First of all, the interface is so slick. It's not perfect - there are some things that are missing: it's sometimes awfully inconvenient that there is no multitasking. You can't, for instance, have your GPS tracking program running while reading an ebook (The iPhone makes an excellent ebook reader. Not sure if you'd be able to read them in the glaring sun on the beach, but in the current gloom it woks just fine). And there is no cut-and-paste, which makes entering URL awfully inconvenient.
But! You never feel lost (GPS!) or confused. Nearly everything is intuitive, or at least easy to remember. And then there are the little things, like that the music you've been listening to shuts off automatically when you remove the headphones, instead of blaring over the speakers.
But most of all, I am so happy about having a 3G phone. It just feels so utopic to whip out your iPhone and update your Facebook page while sitting under a tree. In the rain. Well, hypothetically sitting under a tree if it weren't raining, which it is. Or showing your friend that the Dow Jones is still nosediving during lunch (not that you'd need an internet connection for that). All things I don't really need to be able to do, but which are just so much fun! I am even considering joining Twitter - not because I think that it is in any way interesting or because I have so much interesting stuff to say - only to be able to justify logging in and posting something from, say, the middle of the street during my ride home. Which would most likely end up with me in the hospital, but hey! No problem! I could still update my blog with my iPhone!
I guess eventually it will all get old and boring - but don't hold your breath.
wow, iPhones are an terrible waste of money, low battery life, low feature count and a high price. they offer no buisness features and are locked to apples draconian terms of use contracts. not really something worth buying.
ReplyDeleteWho is this anonymous? Ha. I just got an iPhone - late to the party, as always - and while wondering where I could find your comments on it (as a trusted techie friend) I realized to my chagrin that you do not have an iPhone label! But no matter, I am slogging through your hardware posts for mention of the phone. I say - as someone who is trying to avoid running up data charges - does it cost extra to use the GPS? Not that I have really found where it is on the phone - I was able to view my location at home using the wifi, but it doesn't change when I leave the house, so... Eh. There's such a glut of iPhone info out there that one can spend ages just reading it all! I guess my question is whether you need to be connected to the internet for the GPS to work. Oh, and what non-Apple earbuds you recommend, if any. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHey, long time no hear! How's it kicking in Geneva?
ReplyDeleteThe GPS works fine without connection, free of charge. It gets it's signal from satellites that are always broadcasting, and calculates your position on it's own. It will use quite a bit of battery power though, but is only "on" when you have an application running that needs it. But if you use a tracker (for example the free "Everytrail") it'll eat your battery in a few hours.
If you have an application that downloads maps, though (like google maps) then the maps will count towards your data-quota.
I am still using the apple earbuds, because I am cheap that way ;)
Btw., try the search function (upper left corner - search for iphone, that will cut down the number of posts you'll have to 'slog through'!
Cheers,
Boris