The Phuture of Phones
It's apparent now that the release of the iPhone will radically change the way phones are designed from here on out. I was on Phonescoop today looking at the new Samsung and Motorola phones that were announced at CES, and while the new phones were pretty cool (the Motorola Z6 and V3xx in particular), they just don't hold a candle to the iPhone as far as aesthetic beauty is concerned.
This is a big capitulation for me. I have avoided the iPod because I can't stand iTunes and the general attitude surrounding their so-called superiority. But I have to give credit where its due, and the iPhone is a serious contender for my undying loyalty.
But its good looks aside, the iPhone is packed with awesome features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 2 megapixel camera... I just wish it used Cingular's new, ultra high speed HSDPA network (it will run on the much slower GPRS/EDGE network instead). I can't believe that a phone coming out in June wouldn't have that standard...
All said and done, I might be turning in my Creative Zen and Samsung Sync for this new Apple beauty... only if Apple decides to give it HSDPA. Don't buy a phone for over $50 without it.
2 comments:
My friend emailed this in response to my post.
Friend:
"This is a big capitulation for me. I have avoided the iPod because I can't stand iTunes and the general attitude surrounding their so-called superiority."
"... general attitude ..." ???
That's the lamest reason ever not to buy something, which in this case, happens to be a tool. What would you not have bought a hammer back in the day because of it's so-called superiority to a flat rock? Here's you, millennia ago: "I don't see what the big deal is about the wheel! So what that everybody has it? It's just too simple. There's got to be something cooler out there. I'm holding out for that." Thousands of years later. "Did you guys see the new wheel they put on the bicycle? It's got spokes. Pretty cool. I wasn't really into that wheel stuff at all, what with your general attitude surrounding the wheel's so-called superiority, but look at this!" Everybody else who bought on to the wheel a long time ago: "Spokes, huh? You don't say," when deep down, they couldn't be less interested. They caught the vision of the wheel and signed on a long time ago!
You're sitting there, thinking about how cool the iPhone is, and I'm sitting here thinking, "It's about time, but I'm not surprised." Apple just makes cool stuff. Every age has it's company that does. Now you know why I wanted to wait to buy a phone.
And I wouldn't trip over the HSDPA bit. Pretty soon HSUPA will be the standard and the vast majority of phone users still won't care and won't know much about it. My hunch is that most people will buy this because it merges the iPod and phone in a way that's truly elegant. Everything else is gravy, but damn tasty. It is surprising but Apple is generally very forward thinking with that type of thing. They were adding high speed ports to their computers before Windows machines had them, so they must not believe that it'll take off or that there's any demand for it.
My response:
Well, I avoided the iPod because, while innovative, it never offered me anything that I couldn't find within the confines of my own preferences (Windows products). I don't like iTunes, so that in itself was reason enough for me. But the constant "Dude, iPods are so much better" I heard from everyone didn't make me want to jump out and buy one. And fans never provided me with any merits that would be gained by owning one. So, I stayed away. If it offered something that I needed (like the wheel), I would have bought one regardless of people's attitude.
That's precisely why I have admitted capitulation. Despite the "The iPhone Can Never Fail" mentality that existed well before the phone was even released, the iPhone does offer more, a lot more. I am excited because of what it means for technology. I would buy this phone, because it has stuff I need that cannot be found anywhere else. That's innovative, and I wouldn't deny that. Although.. I am extremely put off by the lack of HSDPA. I own my current phone because I wanted HSDPA. But we'll see. A lot can happen before June.
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