Review: iPhone
iPHone Gets Off Easy
While I applaud the level of detail in this review, I have to say I am somewhat dissappointed in the fact that the significant shortcomings of this 1st generation device are just glossed over in favor of the slick interface. I read this forum quite frequently but post rarely. However I just had to point out some observations:
Any other device, from any other manufacturer with this appalling lack of features retailing for $500-$600 would ordinarily get creamed in this forum. Some of these missing features are as follows:
1.) No UMTS or HSDPA support, EDGE only.
2.) "Crippled Bluetooth" I believe the only services supported are Handsfree and Headset. No OBEX! Lack of this service in particular seems to always bring accusations of fascist ...
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Any other device, from any other manufacturer with this appalling lack of features retailing for $500-$600 would ordinarily get creamed in this forum. Some of these missing features are as follows:
1.) No UMTS or HSDPA support, EDGE only.
2.) "Crippled Bluetooth" I believe the only services supported are Handsfree and Headset. No OBEX! Lack of this service in particular seems to always bring accusations of fascist ...
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You made alot of great points in your post and this is why I'm waiting for the next version to come out, which I heard will be out in 9 months, but somewhere else I read 7 months.
Now that Apple has jumped into the cell phone industry, I'm sure they will eventually try to crack the smartphone business and I'm waiting to see what they'll come up. Maybe by this time next year or so, other companies will have released similar devices as well (ie. a US version of the LG Prada?). Anyways, good post. I keep getting tempted to buy the iphone, but I'll keep reading your post to remind me to wait. 😉
Now that Apple has jumped into the cell phone industry, I'm sure they will eventually try to crack the smartphone business and I'm waiting to see what they'll come up. Maybe by this time next year or so, other companies will have released similar devices as well (ie. a US version of the LG Prada?). Anyways, good post. I keep getting tempted to buy the iphone, but I'll keep reading your post to remind me to wait. 😉
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I had the iphone all weekend but unfortunatly my company wouldnt let me keep it since AT&T would allow the phone on business accounts. ( I found this out after the fact)
Kudos to Apple, they were very cool about the return and waived the 10% restocking fee.
I agree, its missing some stuff that makes you scratch your head and say how could a company who makes the best computers in the world miss this. It is however, truly an amazing interface. Everything is just so simple, beautiful and easy to use. It is only 2 clicks to dial, not 4 as mentioned.
I am now back using my Motorola Q and despite the fact it has more features, its like trading in a Porche for Kia
Kudos to Apple, they were very cool about the return and waived the 10% restocking fee.
I agree, its missing some stuff that makes you scratch your head and say how could a company who makes the best computers in the world miss this. It is however, truly an amazing interface. Everything is just so simple, beautiful and easy to use. It is only 2 clicks to dial, not 4 as mentioned.
I am now back using my Motorola Q and despite the fact it has more features, its like trading in a Porche for Kia
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... I will post a picture of my Q later when I have a camera, but I have the Iphone interface on my Q. It looks just like the iphone, and all the buttons work. it is not touch screen (obviously) but i really don't like touch screens any way. I also went into the registries and upped the speed of the phone. now it runs really smooth.
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actually next version will be in 2 years..there is however a nano version that apple sent for patent confirmation, it was a nano version it looked like but simply just had the phone feature, the phone was much smaller and i highly doubt it will include anything more than the current version has, probably less actually
but were looking at about 1 year and a half is what all the people at apple corp are saying before a word is released about the new phone
but were looking at about 1 year and a half is what all the people at apple corp are saying before a word is released about the new phone
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We were sure to mention the lack of stereo Bluetooth, since that's the most puzzling to us.
Regardless, we felt that most people already know what it's "missing". We weren't trying to "gloss over" those things, we just wanted to focus on the subjective things that you can only know from hands-on experience. A spec sheet will tell you the features; a review should tell you how well those features work.
Regardless, we felt that most people already know what it's "missing". We weren't trying to "gloss over" those things, we just wanted to focus on the subjective things that you can only know from hands-on experience. A spec sheet will tell you the features; a review should tell you how well those features work.
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Well, I guess we just have different opinions about what a review should look like.
While I understand that subjectivity can add a certain flair to a review, it should remain marginal. Objectivity should be the order of the day here. Why???? Because people who know nothing about this device are looking to your review to provide them with key information they will use to determine whether or not to make a purchase. Your personal likes and dislikes may not be the same as someone elses. This is why elaborating on what the device is, and is not capable of is critical.
I digress though.....
What I was really calling out was the inconsistancy. Normally a device with all these shortcomings would get killed on this forum. However your review see...
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While I understand that subjectivity can add a certain flair to a review, it should remain marginal. Objectivity should be the order of the day here. Why???? Because people who know nothing about this device are looking to your review to provide them with key information they will use to determine whether or not to make a purchase. Your personal likes and dislikes may not be the same as someone elses. This is why elaborating on what the device is, and is not capable of is critical.
I digress though.....
What I was really calling out was the inconsistancy. Normally a device with all these shortcomings would get killed on this forum. However your review see...
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"Subjective" was the wrong word. "Qualitative" would be a better word. People know what it has and lacks. With our review, we wanted to tell people how well the features work that it does have.
I don't think people need to hear a rave or rant about "OMG it does everything" or "it sucks because it's not my perfect phone." We just wanted to find out and relay how well it delivered on what Apple promised, and I think we did that.
At $600, it's for people who expect a lot from their phone, to be sure.
However, a $600 device can be a lot of things. It can be designed for road warriors who do a lot of email on the go and/or need special third-party software, or it can be designed for average folks who need something that doe...
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I don't think people need to hear a rave or rant about "OMG it does everything" or "it sucks because it's not my perfect phone." We just wanted to find out and relay how well it delivered on what Apple promised, and I think we did that.
At $600, it's for people who expect a lot from their phone, to be sure.
However, a $600 device can be a lot of things. It can be designed for road warriors who do a lot of email on the go and/or need special third-party software, or it can be designed for average folks who need something that doe...
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I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I don't believe Apple came close to delivering what they promised. No device can be considered revelutionary at that price with that many basic missing features while gouging the consumer at a 55% margin clip.
Apple delivered a device with a unique, fun to use interface that appears to provide benefits here to fore unseen on previous devices. Good job Apple. Revolutionary no. To me however, at the end of the day it's another interface that will become tired like every other.
I look forward to iPhone 2.0.
Apple delivered a device with a unique, fun to use interface that appears to provide benefits here to fore unseen on previous devices. Good job Apple. Revolutionary no. To me however, at the end of the day it's another interface that will become tired like every other.
I look forward to iPhone 2.0.
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heres a list of phones you could spend around 500-600 dollars for full retail (after extra software and updates) to allow you to watch movies and still not have a touch screen or enough internal memory to have a whole movie!!
Nokia
n80ie $499.99
n75 $399.99
e61 $456.99
CarryDVD For Symbian $29.99
moto
Krzr $399.99 (cant watch movies and only save 100 dollars
att
8525 $599.99 +$24.95 for dvd to pocket
sony ericson
w950 $673.95 and you get a touch screen but no movie capabilities
Nokia
n80ie $499.99
n75 $399.99
e61 $456.99
CarryDVD For Symbian $29.99
moto
Krzr $399.99 (cant watch movies and only save 100 dollars
att
8525 $599.99 +$24.95 for dvd to pocket
sony ericson
w950 $673.95 and you get a touch screen but no movie capabilities
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Is your point that there are other underperforming over priced devices on the market? I agree, I never said the iPhone was the only one...just the only one that seems to get a free pass in so many reviews.
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"Free pass" aside, is it possible that everyone giving the iPhone a good review happens to think it's a good phone? And it can't be that terrible of a phone to use if so many greatly enjoy their experience with it. Granted, Apple is making a killing. And yes, it probably is overpriced. But as I have stated in other posts, Apple's intentions were not to give us a phone like every other phone out there. The whole idea was to change how we think of the phone. Could it use more? Possibly. But how many things are done correctly the first time around? I, for one, am in no way dropping $600 for one, but I applaud Apple for their innovation and look forward to more.
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Interesting comments babydoc. However, I think you are way off-base on the assessment of the Iphone review.
I feel the review was one of the most thorough, objective, and qualitative reviews I've seen on the Iphone. As a result of reading it, I feel like I've almost held it and KNOW what I'll get if I purchase one. Isn't that the point of a review?
Up to this point, (and most prior to the release of the Iphone) there were forum comments, Apple bashing and "uninformed reviews" that the Iphone had this set of features or was lacking that set of features. In the context of a consumer wanting to purchase a device, clearly the most important output from a review is to objectively understand what features the device HAS and how well they...
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I feel the review was one of the most thorough, objective, and qualitative reviews I've seen on the Iphone. As a result of reading it, I feel like I've almost held it and KNOW what I'll get if I purchase one. Isn't that the point of a review?
Up to this point, (and most prior to the release of the Iphone) there were forum comments, Apple bashing and "uninformed reviews" that the Iphone had this set of features or was lacking that set of features. In the context of a consumer wanting to purchase a device, clearly the most important output from a review is to objectively understand what features the device HAS and how well they...
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I found babydoc's comments very insightful and beautifully articulated. I wonder if babydoc had a chance to actually hold and play around with an iphone before bashing the way the folks at phonescoop reviewed it? I agree with the main point babydoc tabled, that being a 600 dollar device lacking some basic features would or should get punished a bit more than allowed. I believe the iphone revolutionizes the handset market. Much like the ipod, the iphone will continue to be improved and like the ipod will eventually take a very large portion of the handset market all together. But much like the ipod it will take years and many improvements to get there. I believe iphone 1.0 is a brilliant leap for all of us that are accustomed to clunky,...
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This forum is closed.
