iphone!!!!! Desperate for advice

Isn't the iphone made by Macintosh/Apple? If so, don't expect it to do anything well with a non-Apple PC.

Am obsessed with how beautiful it looks and would love to buy one - HOWEVER (and I am not particularly tech savvy!) I have been told and have read that it is an incredible gadget all around EXCEPT it is not good or ideal with email and with synching up with outlook on PC's - which is the main thing I would need a pda for!!!!

Any suggestions or advice from obsessed fan who wants one but knows it would truely be luxury and not best for work related e-mail (damn!)????

It's just like buying a Mac. It forces a whole new way of thinking about applications. If you are willing to commit to using the supplied software, then you will be very pleased with it. If you want to try to sync it with existing windows-based stuff, you will probably be less than happy.

I think the iPhone is the coolest thing to come out in years. But they are expensive and require a whole new way of thinking.

... and, the company doesn't allow competition using its format. (monopoly -- and one reason why I don't use an Mac)

I heard from someone who has one that the gizmo is great but that the phone doesn't work so good.

I'm a big Mac enthusiast but am going to wait for the second iteration of this device. Give it a year or so for all the wrinkles to be ironed out.

Mac products are not known for their toughness.

I can't imagine ever going back to a PC.

that being said, I agree that this one might need to cook a little while longer.

Mac's Mail program is basically the same program as Outlook, so it can be set-up to receive any email that you get normally. As far as syncing the two, well, i dunno...

Mac products are not known for their toughness.

Toughness as in durability or ease of use?

Toughness as in durability or ease of use?

My iPod has been dropped more times than I can count and it still works like a top. So I'm not sure I agree with the lack of durability thing.

But I agree with the other poster that wants to wait on the second-generation iPhone. Wise advice.

I'm a big Mac enthusiast but am going to wait for the second iteration of this device. Give it a year or so for all the wrinkles to be ironed out.

You're right- just like a car- wait for the second round. I only work on a Mac. I was a PC user that switched in college. I'll never go back BUT I am in the creative field.

Macs are a thing of their own. Very easy to use- but don't think it'll be great with a PC... Easy as heck for me though I'm waiting for the price to drop and a few versions so the product will mature.

a friend of mine actually backed over his Ipod Nano in his truck. The screen looked like an aerial view of some lava fields, but he still uses it seven months later as a shuffle-only jukebox.

just buy one of these soon

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

just buy one of these soon

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

I just saw that on Yahoo news, whoa.....

:shock:

knock off of this guys. i like his a lot better

YouTube - Minority Report becomes reality

Durability.

Durability.

The iphone's release has been delayed.

As for other comments, I always find people who Mac Bash are simply jealous!

I always find people who Mac Bash are simply jealous!

Well, I guess it is okay that are wrong on occasion.

Thanks to everyone for their valuable comments as always!

Durability.

My feelings have changed since we fully immersed and washed an iPod Nano. But after drying it out, it's working. I don't think a phone would survive but who knows?!

Apple announced yesterday that the iphone's release will be the 29th. Apple stock jumped 2.80 per share. Of course, it is now trading over 120.00 per share.

I am a HUGE Mac fan. Obviously I own their stock and 5 of their computers. However, I would personlly wait until the second release of the iphone. Again, I love my Macs, BUT, I have experienced the bugs in a first release product. There are always fixes, but in my experience, even with fixes the first release products don't work as well.

I would love to have an iphone, but the service provider here is not the best for cell service. I like my Nextel and rarely have a problem. Don't want to switch. Uggghhhh, did I say I liked a Sprint product??? Am I insane? LOL

http://www.macrumors.com/2007/06/08/iphone-details-from-atandts-sales-training-workbook/

Info is starting to come out about the real details of the phone. Also, look for Apple to withhold some info about features until the day of the release. The link is to the mac rumors site and they have received a copy of the AT&T training guide.

One cool thing is that you can talk on the phone and surf the web at the same time.

IMO they know a lot is riding on the debut of the phone and that it can not disappoint. From what I have read, they are prepared to ship and have available 3 million phones on the day of the debut. This is largerest rollout of consumer tech product, ever.

P.S. I came across this web site-- they offer a guaranteed for life screen protector for the iphone and similar products:

http://www.shieldzone.com/iphone-screen-protector

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (don't have a link - you have to be a member):

All-in-one iPhone may be too trendy

By BOB KEEFE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/10/07
Andy Whatley is crazy for cellphones.
He bought a Motorola Razr as soon as it hit the market. He soon replaced it with the music-playing Rockr, then an even trendier Slivr.
RELATED LINK:
iPhone: Do you believe the hype?
[ Submit your comments below. ]
So it's no surprise what the Columbus schoolteacher is eagerly awaiting now: the Apple iPhone.
When the elegant cellphone/music player/entertainment/Internet device arrives at his local AT&T store June 29, Whatley plans to be one of the first in line. He's got his eye on the 8-gigabyte model, priced at $600.
"On a teacher's salary, shoot, $600 is almost a week's pay," said Whatley, 46. "But how often does [a phone] come around like this one?"
Whatley is exactly the sort of consumer Apple is aiming for in new ads for what could be the most hyped electronic device in recent history.
But will the average consumer pay $500 to $600 to own it?
Probably not.
"Like any new hot fashion item ... it's almost inconceivable that you're not going to see a huge surge in orders over the next eight to 12 weeks," said David Yoffie, a Harvard Business School professor who studies technology and strategy.
"But after that," he added, "it depends on a lot of unknowns."
According to a survey last month by J.D. Power and Associates, more than 36 percent of cellphone users get their phones for free, and free is hard to beat.
When consumers did pay for a cellphone last year, the average price was about $93, slightly less than a year earlier.
At the same time, many consumers already have music players and other multimedia features on their cellphones, but don't use them.
In a recent study by technology research firm In-Stat, about 80 percent of consumers who had phones that can play songs said they rarely if ever used the feature.
Ken Dulaney, an analyst with technology research firm Gartner Inc., said the jury is still out on whether most consumers want all-in-one-devices like iPhone or separate devices that might work better independently.
"The real question is, do you want a hammer that also acts like a saw?" he said. "There's a certain customer group who would prefer" separate devices.
Especially, he added, if they already own an iPod or are happy with their current cellphone.

Special concerns
As a phone, iPhone is mediocre compared to other products on the market, Dulaney said. As a media player, it's good, but a separate iPod might be better. As an e-mail device, other devices are better.
As a result, Dulaney said he's expecting the iPhone to have limited appeal.
"I believe this is a much tougher project than [Apple] ever imagined," he said.
IPhone also comes with its own set of special concerns.
With so many features, some technology analysts worry about its battery life. Will its striking touch screen hold up over time as well as regular old buttons?
And while Apple knows computers, it has never made a cellphone before.
Of course, naysayers have doubted Apple in the past and have been dead wrong.
Take the iPod. Critics initially scoffed at the idea of a computer company selling portable music players, and in six years, Apple has sold 100 million of them.
Jen O'Connell, a former cellphone industry executive in Atlanta who recently published "The Cell Phone Decoder Ring," a consumer guidebook, said whether the iPhone is right for you depends on what you want in a phone.
If you're just getting comfortable with that new iPod or don't need a portable music player, or if you don't want to do a lot of Web surfing or e-mail checking with your cellphone, don't get one, she said.
Likewise, if AT&T wireless service is spotty where you live or where you frequently travel, definitely don't get one, since iPhone works only on AT&T.

High price tag
And then, of course, there's the cost factor.
"It's going to be extremely appealing, but the biggest limitation is going to be the price," said O'Connell. "That's a lot of money."
And that high price tag is just for the device. AT&T has not yet disclosed the charges for the monthly service or special functions.
In announcing iPhone in January, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said he expects to get just 1 percent of the cellphone market.
But with an estimated $8.8 billion in U.S. cellphone sales last year, there's plenty of room to make money.
Apple officials declined to comment for this story, but Jobs is expected to reveal more details Monday about the phone and its launch at a software developers conference in San Francisco.

apply_behaviours();Comments

By Bob
Jun 10, 2007 8:09 PM | Link to this
To the peddler of Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt who wrote this stupid article:

Hey, man... If this first generation iPhone isn't worth it in your opinion, don't whinejust don't buy it. Duh. The market will decide. You'll see.

The iPhone is a unique combination of iPod, camera, photo library, phone, video player, web browser... connected by a unique touch screen interface. Name another product that does all that. It is cool. People will buy. They reward innovation. Others pooh-pooh it until they can come up with something that at least SEEMS similar. Then they do an about face.

For instance, if the company who pays you has a better product, write about it. (And now for my ad hominem attack, where I stick it to the messenger...) I bet the author has never built a useful product in his life. AND I bet you are going to buy one of these new iPhones. Admit it!

By C.Diddy
Jun 10, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this
Umm, where are you guys getting this info from.... Data plan being $40/month... Price break for bundled AT&T services, etc. This information is purely speculation and rumor.

As of right now I'm on board to get the iphone but if there is not some kind of incentive or discount for me switching to AT&T from Sprint then I'll just hold out.

By Len
Jun 10, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
Say what you want... I'm getting one. The prices may come down soon, but I for one currently have 3 devices (Phone, PDA, and IPOD) and the thought of consolidating them is wonderful! To those who bash those who want them... what's your vice? I'm sure you spend money on things alot of us may find "stupid". If you have nothing nice to say...

By Doug
Jun 10, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this
The key thing with any mobile phone is that it's going to fall on the concrete. It's not a matter of if, but WHEN (do you know anyone who hasn't?). Is a device this intricate and expensive going to handle a 4 foot drop onto concrete and still function?

That's why I still prefer separate devices and a mobile phone that costs no more than $200. That kind of replacement cost, I can handle.

By Mike
Jun 10, 2007 2:53 PM | Link to this
"Of course, naysayers have doubted Apple in the past and have been dead wrong. Take the iPod."

The iPod is a great success story. But, seriously, what other Apple product has ever held more than a 10 or 15 percent market share?

Maybe you could look that up on your Newton.

By Carl Weiner
Jun 10, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this
Bob,
You certainly seem busy writing hit pieces on the iPhone lately. Perhaps you should disclose in your stories that the company you work for is owned by Cox Enterprises and is involved in cell phone business in some areas (under Cox Communications), and that they are in direct competition with Apple/ITT's iPhone.

By DJGaryB
Jun 10, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this
Apple and ATT won't be able to get enough of the Iphone to satisfy the demand...it will be the hottest tech device ever launched...and I plan to get one, no doubt ! Once people see how easy this phone/Ipod/Internet device is to use, and how well it actually "works" it will become the next "must have" piece of technology !

By lrd
Jun 10, 2007 1:11 PM | Link to this
I too have a Verizon K; but will break it as soon as I get an iPhone. Let's face it, who ever doesn't recoginze the value behind a device with the capabilties of the iPhone isn't really thinking. Let me summarize:

iPOD ( more than just music- like thousands of podcast and many with video and free and don't forget the books too!)

Telephone: Like one I can actually use and like!

PDA: Wow! A PDA that's easy to use and integrated with my phone and easy to use!

Widgets: Wow! Like what the weather like, sports scores, conversion factors, all at the tip of my fingers and it doesn't require an engineering degree to use one.

WIFI Internet: Just find a hotspot and you're in busy. Had anyone just come out with this alone, and it had not been Apple, people would have been touting them as the meshia!

SMS: Again, something that I can even use and learn to like.

E-mail photos: Again, it require a EE degree to e-mail my field photos to myself at work. Wow what a concept! Talk about being to focus on your job in lieu of some cryptic key strokes.

Did I mean some things? I'm sure I did.



By ethel corn
Jun 10, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this
It is sad really that Keefe couldn't find any valid criticism of the product or provide the reader with any substantial information. If his intention is to lampoon consumers that buy expensive gadgets he should have written that article. Like it or not those people exist and they really do the rest of us a service if as informed consumers they help weed out the worst products and foster investment in innovation. Where can todays consumers turn for fair and balanced information?

The obvious weakness of the iPhone is the required contract with AT&T. A rational article about that would have perhaps been informative. Since Apple's promotion has been rather subtle the other 'hype' article seems unbalanced and Keefe seems misinformed about the definition of the word among other things. The Edsel comparison in particular was most unfortunate.

I myself am stuck buying cheap cellphones which are of very poor quality. Apple may be charging a premium for a better product but what's wrong with that? The iPhone appears to be elegantly designed, well thought out, and quite functional. I'd probably buy one if it were within my budget

- ethel corn

By Young Adult Consumer
Jun 10, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this
I don't understand why some people bash other people for their taste as far as what they prefer to buy. Is the teacher who wants to spend his check to buy an iPhone any more "stupid" than the person who was followed and robbed of their PlayStation 3 a few months ago? Is the person who wants to buy an iPhone any more "stupid" than the person who gets a new car every time Lexus puts a new one on the market? Is the hardworking tech junky who loves new toys, like the iPhone, any more "stupid" than the woman who gets nails, hair, breasts, and lip jobs? I work for AT&T and personally, I want the iPhone. I am also a tech junkie with a craving for new toys. Will I buy the iPhone? My salary would allow it...without opening a new Visa or struggling to do so. It bothers me when people don't want to see other people do anything or have anything, like crabs in a plastic bucket. Just like when the Aquarium openened with it's new ticket pricing. Some of these people who have responded so far are more than likely the same ones who complained about "high" pricing at the Aquarium and how that money could have been spent building homes for the homeless. I work hard for my money. I buy what I want to buy. I supported the Aquarium on opening day and have been 6 times since then. There is no stuggle in my life in the way of finances, thanks to God, and I am mature enough mentally and spiritually to promote success and prosperity in others. If trendy technology isn't for you, you may have found the wrong article to comment on. But it is not necessary to talk down on people who enjoy the finer things and who can afford to buy them...especially if when the prices drop to $199.00, you'll be the same person only WITH an iPhone your self. Why not say something positive? "It's a great idea to combine, but I wouldn't spend that much money on it so soon" is much better than "What an idiot!" Everybody is combining. Don't some of you have cable tv with phone and internet? Or DSL with phone and internet or satellite? BUNDLING is a good thing in 2007. I wish Apple the best of luck with the launch of the iPhone. I look forward to reading reviews of OWNERS of the iPhone and not speculators waiting for price reductions.

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I am one of those late adopters who does not own an ipod and does all the itunes stuff on a pc (and rips cds). Having a phone and and ipod combined is something I am interested in so I would not have to carry two items. Not ready to spend on a data plan just now...so have not decided whether to buy one but when I am ready to spend on a data plan the ability to surf the 'real' web from the phone looks inviting. One feature that is attractive for me is the ability to have the voicemail via text--so you can scroll through messages quickly and pick out the ones you want. I'll probably wait until I break my current cell phone before going to replace it with this all in one phone, but that's because I have to save $$ to go to Sowal!