An Open Letter to Steve Jobs

[ToneMonkey]

Steve-

I don’t know you personally. If I did, I’d probably have your email addy, which would allow me to address these issues privately. But I don’t. So apologies in advance for the “tough love” I’m about to deliver.

Dude, everyone admires your passion, vision, out-of-the-box thinking, and up until now, you’re uncompromising drive and commitment to not unleash steaming piles of cr@p on an unsuspecting public. You seem to really get that people want stuff that works. That is, up until now. I am speaking about the iPhone 3G.

Steve, buddy, pal… I need exactly three things from a mobile telephone in order for my life to work:
1. I need a mobile handset that will reliably make and complete telephone calls.
2. I need my calendar.
3. I need my contacts.

Everything else (yes, even email and web browsing) is optional and completely irrelevant unless you get those first three things right.

I use a Mac at home and a PC at work. I know that isn’t your fault, but it’s reality for most of us that don’t work at Apple. My wife needs to be able to add appointments and contacts on my home Mac; I need those updated appointments and contacts in my phone. I just freakin’ do. You do sort of OK in this regard as long as I only use Apple products.

I need to be able to add appointments and contacts on my work PC; I need those updated appointments and contacts in my phone. I just freakin’ do. You completely fail at this, regardless of which products I use.

My guess is that (conservatively) there must be oh, 10 million or so people in the same predicament I am – I love my Mac, but the headaches involved in keeping my work life and personal life in sync rob a lot of the enjoyment I get using my Mac. My life has become unmaginable. How come my 1995 Kyocera SmartPhone could pull this off and your 2008 iPhone cannot?

Steve, I love ya like a brother, but what really fries my grits is that I get the feeling no one at Apple is even paying attention. Have you hired a bunch of lame Microsoft expatriates to engineer this stuff? It sure seems you like you must have. Oh yeah, I know the bullets keep getting added to the product data sheet but STUFF DON’T WORK! STUFF’S BROKEN STEVE. HELLO, ANYONE HOME?

What happened? I used to believe you cared about getting it right. What happened? What happened? What happened?

Please feel free to email me about this. We can talk more off line. Maybe you need some people with actual real-world experience on this project team. I think it would help. Let’s talk. My rates are very reasonable.

Warmest Regards,
Mike "ToneMonkey"

[poolish]

get a life. nice

[sel1965]

Here we go again, bla bla bla what a wasted thread.

[Fuchal]

http://www.me.com

Hooray, problem is solved!

[DeaconGraves]

Dear Tone Monkey,

I tore up your letter as soon as you called me Dude.

Sincerely,

Steve Jobs

P.S. Probably not a smart idea to post your e-mail address in a internet forum post.

[iNfowarrior]

No amount of software is going to improve the management of your life. If you don't have that in hand already, Steve Jobbs can't help you.

[johnrs]

LOL...

That has to be wiredest thing I have ready in ages.. Please say your having a laugh and that really did not get sent..

You dont know him personally and yet you love him like a brother..

My iphone work just great.. Looks like you better sell your iPhone and got back to your 1995 Kyocera SmartPhone

10 million or so people in the same predicament I am. Err make that 9,999,999million

Its not an iPhone 3g you need, I think its a shrink... :eek:

[JPIndustrie]

Hahahah - you're rates?

This is what and how Apple will make this phone. That's it. All you have to do is, not buy it.

[ToneMonkey]

Yes, of course, you are right, the Emperor does indeed look spendid in his new clothes. Please pass the kool-aid.

[DubbleDuecer]

Take directly from the apple.com website. You were so concerned you had to write a letter yet you didnt spend i duno, 30 seconds (depending on internet speed) on apple's website looking it up, before you make yourself look like a fool? ANYWAY....."You might have a Mac at home, a PC at work, and an iPhone or iPod touch. How do you keep them all in sync? With MobileMe, your email, contacts, and calendar stay the same wherever you check them, no matter what device you use."-apple.com

[marksman]

Dear Steve,

Not everyone out there is as simple as the OP and thus we have more complex needs and desires for our portable devices. Keep up the good work!

[Sweetbike40]

oh brother:rolleyes:

[Sobe]

Dear Steve Jobs,

I can't believe that since we are all forced to buy an iPhone, that you wouldn't make it exactly how I wanted.

If you made it just a discretionary purchase, like say, a PS3 or a Mustang convertible, then maybe I wouldn't have an issue with your product.

But, since we are all mandated by law to purchase one, I really need to protest your heavy handed tactics.

Best,

WindowsMobilelover

[macDonalds]

Dear Steve,

Is that the same black shirt you wear every time I see you? Or do you have a collection of the same?

[Michael CM1]

Dear Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe,

It is all your fault that I don't have a car that gets 150 mpg. I need this yet you don't make it. You obviously hate your customers. I bet there are at least 200 million other people like me who have the same needs yet you continuously deny this to us.

I love my Camry, but the headaches involved in keeping my gas tank full rob a lot of the enjoyment I get using my Camry. My life has become unmaginable.

Katsuaki (can I call you Kats?), I love ya like a brother, but what really fries my grits is that I get the feeling no one at Toyota is even paying attention. Have you hired a bunch of lame GM expatriates to engineer this stuff? It sure seems you like you must have. Oh yeah, I know the bullets keep getting added to the product data sheet but I ONLY GET 25 MPG. HELLO, ANYONE HOME?

Sincerely,
dudesprivateemail@ontheinternet.wtf

[IgnatiusTheKing]

http://www.mn12.org/images/misc/comicbookguy-worst-thread-ever.jpg

[davidlw]

Tone Monkey, as a business person myself I understand your needs. There is a great solution to your problem and that is Mobile Me. I use it to juggle my 1000 customers and it is working great for me so far. Give it a chance and see what you think. It will sync your email, contacts, and calendar wirelessly thus keeping you in the loop at all times.

[Bill P.]

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/technology/personaltech/index.html

[dacreativeguy]

If I did, I’d probably have your email addy

sjobs@apple.com - not too hard to figure out. :)

[snverhallen]

Hi all, I recently sent a letter to Steve Jobs regarding the iPhone and Wall-E, he hasn't replied (yet, hopefully) but I would interested in what you think.

Dear Mr. Jobs,

A few days ago I saw Wall-E, of course created by the company that you co-founded, Pixar Animation Studios. I thought it was absolutely brilliant in all aspects. But it did have one adverse affect on me, it has made me second guess my decision to buy an iPhone 3G. The reason for this is that although I know Wall-E is meant to be a love story it also made me realize the grim picture that Wall-E showed; Planet Earth covered in garbage and I'd hate to be a part of that. So this is why I am asking if I should buy an iPhone or not, basically I am asking that if I buy an iPhone am I contributing to the mess that Planet Earth is becoming or will the benefits of the iPhone help me make the world a better place.

Regardless of the answer I still think that the iPhone is an incredible device; its just that this question just seemed to jump out at me while watching Wall-E, and because you have both influence on the Pixar side and on the Apple side I thought you would be a good one to ask.

Sincerely,

snverhallen

[nickspohn]

Dude, MobileMe was created for people JUST LIKE YOU and in your situation.

I really don't see what's not working out? Your Wife can add / make calender changes at home, then your iPhone gets synced what she did instantly. Then you can make changes, and she can see that within 15 minutes. You can make changes on the PC at work and then it will show up to her and your phone wireless. Same goes with contacts.

For $99 a year. This is worth it.

[scaredpoet]

And if you're unwilling to pay the Price MobileMe is asking, there's an even cheaper calendar sync solution: SpanningSync for $25 a year (http://spanningsync.com). between than and Google Calendar, you're set.

Okay, okay, maybe you get butthurt at paying even $25 a year. Would free sound better to you? (http://chip.cuccio.us/projects/gcal/)

And okay, maybe you're incredibly picky, and want your calendar on your PC, and not just on Google calendar. No problem, there's a sync for that too (http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?answer=89955).

The point is, the solutions for this already exist. There has actually been quite a long history of people wishing certain things could work certain ways with Apple products, and third party developers filling the gap. The system works quite well, most of the time.

No drama.
No weak open letters.
It just works.

And I challenge you to find a Blackberry, Palm, or WM device who will simultaneously sync calendars on a Mac and a PC without any third party solutions. go on, show me.

[fishkorp]

Hi all, I recently sent a letter to Steve Jobs regarding the iPhone and Wall-E, he hasn't replied (yet, hopefully) but I would interested in what you think.

Dear Mr. Jobs,

A few days ago I saw Wall-E, of course created by the company that you co-founded, Pixar Animation Studios. I thought it was absolutely brilliant in all aspects. But it did have one adverse affect on me, it has made me second guess my decision to buy an iPhone 3G. The reason for this is that although I know Wall-E is meant to be a love story it also made me realize the grim picture that Wall-E showed; Planet Earth covered in garbage and I'd hate to be a part of that. So this is why I am asking if I should buy an iPhone or not, basically I am asking that if I buy an iPhone am I contributing to the mess that Planet Earth is becoming or will the benefits of the iPhone help me make the world a better place.

Regardless of the answer I still think that the iPhone is an incredible device; its just that this question just seemed to jump out at me while watching Wall-E, and because you have both influence on the Pixar side and on the Apple side I thought you would be a good one to ask.

Sincerely,

snverhallen
I'm pretty sure he didn't co-found Pixar. He bought it off George Lucas.

[rotobadger]

Hi all, I recently sent a letter to Steve Jobs regarding the iPhone and Wall-E, he hasn't replied (yet, hopefully) but I would interested in what you think.

Dear Mr. Jobs,

A few days ago I saw Wall-E, of course created by the company that you co-founded, Pixar Animation Studios. I thought it was absolutely brilliant in all aspects. But it did have one adverse affect on me, it has made me second guess my decision to buy an iPhone 3G. The reason for this is that although I know Wall-E is meant to be a love story it also made me realize the grim picture that Wall-E showed; Planet Earth covered in garbage and I'd hate to be a part of that. So this is why I am asking if I should buy an iPhone or not, basically I am asking that if I buy an iPhone am I contributing to the mess that Planet Earth is becoming or will the benefits of the iPhone help me make the world a better place.

Regardless of the answer I still think that the iPhone is an incredible device; its just that this question just seemed to jump out at me while watching Wall-E, and because you have both influence on the Pixar side and on the Apple side I thought you would be a good one to ask.

Sincerely,

snverhallen

So the cell phone you currently use is biodegradable? :rolleyes:

[ToneMonkey]

I'll assume the irony was unintentional and just enjoy it.

So how large is your personal comic book collection? Does mom still do your laundry?

http://www.mn12.org/images/misc/comicbookguy-worst-thread-ever.jpg

[Tallest Skil]

So how large is your personal comic book collection? Does mom still do your laundry?

You'll notice that no one else stooped to personal attacks. You'll notice that it doesn't help your argument.

And I hope that you notice that MobileMe is exactly what you're looking for.

[IgnatiusTheKing]

I'll assume the irony was unintentional and just enjoy it.

So how large is your personal comic book collection? Does mom still do your laundry?

I read your open letter; you're not in a position to assume anything.

[Saladinos]

I swear, these newbies drive me insane. They're like the people who obsess about making product mockups in photoshop. They're the people that give a damn about profit-rich corporations. Admire the products, the philosophies - not the companies or the people themselves. They certainly don't admire you.

It's a sad day when the ability to think is in such short supply. Even 30 seconds worth of good quality thought could have stopped this thread before it even began.

[skubish]

this thread belongs here. (http://forums.macrumors.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41)

[IgnatiusTheKing]

this thread belongs here. (http://forums.macrumors.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41)

Or here:

http://lbs.cs.berkeley.edu:8080/wiki/images/5/57/Toilet.jpg

[snverhallen]

I'm pretty sure he didn't co-found Pixar. He bought it off George Lucas.
My apologies, he did buy it off Lucasfilm.

So the cell phone you currently use is biodegradable?

No it isn't biodegradable, but my current Samsung phone was made by a company who is connected with Pixar that made a movie depicting grim scenes of the Earth covered with garbage. Don't get me wrong here, I really like the iPhone, I just thought this was an interesting point.

snverhallen

[memesmith]

Steve-

I don’t know you personally. If I did, I’d probably have your email addy, which would allow me to address these issues privately. But I don’t. So apologies in advance for the "public display of affection" I’m about to deliver.

Dude, everyone admires your passion, vision, out-of-the-box thinking, and up until now, you’re uncompromising drive and commitment to not unleash steaming piles of cr@p on an unsuspecting public. You seem to really get that people want stuff that works.

Steve, buddy, pal… I need exactly three things from a mobile telephone in order for my life to work:
1. I need a mobile handset that will reliably make and complete telephone calls.
2. I need my calendar.
3. I need my contacts.

Oh I also want email and webrowsing.

I use a Mac at home and a PC at work. I know that isn’t your fault, but it’s reality for most of us that don’t work at Apple. My wife needs to be able to add appointments and contacts on my home Mac; I need those updated appointments and contacts in my phone. I just freakin’ do. You do OK in this regard when I only use Apple products.

I need to be able to add appointments and contacts on my work PC; I need those updated appointments and contacts in my phone. I just freakin’ do.

Firmware 2.0 allows me to do this, even though my employer "doesn't support active sync". My guess is that maybe as many as 10 million or so people in the same predicament I am, would have their life unmaginably improved by using Firmware 2.0 on their iPhone. I love my Mac, and now the headaches involved in keeping my work life and personal life in sync are gone, I love it, and my iPhone even more than I did.

Steve, I love ya like a brother, 'cos you are obviously paying attention. Have you hired a bunch of geniuses to engineer this stuff, and licensed only me most useful stuff from Microsoft? It sure seems you like you must have. IT JUST WORKS.

What happened? You got it right. What happened? You got it right. What happened? You got it right. What happened? You got it right.

Now, all we need is cut and paste. :D

Warmest Regards,

memesmith

[snverhallen]

Steve-

I don’t know you personally. If I did, I’d probably have your email addy, which would allow me to address these issues privately. But I don’t. So apologies in advance for the "public display of affection" I’m about to deliver.

Dude, everyone admires your passion, vision, out-of-the-box thinking, and up until now, you’re uncompromising drive and commitment to not unleash steaming piles of cr@p on an unsuspecting public. You seem to really get that people want stuff that works.

Steve, buddy, pal… I need exactly three things from a mobile telephone in order for my life to work:
1. I need a mobile handset that will reliably make and complete telephone calls.
2. I need my calendar.
3. I need my contacts.

Oh I also want email and webrowsing.

I use a Mac at home and a PC at work. I know that isn’t your fault, but it’s reality for most of us that don’t work at Apple. My wife needs to be able to add appointments and contacts on my home Mac; I need those updated appointments and contacts in my phone. I just freakin’ do. You do OK in this regard when I only use Apple products.

I need to be able to add appointments and contacts on my work PC; I need those updated appointments and contacts in my phone. I just freakin’ do.

Firmware 2.0 allows me to do this, even though my employer "doesn't support active sync". My guess is that maybe as many as 10 million or so people in the same predicament I am, would have their life unmaginably improved by using Firmware 2.0 on their iPhone. I love my Mac, and now the headaches involved in keeping my work life and personal life in sync are gone, I love it, and my iPhone even more than I did.

Steve, I love ya like a brother, 'cos you are obviously paying attention. Have you hired a bunch of geniuses to engineer this stuff, and licensed only me most useful stuff from Microsoft? It sure seems you like you must have. IT JUST WORKS.

What happened? You got it right. What happened? You got it right. What happened? You got it right. What happened? You got it right.

Now, all we need is cut and paste. :D

Warmest Regards,

memesmith

What was that (^^^) supposed to achieve?

[bbotte]

Thread starter makes a hell of a point, the iPhone should be able to be plugged into multiple iTunes PCs and able to do the same stuff at home as you can do at work. this device has grown beyond an iPod, it needs the leashes taken off. I started my mobile me account today at work, it erased my contacts and calendar on my phone, and until I get home I cannot restore them. I read it would do this, but I want to try it out. I should be able to back up my phone on multiple PCs not just the one at home. DRM is on the music for a reason, we don't need the DRM on the whole device.

[prelag]

You aren't important

Your wife isn't important

Your job most definitely isn't important.

Learn to live with the garbage that Steve Jobs sells you. In the end, you know you will come back for more.

[question fear]

Dude, MobileMe was created for people JUST LIKE YOU and in your situation.

I really don't see what's not working out? Your Wife can add / make calender changes at home, then your iPhone gets synced what she did instantly. Then you can make changes, and she can see that within 15 minutes. You can make changes on the PC at work and then it will show up to her and your phone wireless. Same goes with contacts.

For $99 a year. This is worth it.

FWIW, the OP may be in the same situation I am in. My work uses IE, I cannot install Firefox because the computers are locked down, and the only sync option I have is to outlook exchange, but only with a blackberry.

Now MobileMe would never get past our web filters even if it was compatible (no personal email access at work) so for me it's irrelevant, but if you can't change your computers (and if you work for a very large corporation chances are you can't) you're stuck out of MobileMe.

Whether or not you like how the OP presented his complaint, he does have a valid one. MobileMe is NOT perfect for many PC users, sadly.

[Sky Blue]

FWIW, the OP may be in the same situation I am in. My work uses IE, I cannot install Firefox because the computers are locked down, and the only sync option I have is to outlook exchange, but only with a blackberry.

Now MobileMe would never get past our web filters even if it was compatible (no personal email access at work) so for me it's irrelevant, but if you can't change your computers (and if you work for a very large corporation chances are you can't) you're stuck out of MobileMe.

Whether or not you like how the OP presented his complaint, he does have a valid one. MobileMe is NOT perfect for many PC users, sadly.

If you work in a place like that then it seems pretty clear that the iPhone isn't for you anyway. I'd like to install a hammock in my office, my work won't let me so does that mean I should get annoyed with hammock makers?

[memesmith]

What was that (^^^) supposed to achieve?

it was supposed to show that though my situation is pretty similar to the OP's, for me the iPhone does "just work"

[question fear]

If you work in a place like that then it seems pretty clear that the iPhone isn't for you anyway. I'd like to install a hammock in my office, my work won't let me so does that mean I should get annoyed with hammock makers?

Um. For starters, I didn't intend my post to be a complaint about my workplace, just a comment to back up the OP. Not everyone can use MobileMe on their work PCs, so his frustration cannot be totally fixed by using it. That was all I was trying to say.

For the record, the iPhone is my personal device precisely because my work is so locked down. I wouldn't bitch to IT about not supporting it, because I know they only support blackberries. So I don't bother to worry about the iPhone being a "business" device and solely use it to manage my personal email and communication when I am at work and don't want to share my personal business with my corporate email.

I didn't mean to imply my situation was just like the OP's, just that he might not be in a position to easily use MobileMe. I don't think my defending his central thesis required that kind of response from you. :confused:

[ElecEagle]

I thought the OP was a little funny. B+ for effort

It might be worth an A- if I could see the look on Steve Job's face when he reads, "Dude ...".

[Stampyhead]

Thread starter makes a hell of a point, the iPhone should be able to be plugged into multiple iTunes PCs and able to do the same stuff at home as you can do at work. this device has grown beyond an iPod, it needs the leashes taken off. I started my mobile me account today at work, it erased my contacts and calendar on my phone, and until I get home I cannot restore them. I read it would do this, but I want to try it out. I should be able to back up my phone on multiple PCs not just the one at home. DRM is on the music for a reason, we don't need the DRM on the whole device.

Hmmm, now if you had synched MobileMe with your Mac like they tell you to do, then all of your calendar, contacts, etc. would have been on your MM account and all of your stuff wouldn't have been deleted from your phone. So it really does work the way it's supposed to, you just have to follow their directions when you set it up.

[Badandy]

Um. For starters, I didn't intend my post to be a complaint about my workplace, just a comment to back up the OP. Not everyone can use MobileMe on their work PCs, so his frustration cannot be totally fixed by using it. That was all I was trying to say.


Just tell them to unblock me.com

Don't say to support an iPhone just so you can use calendar.

[aristobrat]

FWIW, the OP may be in the same situation I am in. My work uses IE, I cannot install Firefox because the computers are locked down, and the only sync option I have is to outlook exchange, but only with a blackberry.
FWIW, I think your situations are quite a bit different. :eek:

The OP seems to be stating that there's no way to reliably sync an iPhone's calendars/contacts with a Windows machine. (He says "You completely fail at this, regardless of which products I use.")

He also seems to want to be able to sync multiple machines' worth of calendars/contacts on his iPhone. I guess combined? IIRC, the iPhone will not allow you to do this.

But even if Apple came out with some Windows software that fixed the OPs Windows syncing issues (which is weird, because I haven't heard of many issues syncing with Outlook on Windows), and an iTunes/iPhone update that allowed the iPhone to handle multiple computers worth of calendar/contacts, the OP's problems would be solved, but you'd still be in the same spot you were (because of your employers decision to not allow you to install any software on your work machine).

I don't see any solution for your situation, without your employers changing their position. :confused:

[marksman]

I'm pretty sure he didn't co-found Pixar. He bought it off George Lucas.

Yeah I think when Disney would not buy 49% they sold to Jobs.

[bbotte]

Hmmm, now if you had synched MobileMe with your Mac like they tell you to do, then all of your calendar, contacts, etc. would have been on your MM account and all of your stuff wouldn't have been deleted from your phone. So it really does work the way it's supposed to, you just have to follow their directions when you set it up.

I don't have a Mac. I have a PC without Outlook 2007 or a calendar program. last I read iCal does not run on Vista.

[Badandy]

I don't have a Mac. I have a PC without Outlook 2007 or a calendar program. last I read iCal does not run on Vista.

What program do you use for calendaring?