Zune, we hardly knew yee (Apple Announces iPhone)

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » January 9, 2007, 6:49 pm

http://www.apple.com/iphone

If i was in the Zune product division at MS, at least you know you have 6 months to work on your resume....

Really 2 features ONLY this lacks:

1. MS Exchange email compatability (a la blackberry)
2. Edit and open productivity documents (.doc, .pdf, .xls, etc...) though maybe just not mentioned

The Cover View application is ....sweet....

Selective voicemail browsing via touchscreen....

Apple up $7 on the announcement (8%)

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » January 9, 2007, 6:59 pm

They are two different products, first of all.

Second, 600 or 700 dollars or whatever it is for a mp3 phone with only 7 mb of space is a terrible, terrible joke. I would pay that if it had 60 gigs of storage, but its a waste when you can just buy a regular cell phone with mp3 capabillity and put a huge sd chip in it for 1/4 the price of one of these.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 9, 2007, 7:00 pm

I'm liking that 599.00 price tag for the 8mb version. It's also exclusive to AT&T.

That 599 is with a 2 year service contract. So, pull out your wallets and pick up AT&T Cingular as your cell provider.

edit: oops. $700 for the 8mb version. You could buy an iPhone or a PS3!*

*$1,400 combo before accessories

Syenye · Post by **Syenye** » January 9, 2007, 7:11 pm

Voronwë wrote:Really 2 features ONLY this lacks:

1. MS Exchange email compatability (a la blackberry)
2. Edit and open productivity documents (.doc, .pdf, .xls, etc...) though maybe just not mentioned

and RIM down more than $12! the iphone is a really sweet idea, but i don't understand why it doesn't have 3G.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » January 9, 2007, 7:16 pm

It does have MS Exchange capability....i take that back...

ALso it isnt 4MB dorks, it is 4GB....yeah an iPod that plays 1 song....

It is $500 for the 4gig version, $600 for the 8gig

it is certainly a pricey toy, but blackberries are like $300 for the lame basic ones.

3G is coming, just not at launch.

Nice thing about it is it is all software too. In that the input device (touchscreen) is totally software driven, so as things change, and new apps come, you are shackled by what keys RIM, Nokia, Moto, whoever put on your device.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » January 9, 2007, 8:26 pm

It's a sweet looking unit to be sure. A rich kid's toy at best. No way I'll pay that much for a phone/pda. That price btw is WITH a 2 year plan from your provider.

Just don't forget to tack on unlimited data service to your monthly fee for your cell provider if you don't want to get raked over the coals for data service each month.

This competes much more with Windows Mobile/Palm devices than the Zune.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 9, 2007, 9:15 pm

The thing looks pretty big in this comparison image:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/freshyill/ ... 469945106/

linked, don't think can image directly

noel · Post by **noel** » January 9, 2007, 9:20 pm

I can't believe you guys thought it was MB instead of GB. I'm dumbfounded you'd even consider that without looking it up.

Funk, I'm not sure if you realize this, but they're not really two different products. Cell phone integration is coming soon to MP3s everywhere, Apple's just the first to do it in such a grand fashion. Phone + Camera + Music Player + PDA is what they'll all be soon. Why? Because none of those functions by themselves is compelling enough to warrant long-term use, but all of them together is the shit.

I agree with you Voro. If that thing does Exchange integration, runs some mini version of Office and has a way to protect that screen, look out RIM and MS.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 9, 2007, 9:29 pm

noel wrote:I can't believe you guys thought it was MB instead of GB. I'm dumbfounded you'd even consider that without looking it up.

It was just a typo resultant of my blind hatred of Apple!

I'm not a fan of touch screens. Fingerprints., etc.

I'm following another technology that's better. Putting my money where my mouth is in investment terms as well.

Waran · Post by **Waran** » January 9, 2007, 10:02 pm

Very surprised they are not including the 3G tech in the iPhone. It's using the older EDGE service instead.

Cingular only till 2009 as well, so if you don't want to go to Cingular you're pretty much SOL.

The clickable voicemail thing is pretty sweet too and I h8 fingerprinted displays!

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 9, 2007, 10:10 pm

The non 3G thing seems to be a fundamental fuckup. However, if Cingular will keep the same set price/mo for unlimited browsing, I may go for it, at least when they DO offer 3G.

I wonder if they are using good materials for this though--fucking iPod finishes scratch if you breathe on them...

As far as Exchange integration...not sure if I want to have my office emails coming to my personal phone. Was away for a week on vacation and had almost 3000 emails to dig through...fuck that!

Marbus · Post by **Marbus** » January 9, 2007, 10:26 pm

Man RIM is going to have to do some work to beat that but in regards to email, basic web, phone etc... I'm still in love with my 8700c from Cingular, it's got EDGE3, secure email, calendar etc... I can't wait until they have a version of the perl with a real keyboard. I love my crackberry!

Marb

noel · Post by **noel** » January 9, 2007, 10:27 pm

Canelek wrote:As far as Exchange integration...not sure if I want to have my office emails coming to my personal phone. Was away for a week on vacation and had almost 3000 emails to dig through...fuck that!

Yes, but would you want your office to pay for your personal phone? With an unlimited data plan?

That's what I'm currently dealing with. I have a Crackberry 8700c which I like a lot, but I might buy a Pearl out of pocket because it's smaller, has all the functionality of my existing phone and 'the office' will have no idea I changed.

Edit: Marb, I have Edge as well and I think it sucks ass. I saw my brother in law streaming music off the web on his Samsung WinCE phone using Sprint's network. I doubt I'd ever get that kind of speed on Edge.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » January 9, 2007, 10:30 pm

noel wrote:I can't believe you guys thought it was MB instead of GB. I'm dumbfounded you'd even consider that without looking it up.

Funk, I'm not sure if you realize this, but they're not really two different products. Cell phone integration is coming soon to MP3s everywhere, Apple's just the first to do it in such a grand fashion. Phone + Camera + Music Player + PDA is what they'll all be soon. Why? Because none of those functions by themselves is compelling enough to warrant long-term use, but all of them together is the shit.

I agree with you Voro. If that thing does Exchange integration, runs some mini version of Office and has a way to protect that screen, look out RIM and MS.

I wouldn't discount RIM yet. They know their stuff and know it pretty well. Apple may corner the consumer market but I really REALLY doubt that the corporate world is going to start getting iPhones for their staff.

Personally, I'd buy a PS3 before I bought one of these at that price.

I do agree that the thing looks really slick

Niffoni · Post by **Niffoni** » January 10, 2007, 12:14 am

If i had that money to burn, I'd go with a PS3. At least that'll be something I'd actually get use out of down the road.

iPod's are great and all, but if I want it to be a swiss army knife, I'll duct tape it to a fucking laptop.

noel · Post by **noel** » January 10, 2007, 10:22 am

Personally, I wouldn't think of it as an iPod with extra stuff. This is just my opinion, but I'd think of it as a portable iMac with lots of additional functionality.

I know I'm extremely fortunate to know what it's like to have a PDA/Phone with an unlimited data plan, but it literally changes the way you do business. The drawback of course is that I'm always available, but the positive is that if I need to take my wife to the doctor to have Lasik surgery (tomorrow) I can still be productive while I'm waiting, I can still get important emails and respond to them when it isn't practical to be carrying around a laptop, and I can still surf the web at any time, use google talk, maps, gmail, all from something that fits in my pocket.

If Apple wants to add a lot of nice functionality to a device of that form factor, I think it's really exciting because it eliminates my need to carry additional devices that I'd normally be carrying-- iPod, camera, better-than-PDA-functionality and it still fits in my right pocket.

Other than the cost (is there any other product like it?), lack of 3G and being married to Cingular for two years, I think my only real concern with that device is the battery life.

Drolgin Steingrinder · January 10, 2007, 10:50 am

I want one, because I think it's cool.

This means that it'll be shitty, useless, prone to breakdowns and way way too expensive. My taste in things like this is infallible.

FFS, I was going to buy a Sega Jaguar, that should be enough proof for you.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » January 10, 2007, 11:12 am

I have been having problems with the quicktime videos of the phone on the official site...how is the full keyboard set up? Is it on the touchscreen as well?

noel · Post by **noel** » January 10, 2007, 11:32 am

Boogahz wrote:I have been having problems with the quicktime videos of the phone on the official site...how is the full keyboard set up? Is it on the touchscreen as well?

Images from the full presentation here

Syenye · Post by **Syenye** » January 10, 2007, 12:45 pm

the yahoo free push mail is nice. i want to see the phone in action though for myself... has anyone seen if it will run Terminal? if so, that's super sexy.

no 3G kills it for me. i'm way too addicted to my blackjack for that. i'd like to see how it communicates my powerbooks. if i can use it's network for connectivity that would be sweet.

a 2MP camera is nice too. i think, at the very least, this will make some of the other companies improve their smartphones.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » January 10, 2007, 12:53 pm

Phone + Camera + Music Player + PDA is what they'll all be soon. Why? Because none of those functions by themselves is compelling enough to warrant long-term use, but all of them together is the shit

Pfft. The day I can't make an important phone call cos I've spunked my battery listening to too much music is the day I bin this kind of toy. And I've never had a PDA and don't feel the need, and a camera is not a day-to-day use item for me.
I guess I must be some kind of weird dinosaur because I view the telephone as an utterly vital piece of equipment and the rest of that crap is just luxury gizmos I can live without. I'd have a phone with no camera if anyone still made them. And I always tell them to piss off when they try to sell me 3G video streaming game playing mp3 wangling shite. Tsk! Kids today! Neeeeh!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 10, 2007, 1:07 pm

The only product I like from Apple is the Nano and that's because of the unfortunate situation involving podcasts and iTunes. The rest of their stuff doesn't interest me at all. Apple needs to release a 16GB Nano.

Non Apple specific - flash ram based MP3 players and other devices rock. I'd like to see a 32GB flash Zen (video player) from Creative by the end of the year.

I've never used a PDA and don't plan to anytime soon. I'm not knocking them, I just don't feel the need for one personally. That may change when Microvision gets one of their PicoP miniturized laser projectors integrated into a phone or PDA within a year.

http://www.microvision.com/

That's the company I keep accumulating stock from. (since 1998!) They finally have the mini green laser that's been holding up the works for a decade.

noel · Post by **noel** » January 10, 2007, 1:11 pm

Syenye wrote:i'm way too addicted to my blackjack for that.

Tangent: How's the Blackjack's Battery life? I've heard nothing but bad things, but I really like the phone.

Thanks!

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » January 10, 2007, 1:17 pm

noel wrote:
Boogahz wrote:I have been having problems with the quicktime videos of the phone on the official site...how is the full keyboard set up? Is it on the touchscreen as well?

Images from the full presentation here

heh, guess I will have to try to view this from home over lunch. It's all X's for me from work.

noel · Post by **noel** » January 10, 2007, 1:21 pm

vn_Tanc wrote:Pfft. The day I can't make an important phone call cos I've spunked my battery listening to too much music is the day I bin this kind of toy. And I've never had a PDA and don't feel the need, and a camera is not a day-to-day use item for me.
I guess I must be some kind of weird dinosaur because I view the telephone as an utterly vital piece of equipment and the rest of that crap is just luxury gizmos I can live without. I'd have a phone with no camera if anyone still made them. And I always tell them to piss off when they try to sell me 3G video streaming game playing mp3 wangling shite. Tsk! Kids today! Neeeeh!

I agree with everything you said.

I'm not saying that this specific device is the electric jesus we've all been waiting for. I'm saying that it's neat, the size is fantastic for all it does and it's [by appearances] the first time a manufacturer has integrated all of that functionality into a single device without sacrificing the quality of one of the functionalities. It's a step big step forward imho. Battery life is obviously the biggest concern with this full-color-full-screen-touch-screen-monster, but the batteries will continue to get better.

I'd also add that those of you claiming you don't use a PDA actually do. You undoubtedly manage your contacts in your cell phone. That's part of what a PDA does, and that's the main PDA functionality most people care about. Improvements and ultimately integration with cell phones is the main reason why the PDA has pretty much gone away. Gone are the days of carrying around a cell phone and Palm/Pocket PC they're the same thing now.

A camera isn't a daily use device for me, but there've certainly been times where I'd have liked to have had a decent camera with me and didn't. Having it all on one platform is nice.

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » January 10, 2007, 2:27 pm

That screen is gonna break... often. I have a camera... a much better one that was cheaper, I have a Zen, much more storage and way cheaper, I have a phone and PDA, perhaps not much better (I cannot stand that keyboard look but until I touch it I will not be too harsh in my judgement) but certainly much cheaper. All togather they ran me about the same as the 8gb version (and my phone accessories were free, I doubt these are gonna be cheap), except that I don't want or need a camera and I do want and need more music space and that keyboard looks horrible (again, early perception)

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » January 10, 2007, 3:09 pm

noel wrote:I can't believe you guys thought it was MB instead of GB. I'm dumbfounded you'd even consider that without looking it up.

Funk, I'm not sure if you realize this, but they're not really two different products. Cell phone integration is coming soon to MP3s everywhere, Apple's just the first to do it in such a grand fashion. Phone + Camera + Music Player + PDA is what they'll all be soon. Why? Because none of those functions by themselves is compelling enough to warrant long-term use, but all of them together is the shit.

I agree with you Voro. If that thing does Exchange integration, runs some mini version of Office and has a way to protect that screen, look out RIM and MS.

I agree that it is going in that direction but as it stands they are not the same thing, the zune is not a phone.

And like I said - I'm not saying it's crap.. I'm just saying for that money I want it to have 60gig storage or better or im just going to stick to having multiple devices.

Syenye · Post by **Syenye** » January 10, 2007, 3:37 pm

noel wrote:Tangent: How's the Blackjack's Battery life? I've heard nothing but bad things, but I really like the phone.

le suck. it lasts about 2 days on a charge, but i have it checking my gmail account every 15 minutes, and i use the internet on it a lot. it comes with a spare battery and battery charger though, so i can always keep a spare in my laptop bag.

noel · Post by **noel** » January 10, 2007, 3:43 pm

Thanks. Probably going to grab a Pearl then.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » January 10, 2007, 3:53 pm

The pearl makes for a great phone. Be warned though that if you tend to type a lot of e-mails on your Blackberry, it's a bit harder without the full keyboard.

The is awesome as well but will take some getting used to if you're used to the Clickwheel interface of other Blackberries.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of the 8700 series BB. Unit looks beautiful and the screen is nice, bright and pretty big.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » January 10, 2007, 10:34 pm

noel wrote: I'd also add that those of you claiming you don't use a PDA actually do. You undoubtedly manage your contacts in your cell phone. That's part of what a PDA does, and that's the main PDA functionality most people care about.

Pfffttt, I have a Nokia moby that does nothing but phone calls. Yes, it has an "address book" but with nothing but names and phone numbers, hardly what you would call Contact Management. It also has a calander I don't use and an alarm clock I do use, in the wake me up in the morning sense. Oh, and no camera... not sure what Tanc's on about there, Nokia still sell phones without a camera, perhaps there's no market for them in the UK though ><

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » January 10, 2007, 10:57 pm

My cell has no camera

noel · Post by **noel** » January 10, 2007, 11:56 pm

Oops...

Cisco Sues Apple Over iPhone Trademark

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » January 11, 2007, 12:23 am

noel wrote:Oops...

Cisco Sues Apple Over iPhone Trademark

Cisco said Tuesday it had been negotiating for several years with Apple over a licensing agreement, but that Apple lawyers had not signed and returned the final contract.

Yeah, I saw it coming when they announced that they had been "in talks" on the same day the phone was announced. If they had announced that it was finalized, it would have been different.

Vaemas · Post by **Vaemas** » January 11, 2007, 11:12 am

Yeah, Apple thinks their balls are big enough to take on CISCO over a trademark that's been established for a decade. Not exactly bright in my book.

While I don't hate Apple (see my collection of iPods), Apple thinks the while i<name> shit belongs to them. I have a perverse desire for CISCO to hold their own on this (because they'll win in court, 100%) and make Apple change the name.

Granted, both companies are going to get some publicity out of this, but I have a feeling it's going to cost Apple some $$$.

noel · Post by **noel** » January 11, 2007, 11:25 am

Personally I think a better name for the product would be iLink.

I expect Apple to end up settling (read: paying) with Cisco for the name, but it's totally silly.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 11, 2007, 12:32 pm

The phone part seems like an afterthought in this thing. iRip

It seems gimmicky to me. It won't open Microsoft Office documents? huh? This looks priced for the business world atm and no MS office support blows (for the people that could actually use it that have Congular service and want a two year commitment.

Typical of Apple to limit shit like this in service providers and compatibility.

I'd make them change the name and recall all iPhone tagged products if I was Cisco. That's more satisfying than any little payout.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » January 11, 2007, 2:11 pm

Welp, the iPhone will be a closed patform as well. What does this mean? No 3rd party apps will be allowed on this baby unless Apple authorizes it.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/09/the- ... martphone/

Syenye · Post by **Syenye** » January 11, 2007, 3:03 pm

it seems like it's best suited for people who have never used a smartphone and are already invested in apple products. i can't get past the lack of 3G and 3rd party apps.

i love my macs, but macworld was a huge letdown this year.

Post by **Sylvus** » January 11, 2007, 4:21 pm

This may be a silly question, but what's 3G?

Syenye · Post by **Syenye** » January 11, 2007, 4:30 pm

3G = third gen. in this context, it refers to cingular's network that offers wireless speeds of 400-700Kbps (with bursts of over 1Mbps). they also call it their broadbandconnect service.

Post by **Sylvus** » January 11, 2007, 4:35 pm

And for what do you primarily use it? Are you using your phone as a modem for your laptop, or are you doing something on your phone itself that is facilitated by that kind of speed?

I don't do a lot of browsing or anything on mine, and while it has like 2Gb of memory, I can't see a lot of benefit in having those kinds of speeds. If there's something I'm overlooking, I'd be happy to learn it.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 11, 2007, 4:46 pm

YOU TUBE!

Syenye · Post by **Syenye** » January 11, 2007, 5:23 pm

i do a lot of browsing on my phone, and i use it for the emails. and yeah, i watch videos on it sometimes. and when there's no internet around, i use it as a modem for my laptop.

noel · Post by **noel** » January 11, 2007, 6:13 pm

Imagine someone emailed you a doc, pdf or ppt file (just to name a few) and you needed to see it right there on your phone.

It seems like there's a subset of the posters here that just see a phone with some add-ons, instead of a micro-sized PC with a phone and some add-ons.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » January 11, 2007, 6:54 pm

Down in this neck of the woods, Cingulair is THE WORST provider in terms of service and reliability.

Also, as much as some of my friends text, I can see that little touchscreen wearing out in under 6 months. Given Apple's history with first generation products, I'm skeptical, and when you throw in the price, the commitment to Cingulair, and the fact that it won't open goddamn Office docs... seems rather worthless.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » January 11, 2007, 7:47 pm

noel wrote:Imagine someone emailed you a doc, pdf or ppt file (just to name a few) and you needed to see it right there on your phone.

It seems like there's a subset of the posters here that just see.a phone with some add-ons, instead of a micro-sized PC with and phones with some add-ons.

Yeah I don't think that the ridiculous amounts of money you have to pay for internet/data service are worth it for me so I wouldn't use that anyhow. The only thing that appeals to me is a phone/mp3 player in one with a large capacity.

noel · Post by **noel** » January 11, 2007, 8:39 pm

VeeshanVault

Zune, we hardly knew yee (Apple Announces iPhone)

Zune, we hardly knew yee (Apple Announces iPhone)

Re: Zune, we hardly knew yee (Apple Announces iPhone)