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Why is every phone that comes out always compared against the iPhone?? That really annoys me. Sure, the iPhone did revolutionize cell phones a little bit… mostly in the sense that it brought smart phones to the eyes of the general public (even though the prices are right in line with other smart phones). I’ve used some iPhones… and some iPod Touches… and I can honestly say two things:

1. iPod touch + phone from 4 years ago = iPhone
2. It is not the greatest phone since sliced bread.

There are honsetly better phones out there that would be much better benchmarks to review phones from.

I saw a youtube video the other day of someone getting their iPhone repaired (because it broke!) and in the mean time they were given a cheapo phone for At&t. They were complaining that the phone has buttons.

It was at that moment that I realized… she has no idea she is talking about. Many people that have the iPhone really have no understanding of what is going on. This was also apparent went I saw a de-facto, large, black lady (don’t worry, I’m not racist) standing outside the Apple store mumbling something about getting “da iFone”.

I have no respect for those people that get devices because “everyone is doing it.” I have never bought a piece of technology because everyone is getting it. The decisions to buy certain pieces of technology are always made on my own after much research and talking to other people that know what they are talking about. This is because I have a great appreciation and understanding of technology. I’m not some black lady going around mumbling about “da iFone” thinking it’s cool.

That said… think for yourself people. If you feel the iPhone really is your best option in a phone, then great. If you find you’re only wanting it because you’ll be so cool after getting it… perhaps you should consider more options. Personally… the biggest turn off to the iPhone is the fact that Apple is so controlling of it.

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So…Apple seems to have applied for a home screen patent for their iPhone. InteliScreen already exists… which adds a very useful home screen to your “wonderful” iPhone. Well… my thinking on this was that if Apple was experienced in actually making a phone…. they would have had a home screen to begin with… because smart phones happen to have very useful home screens for you to look at at a glance.

I really don’t feel the iPhone is a mature enough smartphone. They can barely call it such. More of a shinytoyphone (emphasis on the toy part, and not the phone part… since it can’t make calls very well).

As far as the iPhone goes… I think it is a sub par phone and communication device and a decent media and internet browsing pocket device.

Sub par phone because it lacks so many standard features that a normal phone these days has. Also because of its awful text input method… it makes no joy work of typing an e-mail.

Now… the fact that it’s a decent iPod and Internet browsing device… makes it appeal to a lot of people… but not me because the iPod Touch is significantly cheaper for the same thing. I only rate it as decent because it lacks support for tons of audio formats, video formats, and it doesn’t even offer stereo bluetooth… something that my current shitty cell phone does support.

But the way I see it… the iPhone is NOT a logical choice… The only reason it sold 1 million in the first 3 days was because of the hype around everything Apple does anymore. Frankly that hype around such devices is getting old. If anything… I wouldn’t want the iPhone because it’ll become the trivial choice in a phone… “everyone has it.” Not to mention the shitty network Apple is contracted with (in the USA).

In essence… Crappy phone from 4 years ago + iPod Touch = iPhone. You’re better off buying an average phone (that provides cheaper plans and more capabilities than the iPhone’s phone part) and an iPod touch… which provides the same great App Store that is selling the iPhone so well.

So… just in case people haven’t heard or realized… the monthly plans for the 3G iPhones went up $10. Steve Jobs completely forgot to mention that during his keynote. So, even though the phone is a lot cheaper… the more expensive plans actually makes it out to be more expensive after your 2 year contract is up. Add that to the basic features it lacks, the lack of expandable memory, and the sucky At&t network… definitely should make you think twice.

I just finished watching the Apple WWDC 2008 Keynote. I have to put my opinions out there for the world to see, and maybe even Apple.

First off, the things I like. Obviously, the 3G network is good, the $199 price tag is good, exchange support is good, more countries is good, and all the added functionality and apps are good.

Now what I don’t like:

1. Plastic backing – What the hell? Why?
2. The continued lack of picture/video messaging – Seriously… this is a deal breaker for me. I wont be getting the phone due to this lack of functionality alone. It gives me cause to wait before I get it, or even waiting for the next revision of the phone, which will hopefully have picture/video messaging. I know Steve Jobs is all into just using e-mail… but honestly, I don’t know half of my friends’ e-mail addresses, and they wouldn’t be able to receive my messages anywhere even if I did.
3. Shitty keyboard – I’ve been using my brother’s iPod Touch a little bit recently… and I can’t stand the “keyboard”. It is terrible to type on, I don’t know how it pleases Steve Jobs. It is constantly making mistakes… often time when I’m very carefully trying to push a specific letter. I can use T9 word faster on my current cell phone, and with fewer mistakes.
4. Non removable battery – This is also a bit of a deal breaker. My current phone’s orignal battery is starting to get pretty poor life. I can’t really fit it in the budget to get a new phone (though I may have to… but that’s because the whole phone has gone shitty). What if I traveled a lot and rarely had a chance to charge the phone? I can’t buy an extended battery, so I’m screwed. Why is Jobs all about not having batteries removable? Same deal with the MacBook Air. wtf?

So, come February, I’ll probably not be getting an iPhone… perhaps even until the next revision of the iPhone.

I am sitting here waiting for my Verizon contract to end (February 2009) so that I can get an iPhone. While I’m fairly convinced that I will eventually plop down the $400+ and $59.99+/mon to get one, I wouldn’t want to get one right now. Some features that would make it a no-brainer for me are as follows:

1. Picture and Video messaging – How the hell does such a great phone NOT have these features?? I don’t know about you, but I am constantly using picture messaging, and every now and then video messaging. This is one feature that would honestly make me not get the iPhone if they don’t get it between now and next February.
2. 3G — Luckily, I hear that this is coming very soon… so I’m not to worried about this feature not being there.
3. Some very cool applications — With the release of the SDK, I think there are going to be some pretty sweet applications released on the iPhone… but my only hope is that Apple doesn’t limit the possibilities too much. I would love to see Skype, Google Earth, more extensive media players, and some really cool applications I can’t even think of on the iPhone.

Some bonus features that would be so awesome are as follows:

1. Talk-over-wifi — I would love to get an iPhone right now if they were on my carrier… but unfortunately it is on AT&T… which is “the suck” when it comes to cell phone service and reliability. But one feature that would make it much less painful going with a suckier carrier would be the ability to have talk over wifi at home (or other places it can work). What am I talking about?? I’m talking about when you are on a wifi network… it will use that for the voice, instead of the cell towers. And making this seamless would be the best thing they could do. T-Mobile has a phone that supports this exact type of thing, and it would be so cool if Apple/AT&T added that to the iPhone.
2. iPhone on Verizon — Verizon… could you please renegotiate with Apple?? Coming to an agreement would be the most awesome thing you could do for your market share and you customers. Do you know how many people are tied into Verizon right now that plan to leave for the iPhone when they can? These are most likely the same customers that would get an iPhone instantly if it came to Verizon and also the people that would return to Verizon that left for the iPhone. Believe me, they didn’t want to go to AT&T… they just wanted the iPhone.

That said… I’m taking donations for the iPhone… just to make the cost easier to swallow .

Last night I watched the March 6 Apple Event in HD based on the iPhone’s software roadmap.

Let me just say that I am shocked and amazed at what they are doing in terms of software for the iPhone. They have truly opened up the ability to make the iPhone the greatest mobile device on the planet. For games, for music, for very good web applications in your pocket. The iPhone will truly become a very powerful device to have with you. I am seriously excited to see what great applications come to the iPhone.

I am even thinking about becoming an iPhone developer, just to play around with what it can do. The price to be such is just $99. When he was about to announce the price, I said to myself that it’ll be $500. So… I was pleasantly surprised to hear $99, something that everyone can afford.

That said, I have about 11 months before my contract is over with Verizon. I am seriously considering getting an iPhone. The only thing more I can hope for will be that Apple spans out to more phone companies… such as Verizon.