to first say aloud every common syllable in the English language so that the voice recognition syncs up with their unique voice accurately. Then, the voice recognition could be incorporated into controlling every aspect of the phone. You say "document" and it opens up a new document in Google Docs. You dictate and the phone types it up for you without ever having to touch a keyboard. You say "grammar check" and it checks for, displays and fixes any grammatical errors. You say "save" and it saves, you then say the name you want to save it under. You say "browser" and it opens up the Safari browser. You say I-P-H-O-N-E-Dot-C-O-M (or Bookmark Three) and it launches the official iPhone website. You can even use it in conjunction with Google Maps or a gps/navigation utility. You state where you would like to go, such as "Current Location: Intersection of 3rd and Main, Newfoundland, Virginia, Destination: Nearest gas station" and it gives you directions to that destination step by step.
Speaking of GPS functionality, if an actual GPS receiver was incorporated into the next generation of this phone, you wouldn't even need to state your current location. The iPhone would be able to give you directions on the go by constantly monitoring your current location, like a car's portable navigation system would. Unique but useful features like this would easily justify an even higher price tag. Portable Navigation Systems themselves run around $700. All the iPhone would need in order to serve the same function is a $50 internal GPS receiver.
7. Open Source - Perhaps the most important, but also the most unlikely step for Apple to take would be to release the development tools to the public and allow for homebrew software development for the iPhone under a freeware license. If Apple feels especially generous, it can even help freely distribute the best and most popular of these homebrew software through the iTunes store once the code is checked for any security and copyright issues. Independent programmers working on their own can come up with some of the most novel and innovative software solutions to common needs, software that Apple hasn't even thought of. Perhaps an Architect with some programming experience will develop a program for fellow architects to look over design plans of builds; perhaps an intelligent algebra student would make a program that enables him to input and utilize algebraic notation and solve algebraic equations.
8. Speed is King - Cingular, the iPhone's network provider, already offers a speedier 3G, or third-generation, wireless service--speeds of 400Kbps to 700Kbps with bursts over 1 megabit per second--in dozens of metropolitan areas. But the iPhone is not compatible with this service and data transfers are instead restricted to real world speeds of 120kps to 220kbs download and about 108 upload, which will likely prove too slow for video downloading. This is an issue that absolutely must be addressed by the next generation iPhone.
9. Battery Woes - While the iPhone's battery offers for a healthy five hours of talk time, it is unfortunately not user accessible. Users will be expected to send the phone in to Apple for battery replacement, just as with the iPods. If Apple were to see fit to make the iPhone's battery easily accessible and replaceable, it would allow customers to purchase extra batteries for instances when recharging the battery isn't an option, such as long camping expeditions. It would also leave the door open for a larger battery to be released in the future. And most importantly, having to send your iPhone to Apple each year just to get your battery replaced is not a pleasent prospect, especially considering that you will have to make due without a phone during that period.
10. Not Quite Picture Perfect - Sony Ericsson has had a 3.2 Megapixel camera phone with flash out for months now. There is no reason why Apple couldn't have opted to include a 3.2 Megapixel camera (a resolution that would make carrying a separate digital camera around with you wholly unnecessary) over the current meager 2.0 Megapixel camera. Nothing was mentioned on whether the iPhone camera incorporates flash, or a digital zoom or any such features. A good quality flash is very important if the iPhone truly is meant to supplant all other portables. And being able to sell off your current 3.2 Megapixel digital camera would go a long way in justifying the iPhone's price point as well.
Purchased my MacBook Pro at the educator's discount. Just called and was told no discount was available on the IPHONE, 'only bulk purchases for education'. I said 'OK', he said 'how many?' I said 'One'. He said:'no sale.' Cheap.
im from kansas, whats an iphone??
gawwwwwwd
no one mentioned size of that god damn apple thing??
y didnt apple simply made 32 inch wide flat screen tv iphone if they cant simply make phone of comfortable size