^^ I'm with Noen. Really, I started to waver when I heard it was not on the 3G network. However, the keyboard not going into landscape would be a fucking pain.

And I also bought an iPod, not for the status symbol but because it did what I needed it to. Can't stand fucking iTunes. And when I have the thing on me, it's still in a black case and usually stays in my pocket unseen.



I believe I'll stick with my candy-bar phone that I have right now (hate flip phones).

6/27/2007 6:36:46 PM

Quote :

"The browser can’t handle Java or Flash, which deprives you of millions of Web videos"

that shitty

how can they boast about having "the internet... not a watered down version of the internet" without even supporting java or flash

6/27/2007 7:07:32 PM

i'm sure they'll have java as an update... remember its upgradable. also after watching the keyboard video I feel a lot better about wanting one.

6/27/2007 7:43:41 PM

^ Yeah, perhaps as an update to the second generation iPhone. We're talking about Apple here... if you want to go from one major version of the Java SDK to the next on a Mac you have to update to the next major version of Mac OS X for Christ's sake. What makes you think they're just going to give it to you for free on the first generation iPhone?

I'm going to wait this one out. I had a Treo one Cingular's EDGE network and it was just painfully slow. As slow as a modem with ten times the latency. Now I have a newer Treo on AT&T's 3G network and it's much, much better. No 3G on the iPhone means no purchase.

Sigh. Typical Apple. In every hardware release they leave out critical features because they know there are plenty of Apple fans who don't mind buying the same product over and over again.

[Edited on June 27, 2007 at 8:01 PM. Reason : ...]

6/27/2007 7:52:10 PM

^that's the thing that REALLY scares me about buying a Gen1 iPhone.

Their entire business model for the past 4 or 5 years is constantly releasing marginal hardware upgrades to the same product.

I can TOTALLY see them release the next iPhone with 3G, then another with video capabilities, then another with onboard GPS.

And along the way they will probably make Flash and Java support a "29.99$" upgrade. I HOPE TO GOD they do make the software updates free though. It would make the hardware upgrade model much easier to swallow.

6/27/2007 9:22:01 PM

^ I think you're being too optimistic by thinking that you can get Flash or Java upgrades with less than a complete hardware upgrade. They'll find some way to claim that Flash/Java support will require the next major release of the iPhone OS which -- guess what -- won't run on the first generation iPhone. You watch. They'll expect you to buy a whole new phone for that support, mark my words.

It's sorta like how you pretty much get one version of Windows Mobile per device. Want to move up to the next version? You need a new phone! So, to be fair, Apple's not the only one playing that game.

6/27/2007 10:09:03 PM

apple's cool..
fuck cingular!

6/28/2007 1:19:13 AM

^who is cingular?

6/28/2007 5:48:08 AM

^^^ nah, they'll release several updates via software in the next year - flash, java, iTunes Music Store support, maybe the open software platform, maybe some new software like Chat.
they'll force you to upgrade to a new phone for 3G, GPS, more storage, better battery. maybe they'll leave some of the bigger software releases like iChat for the next hardware revision

6/28/2007 6:44:14 AM

http://iphonekiller.ytmnd.com/

6/28/2007 7:26:35 AM

^^ Bahaha, you must be new to Apple. Just because you don't need new hardware to take advantage of software-only features doesn't mean they won't stick you for a hardware upgrade to get them. Hell, the reason they said they're not supporting Flash is because it's too much of a battery drain. Odds are they'll support it when the iPhone comes with a better battery which means -- you guessed it -- upgrade time.

I don't doubt there will be software updates, but they'll be for minor things, like letting you use the keyboard in landscape mode and things of that nature. Things like Flash and Java are "major" features and they'll find some way to tie them to the next major release of the iPhone OS, which will only be available with the next generation of iPhone. Again, to be fair, the other phone manufacturers do this too. There's no compelling reason why I can't run WM6 on my Treo 750, but I'll be damned if they'll let me upgrade unless I buy the next-gen Treo.

6/28/2007 9:34:13 AM

^ i'm fully aware of what apple does. I know they release incremental hardware releases that basically obsoletes <1 year old devices. But I'm willing to bet that with the iPhone, which they know people are going to be more or less locked into for 2+ years, they are going to be more flexible than usual with releasing software enhancements.


btw - all the keyboard haters (yeah, you - the ones who have never even touched or tried it yet). see:

nytimes.com - http://tinyurl.com/2hn36n
"Often-Asked iPhone Questions
By DAVID POGUE"

6/28/2007 9:41:44 AM

Well, the article gives something else to hate on. You can't use sim cards from other countries in the iPhone. So basically you get to take it up the ass from AT&T if you want to call overseas instead of being able to buy a $10 sim card abroad.

Oh, and for all those OMG Verizon cripples bluetooth...so does the iPhone...only headsets and car stereo systems.

[Edited on June 28, 2007 at 11:50 AM. Reason : .]

6/28/2007 11:48:28 AM

^^Only in "web mode".

But at least is EXISTS, so im sure they can build it into the other operational modes. That's definitely a huge optimistic thumbs up though.

6/28/2007 12:09:05 PM

i would not buy this piece of shit for 500, or any other apple product. their stuff is OVERrated big time. and even if i had a smidgen of a thought to buy an apple product, other than a laptop, i would not becasue they have no subscription service. you want 300 songs, that 300 bucks ~ screw apple and they 'make-me-feel-so-special gadgets'

6/28/2007 12:29:48 PM

^ ok, thanks for the generalizations and opinion.

anyway

^^ yeah, only in web mode sucks, but point being, at least it's implemented and available somewhere. I can imagine they didn't implement it on email, for example, because it covers over half the screen. In webmode, all you need is one line to enter a URL. In email, it would be better to see more of what you're writing. It looks nice, though, and it looks like it could definitely be squeezed down some to create more screen real estate for document typing

6/28/2007 1:02:24 PM

i guess you are tech talk's god all mighty because you make perpetual threads, lol and only your opinion carries weight. i hope you get your iphone and be happy until you realized that you wasted money big time and no one will have anymore respect for you before you had it.

6/28/2007 1:14:56 PM

no, it's not that opinions don't matter, it's that the only thing worse than unchecked-fan-boyism is brainless, baseless hating, against Apple or Microsoft or whatever. your little rant there was all over the board and shows that your dislike of the iPhone is clearly more related to your dogma against Apple for whatever reasons and nothing having to do with what the machine is actually supposed to do.

i'm not buying an iPhone, as i've stated several times. I think there are too many critical features left out of the first revision, not to mention I have 1+ years on Verizon left and i'm in no hurry to leave. But I can still see that it's clearly set a new bar for smart phones/PDAs/mobile computers.

6/28/2007 1:55:30 PM

basless hating, hahaha

i thought i stated my reasons. or maybe you should reread my post.

here's a re cap: cost TOO much, is (not literally, but generally)crap (break easily, battery issues), and no music subscription

[Edited on June 28, 2007 at 2:13 PM. Reason : asdfa]

6/28/2007 2:12:23 PM

What's so good about subscription services?

6/28/2007 2:32:17 PM

if you have to ask, then you don't need to know.

6/28/2007 2:34:17 PM

Well, let's say you have a $15 a month subscription service that allows you unlimited access to music. That's 180 bucks a year for whatever music you decide you want. With iTunes - you get 180 songs for that price and that's it. Of course, you have to keep paying $15 a month to keep your songs under subscription services. So it's a choice...do I pay $1000 bucks for 5 1/2 years of whatever I want, or do I pay $1000 for 1000 songs that I'll always have forever.

6/28/2007 2:47:30 PM

you failed to mention that fact that you can use your subscription for as many devices that you have. so if you, your wife, and child has mp3 players, would you like to buy 1000 songs for each player, assuming you all might like different music, or 1000 for 5.5 years or getting whatever you want, unlimited? even for me alone, i could buy an mp3 player and fill up 20 gigs and just keep it safe from harm and have those songs for an indefinite amount of time.

actually 'yahoo music to go' runs 115/yr so 1000/115= 8.7 years of service. and i suspect that the trend of the price of digital service will only go down in years to come.

[Edited on June 28, 2007 at 3:02 PM. Reason : asdfg]

6/28/2007 2:51:31 PM

well that's a hell of a reason to hate Apple. You know..... because that's all they do. Just sell music and force people to buy it.

6/28/2007 3:48:29 PM

hahaha

yeah really

but anyway, sorry being being an ass earlier agentlion, will you accept my humble apology?

6/28/2007 3:49:57 PM

What's the consensus on how long before the 6 pm launch you need to get to the store to ensure that you get one before they sell out?

6/28/2007 4:41:52 PM

i'd get there or any at&t store at least 2 hours early if you REALLY want one.

there is going to be a line tomorrow.

[Edited on June 28, 2007 at 5:48 PM. Reason : i'm buying one to ebay it.]

6/28/2007 5:47:24 PM

I was chatting with an apple tech at crabtree earlier and they have people who plan on showing up when the store opens

and every so far commercial break on The Office marathon has had an iphone commercial.

6/28/2007 9:09:39 PM

a nice little Q&A with som of the issues mentioned in the thread at the start.

http://www.macrumors.com/

6/28/2007 9:42:10 PM

interesting development, if true
http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/28/atandt-customers-seeing-sudden-boost-in-edge-speeds/

[Edited on June 29, 2007 at 1:19 AM. Reason : from our very own]

6/29/2007 1:18:12 AM

which one of you nerds is this?

Quote :

"Popsicle sticks aren't exactly technological innovations. But Ethan really wanted to prepare for the shape and weight of the iPhone, how it would feel in his hand. So he did some research, pieced together a set of sticks, and wrapped it in a photo of the iPhone he printed from the Internet. He plans to buy a genuine iPhone today. Ethan saved about $450 toward the $600 cost -- Mom and Dad will cover the remainder as a birthday present. Ethan has been waiting a long time. This spring at Enloe High School, he wrote a paper titled, "Implications of iPhone on the American Cellular Infrastructure." It features the phrase "synergetic conglomeration," and, including the bibliography, it is 11 pages. He is excited about the iPhone's "overall awesomeness." "

6/29/2007 8:25:08 AM

don't lie. it was you, Igor, wasn't it

6/29/2007 8:42:53 AM

why is that in the newspaper?
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/621032-p2.html

6/29/2007 8:43:43 AM

^^^ You know that kid didn't sleep in the days leading up to each Christmas.

6/29/2007 11:41:22 AM

the kid is fine.
the "article" is rubbish. What kind of sentence is this for a major newspaper to print - "It features the phrase "synergetic conglomeration," and, including the bibliography, it is 11 pages." wtf?

6/29/2007 11:47:47 AM

A kid that fashions a fake iPhone out of popsicle sticks so he can pretend he has one, all because he just can't wait until he gets the real deal, has issues. Period.

[Edited on June 29, 2007 at 12:04 PM. Reason : -]

6/29/2007 12:03:11 PM

Cary at&t store as of 12pm:

6/29/2007 12:24:22 PM

Haha - let the ass raping begin

The BT headset and charge dock are listed for $129

That shit better have active noise canceling at that price...but they make no mention of it.

6/29/2007 12:50:38 PM

not surprisingly, looks like the lack of ringtone customization will be solved in a software update
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/06/29/add-new-ring-tone-image-file-in-itunes-7-3/

6/29/2007 12:56:29 PM

shameless plug, but here's all the coverage you'd ever want:

http://www.engadget.com/tag/iphone/

if anyone goes and camps out at the Crabtree or Southpoint Apple location (or an AT&T store) -- snag some pics and hit me up

6/29/2007 2:28:41 PM

So are all you freak shows in line right now?

Is that why this has been dead for a few hours?

6/29/2007 5:35:45 PM

No it's dead because it's friday and most of us are just getting off work or have just got off and are probably heading to the beach. Yes, that does mean I'm breaking out the SPF 60.

6/29/2007 6:15:10 PM

i went to crabtree earlier, and it must have been 400-500 people in line there

6/29/2007 6:27:03 PM

that many?

6/29/2007 6:30:27 PM

I just stopped by crabtree. The line was rediculous. Their must have been about 150-200 in line.

6/29/2007 6:30:51 PM

i am saying i just was there 30 mins ago. i don't know what time you were but the lone was all the way around from the apple store to ebgames, going in the direct of belk and turning where the escalator is, and their were pretty much in a single file line.

^ 150 hahahaha

you have no sense of estimation

it was WAY more than that

[Edited on June 29, 2007 at 6:34 PM. Reason : sdfg]

6/29/2007 6:32:25 PM

can this thing download torrents?

6/29/2007 6:36:08 PM

it can't handle java or flash (yet) so it would be safe to bet that the answer is no

6/29/2007 6:37:39 PM

Quote :

"i went to crabtree earlier, and it must have been 400-500 people in line there"

bunch of iDIOTS

6/29/2007 6:42:36 PM

^ I see what you did there

6/29/2007 6:51:20 PM