iPhone Daze
Posted at 11:20 pm on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, in Technology, and tagged apple, google, twitter.
The iPhone is a toy. I do not say that in complete disregard to its status or its potential as a platform. The iPhone is a platform, just as the laptop computer, BlackBerry and Wii are platforms. In fact, it may even be the future of Apple and possibly the entire computing world. Who knows? As of now however, it is a toy. It’s a speak-n-spell combined with a cell phone (and an alarm clock).
Why am I dissing the iPhone when I most clearly want one and am supremely jealous of those fortunate that do? Slow down. Sure, an iPhone would be nice, but not for the price. And not just the buy-in price, but the monthly fees. It is reported that the average iPhone bill is $85. That is 30 percent greater than my wife and mine combined. And that doesn’t include the cost for the fart app. Maybe there is a free fart app, but the best fart app will certainly throw you back a few dollars. And what about all the other games and apps that are most definitely must-haves? The phone is a necessity; the iPhone is a luxury. I realize that is not a surprising statement, but that reality isn’t being reported.
The iPhone is the most expensive toy on the market. In its current form, it will not replace the BlackBerry. (I’m sure current owners would say that it is not supposed to replace the BlackBerry. That’s a lame argument. For the iPhone to truly become the next great platform, it must have business use, and by business use, I do not mean posting to a Tumblr or Twitter. Some people truly believe that Gmail and Google Docs is all that is needed to build real things in this world, but that is not true. If you make your living posting photos to Flickr or vidcasting about wine, then maybe, but for the vast majority of the world, the portion which makes posting to Tumblr, Twitter and watching YouTube videos even possible, the real world runs on batteries. This is possibly a metaphor gone wrong. The world needs energy solutions, not nano-gaming and hipster t-shirts.) Also, in its current form, the iPhone will not replace the ultra-small laptops or netbooks. (Again, I’m sure there is the argument that it is not supposed to.)
I think that the development of the iPhone is an interesting story, as is a lot of nanotechnology innovations, e.g., the ever-diminishing size of memory cards. The app that tells you what Chinese restaurants are nearby, however useful, is not revolutionary. The app that lets you post to Twitter is also not a newsworthy accomplishment. Same with the app that mimics the sound of a light-saber.
Simply said, the iPhone is a niche technology, and it should be treated as one.
I would love to find — or more accurately, re-discover — a blog that covers Apple news that does not post about every new iPhone app that is released or any minuscule press release about its SDK. (If you do not know what the SDK is, that is a good thing; it means you are doing something worthwhile during your day.) I would also love to re-discover a technology blog that doesn’t drool over Twitter several times a day (and only to be up-in-arms when the profitless website is down). Twitter by the way is as substantive as a pet rock.
Gruber, anyone?
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May 13th, 2009 at 9:30 am
[...] « iPhone Daze [...]
May 13th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
[...] if the iPhone and its myriad capabilities and limitless apps are the only way for you to share on Twitter, or Flickr, or Facebook, then yes, the iPhone is the [...]
May 16th, 2009 at 6:26 am
so i finally caved and got me one of these ubiquitous devices. i enjoy its internet speed and capabilities, the email functions, and even some of the apps. i can get the weather, traffic, maps, movie times, bart schedules, and even find where a specific book i want is in stock. these things are definitely luxuries, but so is almost every other phone besides the most basic flip or bar phone available now.
i disliked the blackberry because of its operating system, which for my peabrain was not very intuitive or “neat” (in the sense of organization). the customizable features of the iphone’s interface appealed to me greatly, and i am quite happy with my phone.
HOWEVER, i find it absolutely moronic that apple produced which is essentially a computer that can make phone calls and yet it cannot perform two fairly simple and common cell phone functions: multimedia messages and zooming with the camera. it is ridiculous to me that the only way to send a single-distanced picture from this thing is to email it, and i can only email one at a time if i attach it from the phone’s email program. to receive a picture message, i get a text with a link containing a user id and password to access the picture. none of the id’s and passwords i’ve received have worked yet, to boot.
is it the world’s greatest cell phone? probably not. was it worth the $180 (refurb at a teacher discount)? i’d say yes.
also, i agree about twitter. i do it because i like to challenge myself to an update that is somehow relevant or interesting, and the haiku thing is an added restriction. do i think that people can really get to know me or what’s going on in my life via twitter? nah. i do enjoy stephen colbert’s updates though, because they are hilarious.
enjoy amsterdam and sorry for blogging in your comments.