iphone launch

Urban Weigl

Compare that to 3 Ireland: for €99, you get no evening and weekend minutes, but you do get 1000 anytime minutes. Unlimited data add on is €19.99, and 200 SMS messages are anotnher €9.99. You do get unlimited mobile to mobile calling within the 3 network, which pretty much matches AT&T. So for a total of €130 a month, you get in many respects less, although we do have a wide 3G deployment here in Ireland, unlike the US, where they still rely on 2.5G for now.

mollser

Urban Weigl wrote:

So you want Apple to use closed, proprietary standards like WMA? I prefer open standards like MP3 and MP4 / AAC.

Down with proprietary standards and lock-in.

agreed! Its just that some make the argument that its the only player compatible with iTunes, which is countered by the fact that its not compatible with any other paid services.

Solair

It seems the US version of the phone has no user accessible SIM card. The card's preinstalled and sealed inside the phone itself and can only be accessed by dismantling the handset.

I don't think that will actually comply with European regulations as GSM/3GSM phones must have a SIM card interface etc. It's seen as a fundemental part of competition and was one of the key features of the entire GSM concept.

Seriously can't see myself buying one of these things. They look like the ultimate locked-down con job and how long until you've a sim problem / battery failure that requires you to crack the case open!

Nice user interface, lousey product.
Quite likely to crash and burn.

I still think most people will opt for an iPod to be used as an iPod and a mobile phone to be used as a mobile phone.

Also remember when you're comparing voice plans in the US and Europe that carriers charge per min in the US for all calls regardless of whether it's an incoming or outgoing call. They don't have seperate numbering for mobiles, so your mobile number is just a normal geographic telephone number in your local area code. Callers pay local rate to call you and you pay the difference. So, when you answer a call, it's diverted to your voicemail etc you're being charged mins.
Some carriers even charged for incoming texts!

So, just make sure that you calculate your incoming calls into the formula before you decide the US plans are that much cheaper. They're pretty good value, but they're not amazing when you consider that *little* drawback!

art

mollser wrote:

The monopoly comment refers to Apples attempts to create a monopoly by using restrictive business practices, not opening up to wma, third party software providers and the like. And also providing sweet FA unless it generates revenue for them or the phone service provider. Ala the radio!

Why would Apple open up to wma? It's a microsoft standard that uses DRM. Whereas Apple is now offering DRM free tracks on iTunes Store which, obviously, can be played anywhere you like. That's the very opposite of creating a monopoly surely?

And as for not providing sweet FA unless it generates revenue... I'd assume that of any business. The dangerous ones are the ones that use vast cash reserves to subsidise products that do not generate revenue at all, purely for the purposes of forcing out of business competitors that do need to make revenue.

Anyhow, now that it has been stated that there will be a new version released for Europe, it's very hard to start making firm judgements on how it will affect this market or what the improved spec will be until some actual Apple announcements are made.

copacetic

Solair wrote:

It seems the US version of the phone has no user accessible SIM card. The card's preinstalled and sealed inside the phone itself and can only be accessed by dismantling the handset.

hardly dismantling it to take off the plastic cover at the bottom of the phone and pop out the standard At&T tray. thats it in the middle:

mkennedy

from what i can see the iphone's main plus points would be its design/ ergonomics (e.g touchscreen) and its 4-8gb storage capacity.

other than that i'm at a loss as to what else is so innovative about it tbh especially for the price being asked.

but i'm just wondering who it's going to be aimed at:
1) i guess it's a consumer device but that hefty price/contract surely won't be that popular with the consumer market, will it.

2) otoh the people who can afford it ie the high-paying power user won't like it because it's essentially a closed platform and lacks a helluva lot of features.

so i really wonder who's going to buy it. i don't think anyone can say that marketing won't play a big part though.

personally the only thing that would appeal to me about it is the touchscreen and i'd be interested to see how ergonomic/useable it is. the storage capacity appeals but you can get 8gb sdhc cards now anyway.
and eh that's about it tbh..

i suppose whoever appreciates design over features and die-hard apple fans will get it. it'll be interesting to see what happens though.

rc28

art wrote:

Why would Apple open up to wma? It's a microsoft standard that uses DRM

That's not true at all. WMA only has drm if it's downloaded from napster etc, just like apple put drm on aac tracks bought on itunes (not from the emi music label)

rc28

Oh great, you cant even use the iphone with your own headphones now, you have to buy an extra adapter from apple-this really is ridiculous, they charge $600 and expect you to pay more just to use your favorite headphones!:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/30/iphone-doesnt-work-with-most-3rd-party-headphones/

eirlink

copacetic wrote:

hardly dismantling it to take off the plastic cover at the bottom of the phone and pop out the standard At&T tray. thats it in the middle:

no so...very easy to get at sim card....



...and looks like a car kit may be forthcoming if thats an external antennae port on top left !

copacetic

thats the camera lens as far as I know.

(& i was saying it was easy to do by the way!

eirlink

i know...i just used your post cause it had the picture.

must look the user manual to see what thing is....back in mins


yep its the rear camera....

copacetic

I was an early naysayer on the iphone on all the earlier threads on here, but have to say looking at some of the proper reviews coming in from the likes of mobileinfo it seems they have gotten an awful lot right.
Some sites have surfing via EDGE up and it looks reasonable.

Also looking at PCWORLD video trying to scratch screen and dropping phone on concrete looks like a solid design.

Have to say if the announce a 3G version for here on Monday I will be seriously tempted. If nothing else an N800 internet tablet is 400 and it could do pretty much what it can as well as being a phone.

eirlink

i bought the nokia n770 off expansys this morning for 133E courtesy of a post in the bargain thread on boards....has to be a bargain at that!

copacetic

eirlink wrote:

i bought the nokia n770 off expansys this morning for 133E courtesy of a post in the bargain thread on boards....has to be a bargain at that!

yep, i posted that bargain on the mobile thread here too, that is a decent deal.

also another iphone big selling point, swear words supported in the dictionary!!!

fúck, shít, a$$hole are all in there!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/30/iphone-pottymouth-friendly/

eirlink

does the N800 have a phone? dont think so...

copacetic

eirlink wrote:

does the N800 have a phone? dont think so...

no, was saying iphone == n800+phone+ipod++++

eirlink

copacetic wrote:

yep, i posted that bargain on the mobile thread here too, that is a decent deal.

also another iphone big selling point, swear words supported in the dictionary!!!

fúck, shít, a$$hole are all in there!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/30/iphone-pottymouth-friendly/

...included by apple for use when emailing MS

flogen

Headphone thing is odd - it doesn't seem to be a different size of jack, just a slightly different design, or something.

copacetic

it's seems a little deep and a lot of earphones have stubby plugs or right angles which mean they won't seat properly. a few sites already have a list of ones that work but it seems like a bit of an oversight on apples part not to have caught this in advance..

art

rc28 wrote:

That's not true at all. WMA only has drm if it's downloaded from napster etc, just like apple put drm on aac tracks bought on itunes (not from the emi music label)

Huh? That's exactly what we were talking about, lots of download services use drm in tracks, though Apple now has some DRM free

art

mkennedy wrote:

... i suppose whoever appreciates design over features and die-hard apple fans will get it. it'll be interesting to see what happens though.

It's hardly devoid of features - it has iTunes access, excellent GUI, PDA functions, Outlook sync, youtube integration, excellent browser, great build quality, excellent battery as well as highly stylish design. Among other things. I don't see why people would think such things are not going to appeal to certain segments of the market, it's obvious it will be attractive - though perhaps not to those who couldn't bear to be seen in anything that might ever be considered in vogue of course. Ultimately, the price really will be the real determinant who picks it up but it will appeal.

art

flogen wrote:

Headphone thing is odd - it doesn't seem to be a different size of jack, just a slightly different design, or something.

It's just recessed I think. So jack assembly needs to be shaped in such a way to allow the jack sink into the socket fully. When they put a glass on the front they might have ended up causing that but it's an over-sight alright. Though, also, it's probably unlikely that many people will actually want to swap to new headphones given it's use as a phone and the fact that the included headphones have a built in microphone etc. so obviously are better for phone usage than just audio only phones.

rc28

art wrote:

Huh? That's exactly what we were talking about, lots of download services use drm in tracks, though Apple now has some DRM free

No, you were suggesting that wma itself was bad because it all contained drm which is not ture, it works the same way as aac and mp3, the payed download service just adds drm, this is what you said:
"Why would Apple open up to wma? It's a microsoft standard that uses DRM"
Remember someone was wondering why the iphone's ipod wouldn't play wma? Wma is a very popular format and is more efficient than mp3 at file compression, microsoft's own hardware plays aac so it shouldn't be a ms-vs-apple thing.

Anyway, as I said in my first post the iPhone would definitely start getting me interested if it gets 3g/hsdpa and fixes a few stupid over-sights like not being able to record video (ffs the cheapest of crappy phones have been able to record video for ages now!!)
I think i will start saving now, not specifically for the iphone but I think other companies like nokia etc will be forced to bring out exciting devices to compete. The amount of coverage and hype the iphone is getting is simply astounding (i just watched cbs and fox news there and it is still one of the news items on national tv! I dont even need to mention the amount of coverage on giz and engadet!) and it will definitely sell very well in the US.

flogen

art wrote:

It's just recessed I think. So jack assembly needs to be shaped in such a way to allow the jack sink into the socket fully. When they put a glass on the front they might have ended up causing that but it's an over-sight alright. Though, also, it's probably unlikely that many people will actually want to swap to new headphones given it's use as a phone and the fact that the included headphones have a built in microphone etc. so obviously are better for phone usage than just audio only phones.

Ah, that makes sense...

I'd probably want to swap them, though, as the in-ear headphones never sit well for me and having white headphones just screams "I HAVE AN IPOD". Having ones with a mic on them screams "I HAVE AN IPHONE!!"
Don't want that kind of attention!!

mkennedy

just saw some iphone reports on cbs news.
have to admit the touchscreen technology that it uses looks very cool indeed.
makes zooming and scrolling look very easy.
i suppose you could describe that as innovative.

must say i like the size/thinness of the device as well.

copacetic

have to say a lot of extremely critical and independent gadget sites have now had their early say and seem universally impressed. some missing features aside what is there seems very well done.

This typing technique doesn't look too bad either:

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/aha-the-trick-to-typing-on-an-iphone-273991.php?autoplay=true

rc28

copacetic wrote:

This typing technique doesn't look too bad either:

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/aha-the-trick-to-typing-on-an-iphone-273991.php?autoplay=true

Lol! That looks really awkward and slow, it has already been said by some reviewers that the iPhone will certainly not replace the blackberry anytime soon (business people need to type out emails fast) and you cant really use two thumbs with the iPhone either.
My 4year old pda with a touchscreen (using stylus) can even do that word completion thing and I still hated it.

flogen

rc28 wrote:

Lol! That looks really awkward and slow, it has already been said by some reviewers that the iPhone will certainly not replace the blackberry anytime soon (business people need to type out emails fast) and you cant really use two thumbs with the iPhone either.
My 4year old pda with a touchscreen (using stylus) can even do that word completion thing and I still hated it.

Well apparently you can use two thumbs, it just takes practice. One reviewer (I think in the Wall Street Journal) said after a few days they were typing at the same speed as they would with a blackberry or Treo.

jon1981

Sure wouldnt a PDA with 3G enabled be better than any of these next generation phones?

pdas have:
gps
voice
3G
camera
windows
mp3
expandable memory
MS office


these iphones and similar products are just half way between, its all BS, ppl moan because it doesnt have this that and the other, they will eventually develop into PDAS!!!

Exactly, get a SE P1i instead.