iPhone

[Stephen Coates]

Have any of you used an iPhone?

I havn't seen or used one yet, but I would assume that having a touch screen for such a device would be really awkward to use. It also looks quite big.

And I really think Apple could have used their imagination when thinking of a name for it, like they did with the Macintosh, and iPod. iPhone just sound boring. Actually, I think alot of 'i' things sound boring now. 'i' just tends to be used too much these days. It was fine when we first heard it, now it just gets boring.

[Buleste]

My Brother in-law works for Apple on Oxford street. He's used an iPhone and said they're great but then he's a Apple Fan Boy. I have heard that the Web browsing is as slow as the DS web browser which is pants.

[AlexJ]

I have had a go on one, and I wasn't that impressed. The onscreen keyboard is fiddly, the web access was quite good but then it was through WiFi not the slower mobile Edge connection. The inability to send files through bluetooth would annoy me, it's been done to stop people sending each other MP3's, which Apple hopes will make for more sales from iTunes. The MP3 players good (as you'd expect) but the camera was crap - little better than the one in my basic Nokia 5300 and not a patch on the newer Sony Ericsson K-series models.

Are they worth the price IMO? Absolutely not, the fact you have to pay for the phone and take a contract means I wouldn't touch it. The contract is pretty awful too - 200 minutes and 200 texts for £35/month. I get 200 minutes and 400 texts for £15/month.

The only good thing is that the iPhone gets unlimited data usage, although they've stuck a 'fair usage policy' on this including terms such as "You may not use your iPhone for the continuous streaming of any audio/video content or P2P or file sharing" which seems pretty restrictive.

[TiredOfLife]

Like every other mobile phone, it's just a tracking device.

[Stephen Coates]

Like every other mobile phone, it's just a tracking device.

Indeed. It is actually quite nice going out without a mobile phone, and knowing that no one can contact you and that knowone can locate where you are

As for cameras, I think I am actually yet to see a picture from a mobile phone which is good (note 'good', not high resolution).

I think it is also very overpriced. I don't really see why anyone would want to pay so much for a mobile telephone. What if it got stolen in a busy area while you were talking to someone on it?

[Harrison]

Mobile phone photographs have generally tended to look OK on the phone's own screen, but then been a huge disappointment once you get them to the computers. But I do have to admit that the images from the latest Sony phones are pretty good and about level with a cheap digital camera. The new Samsung 5MP one also does pretty good images, but I totally agree that most are just not that good.

There is one issue regarding leaving the house without a mobile on you. It's called a girlfriend. If and when you finally get one you will know why! They will instantly have a crisis the moment you don't have it with you, and when you next pick it up there will be lots of texts and answer phone messages all saying the same thing. "Where are you?", "Why was your phone switched off?", or even better "You never answer your phone!". They don't seem to grasp the concept that you don't actually want to be contacted 24 hours a day.

Anyway, back on topic. The iPod. Some quite impressive features. The music player is basically the iTouch, so if you are looking for mainly an audio player then buy one of those instead. The browser is good, but only if you are connected via WiFi, so when you are using it where intended, which is out and about, and not next to a Wireless router, then it doesn't support 3G and instead relies on the older much slower Edge and will be a nightmare to use email or internet. It also has no email push functionality so not very useful for business users.

It's OK, but not great. It is slick and looks great to use, but for me it is much like most of Apple's products since the first i was used in a product. An iGimmick.

[J T]

A friend has the iPod with the touch screen. Whipping through photos with a flicking of the finger was neat and the display looked great.

But it was apparently almost impossible to use inside a pocket (you can't feel where the 'buttons' are) and it looked so thin like it'd bend if you kept it in the back trouser pocket and sat down.

[Harrison]

I've read exactly the same complaints about the iTouch, with reviewers saying it is near impossible to control it unless you take it out of your pocket, which is annoying.

Good idea though, and the touch screen technology is nicely coded. They just need to get the usability working nicely, instead of rushing it to market in time for Christmas as the next must have gimmick.

At least it isn't as mad as the Microsoft touch table. I saw a short clip of Bill Gates talking about and demonstrating the new table. Yes it looks cool being able to drag content around on your tabletop and control computers that way, but what practical use does it really have? You couldn't sit at a coffee table for long periods using it as a standard computer. I can see it ending up as a high end home entertainment control system. In contrast Bill was spouting that it would be in ever home within 5 years. Haven't we heard such claims before?

[v85rawdeal]

And I bet it needs more than 64k of memory!!!

[Harrison]

:lol:

Wasn't it 640K of memory? I'm sure Bill can squeeze everything needed into that much ram!

[Buleste]

I remember when 64k was a huge amount of memory. And 640k well thats just Super computer terretory.

[Harrison]

Me too. I remember getting my Amstrad CPC464 and thinking how cool it was to have a whole 64K of ram. At the time I was comparing this to my friend's Spectrums with 48K or ram and the BBC A's with their 16K.

I also remember in the 90's when I was still a dedicated Amiga user and many were moving over to the PC. A friend built a new PC with 96MB of ram and that really blew me away compared to my A4000 with it's 18MB of ram.

If someone had told me back in the Amiga days that in 15 years time I would be using a PC with 3GB of ram I wouldn't have believed them. That amount of ram does still seem quite mad. And you can now get server grade motherboards that support 64GB of ram.

[Buleste]

The worst one is hard drives. My first Hard drive for my 1200 was a whopping 170Mb which beat my mates 60 MB. And now i have more than that in RAM on my 1200. In fact i've got free USB sticks with more than that.

[Buleste]

Just thought you mike like this cartoon iscuff (http://www.pvponline.com/2008/01/14/iscuff/)

[sarek2k]

anyway back on topic here iPhone(touch) :) i saw a youtube video with a guy attacking an iTouch screen with a razor blade / key / Safety pin etc and not even a scratch on it, i've not linked it here cause you all know how you use youtube:) anyway point being
what it didnt show was the back some kind of alu/mettalic surface scratches like **** even with kid gloves bah what a ****ing pointless excersize!

High shine devices might look the dogs bollocks for a couple of days but after a week or so looks like it's been rubbed by em :)

I got a Sony K800i for xmas and i'm so happy with the phone camera combo and in some areas it's burries the iPhone! (3g / Proper Camera with xenon flash or is it xeon maybe thinking about the amiga game loL:)) speaking of which it has a good little joystick for games if you have smaller bucketless mits ;)

[Harrison]

My GF has the K800i and it is a nice phone, if a little bit chunky. The processor is nice and fast and as you say it has a good camera. You mentioned the little navigation joystick. This is actually something a lot of people complain about with Sony phones as they can be fiddly to use, and as with my GF's phone they can stick and not always respond. The newer K770i seems to be slightly better as it is much thinner and replaces the joystick with a flat rocker pad.

I've got a Samsung E900 which is a great little phone but it's processor isn't as fast and you do notice some lag when looking through images while it loads up the preview thumbnails, and it's got one annoying "feature". The main buttons for menu, cancel, call etc... are all touch buttons that are hidden when the phone's slide is closed and then light up white when open. It looks great, but they can equally be very annoying as you can sometimes accidentally touch the cancel button while doing something, which instantly cancels it and returns you to the front screen.

[v85rawdeal]

I hear that one of the girls in Portsmouth Guildhall Square has jumped on the bandwagon and rebranded herself as an 'iSuck'

[Stephen Coates]

I have a Nokia 3510i which has been switched on for about 20 minutes since February 2007. Great for playing snake on!

[sarek2k]

I've got a Samsung E900 which is a great little phone but it's processor isn't as fast and you do notice some lag when looking through images while it loads up the preview thumbnails, and it's got one annoying "feature". The main buttons for menu, cancel, call etc... are all touch buttons that are hidden when the phone's slide is closed and then light up white when open. It looks great, but they can equally be very annoying as you can sometimes accidentally touch the cancel button while doing something, which instantly cancels it and returns you to the front screen.

Tell me about it that was my old phone and everything you mentioned is what i experienced, the wife has it now she seems to be getting along better with it.

I heard bad things about the joystick on the k800i too but my old k500 had one and i found that ok apart from no micro switches, however i much prefer the stick than using the keys (as they are really tiny and bad enough to txt with)

[J T]

Any one in the UK interested in an iPhone should have noticed that the 8GB version has dropped to 169 sterlings.

You don't have to sign up for the contract in the store. You pays your money, you gets your phone.

You activate it at home and sign up for the contract through iTunes. By which I mean use a ridiculously straightforward program to unlock it for any SIM and any network :oldtimer:

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And so, it's a very nice looking bit of kit. The touch screen is a breeze, so neat to use and very intuitive. I have to say that the web-browsing is better than anything I've seen on a mobile before. On screen QWERTY keyboard and great SMS handling.

I'm really very tempted to get one to keep (and not flog on ebay as I have done), for the ease of having music and telephone in one as I currently carry both around.

It's not all good though, no MMS support without MASSIVE ****ing around and the stupid headphone jack is too deeply recessed for many headphones.

So anyway, iPhone chat here guys...

[Harrison]

Don't we have another iPhone thread somewhere?

Anyway...

It's made by Apple so you won't see me buying one any time soon. ;)

On a more serious note... you DEFINITELY won't see my buying one! Why? Apple seem to have forgotten that this is a phone and for that function the iPhone is crap. Everyone I know who has one thinks so. For a media player it does fair better and the touch screen software is very nicely designed. But it is the typical Apple gimmick hardware for the gullible Apple fans of the world in my view.

8GB? There is a new 16GB version. But even that is way to small for the needs to many today. If there was a 120GB version I might have been tempted.

[J T]

Yeah, I merged them just now. Whoops.

The camera on the iPhone is shit BTW, but I have to say the rest of it is pretty cool. I like it a lot more than my K810i. But is it worth the money? That is another question...

[Buleste]

No matter what price they put that thing at it'll still be a phone for show offs. It may have all these wonderfull things it can do but because the british mobile phone industry is such a rip off (I know i used to work for the industry) everytime you use one of the flashy apps it'll cost you an arm and a leg and run like sh1t. It's like having a Bugatti Varon for the school run in a town that has a 20 mph speed limit after the car has been spoiled by "Pimp my Ride".

[J T]

I've never understood why Apple is loved by so many and detested by others.

I've seen both sides of it and I have to say, I don't get it. It's just computer/tech kit with it's own merits and of course flaws too. I'm happy say that I do quite like it.

[Buleste]

I've nothing against Apple unlike Harrison. however I don't understand the hype about the iPhone.

[Demon Cleaner]

I've nothing against Apple unlike Harrison. however I don't understand the hype about the iPhone.Exactly the same here, I'm no Apple hater, but seriously, they're are a lot of nice phones out there, why the iphone?

[Harrison]

I'm an Apple hater for the simple reason that the company take existing technology, add a shiny over designed look and feel to it, and then the masses of Apple fans lap it up like its the best thing since sliced bread, with the blinkered idea that Apple had invented the technology. How many Apple fans still think they invented the mp3 player and the mp3 file format? Quite a few!

Apple fans are like religious sheep, believing everything they are fed by their leader.

And the biggest thing I hate is that all Apple hardware s tied into Apple software. I don't want to have to install iShit on my PC just so I can copy some songs to an mp3 player. Why in this day and age can't all mp3 and media players plug into the USB slot of appear as a drive so you can drag and drop and manage your files? Control, that is why! Apple playing big brother all the time, just like their hand holding OS crap.

OK, I will admit that they often make some nice products. But they are never perfect. The iPhone for example has a crap low res camera compared to others these days, has no WiFi which is really bad for something promoted as a media system, is really crap as an actual phone, and doesn't even have 3G! But the fans are lapping it up because it is from Apple.

[Stephen Coates]

Whilst I am still not interested in having one of these, I will have to go and have a fiddle with one in the Apple store. I'll be going past later in order to pick up some photos which i took to be developped yesterday :)

As cool as a touchscreen might seem, I don't see how it is practical to use on such a device. Are you suppose to look at it everytime you use it? I know this might be necessary for dialing numbers, but with playing music, I operate my walkman when it is in the pocket of my jeans/jacket without looking at it, and when talking on my mobile telephone, i can quite easily locate the red/green button to end the call without looking at it. All due to the fact that they have real buttons.

[Harrison]

That is a very goof point that a lot of people are also moaning about. You can't really operate the iPhone, or the iTouch for that matter, when it is in your pocket. Not so useful as an mp3 player either then. ;)

[v85rawdeal]

And do you really want to be seen walking along, with your hand in your pocket, fiddling all the time...

[Buleste]

And do you really want to be seen walking along, with your hand in your pocket, fiddling all the time...

Seen???? No.

[J T]

OK, I will admit that they often make some nice products. But they are never perfect. The iPhone for example has a crap low res camera compared to others these days, has no WiFi which is really bad for something promoted as a media system, is really crap as an actual phone, and doesn't even have 3G! But the fans are lapping it up because it is from Apple.

Well, nothing ever is. Rumour has it that these ones are being banged out cheap ready for the newer model which should have 3G capabilities and be able to do MMS and stuff. Depends on what people are willing to go without. My K810 does 3G but I switched off the 3G reception as I simply never use it.

The iphone does do wi-fi, otherwise browsing would be soooooo slow (and for those not actually on the officiall 'iphone contract' ruinously expensive). While I would no way think it is the best thing ever (often mocked by being called the jesusphone) it is a neat bit of kit for sure. Flawed, yes. Worthy of all the adulation and unconditional praise? No. A bloody good phone/MP3 playing solution? Oh yes.

[Harrison]

Hmm... so it does have WiFi. I remember reading in the original previews of the phone that it didn't. I think in reality the preview phones much have just had it disabled. I did a quick search and WiFi can be hard to get working on the iPhone according to a lot of users.

[Stephen Coates]

Like every other mobile phone, it's just a tracking device.

Looks like TiredOfLife was right about it being a tracking device.

Who heard the news recently about iPhones keeping track of the whereabouts of their users?

I'm not sure what it would need to do that for :ninja:

[Harrison]

The reason for tracking was an idea that has existed since the development of the 3G network began years ago. The idea was to track where you and your mobile device were and be able to target you with mobile content relating to your location. So for example you would be walking past a shop and receive a special offer message on your mobile device, such as a food discount.

I expect Apple are using this data for more than this though. Like Google build up a profile of your internet habits based on your search engine results, I expect Apple want to track iPhone users locations to see where concentrated locations of their customer base are so they can try to increase App marketting to specifically target revenue streams within those locations.

Apple are after all only in it for the money.

[Shoonay]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiU8GPlsZqE

[Harrison]

:lol: So much for family friendly Apple products! ;)

Actually, it is surprising how slowly voice recognition has really developed since the 90s. Probably has been waiting like a lot of technology to catch up with device processing power to actually become useful. Although has anyone tried Google Translate? I've got the Android app and it works pretty well. Converts anything you say on the fly into any other language. Pretty cool, and very useful.

[J T]

Actually, it is surprising how slowly voice recognition has really developed since the 90s. Probably has been waiting like a lot of technology to catch up with device processing power to actually become useful

Don't these new ones just send a recording of the voice to a powerful server? So the actual mobile device isn't really doing the processing. I'm sure I read that somewhere. I remember when my friend got a phone with voice dialling back in 98 I think. It was hilariously shit.

I've tried Google Translate, it was quite neat. It worked much better than Google Goggles, which didn't really do much when I tried it, failing to recognise pretty much everything that I tried it with.

[Harrison]

Google Goggles is an interesting idea, but I also couldn't get it to recognise anything I tried other than a playing card.

As for voice recognition, I'm not sure how Google are doing their recognition, maybe it is utilising their servers, but it seems to be working much better than anything else I've ever tried before, and with it built into Android other app makers are utilising it too. The Dictionary App works well with it, which is useful if you just can't work out how to spell a word, as you can just speak it and find out. Great for dyslexic people like me. :)