iPhone vs BlackBerry Curve

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

Look, there's a good reason why the iPhone is getting so much hype.

It's not because it's a superawesome phone that does everything short of talk for you. It's not because it has a 12 megapixel camera that lets you take time-lapse videos of your brother shitting on the neighbor's lawn (which are then immediately sent to your MySpace page). It's not because it's a hyper-portable high-def A/V playback theatre system that allows you to take your entire divx library with you.

It's not because of any of those things.

The reason that there's such hype about it is because it can do all those things "pretty well," all packaged up in a well-designed interface. It's a convergence product.

Yeah, the thing looks cool. No doubt there and hardly a surprise, seeing as how it's Apple. But the thing that's REALLY cool here is that it's a huge step forward for converging a media player, phone, and basically a small computer in a very functional and stylish manner.

EDIT: (And USABLE. Totally forgot about that.)

[Facetious]

This is what I have never understood. How many people on this board would actually be impressed by one of their friends showing off an iPhone? It's like anyone who bought a PS3 when it came out. They wanted the newest, coolest console out there and I feel like laughing at them for wasting their money. Again, I'm not saying the iPhone is crap because it does look cool, just not $600 cool.

I don't know how impressed I'd be but I would want to see it and I would probably talk about it with the dude that had it for a couple minutes. For people that have a hard time socially but a ton of money, why not?

The people that would be IMPRESSED are the type of people that spend 150 bucks on jeans, shit like that. From that perspective a 500 dollar electronic gadget is a great deal.

[Eric is God]

Look, there's a good reason why the iPhone is getting so much hype.

It's not because it's a superawesome phone that does everything short of talk for you. It's not because it has a 12 megapixel camera that lets you take time-lapse videos of your brother shitting on the neighbor's lawn (which are then immediately sent to your MySpace page). It's not because it's a hyper-portable high-def A/V playback theatre system that allows you to take your entire divx library with you.

It's not because of any of those things.

The reason that there's such hype about it is because it can do all those things "pretty well," all packaged up in a well-designed interface. It's a convergence product.

Yeah, the thing looks cool. No doubt there and hardly a surprise, seeing as how it's Apple. But the thing that's REALLY cool here is that it's a huge step forward for converging a media player, phone, and basically a small computer in a very functional and stylish manner.

EDIT: (And USABLE. Totally forgot about that.)

The only point I would argue is that it's lack of instant messaging disqualifies it from being a convergence product. Its phone functionality is worse than a lot of other smart phones on the market so it is below average in that category. The audio and video capabilities will probably be great but limited since we are talking about Apple here. The camera is average to below average for other smart phones. Really the only area where it stands above the crowd is appearance and web interface.

A lot of experts are predicting that people will buy the iPhone as a secondary cell phone and use it primarily to surf the internet and impress people. I can guarentee Apple will sell a tonne of these in the first few months but they won't be making much off the monthly plans where the real money is, hence the incredibly high price tag. I just find it all very interesting because I plan to do an analysis of the iPhone's impact on RIM's activation figures (nerdy I know, but whatever might get you recognized by a C level exec is worth while).

[Eric is God]

For people that have a hard time socially but a ton of money, why not?

lol that's exactly how I describe myself these days.

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

The only point I would argue is that it's lack of instant messaging disqualifies it from being a convergence product.

Who the shit cares about instant messaging? Personally, I like being able to walk away from that shit when I'm not sitting in front of the computer. I understand that teenagers love that shit, but seriously--I couldn't give a rat's ass about having it on a phone. It's SMS on crack--whoopdie doo.

Its phone functionality is worse than a lot of other smart phones on the market so it is below average in that category.

Visual voice mail (non-linear listening? why hasn't someone done this before?) and instant conferencing is "below average"? No. I've heard the audio is "meh," but don't tell me that it's somehow below average in the grand scheme of things. Or, tell me who's got that part down pat.

The audio and video capabilities will probably be great but limited since we are talking about Apple here.

Limited, as opposed to whom/what?

The camera is average to below average for other smart phones.

Yeah, you're right about this one, but we're talking about the first generation.

Really the only area where it stands above the crowd is appearance and web interface.

And that's why it has the potential to crush everything else. What is the main gripe of people about cell phones? "They're too complicated." History is littered with the carcasses of great "tech toys" that were totally high-tech, but lacked a really good interface.

Shit, my old-ass Samsung phone can take pictures, "surf the web," and make calls--why aren't people clamoring over it? Simple. Because the interface sucks balls. Nobody wants to have to be their own IT support.

[Eric is God]

Who the shit cares about instant messaging? Personally, I like being able to walk away from that shit when I'm not sitting in front of the computer. I understand that teenagers love that shit, but seriously--I couldn't give a rat's ass about having it on a phone. It's SMS on crack--whoopdie doo.

Teenagers should be the 2nd biggest market for the iPhone after people in their early to mid 20's. I'm not a big fan of instant messaging, but a lot of people are.

Limited, as opposed to whom/what?

No third party apps for anything and too much focus on iTunes.

And that's why it has the potential to crush everything else. What is the main gripe of people about cell phones? "They're too complicated." History is littered with the carcasses of great "tech toys" that were totally high-tech, but lacked a really good interface.

Shit, my old-ass Samsung phone can take pictures, "surf the web," and make calls--why aren't people clamoring over it? Simple. Because the interface sucks balls. Nobody wants to have to be their own IT support.

Four months ago I was the least tech savvy person I knew and I had zero difficulty getting used to my 8700, which is an 18 month old device. Most of the smart phones I've seen use those little pencils to scroll through crap which is just horrible, the keyboard is too limited or the keyboard keys are too small. I'm sure the iPhone's web interface will beat out every other smart phone, but I'm still skeptical about the touch screen keyboard and what the device is going to look like after a few months of use (does anyone want to carry a small bottle of windex around?) I said before, these things are going to sell like crazy in the first few months but it just strikes me as one of those products that looks amazing in a display case, but doesn't meet expectations in real world use.

[Ignominy]

blackberry: not cool looking enough, lame name

iPhone: touchscreen dialing/typing? no.

[SEAL]

It's just a nice to have. Nothing more, nothing less. Again, it's version 1.0. It's for the gadget people.

Just because you disagree(you as in the 'im not mainstream, i dont care' type of guy), doesn't change the fact that cellphones are becoming more and more fashion statements. cool = designer sunglasses and an ipod phone. Make sure to call someone when you swipe your plastic in the prada store. not cool = wearing an subspace tshirt with suspicious smelling tissues next to your pc, while holding an old phone.

It's a great phone to show off, to play with, or just to be the first one. Version 3.4 will be great, where the ipod is 100% in the phone (in mem size and sound quality). For that.. I can't wait to hook my iphone into the Bose system and play music/ call handsfree in house.

[Zeebu]

at this point... how do you really get off still calling the thing a phone?

strap on a flux capacitor and a failed stainless steel sports car and you can go visit a pre-parkinsons marty

[Shan]

SE noob, SE

Lies! Nokia > SE ^-^

[Jerome Scuggs]

i don't see the obsession with music-playing phones

i mean, in today's society, if you can go about yer daily business and can listen to music for 5 minutes uninterrupted, i will be genuinely suprised.

and then you have all those dudes with the ROKR phone who play all the songs they have on their phone through that crappy speaker, and usually they just play the first 10 seconds so in the abysmally small event that these jackasses select a song you like, 10 seconds later it is "pop lock and drop it" by huey.

my phone's on vibrate and my music's played on a very stationary, very expensive hi-fi player, and i really don't ever feel inconvenienced or like i'm missing some huge part of my being.

edit: and like the Wii, i can definitely see the touch screen + motion sensors becoming quite annoying unless they are incredibly intuitive. when i first got the Wii, half the awesome factor was the remote control, but after a few weeks i'm kinda wishing i had a... controller.

[GuruMeditation]

edit: and like the Wii, i can definitely see the touch screen + motion sensors becoming quite annoying unless they are incredibly intuitive. when i first got the Wii, half the awesome factor was the remote control, but after a few weeks i'm kinda wishing i had a... controller.

Wii60 dude. Best of both worlds.

[Galleleo]

The ps3 has a motion sensor too. My friend has one, and in one off the racing games you can steer just using the controller moving it left and right.

[Da1andonly]

The people that would be IMPRESSED are the type of people that spend 150 bucks on jeans, shit like that.

Emaho

[Jerome Scuggs]

The ps3 has a motion sensor too. My friend has one, and in one off the racing games you can steer just using the controller moving it left and right.

no freakin way they can do that now!?