iPhone - My Report

By /
So, it's been 3 or so weeks, was it worth the NZ$1,142 + $40/month I spent on it?

Yes.

But not 100% yes, here's the "not so good things" first (no particular order):
  • It is heavily (not 100%) dependent upon iTunes which doesn't work on Linux/Ubuntu
  • Can't sync my iPhone Contacts with my Google GMail Contacts (both personal and work)
  • Can't sync my iPhone Calendar with my Google Calendar (both personal and work)
    note: this is sorted in new version of the Apple OS ... if you have that
  • No "To Do" app that will ping me - I don't want to use a full calendar entry, just a simple "do this on a particular day/time"
  • No zoom on the camera
  • Apart from the iPod, which can run in the background, it's a "one thing at a time" machine - for instance can't have a call and surf the web
  • No video camera
  • USB'ing to a computer (Ubuntu or Windows) has stopped finding photos on it even though there are some
  • No cut-n-paste
  • Saving numbers txt'ed to me seems bloody hard for some reason
And now the goodness, the reason for buying one (no particular order):
  • It fits into every darned pocket I have
  • It's bevelled edges make it a doddle to get the thing out of said pockets
  • It fits my hand perfectly
  • It powers up through the USB cable - means I am no longer without a power source
  • It plays sounds of the Internet
  • It connects to WiFi (great at home, no Vodafone connection charges)
  • It plays YouTube vids
  • The glass multi-touch screen works even if I let it get icky from little food covered hands
  • The interface is natural - so natural that I discovered Jack had worked out how to unlock it, find the "Sleeps to Christmas" app and open in it before closing that and taking many photo's of his sister ;-)
  • It knows where I am using GPS - particularly fun to watch the wee blue pulsating map marker move when driving
  • The apps supplied do exactly what they say
  • I can load apps on it
The 'all touch screen' interface IS what makes the phone.
But it's the Apps (both installed and available for download) that moves it on from being a toy to being something bloody useful. So far I've only installed free apps but as my iPhone requirements grow I am sure I'll start to look at the

And so what do I use it for - this is probably what I do (in order of regularity):
  1. Txt / SMS
  2. Phone calls
  3. Twitterific
  4. iPod
  5. Safari web browser (usually called from other apps)
  6. Email
  7. Google (calendar / email)
  8. Facebook /LinkedIn
  9. Fire Fone
  10. Stanza
  11. Maps (Google Earth if there's a good connection)
  12. Camera
And then there's a heap of stuff that's:
  • location based - how funky is this place (Funky-O-Meter), what's here (Locly), find Panoramio pictures of around here (NearPics)
  • photo based - mostly ways to send them up to Flickr such as AirMe or PixUp
  • search stuff - find a song from what's playing on the radio (Shazam); or find CD info from a photo of a cover (TinyEye Music)
  • just for the hell of it - Sleeps2Xmas, BigOven, Dog Years, iConcert, Light sabre ... you get the drift

What I haven't yet really got to grips with is how this puppy plays alongside iTunes. So far all I've done is upgrade the OS to 2.1, hook it up to iTunes (for Apps) and made sure it can sync with a CD.

More adventures lie ahead once I get a laptop :-)

Comments

  1. Mr ReasonableFriday, October 31, 2008 8:41:00 am

    Hi Mike,
    If you're happy to jailbreak you can deal with nearly all of your "not so goods". Sadly I don't think the 3G has been yet but my good old 2G (running V2.1) has apps to:
    video recorder with sound - v. good quality
    multi-format video and audio player
    seamless sync to Google Calendar and my Outlook Desktop Calendar
    Digital zoom on camera
    Cut & Paste
    Applications running in background (although this is a bit random)
    Complete access to the file directory

    I expect that Apple will be using the success of the unofficial apps as a starting point for new featueres in later versions; certainly, a lot of the free stuff from Cydia is now in the App Store as an "approved" app.

    ReplyDelete
  2. noizyFriday, October 31, 2008 11:05:00 am

    "...particularly fun to watch the wee blue pulsating map marker move when driving..."

    Hopefully not while *you're* driving, Mike?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike RiversdaleFriday, October 31, 2008 2:38:00 pm

    @Mr R - Nah, not gonna jailbreak it as it cost too much money for me to fuck around with it and don't have the skills to fix it.

    However, it's grand to know it ALL can be done and is probably coming.

    Also awesome to know you've got Google Calendar synching - across the wire or VIA Outlook?


    @noizy - ohh, is that bad?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mr ReasonableFriday, October 31, 2008 9:55:00 pm

    All Syncs over network or Wifi - I'm not allowed to plug it into my work laptop or an alarm goes off in Brendons office about unauthorised Apple usage!!!

    I have a desktop app that 2-way syncs Outlook to Google Calendar and an native app on the iPhone that does the same thing. If I'm out an about, I can see anything new that pops up in my diary. Cool.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousSunday, November 02, 2008 6:14:00 pm

    iphone is way too pricey..considering the outrageous data plan vodafone is offering.

    But I like the apple wow features, that why I bought ipod touch 2G instead.

    BTW, I am living in Wellington! 8-D

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Be kind

Popular articles

Make Your Public Event Calendar Usable To All

Image
If you run a sports club, this post is for you. If you are on a community committee, this post is also for you If you host events, this is for you. If you put on shows, this is for you. In fact, if you do anything that has a date/time component that you'd like to share with people, this is for you . Yep, probably for all of us. Sharing calendars can be both: an effective way of letting everyone know a complete and utter technical pain in the bottomly region If you've posted up an events page onto your website you know how difficult it is to keep up to date, how the readers have to keep coming back to get the latest changes and don't even think about integrating with somebody else's "events page". Ok, so we all know the problem. What's the solution? iCalendar (normally shortened to iCal) ... yep, it's a geek word that you will come to know and love just as much as RSS. In fact, think of it as RSS for calendars. But that's enough geekery, if you want

The Difference Between One Million And One Billion

Image
It's feels like a billion is just a bit bigger than a million. Obviously it's bigger but it fits on the same scale as a million, surely. It doesn't. A billion is so so so much bigger than a million. I've trawled the internet finding graphics and videos that show the VAST difference between one million and one billion. Oh, and just to finish with a different misconception about space starting with the classic opening line from the great Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy : “Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.”

Zoom In For The Shocking Detail

Image
It's not often one comes across a blue plaque that sums up town life quite so aptly. I'm afraid you'll have to zoom in to get the full measure of the writing.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how is your day going?

Image
So many people have had me ask them this simple question, " On a scale of 1 to 10, how is your day going? (where 1 is as low as it can get)" Once the person responds, you then simply askm " Is there anything I could do to help move it from a 6 to a 7? " (or . . . "from a 3 to a 4" or "from a 10 to an 11"). Just reach out and ask ... I cannot recommend this highly enough as both for support people / friends / family that are keeping an active eye on someone in their life, but also just as a great way to connect not matter what the situation. So where did it come from - this is a technique that Jane McGonicall  ( @avantgame ) picked up from her friend Michael, a philanthropist and entrepreneur and uses in a Super Better "quest" called Plus-One Better - here are the complete instructions. QUEST: Plus-One Better Pick three people: 1. Someone who would like to hear from you 2. Someone you would like to hear from 3. Some

W. C. Fields quotes

Image
The office has all been moved around - new desks (with starter handles to raise and lower them), new high(er) speed network and ... the same old work. At least I have a differing view of the world, my team (well, the team I'm a part of not "my" team) is a lot closer - finally - and it's like an office from the 80's ... or even a classroom. But I still have time to move the crap off the PC : ------ Any man who hates dogs and loves whiskey can't be all bad. Anyone who hates Dogs and Kids Can't be All Bad. Hey! Who took the cork off my lunch??! Who stole the cork from my breakfast? Now don't say you can't swear off drinking, it's easy. I've done it a thousand times. Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. Then quit, no use being a damn fool about things. Madam, there's no such thing as a tough child - if you parboil them first for seven hours, they alwa