why iphone?

Okay, so I got one. All the hype and hoopla aside, I have been using macs since 1991 (system 6 on a Mac LC if you wanna go there). I've done tech support and repairs, in addition to graphic design and layout. I have also supported PCs, although to a lesser degree. So when I call myself a mac fan, I feel I can do objectively and not just be biased like most mac "evangelists" or microsoft "mac bashers."

Having said that, I want to tell you why I bought an iphone. I'll skip the "product review" that you can get on every other website under the sun these days, and just speak on things not really discussed. Aside from the phone itself, my actual situation was...my motorola SLVR had been dropped one time too many, and the volume had started to fade. I still liked it, but I am beginning to text more, and want to do things like check email on the go. I did not have an ipod, so the "double expense" of a separate ipod then investing in a phone with one was not an issue. And with all the hype, I knew it was coming, so I planned for it.

Marketing
I think Apple did a great job in marketing the iphone. Simple, elegant, chic...with a certain mystique. Almost like a superhero in a movie that you only get a glimpse of in the commercial. Macs have that mystique anyway. Most computers you see on television are macs, and that is now and before the ipod. The commercials weren't a blitz of images and words flashing, simple. I thought that was great. I also think it was great for AT & T, since collapsing the Cingular brand back into itself, the iphone hype was great timing. Now everybody knows your iphone works with "The new AT & T." I also think it was a good move to not release a whole bunch of "pre-release" units out to newspapers, journalists and tv reporters. That increased the hype, mystique and all that. I think that was a great move again because, most media sources would have done just like Meredith Vierra did on the "Today" show totally clueless about technology in general, leaving a bad impression for people who really want to learn about the product and its viability. And as with most review products, there is no guarantee that they will actually review your product at all, and then will they put somebody that actually understands technology or some very articulate technophobe that would bash something that 9 out of 10 people would love. Now how the heck Macy Gray got all that face time with the advertising is a mystery, although none of the top 10 artists of late are "universally hip."

Pricing/Value
Upon reading the various reviews around the web, discussing the "cool factor" is undisputed. This is the new hotness. Most reviews I saw were favorable, with the occasional technophobe or Apple basher. The iPhone is not just an expensive, pretty phone. It is an ipod, camera, appointment calendar, stock tracking, google map (with yellow page listings), video ipod, email, internet AND a world phone. I feel for $500 that is a bargain. Of course there are cheaper phones that do the same thing. The difference is that most of those phone companies have subsidies that allow them to have deals when you sign a 2 year contract. If you notice the "no contract" or "buy outright" price, its around $300-$400, so the iphone is actually not that much. In the future I imagine the iphone will be subsidized and the prices will come down, like maybe with the next generation.

Technology
With all the things you can do with the iphone, its a both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that I don't have to remember to grab the individual items when I dash out. It's likely because of my history with macs and technology in general, it seemed like I knew how it worked as soon as a got it. The icons on the main screen look like widgets, so if you have a mac, the phone is very similar. I was surprised to read that the processor inside is actually made by Samsung, but then i also read they make the processors for several phones. If you're not familiar with Macs, there may be learning curve. The camera is kinda odd, well, super simple. no zoom, contrast or other controls. similar to the camera on mac laptops and imacs. The picture is nice - better than decent. So if you're in a restaurant and see some rock star or actor - or in a car accident, you can get a nice photo you can email or download to your computer. The Google Map feature is very useful. I didn't realize that you can you could type in a keyword (yellowpage topic) like "Seafood" and it will find everything with seafood in its name and seafood restaurants in the area. You can also add a semicolon and zip code to get another area. The curse of the elegant design being all screen is the shortness of battery power. I had a full charge one morning and listening to music for about an hour when i got up around 9am, went out and showed it a handful of friends later in the day, and then texting off and on throughout the day. By around 9pm I got a warning of 20% battery left. Must be te backlight. So now being aware of that, i got a car charger and an extra house charger for travel. Fortunately, the iphone uses the same chargers as the latest generation ipods. One great thing about the design of the phone is that it is all software driven, so it can be upgraded via itunes. I'd be willing to bet that the spaces on the bottom on the main screen are purposely left for customization, new applications that are to come. They can add buttons to the "keyboard" and tweak the existing problems. To all the naysayers about what's missing from "iphone 1.0", what they don't realize is that with software, you can only develop so much in the closed environment of developers and beta testers, then you have to release it to the open market. You'll seldom get it all "right" the first time with something like a phone, with such a diverse audience. You develop a core set of elements, throw in a few aesthetic nuances and let it go. You will get feedback once its out, thats a given.

Quirks
-The keyboard is not for folks with big fingers, and it takes some getting used to, but it is a little intuitive so that helps.
-The screen (which is basically the whole front) is black and shiny, so expect fingerprints al the day long. Apple does include a nice black chamoise, but are you really going to carry that around with you? Maybe if you wear glasses.
-The shortness of battery life. Apple has already put in place a battery replacement plan in case it dies after the 1 year warranty expires, but before the 2 year contract expires. It sucks that it costs $83 bucks, though
-The possibility of a crimewave targeting iphones, like there was in London with the ipod. Just switch out the SIM card
-If you sync with more than one computer, it will jack up your playlists

So there you have it. Is the iphone for you? Thats your call. Oh, and there is actually a user's manual available online from Apple's website. I did make a pro and con list to help you though, okay top ten lists. Check, check check it out.