Will iPhone kill the Treo franchise?

[surur]

The iPhone and Touch are actually quite similar sizes:

iPhone: 115 x 61 x 11.6 mm, 81.4 cm3

Touch: 99.9 x 58 x 13.9 mm, 80.5 cm3

You may be right about small hands but I'm guessing I'd have no problems reaching any part with the thumb of the hand I'd hold it with. I can reach any part of my E61 and it's bigger in all dimensions. I think tapping the main app icons should be fine too, but as with most things iPhone it's a matter of waiting and seeing before you can be sure. That said, I do suspect that many people would use it two-handed much of the time and it might well feel more natural that way.

When it comes to that size small differences look quite dramatic. Notice despite being smaller size the icons are actually larger, and require less precision to activate.

Surur

 

[Certs]

As far as size goes, I'm willing to sacrifice some if it means a larger, higher res screen. But I can't speak for everyone

 

[marcol]

When it comes to that size small differences look quite dramatic.

That's true, but notice that the max distance your thumb has to reach isn't really very different. Also, of course, your picture doesn't show that the Touch is 17% thicker, which is why the iPhone, despite its larger footprint, is only 1% or so larger in volume terms. I'd say the iPhone has the nod here. Who wants thickness when you can have a big screen instead?

 

[surur]

That's true, but notice that the max distance your thumb has to reach isn't really very different. Also, of course, your picture doesn't show that the Touch is 17% thicker, which is why the iPhone, despite its larger footprint, is only 1% or so larger in volume terms. I'd say the iPhone has the nod here. Who wants thickness when you can have a big screen instead?

In terms of usability (specifically thumb reach) the small thickness difference does not make much difference.


Its not that thick either. The Razr is actually thicker.

Surur

 

[whmurray]

As far as size goes, I'm willing to sacrifice some if it means a larger, higher res screen. But I can't speak for everyone

I am too. I hope HTC gets a lot of battery life for that ugly (b&w?) screen.

 

[surur]

I am too. I hope HTC gets a lot of battery life for that ugly (b&W?) screen.

Ouch! Have you seen the LG Prada screens? Black is always in fashion

Of course, so is Fisher Price...

Surur

 

[JackisBack#IM]

So is it really a treo killer or pretender?

 

[oalvarez]

less than two weeks away, we'll know soooooooooooooooooooooon!

 

[surur]

So is it really a treo killer or pretender?

Feature-wise its clearly not a Treo killer, but the question is if it will cost Palm as much market share as to kill the company.

Surur

 

[mikec#IM]

hmmm...

The iPhone will likely not steal away Treo users.

But it will entice five camps:

1.) Apple Fanboys/girls.

2.) People with money to burn.

3.) People who want the latest gadget.

4.) People who might consider a Treo, but are more drawn to the iPhone.

5.) People looking for a converged iPod/phone.

I think we need to wait a year and see where things are.

But I will say, the hype and excitement is fun.

 

[bruckwine]

the iphone is Angelina Jolie.....the treo is Helen Hunt....are you looking for a one night stand or a long term relationship with your phone??????

Classic but I'd say iPhone = Beyonce (young and hot but not ready for a long temr thing) while treo = Halle Berry (older also hot but not fresh and ready to have a baby or two)??

iPhone will be the new razr in terms of sales etc...but two difft types of phones in 2 difft markets. Most ppl in the business world (or ppl who like to be organised) will have a smartphone and then maybe (if they can afford it and all) a regular phone (iPhone or some competitor from Sony/Motorola)...have no fear the treo is going nowhere (unless BB comes out with a real killer)

 

[bruckwine]

Btw both the HTC touch and the iPhone will def suck for one-handed usage I reckon! I rarely even use my treo touchscreen....

 

[surur]

Btw both the HTC touch and the iPhone will def suck for one-handed usage I reckon! I rarely even use my treo touchscreen....

For reading info (vs inputting stuff) the HTC Touch should work pretty well one-handed. I just bought one, so I shall find out soon enough.

Surur

 

[braj]

The reviews of the Touch I've seen say the new touch features are limited to the launcher, so I'm thinking you'll have the same experience otherwise that you have with any WM device. I haven't used WM so I don't know if that is good or bad.

That said it is a nice little device but doing real work on it may be limited with not 'real' keyboard. That's also the thing abut the Treo (or BB etc) over the iPhone: IMO a real keyboard gives much more flecibility. I just switched from a TX where I used myKBD which was very fast for text entry really, but now having a keyboard I find there are lots of other advantages to the hard keys. And the 5 way seems more efficient to me than having to use two hands to move through applications. I just don't know how functional a keyless device really will be. (HTC Touch does still have a 5 way which I think is a big advantage).

 

[bruckwine]

IMO the iPhone should've at least have a nav button - the home button doesn't APPEAR to be a 5-way but who knows?? If not it would've made it that much easier to use. Btw why have a home button at all? They could've had more screen real estate and had a virtual home button too!

 

[surur]

The reviews of the Touch I've seen say the new touch features are limited to the launcher, so I'm thinking you'll have the same experience otherwise that you have with any WM device. I haven't used WM so I don't know if that is good or bad..

The touch system also works for scrolling outside the launcher, and for showing web pages around. Its actually pretty cool.

Notice the scrolling of the list here.
http://www.solopalmari.com/images/stories/recensionihw/touch/touch_def/in_touch_htc.wmv

Notice they always use the phone one-handed in the demos.

I'm buying this strictly as a toy (at ?310) but then I like shiny things The phone I really want for real work is the HTC Kaiser (HSDPA, GPS, WIFI, Bluetooth, keyboard, tilt-up screen etc)

Surur

 

[mikec#IM]

hmm

Comparing a phone to a chick...is well...um...pathetic.

Better to get your stroke on more often, and keep the gadget comparisons within the same species.

 

[MacUser]

Both a phone and a chick can be sexy...

 

[braj]

Both a phone and a chick can be sexy...

What is 'sexy' about a phone, unless you have some strange fetish

 

[mikec#IM]

well

And both a chick and a gadget can suck my wallet...but only one can suck my...well, you get the idea.