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gonk · Jan 10, 2007, 11:51 AM

First off, let me say kudos to everyone at apple that was able to keep this revolutionary device a total secret for 2 years! That's probably the biggest accomplishment! (Well, okay, not really, but still....)

Some questions:

*) Why no hard-drive version? Seems like an unnecessary crippling of the platform to only use flash. Even a 20 gig version would be better than 8 gigs, and probably cheaper.

*) Will it support 3rd party apps? If so, what will be the development platform? XCode?

*) Any chance we might see GPS integration in the future? How about a built in electric razor?

TAZ · Jan 10, 2007, 05:23 PM

My not so comupter engineering savvy guess on the flash vs HD is durability. Cell phones take a lot of beating and having an HD in there would make it more fragile. The Nano and shuffle are flash based cause theyre targeted at people on the move and the flash minimizes skips and helps with battery life i.e no drive to spin up when the buffer is depleted. I also think the response time for flash memory is faster than a regular HD. The last thing you need is the lag when switching apps while you wait for the HD to spin up.

I am sure that GPS is on the road to future upgrades. ALL new cell phones have to have location services in them for EMS purposes, so this phone has some way in which it knows where the heck it is on the planet. GPS service, even through Telnav is not that far off.

As for the razor; dont care much for that, but a coffee maker, now that would be cool

Bunit · Jan 10, 2007, 05:40 PM

I don't think GPS will come too soon since of Google Maps. In a way that's GPS in my mind. I live in IOWA and there is wireless internet anywhere so if you need to get that info off the internet for google maps that's not a huge deal to me.. The deal breaker on this phone for me is one thing and only one thing.. If Cingular makes you get some stupid data plan you don't need I'm not doing it. If I can do a normal $40-$50 dollar plan and not have the phone killed I do it. I hope Apple realizes that and doesn't let Cingular do anything stupid. If they do this right it'll be a hit, but forcing more money for the product will kill it.

ebrunn · Jan 10, 2007, 06:35 PM

they will prolly make the GPS a add on. The 30 pin connector is a huge money source for them.

zero1207 · Jan 10, 2007, 07:52 PM

I've heard alot of people gripe about how limited the memory is on this phone, but my dad has a treo and the max he can put in it is a 2gb SD card. (as I understand it thats the biggest SD card out there). I haven't done loads of research on the other smartphones but I think 8gb blows away the competition in terms of space. I can feel for the people who want their entire music libraries on the phone, but I think with the internet and phone capabilities, apple made a nice trade off

Fvck You · Jan 11, 2007, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by gonk

First off, let me say kudos to everyone at apple that was able to keep this revolutionary device a total secret for 2 years! That's probably the biggest accomplishment! (Well, okay, not really, but still....)

Some questions:

*) Why no hard-drive version? Seems like an unnecessary crippling of the platform to only use flash. Even a 20 gig version would be better than 8 gigs, and probably cheaper.

*) Will it support 3rd party apps? If so, what will be the development platform? XCode?

*) Any chance we might see GPS integration in the future? How about a built in electric razor?

Besides the durability issue, HD also takes a greater hit on battery life. It's not unnecessary crippling, flash is the future and the right choice for the phone (capacity will catch up).

TAZ · Jan 11, 2007, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Bunit

I don't think GPS will come too soon since of Google Maps. In a way that's GPS in my mind. I live in IOWA and there is wireless internet anywhere so if you need to get that info off the internet for google maps that's not a huge deal to me.. The deal breaker on this phone for me is one thing and only one thing.. If Cingular makes you get some stupid data plan you don't need I'm not doing it. If I can do a normal $40-$50 dollar plan and not have the phone killed I do it. I hope Apple realizes that and doesn't let Cingular do anything stupid. If they do this right it'll be a hit, but forcing more money for the product will kill it.

Google maps and GPS are not the same thing. Google maps cant tell where the phone is without input from the user, cant tell you to take the next right turn... Dont get me wrong, Google maps is cool, but it is not a GPS service like Telnav and others like it.

I agree, that Cingular will kill the product if they force consumers to pay extra fees on top of an already high dollar phone. I have no problem with them charging the usual smartphone rates for data, but if they try to jack it up to the Blackberry system of $30-$50 or worse yet force the various laptop plans on us they can go take a flying F**k at a rolling donut.

Things that I fear:
1) Due to Visual Voice mail ATT will think about raising the data plan or create a special iPhone category for services.
2) Due to the full fledged HTML browser they will jack up the data packs to at or near the laptop connect fees.

Both of these will put the iPhone into the vaporware category for me until the international unlocked version appears and I can put it on T-Mobile.

tomzo22 · Jan 11, 2007, 04:20 PM

Tbh, in the uk we have Multimap.com - Online Maps to Everywhere im sure is the same as google maps, which merely u enter where u are in and then where u want to go, it then lists off a list fo directions. I thought google maps did this aswell?

yoyoman · Jan 11, 2007, 04:27 PM

I really want it to be on verizon's network and make it a world phone. gsm/cdma.
Things I wish it had was a 3 mp camera/ video and a 16 gig/32 gig flash drive. Longer battery life would be awesome as well.

yoyoman · Jan 11, 2007, 04:29 PM

I would also like to see it used as a remote for the computer or tv. I would like input for 3rd party products like glasses that project the screen so you can be any where and it would look huge. i.e for presentations use the iphone for the scrip and do presentations. I think every thing else looks nice. Possible 802.11n and 3g but that I am sure will come in the future.

drainyoo · Jan 11, 2007, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by gonk

*) Will it support 3rd party apps? If so, what will be the development platform? XCode?

Nope. Phil already stated in an interview that the OSX version on the phone is closed so no third party apps.

TAZ · Jan 11, 2007, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by tomzo22

Tbh, in the uk we have Multimap.com - Online Maps to Everywhere im sure is the same as google maps, which merely u enter where u are in and then where u want to go, it then lists off a list fo directions. I thought google maps did this aswell?

This is exactly what google maps does, much like Mapquest, except the ability to overlay satelite imagery. GPS services for phones are like those in car navigation systems are different in that the system knows its location in the planet without the operator having to input it. The only input necessary is a destination, point of interest... and the unit will navigate you to the spot you need to be at.

Dr. DDS · Jan 11, 2007, 05:19 PM

would be great if i could run office files in it

quiklee · Jan 11, 2007, 05:23 PM

8GB HD - think about it, Jobs has a couple more things to announce this year, so if he starts low at 4/8GB, then by Xmas time, he can announce a brand new 16GB version to increase sales for a great quarterly report. It's like mariokart, you don't want to use all your mushrooms right away. Also, I think that Apple is setting up iTunes to become smarter so that it will help sync the right songs/videos to your iphone - i.e. Sync 10 recent unseen Videos on AppleTV - so I don't think the Hard Drive is going to be that big of an issue.

FYI - Jobs did mention something about a SD card slot in the back of the iphone during the Keynote, so that helps out with storage if you really want to carry all 3 seasons of Lost in your pocket. Can someone verify?

I'm also very concerned about the type of contract Cingular will be pairing with the iPhone. With Edge, i would expect to pay $50-$75/month and feel that it's a fair deal. Just give me the ability to pair it via bluetooth with my macbook, so I can get internet access on my laptop from anywhere I want.

Mark My words - I guarantee you by next MacWorld, there will be a iPod Video ONLY version of this product for just music and videos.

Javizun · Jan 11, 2007, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by Dr. DDS

would be great if i could run office files in it

My thoughts exactly

Apple divorced its professional users and married consumers.

Dr. DDS · Jan 11, 2007, 05:51 PM

Jobs forgot to mention that all the smart phones that he called not that smart CAN run this office apps and normaly that's why people buy a smartphone

real · Jan 11, 2007, 05:57 PM

The iPhone looks great and i'm sure Apple will make it better and better. The only thing that they need to is make it for all carriers. One carrier IMHO is Dumb! But Apple is just learning, just like the iPod. They made the iPod for Windows when they realized that they could selll some many more of the them.

real

yoyoman · Jan 11, 2007, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by quiklee

FYI - Jobs did mention something about a SD card slot in the back of the iphone during the Keynote, so that helps out with storage if you really want to carry all 3 seasons of Lost in your pocket. Can someone verify?

SD slot? Wow wow. Now that could solve potential storage problems. Just get a few 10 gigers or few 20 gigers out there that are out or will be out.

Goldfinger · Jan 11, 2007, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by quiklee

FYI - Jobs did mention something about a SD card slot in the back of the iphone during the Keynote, so that helps out with storage if you really want to carry all 3 seasons of Lost in your pocket. Can someone verify?

No he didn't. The slot for the required GSM SIM card is on the back.

Geezus_Aach · Jan 11, 2007, 07:00 PM

the slot on the left side (looking at it) is for the SIM card. no SD memory slots available.....yet.

michaelb · Jan 12, 2007, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Dr. DDS

would be great if i could run office files in it

It has a browser. Google has a spreadsheet that runs in a browser. See where I'm going with this?

So, 5 months for Google to add Safari compatibility to Docs & Spreadsheets...

michaelb · Jan 12, 2007, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Javizun

Apple divorced its professional users and married consumers.

Or maybe the professional users divorced Apple and went Windows because it was cheaper. I know a lot of users stuck with Windows at work against their will.

gonk · Jan 12, 2007, 02:14 PM

Does any one know if the iPhone will be able to play the games that are available for ipod? Since it claims to be an iPod, it should be able to play games, right? Not like that's a big issue. But, I'm think the lack of a scroll wheel could make the games unplayable.

I'm not sure how useful having a full web browser in the device is going to be. I wonder what that added to the cost, including subscription costs.

Will 3rd parties not even be allowed to develop widgets for the device?