Well like many people I believe that every now and then a moment happens one that changes things. Sometimes these moments are grand and some times they are just downright scary. I think that Apples new Iphone falls into the first category. I am going to explain my experience with the Iphone and then let you decide for yourself.
The purchase - My wife actually went on line and ordered it , they estimated two weeks but it only took a week a and a few days. They attempted to ship the product to my house but I wound up going to get it from FedEx
Starting it up- Well I did run into a issue almost immediately - I tried to hook the Iphone up to my VISTA 64 bit machine running ITunes and kept getting the following message
""The software required for iPhone is not installed. Run the iTunes installer to remove iTunes, then install iTunes again."
What this means I found out is that Apple doesn't support 64 bit operating systems. So if you are trying to be cool like me and run the fastest version of Vista, no soup for you! I also like that the message is very self explanatory , it was immediately obvious to me that my Iphone had a problem with the 64 bit operating system NOT!!!!!!!!!! Good news that someone had seen this issue before me and posted about it.
So I moved on to my 32 Bit XP machine and cranked it up with out a problem. In fact it was one of the easiest Cell phone activations I have ever done. I don't remember which package I choose , just that it was a middle of the road package. I then had it sync my contacts with my Yahoo account. This was good news since I use Plaxo which allows me sync my Yahoo and my outlook. The only issue I didn't like is that the sync needed to take place while connected to my server. I don't understand why a WIFI enabled device needs to be hooked up to my PC to sync *ANYTHING*? More on this later... After this (being a veteran of gadgets) I went to bed and let it charge the prescribed amount of time while I slept.
When I woke up , I went downstairs to play with device. Here are my thoughts on of each of the features.
Phone- Phone works well. I don't like that after I dial a number I have to tap the key pad to get it back so I can dial a extension. I like the contacts feature its easy to use. I didn't have any problem finding my way around the contacts. I also found the phone itself not to be too bulky. I also was impressed with how it turned down the screen when I held it up to my ear. This is a little like the refrigerator light in that its hard to catch. The vibrate switch on the side is very handy for immediately putting the phone on vibrate or sending a call to voice mail while in a meeting.
Voice mail- This is where the unit really shines. All voice mail should work like this! You can see all the messages (no dialing in) you can listen to them in the order you want to listen. you can delete them or forward them on. Bravo to AT&T and Apple for getting this right!
Mail - Mail works well - I tested sending several messages to my Yahoo account and they were received immediately. I replied and found the on screen keyboard to be easy to use and was able to send a message very quickly. The spell check to a bit of getting used too. It displays a word it thinks you are trying to type underneath where you are typing and if you just hit space it will put it in. However my tendency is to touch the word , then it goes away. Deleting mail is fun, watching the message get sucked into the trash can is cool!
Camera- its a good camera and it does a great job of displaying pictures. I was able to easily snap a few photos then bring them up and zoom in, look around etc. Great work here as well. The zoom feature really shines here. Just taking your thumb and index finger and spreading them on the screen really does make it zoom in!
YouTube- Very cool feature , although I will say that with out the WIFI connection you need to make sure you have some time on your hands. I also find that when I am roaming I sometimes don't have connectivity and cannot watch the videos. I have seen the "History of Dance" and "Ok Let's Go- On treadmills" more than a few times. You cannot save the videos so they need to load each time. It would be nice if you could cache them for later (I think this is more of a legal issue)
Weather- EXCELLENT weather feature, perfect layout to see the weather and add cities. I have always HATED weather features on others phones that I have owned. I don't even like most weather websites. I find that they are poorly designed and make it hard to find a simple forecast. No such issue here you get current temp in big giant numbers and the forecast for the day! I find myself checking the Iphone each morning for the weather.
Safari - A full browser on a Phone (YIPPEEEE!) finally. This part of the system is absolutely amazing. I find myself using it constantly. I have demo'd my software on it, I have bought movie tickets, paid my mortgage, used it for directions, found the nearest train station and the list goes on. It needs to support flash, I am sure that will be shortly though. Its also replaced my morning CNN visits after I get logged in. I usually browse on the Iphone during breakfast and read any news there. Right after the weather of course.
Thats the main features. Here are few things I am disappointed that it doesn't do.
1. When connected to WIFI why cannot I call out via VOIP? I am sure this is coming.. but I want it now :-)
2. Why do I need to sync with my PC? I am connected via a wireless G network ? Can't I just download via that?
3. Why can't I sync my Yahoo contacts when I download my mail?
4. Where is the IPhone version of Itunes.. I want to buy content right on the phone. I don't need to connect it to my PC except for maybe firmware updates.
OK with that said, I know that APPLE will have the solutions to these problems shortly. It truly is a amazing device and will change the cell phone space forever. Now if Apple would just buy a airline :) Iplane anyone?
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