Quote from the NJ Ledger

tony bag o donuts

Active member
Oct 5, 2005
39
0
0
Visit site
Iphone= Rokr but with more sales...It will have the cool factor, especially for teens who have parents that buy it for them, but I feel the phone without physical buttons will be a pain.
 

MacUser

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2004
271
0
0
Visit site
A Good Ending

All good stuff to note.

Since you were nice enough to find the article, I do like the ending:

Speed should not be an issue if you're within range of a Wi-Fi hot spot, for wireless broadband Internet access. For cellular data transfers, however, the iPhone uses AT&T's EDGE network -- slower than so-called "3G" networks that are state of the art.

Michael Gartenberg, an analyst for Jupiter Research, doubts users will notice the difference. He also dismisses iPhone comparisons to other smart phones.

The iPod "primed the pump for mobile video," Gartenberg said, and the iPhone "is going to legitimize the market for using the cell phone as a first-class media-centric device."

Apple has created an ecosystem of viewing choices that starts at the iTunes store, said Damon Brown, author of "The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the iPhone."

"The cool thing is, you can download 'School of Rock' onto your computer, transfer it to your iPod, to your iPhone and to your TV via Apple TV," Brown said.

Although mobile video "still has a long way to go," skeptics tend to be pleasantly surprised and invariably say they would consider watching on a plane or train, Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen, editor of Streaming Media Magazine, said via e-mail.

"If any company can overcome that barrier," he added, "it's Apple."
 

MacUser

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2004
271
0
0
Visit site
I agree with others that the iPhone is NOT a smartphone...it is in fact a very powerful feature-phone. Perhaps the most powerful Feature-PHone ever created with functionality even more powerful than most standard smartphones that have open platforms and 3rd party applications which the iPhone does not (silly web apps not-withstanding).
Well, we have:
Feature Phone
Media-centric Phone
Smart Phone
Not A Smart Phone

Perhaps, it should be a new category?

PS I do still love the avatar, GFunk :evil:
 

Kupe#WP

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2000
343
1
0
Visit site
"If any company can overcome that barrier," he added, "it's Apple."
I agree with that. Video has been available on phones for 5+ years now, but it's typically been only the dedicated geek who's figured out a way to re-encode a movie to make that happen.

However...
The iPod "primed the pump for mobile video," Gartenberg said, and the iPhone "is going to legitimize the market for using the cell phone as a first-class media-centric device."
...I believe Sling Media actually primed the pump. A lot of less geeky people could take advantage of Sling on their mobile devices. Apple is now poised take it a little further with their already established iTunes video store and built-in desktop syncing. Sadly, they have to do it this way since streaming video over their phone will be too unreliable until they finally get a 3G version on the streets.

Tivo by phone really is nice when you're trapped in some bureaucratic waiting room. :cool:
 

dstrauss#IM

Well-known member
Sep 20, 1999
192
0
0
Visit site
I agree with that. Video has been available on phones for 5+ years now, but it's typically been only the dedicated geek who's figured out a way to re-encode a movie to make that happen.

However...
...I believe Sling Media actually primed the pump. A lot of less geeky people could take advantage of Sling on their mobile devices. Apple is now poised take it a little further with their already established iTunes video store and built-in desktop syncing. Sadly, they have to do it this way since streaming video over their phone will be too unreliable until they finally get a 3G version on the streets.

Tivo by phone really is nice when you're trapped in some bureaucratic waiting room. :cool:

Although I'm not an Apple fan, I think this is a bit of an understatement. The iPhone has the potential to take video out of the backwater of geekdom to main stream status, just as the iPod jazzed the MP3 player market. It's Achilles heel is EDGE - it won't really succeed in expanding the market until it turns to 3G for ubiquitous data streaming.
 

MacUser

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2004
271
0
0
Visit site
Although I'm not an Apple fan, I think this is a bit of an understatement. The iPhone has the potential to take video out of the backwater of geekdom to main stream status, just as the iPod jazzed the MP3 player market. It's Achilles heel is EDGE - it won't really succeed in expanding the market until it turns to 3G for ubiquitous data streaming.

I would have to agree. I'm skeptical about the newly fine-tuned EDGE speeds I've been hearing about. Apple has hedged this situation by focusing the user to download video via iTunes. If web sites at least load relatively quickly--I'm accustomed to long wait times with my Treo--it should be a positive experience.

I wonder if Apple had a 3G iPhone ready, but had to hold it back because AT&T's network wasn't developed enough? What if it's waiting in the wings and can hit the streets when 3G coverage is consistent?!?! :eek:
 

dstrauss#IM

Well-known member
Sep 20, 1999
192
0
0
Visit site
...I wonder if Apple had a 3G iPhone ready, but had to hold it back because AT&T's network wasn't developed enough? What if it's waiting in the wings and can hit the streets when 3G coverage is consistent?!?! :eek:

That would seem extremely short-sighted. There are a LOT of potential customers in 3G areas around the country (top 100 + markets) they are sacrificing waiting for further development.

One thing we haven't discussed is the battery hit of HSDPA. It drains my Blackjack 2-3x faster than EDGE (even with the extended battery). With no replaceable battery, a Quasimodo hump upgrade is out of the question. I can see junior "borrowing" Dad's iPhone in the car and after intense 60 minutes of downloding Pirates from iTunes Daddy can no longer make a phone call. :rolleyes: