Meredith Vieira stumped by complicated iPhone

The Today Show's Meredith Vieira doesn't seem quite prepared for Steve Jobs' revolutionary device -- sure she'll agree it's slim and shiny, but that whole "answering calls" thing seems to be a bit out of her field of expertise. We couldn't get the video to play on a Mac, but we'll keep an eye out for a YouTube version, let us know if you see anything.

[Arrowmaster @ Jun 29th 2007 12:37PM]

lol, thats a woman for ya!

[Chicksta @ Jun 29th 2007 1:00PM]

Seriously? Maybe it's cos she's white, or some other baseless criteria? Or maybe, just maybe, because she's a flaky idiot, as many, way too many, men and women are.

[anonymouspimp @ Jun 29th 2007 1:08PM]

"Or maybe, just maybe, because she's a flaky idiot..."

Well... what can I say... Steve Jobs knows his target market.

[Jon @ Jun 29th 2007 2:32PM]

What do you expect from a phone that requires you to attend a one to one tutorial by a 'genius' bar dude?

[Rob @ Jun 29th 2007 2:53PM]

She had a problem because the iPhone does not come with BlondStar...yet....

[paloooz @ Jun 29th 2007 12:39PM]

Hell, I can't even get it to play in Windows.

[JAmerican @ Jun 29th 2007 1:35PM]

Update to Flash 9

[tpp @ Jun 29th 2007 12:40PM]

It's ok. Her betamax player has a blinking LCD display, too.

[ccutlip @ Jun 29th 2007 12:41PM]

I lol'd at this while watching it live. It really did look like she kept pushing the "talk" button, but it never worked--maybe Matt Lauer was making her nervous as he kept saying, "You're ruining the bit!" Plus, the woman that was doing the demo with her (who was equally bad with the device, although she managed to take a picture) said that Steve Jobs was counting on her--needless to say, she failed him.

[kaztm @ Jun 29th 2007 2:15PM]

I saw it live, too. It was terrible.
It must be a blow to Apple and disaster for MSNBC.

However, maybe police departments across the country asked MSNBC to give cold shower to the consumers so that crimes and violence will be reduced compared to PS3/Wii launches?

Highly unlikely, of course, but that's how bad it looked.

[JAmerican @ Jun 29th 2007 2:47PM]

What do you think the M$ in M$NBC stands for?

[michael @ Jun 29th 2007 4:06PM]

@JAmerican:

Dude, MSNBC is one of the best news sources there are. It's not cool to hate on good news sources.

[Joe V @ Jun 29th 2007 12:42PM]

That's the problem with making a product idiot-proof: someone will always invent a better idiot.

[Mark @ Jun 29th 2007 12:43PM]

Seriously is this for real why dont you all change your name from engadget to enIPHONE do you really need to report this much on ONE piece of garbage phone.... for real..

[jccalhoun @ Jun 29th 2007 12:56PM]

"ONE piece of garbage phone"
Wow, you've already got one? You must be awesome!
Either that or you're judging something before it even comes out...

[I.M. Yerpappy @ Jun 29th 2007 1:11PM]

Oh yeah! Ass-hat alert for jccalhoun. Wear it proudly.

[Patrick M @ Jun 29th 2007 12:47PM]

As she steps off stage, Bill Gates and Verizon sign the check.

[pito189 @ Jun 29th 2007 1:31PM]

I have read that like 5 times and I am still laughing, good stuff!

[Ellianth @ Jun 29th 2007 2:41PM]

Actually they gave her monopoly money.

[Ben @ Jun 29th 2007 12:47PM]

well, you got to admit... it's not everday when something like this comes out. It's like when you thought graphics couldn't get better than the N64, then the 3DO comes out for $800 and you just have, have, have to get it.

[Jason Martin @ Jun 29th 2007 12:47PM]

@Mark et al.

Quit your whining. Engadget always does this with major consumer electronic releases. Anyone remember the Wii/PS3 releases? It's not the first and it won't be the last. Engadget is simply responding to the excitement in the gadget world about the device, whether that excitement is warranted or not. Just get over it. It will all be over before you know it.

[JJ @ Jun 29th 2007 1:10PM]

I agree. I still don't get why other posters reading this have to post a very critical and offensive post regarding Engadget when all they are doing is just reporting them and covering the story. And, if Engadget gets word of a new product, especially something as big as the iPhone or similar, doesn't that give them the right to report about this product? If you don't want to read it, or Engadget itself, then don't come onto the site and bash them for this. The one reason that iPhone is getting a lot of press coverage on Engadget, as did the PS3/Wii before, is that this product has been hyped up and reported across many news media outlets, especially since this is Apple's first foray into the cellphone business. And, in typical fashion, any news reporting site will provide coverage on it until launch. There is nothing different here as well. If you think there is other electronic, technology, or similar news to be posted, other than iPhone, then tell me which one of them is and will be getting the most news coverage?

[DC @ Jun 29th 2007 12:48PM]

wow- y would u use a mac?

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Jun 29th 2007 1:12PM]

You no sense make.

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Jun 29th 2007 1:12PM]

You no sense make.

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Jun 29th 2007 1:18PM]

Just so everyone knows, I only submitted that last comment once. (bug)

[Jason Martin @ Jun 29th 2007 8:12PM]

1. Ease of use
2. Stability
3. Attractiveness
4. Vertical integration & streamlining

There are plenty of other reasons, but those are my top 4.

[Alan Strangis @ Jun 29th 2007 12:52PM]

Sounds to me like the reports of the touchscreen requiring more pressure than most are true.

[pyro @ Jun 29th 2007 1:13PM]

It looked to me like she just pressed it with her fingernail instead of her finger and it didn't recognise it.

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Jun 29th 2007 2:09PM]

Both of you guys are wrong. Check this out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/83512992@N00/663014504/

[04e46conv @ Jun 29th 2007 12:53PM]

LOL....I saw it live this morning and it was funny because Mat is in London and they where trying to make it look like he was calling her but she started talking while the phone was rinning and mat started to resond while she was trying to pick it up...Very funny live blooper..

[Adthrawn @ Jun 29th 2007 12:54PM]

I'm uploading on YouTube right now. Will post link when done.

[Joseph @ Jun 29th 2007 12:54PM]

Looks like we found the first bug with the iPhone. It can't actually be used as a phone.

[Geoffrey Sperl @ Jun 29th 2007 1:32PM]

Or: It can't be used by journalists.

[Nathaniel @ Jun 29th 2007 12:55PM]

Man, that woman is stupid. There she is, holding the worlds first touchscreen-only phone, and she's still pressing an imaginary button BENEATH the screen! If you look closely, you'll see she isn't pressing the screen at all, she's pushing the glass right beside the menu-button, where there is neither a button, nor a touch-sensitive area. Jesus christ, if you're going to show off a gadget on live TV, at least try it before you go on the air!

[Tom @ Jun 29th 2007 2:02PM]

World's first? No....

[Jon @ Jun 29th 2007 2:39PM]

An example of a delusional Apple fanboy claiming that their favourite corporate entity created the world's first (insert tech).

[Tom @ Jun 29th 2007 3:36PM]

Haha, so true. What's next?
"Apple invented Magsafe!" -No, food industry circa 1996 invented Magsafe. Apple tried filing a patent on a patented product simply so they could say "patent pending" in their advertising.

"Apple invented MP3 players!" -You'd be surprised, but I hear this one too. I don't think I have to go through the reasons why they didn't.

So... can someone please explain to me what Apple DID invent? They didn't even code their own US - it's based off of Linux, which they did make their own, but it's based off of others' work. I'm a little in the dark as to why they're considered a revolutionary company when all they do is pretty up (albeit very well) existing products. Good UI, good design - hardly revolutionary though.

[Nathaniel @ Jun 29th 2007 4:37PM]

I am NOT an apple fanboy, and I didn't even really believe they were the absolute first to invent an all touch-screen phone. I got carried away, and I'm sorry. Yet, no one adressed my main point, you all just focus on one, single mistake in the first sentence. Seriously, get past yourselves. You're commenting in an iPhone-thread, you're just as much fanboys as I am :)

And their "US" is built from BSD, not Linux ;)

[BigMac2 @ Jul 1st 2007 12:33PM]

My Sony P700 was a touch screen only phone, but it was ugly, the interface even worst. And Tom, Apple has create a lot of technology, while no tech compagnie out there can clame to "invent" something by your standard. Of course Xerox has create the first GUI but Apple has done a far more simple and usable interface. This is what Apple is doing best, taking a ugly existing technology, and create something that everyone could enjoy to use it (Apparently this not including those MSNBC girl).

[Trace The Hedgehog @ Jun 29th 2007 11:05PM]

Well, Steve Jobs often said "Good artists copy, great artists steal". ...and I really cant think of anything they invented now that I think about it. =/ They dont invent products, they simply "revolutionize" them.

[Ben Hobbs @ Jun 29th 2007 11:42PM]

BSD in Linux

[Adthrawn @ Jun 29th 2007 12:56PM]

I'm uploading to YouTube now. Will post link when done.

[Bobo @ Jun 29th 2007 1:00PM]

Read... the.. directions..

[Geoffrey Sperl @ Jun 29th 2007 1:36PM]

Have you seen the Apple product packaging in the past five years or so? There really aren't any directions...

However, I have to assume anyone who has touch an iPod and a PDA should be able to figure out how to use an iPhone...

[Adthrawn @ Jun 29th 2007 1:01PM]

Here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SsdkBXWiYQ

[Smallshinyant @ Jun 29th 2007 1:04PM]

cool, im off to kensington gardens that phone worked after it had been raining. good luck with your queing guys/gals i might not be getting one but i do love to ride the hype train...

[justin @ Jun 29th 2007 1:05PM]

Its also worth noting that in the segment right after, they talk about microsofts mobile R&D.

-The audio expert, was working on an apple cinema display.

[Phreak511 @ Jun 29th 2007 1:06PM]

Wow! Another member of The Press demonstrates their stupidy for all the world to see.....


No wonder the press is ranked below road-kill.

[Mike @ Jun 29th 2007 1:07PM]

Case in point why dedicated hardware buttons work and lack thereof is NOT a good design decision.