iPhone Guided Tour and Site Redesign

[ajhill]

First on CNBC: reporter proclaims to see the future...

I have to admit that until I just finished watching that video I really didn't understand just how amazing an iPhone really is. Gotta admit having the internet in my pocket as well as an advanced video iPod does make me want one. But I'm afraid it will cost about $100 a month for the privilege. Until I know how much it costs, I think my wanting one and wanting to pay the high fee to run one will probably not be compatible values. I am also a Verizon user and don't want to run with AT&T in the middle of my 2 contract. Perhaps in another year when my contract expires I'll feel differently.

Meanwhile bring on the 120GB 640x320 Full Screen Video iPod ASAP please.

I was watching CNBC today and the reporter said that the iPhone would be a tough sell because the monthly service bill would be over $100/month.

1st, our journalism profession (esp on TV) has gone down the tubes. Was there a scoop that I missed somewhere? Does this reporter know the plan cost already? Or, which is most likely the case, is he just spouting a WAG as if it IS FACT. Reporters are hired first and foremost based on looks, second for their ability to read a teleprompter. I really wish they would stop making up the news. Didn't they see all the trouble that Dan Rather got into?

2nd, the plan will NOT BE OVER $100! How do I know? Because Verizon PASSED on the iPhone. No one, no matter how foolish is going to pass on the next great thing without a really huge reason. If the plan target price were $100 Verizon would have been in instantaneously. They passed because Apple wanted to lower the plan price to move the units. It's that simple. Apple does get a cut of the monthly bill, but that amount is likely only a few dollars $2-3.

Verizon passed because Apple wants to price the monthly plan too low for their tastes (remember their plan is just under $100). Cingular, being #2, wants to gain market share. The slower EDGE network cannot support that great of a vig.

Steve Jobs last (of hopefully many coming this week) Killer App will be the monthly cost and it will put the final punctuation mark on the hype when it is announced on Friday.

What a week we have coming. It's going to be fun!

 

[millerrh]

It feels like on of those airline safety videos. Ick. And did they remove the feature they'd previously advertized, of adding an incoming call to make a conference call when you're already talking? Strange. Seemed easy and logical.

If I'm not mistaken, the video actually showed this very feature. Cannot wait to get my hands on one of these...

 

[JGowan]

I don't know if anyone has noticed (if it's been said in this 300+ post thread, I'm sorry): But ---

WHERE THE "F" ARE THE GAMES!?! Am I the only person who is blown away that GAMES are not on the iPhone!? Why is this?

EDIT: AJHILL hipped me to the latest rumor that the Big N and Apple are working together. I googled a bit and found that this is something a lot of people are speculating. One site suggests a $29 price tag per game -- WAY too frigging much $$$ if you ask me. I don't think Steve will allow this. However this rumor would explain why games aren't on the iPhone right now. Why else? Apple's selling games now ... I've got 3 games for my 5G iPod now -- why wouldn't you put games on the iPhone unless you were going to reveal some big-time Colab-action with the Big N!? This would be cool.

 

[ajhill]

Retro

I don't know if anyone has noticed (if it's been said in this 300+ post thread, I'm sorry): But ---

WHERE THE "F" ARE THE GAMES!?! Am I the only person who is blown away that GAMES are not on the iPhone!? Why is this?

It's a bit retro, but a few days ago Nintendo announced that they would be releasing games for the iPhone.

Mario!

 

[atomoboy]

I'm not sold...

I've just suffered through the twenty-minute video. I think the on screen talent sucked and the phone looks like a fanciful Rube Goldberg device. For goodness sake, who cast this guy? He is the IBM guy from the Apple spots, stuck in a turtleneck steering a device so convoluted and cumbersome that you quickly forget it's a phone not a sci-fi device used to toast bread, cure AIDS and circumnavigate the soccer field all while tracking stocks and surfing the web. Twist this, flip that, cover flow, smug nod and tap twice to add a contact. Has Apple drunk their own Kool-Aid to the point that they fail to see that they have become the parody they are lampooning in their ads?

I'm a hardcore Mac fan. Work and home, I've purchased about 15 Apple computers. I'm the target demographic for the phone but the more I see of the thing, the less I'm inclined to go and buy one.

 

[ajhill]

I remember the RAZR Hype, like it was yesterday...

I am amazed. As an early adopter I can remember buying the RAZR when it first came out. That was one of the first "must have" hyped phones. But here's the difference. Everyone who saw the RAZR said, "Wow, that's a good LOOKING phone!" That's it! In fact the only reason I bought the RAZR was because it had an internal antenna and I was tired of paying to have the antenna replaced on my old phone. That won't be a problem with the iPhone.

The RAZR was cool because it looked cool. That was it. In all other respects it was just an average phone. The iPhone delivers in sooooo many other ways, it deserves the hype.

Amazing, Steve. Thank you!

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Yes, its sad that the iphone isnt EXACTLY what you wanted it to be.
I guess those of you whining and whinging about all the special stuff that you need will just have to start your own company and make your own special phone.

For the rest of us, this is the BEST F***ING PHONE EVER and anyone who says different is just too special for this planet, and I suggest you move to Mars asap.

I watched the new movie and this phone is amazing.
I will buy one, I dont care what it costs - I paid $800 for the first Razr, for Jobs sake!

Its an ipod nano with big screen - thats $300 on its own.
This thing is cheap!

It answers calls and pauses my iPod - I have tried loads of CRAPPY phones and not ONE of them can do this, and they dont have an iPod inside.

I can surf the web at free wi-fi spots.

I can use Jajah.com and get cheap calls Internationally.

The list of apps and the huge upside over anything else out there goes on for ever.....

You guys who knock the iPhone are really too STUPID for words.

I don't remember the Razr being $800 WITH a 2 year plan - I might be wrong... but I doubt it in my area of DC... unless you bought it unlocked AND without a contract - something you can't do with the iPhone...

The correct you, the iPod Nano with 8gb is only $250.... buty the bar has been raised by many other cell phones with more capable PDA cabilities....

And that is where the iPhone may find its battle in. Many of us see it as the best PDA out there. There are others like you that see it as the best "synergy" of personal "entertainment" and use...

There are those of us that looked on the iPhone as being the "near"perfect device. Only if somesort of tethering is possible with at least with a Mac, then the goals will have been met.....

 

[pengu]

...no calendar demo? Umm, that is strange. As a business user, I'm not so sure why they hid that... (I do realize it was a teaser, but seemed concentrated on people who just hang out).

That's the #1 reason I use smartphones...and I want an iPhone...but will it suffice?

you bought a smart phone for the calculator? the first two phones i had (el cheapo nokia and ericsson) 7 years ago had calculators on them.

and what the hell is there to demo on a caluclator? 1+1=2?

Yeah, but the iPhone won't work with iSync. Does anyone else think that is crazy? Like no MMS. Why on earth not? (And no, "just email" is not an answer re the MMS issue - not everyone carries an email enabled phone and the point of MMS is phone to phone)

it's all synced through iTunes, so you have the same experience on windows and mac. somewhat annoying i know, but we'll get used to it.

 

[ajhill]

Four more Apps coming!!!

After watching the video again, it's clear as day that there are 4 more apps coming in the next few days.

It's kinda like the 12 days of Christmas. And each day we get a new present. The best part? We are on the 5th day of Christmas already with only 7 days to go!

 

[sananda]

you bought a smart phone for the calculator? the first two phones i had (el cheapo nokia and ericsson) 7 years ago had calculators on them.

and what the hell is there to demo on a caluclator? 1+1=2?
.

calendar.

 

[JGowan]

I've just suffered through the twenty-minute video. I think the on screen talent sucked and the phone looks like a fanciful Rube Goldberg device <snip> Has Apple drunk their own Kool-Aid to the point that they fail to see that they have become the parody they are lampooning in their ads?

I'm a hardcore Mac fan. Work and home, I've purchased about 15 Apple computers. I'm the target demographic for the phone but the more I see of the thing, the less I'm inclined to go and buy one.

TROLL -- CAPITAL T... This is your ONE AND ONLY post on Macrumors and it is a total FLAME of APPLE. How do you expect anyone to take you seriously here when you create a screenname to come on the board we all love and surf daily to say all of this drivel? The 24 minute preview was actually VERY compelling. I enjoyed it a lot and told my wife -- she agreed to watch 5 minutes. She ended up watching the WHOLE thing, she was so amazed at the new device. She wants one now based on the preview you are now trashing.

 

[pengu]

calendar.

wow. thats twice ive completely misread something. i think i need to drink less.

 

[AppleIntelRock]

I've noticed that about 75% of ALL posts I read via email, aren't the same as the ones online (and they ones online show NO sign of editing)

VERY ODD

 

[HiRez]

Nope, cuz 2 megapixels is nothing to write home about.

2 MP is fine for a phone camera (especially since you have at most < 8 MB of memory anyway), but hopefully they'll put a quality lens on there and the ability to record QuickTime movies. I'll take fewer pixels with quality optics over more pixels with crappy optics.

 

[TitoC]

So sorry

I've just suffered through the twenty-minute video. I think the on screen talent sucked and the phone looks like a fanciful Rube Goldberg device. For goodness sake, who cast this guy? He is the IBM guy from the Apple spots, stuck in a turtleneck steering a device so convoluted and cumbersome that you quickly forget it's a phone not a sci-fi device used to toast bread, cure AIDS and circumnavigate the soccer field all while tracking stocks and surfing the web. Twist this, flip that, cover flow, smug nod and tap twice to add a contact. Has Apple drunk their own Kool-Aid to the point that they fail to see that they have become the parody they are lampooning in their ads?

I'm a hardcore Mac fan. Work and home, I've purchased about 15 Apple computers. I'm the target demographic for the phone but the more I see of the thing, the less I'm inclined to go and buy one.

Yeah, I guess all that "ugly" UI really looked awful didin't it? And how about all that other "crap" it has on it? An iPod (worst device ever!), full integration with all your calendars, contacts, photos, etc. Who needs that? Visual voice mail? Big deal when you can listen to all of your ten messages FIRST before getting to the one that you really want to listen to.

Come on, are you just wanting to knock it down for fun sakes or are you really not seeing anything amazing about this thing? As someone who designs interfaces for a living, I see this as something that is going to revolutionize the way that cell phones are designed (UI-wise at least if not for a dozen other reasons). After having many different cell phones for years, I was so frustrated, I just got rid of them. Why? Not because of any one particular feature or another. It was simply because all of their interfaces SUCKED! I mean come on, I had to go through 7 - 12 screens just to set up a simple feature like what my ringing volume was going to be. And half of the menu selections didn't even make any sense. One phone had me go through "Phone/Settings/Global/Volume-Tone/Volume/Settings/Style/Rings/Volume" just to change the f*cking ringing volume!

So I'm sorry you had to view that god-awful video and hate the iPhone even more, but I just don't see the hate. Hopefully seeing one in person might change your mind. But then again, that just means one less person in line.

Hope you will see the light one day. Peace.

 

[millerrh]

2 MP is fine for a phone camera (especially since you have at most < 8 MB of memory anyway), but hopefully they'll put a quality lens on there and the ability to record QuickTime movies. I'll take fewer pixels with quality optics over more pixels with crappy optics.

Amen. Too many people on these boards think MP = quality when it is the optics that matters. Who cares if you have a 226666 x 18009 pixel image with all sorts of grain and noise? Not like you're going to print it or view it on anything but a computer screen anyway.

 

[AppleIntelRock]

I've just suffered through the twenty-minute video. I think the on screen talent sucked and the phone looks like a fanciful Rube Goldberg device. For goodness sake, who cast this guy? He is the IBM guy from the Apple spots, stuck in a turtleneck steering a device so convoluted and cumbersome that you quickly forget it's a phone not a sci-fi device used to toast bread, cure AIDS and circumnavigate the soccer field all while tracking stocks and surfing the web. Twist this, flip that, cover flow, smug nod and tap twice to add a contact. Has Apple drunk their own Kool-Aid to the point that they fail to see that they have become the parody they are lampooning in their ads?

I'm a hardcore Mac fan. Work and home, I've purchased about 15 Apple computers. I'm the target demographic for the phone but the more I see of the thing, the less I'm inclined to go and buy one.

dont flatter yourself troll. you aren't apple's target demographic. in fact, i presume that nobody would target you for anything... ever.

anything above 2... MAYBE 3 MP's would provide VERY noisy images. The Nikon D2 is only 4.1 MPs... and it's image quality is second to only a few of the world's most exclusive cameras.

 

[HiRez]

I've got 3 games for my 5G iPod now -- why wouldn't you put games on the iPhone unless you were going to reveal some big-time Colab-action with the Big N!? This would be cool.

It would be cool but I wonder how they're going to work out the control scheme, especially for ported games? For certain games the touch interface would be absolutely perfect, maybe even far superior to a mouse and keyboard (and certainly to an iPod scroll wheel). But for others, it'll be a challenge. Sure you can simulate buttons on the screen, but it doesn't provide that nice tactile feedback. Still, I think there's the potential for a really excellent gaming experience on the iPhone. Do we know what kind of graphical horsepower this thing has and how much maxxing it out would affect battery life? It clearly supports Quartz and seemingly Core Animation (and appears to handle it smoothly), so that's a good sign.

 

[scotto07]

If you look back on the video you can clearly see there is a "manual" option above the 15 min, 30 min and hour options. I think your problem is solved.

Also that is what the "push" email is for, as soon as the server gets email it notifies your phone.

 

[TitoC]

Stocks by Yahoo

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but have you guys seen the Yahoo! logo on the bottom right corner when the Stocks widget is shown? Does this mean that Yahoo! is suppling the stock info? I thought that this would be just like the standard Mac OS X widget (which is provided by Quote.com). Or is this just a simple product placement - or should I say logo placement? Just a thought.

 

[HiRez]

Does this mean that Yahoo! is suppling the stock info? I thought that this would be just like the standard Mac OS X widget (which is provided by Quote.com). Or is this just a simple product placement - or should I say logo placement? Just a thought.[/IMG]

Yes, Yahoo! supplies the stock and weather data.

 

[scotto07]

Re: Need for replaceable battery.

we need changeable batteries or a VERY long battery life (like x4 of what Apple is currently offering) for the iPhone to REPLACE our current handsets.

Why in the hell would you need 32 hours of talk time? do you ever sleep? LOL

Right now i have a Motorola Q and daily i have to change my battery from the standard one to the extended one, but it has now where near the standby and talk time of the iPhone.

 

[ajhill]

Amen. Too many people on these boards think MP = quality when it is the optics that matters. Who cares if you have a 226666 x 18009 pixel image with all sorts of grain and noise? Not like you're going to print it or view it on anything but a computer screen anyway.

As a professional photographer at a very large studio here in town I can tell you that some of the cameras that we are currently using (Canon 1-d) are 4MP cameras. These images routinely get blown up to 8x10 and beyond with no degradation in quality.

2MP is fine. Any more and you would be eating too much into the 8GB of storage space.

Incidentally, my first Mac came with 20MB of HD storage space. At the time it seemed like a lot...

 

[scotto07]

And
I've been using Macs since the LC and proud!

me too

 

[DanB91]

will you be able to view and add comments to youtube videos?