iPiling on the chatter
A disclaimer that I've given before, but will do again: when it comes to computer systems, I go both ways. I have a Mac at home and I love it, but I'm not at all a switcher. Mac has its problems, technically as well as in a business sense. I have a slight preference to my Mac, but I'm as bugged by the ridiculous cultism as other folks.
That said, I'm feeling a little hyperbolic about the first day of sale of the iPhone. This is one of the few times in technology that a product has so clearly been a huge single step forward. From the buying experience to the interface to the logical improvements on already-common PDA features like internet or audio player, it feels like this is the beginning. We know that we'll look back at it in five years and that same device that looks so flashy now will look as ancient as a typewriter, but right now...it feels like a definite moment.
And before you ask: I will not be buying one just yet.
5 comments:
I dunno - I can't get excited about it. The one thing that really gets me that may not bother anyone else is for the price you lack a GPS unit and instantaneous email (I think) like a Blackberry has. That's 2 features that I think are changing these handheld devices and how people look at using them - and the interactive part (which looks really cool on the iphone) is just icing. They tout the Google Maps functionality - but my little Sprint phone has that - what would be really interesting is Google Maps with GPS - which other units like a couple of the HP iPaq's and others (I think there's a Blackberry device out there with the same) already have. I just think Apple has done an excellent job of creating some enormous hype and a moderately interesting device. But hey, I haven't seen one yet, along with the rest of the known universe except Meridith Viera (sp?).
First of all: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DOUG!!
Secondly, there's no question that it's still flawed, which is one of the reasons that I'm not going to buy one just yet.
To me, the iPhone shows exactly why I put Apple alongside Google: those are two of the few companies that realize that the first goal of any software or product is ease of use. Depth of features may be nice, and it may be frustrating when you don't have them, but the absolute most important thing is how easy it is to get and how easy it is to use.
I think that the best comparison for the iPhone is iTunes. Even today, it's still a flawed software, missing some of the nicer features that other audio player programs have. But by simplifying it and putting the focus on ease of use, they ended up making the best music software out there. In technology, never underestimate what people are willing to give up in terms of complexity or options to get ease of use.
And Doug, of course you'd want to make sure your phone has a GPS unit ;-)
Thanks Reid! Wooo! Yeah, true dat! I'd respond further, but I gotta go...
Mass hysteria in the streets, I tells you:
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/2329.html
Man, it's like dogs and cats living together out there!
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