iPhone
All of we now know about iPhone. The news is quite old now. I have written The good, The bad & The ugly about iPhone. This post is very long (not so long) so you should spend some time for reading this post.
The Good
The iPhone is stylish. No, actually its gorgeous. From the moment the official pictures were released, I realised this was nothing like the hundreds of mock designs that speculators had posted on the internet. This phone is sleeeeek (add more to that) and ultra-thin (11.6 mm). It is also thinner than the Motorola Q and the Samsung BlackJack and weighs about 136 grams.
There had been rumours, initially, that the iPhone would sport the same innovative Click Wheel navigation feature that on the iPod. However, that proved to be a hoax. In fact, the iPhone hardly has any buttons apart from a solitary home key on the front. There is no stylus either. Instead, it features a super-sensitive multi touch screen interface that lets users make calls by just touching a name or a number on the screen.
From what I have heard, photos and videos on the iPhone 3.5-inch display look stunning. The 320×480 resolution lends a vibrant feel and rich details. It also has attractive Mac-like widgets including ones for real-time weather and stock reports.
There are built-in sensors such as an accelerometer that detects how you are holding the phone? upright or sideways, and then alter the display mode accordingly. Another sensor turns off the touchscreen display when the phone is held to the ear to prevent accidental execution of commands. An ambient light sensor controls screen brightness to save power.
The big question now is whether the iPhone is an iPod killer? It would be difficult to judge the iPhone music and video playback capability without having a go at it, though the preliminary buzz does seem positive. Apple plans to offer the iPhone in two capacities? 4GB and 8GB (flash memory), far less than the iPod 40GB. However, the good part is that unlike the iPod, the phone has a built-in voice recorder. It also has a 3.5mm audio jack so you can pair it with third party headphones, a feature not common in music phones.
Apart from the music playback functionality, the iPhone features a full version of Mac OS X, an HTML email client compatible with most POP3 and IMAP4 mail servers and the Safari web browser. In fact, Yahoo! is even offering a free push email service to iPhone users. Additionally, there is support for Google Maps that lets you view traffic information and get directions. Wi-Fi connectivity is a useful add-on while stereo BlueTooth, speakerphone and conference calling features round off the package.
The Bad
Despite the numerous multimedia features, Apple hasn offered 3G connectivity? a must-have for faster web browsing and downloading. Also, the iPhone does not allow installation of third-party applications, something which almost all Java-based phones do.
Yet another sore point is that you will have to purchase music from the iTunes store, as part of Apple (un)Fairplay strategy. Though the iPhone has a 2MP digital camera (video recording not supported), other phones already offer superior 3.2MP cameras.
Other grave omissions include voice and speed dialling or support for Word and Excel attachments. Storage is limited as there no expansion slot and the battery cant be replaced either. However, the biggest flaw, cite critics, is the iPhone over-the-top pricing? $499 (Rs 22,000) for the base model and $599 (Rs 26,500) for the premium version.
…And The Ugly
Exactly a day after the iPhone was introduced, Cisco Systems filed a lawsuit against Apple for using the name ?iPhone, a Cisco trademark since 2000. In December last year, Linksys, a Cisco-subsidiary, had launched a range of VOIP phones sporting the iPhone name. Legal experts feel that Cisco stands a better chance at winning this battle. And, if that happens, then Apple will lose millions of dollars, having already spent a lot on product and brand development.
I really like the Apple iPhone for its sleek design, vivid display, the touchscreen and iPod capability, despite it costing a bomb. Most importantly, I applaud Apple for introducing radical new features, raising the bar for other phone-makers to catch up with.
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