Comments on: Why The iPhone Isn’t A Revolution

By: Tom Reynolds

Tom Reynolds — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:48:32 +0000

Ian – I’d heard similar which is one reason why I didn’t want to wait around before moaning about it…

By: Ian Forrester

Ian Forrester — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:42:00 +0000

Good analysis Tom (wish I’d wrote much more now). The development issue is actually much more important that I’d first thought. A friend of mine, looked for the SDK and documentation for the iPhone and found nothing. Aka Apple are keeping this one safely locked away from the developers.

I also think the iPhone will not run all the widgets you get on your mac right now. Which means you won’t be able to use that clipping feature in OSX 10.5 to create your own.

As far I can tell the there are tweaks which do challenge the standard phone models, but compared to a decent Windows Mobile device its not so clear. I expect by the time it rolls into Europe, HTC will have made most of the non-patented changes. Evolution not Revolutionary is what it is.

By: Tom Reynolds

Tom Reynolds — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:12:01 +0000

Part of my point is that unless they open up the develpoment for third party apps it’ll be an easy to use, good looking phone – but it just won’t be as versatile as a smartphone.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:08:43 +0000

I guess the whole “my smartphone can already do XYZ” argument is easily laid to rest by invoking the “My PC can do what your Mac” can do clause.

Yes, it does the same thing but it’s more about HOW it does it… apparently.. I don’t have a Mac, you tell me!

As for the touchscreen…

Well, from various reports I think (THINK!) they’ve gone with a sort of protective cover on it. Sounds VERY like the same stuff I bought for my Nano, it’s clear, you can’t tell it’s there and you get a very subltely ’soft’ touch, grease doesn’t really cling to it, and you don’t get many fingerprints. (The thing I bought is called The Invisible Shield if you are wondering).

However, as you touch on, it’s just another part of the ‘convergance’ that Nokia waffle on about. So, pick a vendor people, Microsoft or Apple? (or, like most, a mixture of the two with some better 3rd party apps doing the main work…).

The times they are a changin’, an old croaky man once sang. Indeed they are, indeed they are.

By: Dave Goodman

Dave Goodman — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:31:00 +0000

Great thoughts Tom. I notice you have the same smartphone as me – thanks for the tip on the MissingSync software – I’m about to get a Mac and was getting a bit worried about that aspect.

Is there any chance you could list the various bits of software you use? I have quite a bit of good 3rd party stuff on my phone, but some of the bits and pieces you have sound pretty sweet.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:58:46 +0000

I think the “revolutionary” thing isn’t WHAT you can do, but HOW you can do it. I don’t know any other phones that only have one button!
My boyfriend phoned me up last night babbling on about the “new iPhone, isn’t it fantastic? I almost fell off my chair!”
And I was just not bothered. But the more I look, the more impressed I am.