Apple Releases New iPhone Ad: 'Dilemmas'

MacRumors · Nov 4, 2008, 01:07 AM

Apple has posted a new iPhone commercial, 'Dilemmas', to their ad gallery. The commercial focuses on Urbanspoon [App Store], which provides information, ratings and reviews on restaurants. In particular, the ad highlights the application's "slot machine" function, in which a user can shake their iPhone to allow Urbanspoon to make restaurant recommendations.

Urbanspoon was previously profiled on our iPhone blog.

Article Link: Apple Releases New iPhone Ad: 'Dilemmas'

superstrikertwo · Nov 4, 2008, 01:50 AM

Just saw it during CSI: Miami.

JackSYi · Nov 4, 2008, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superstrikertwo

Just saw it during CSI: Miami.

I love this app, finding where and what to eat is a big headache, but with Urbanspoon I can find a restaurant and map it right on my iPhone.

mattrobs · Nov 4, 2008, 03:44 AM

Not the prettiest looking app!

bosox3125 · Nov 4, 2008, 09:06 AM

did anyone else notice that it now says "sequence shortened"? might hold true for ads demoing 3G speeds...

happydude · Nov 4, 2008, 09:14 AM

i use this app occasionally. works well and is a fun way to impress non-iphone people when we can't decide where to go for dinner. not sure it should have been the focus of a commercial though, there's better apps out there.

justflie · 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bosox3125

did anyone else notice that it now says "sequence shortened"? might hold true for ads demoing 3G speeds...

Nah. I think it's just so they could speed up the speed of the rolling wheels in Urbanspoon. They usually take longer to spin.

*EDIT* Also, they cut down/out the app startup time/looking for a location prior to bringing up the wheels.

Small White Car · Nov 4, 2008, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happydude

not sure it should have been the focus of a commercial though, there's better apps out there.

No, it's a fantastic ad! How many other cell phones have programs using funky animation like that? Not too many. It's really got nothing to do with Urban Spoon's usefullness and everything to do with the graphics. To an iPhone user that's not too amazing, but it will catch a lot of attention from people who use phones with mostly text-based interfaces.

And a note on Urban Spoon...I rarely use it to look up places, but I LOVE to use it as an archive of places I've been. I travel a lot and am often taken to nice dinners by clients. I'll rate it a "thumbs up" in Urban Spoon and it gets put on my favorites list. Then, the next time I'm in Tampa (for example) I can find the place "that I ate at last year and really liked." I usually used to just tell stories about "that place I ate" without being able to return because I never bothered to write the name down before. So, nothing to do with the ad, but I love Urban Spoon for this reason alone.

sfh · Nov 4, 2008, 11:17 AM

it's just one of those "wow, your phone can do that" aps that takes a common problem and offers a simple solution for. I think it's a great app slow to start up though

crisss1205 · Nov 4, 2008, 11:17 AM

I saw this ad earlier this weekend, now they find it. Saw it about 3 times now.

domness · Nov 4, 2008, 11:30 AM

It's a great app no doubt, but when not many restaurants are added for certain areas, the whole point of the app can go right out of the window.

Doctor Q · Nov 4, 2008, 12:11 PM

I just use Free Joker's Wild to play a slot machine, see how much virtual money I can make, then pick a restaurant I already know based on how rich I feel.

Kilamite · Nov 4, 2008, 12:16 PM

I've always wondered if Apple gives any money to the developers for using their software in their ads?

IgnatiusTheKing · Nov 4, 2008, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilamite

I've always wondered if Apple gives any money to the developers for using their software in their ads?

Seems more likely that the developers would try to pay Apple to use their apps in the ads. I think being in an Apple commercial is the #1 way to get downloaded zillions of times.

Kilamite · Nov 4, 2008, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IgnatiusTheKing

Seems more likely that the developers would try to pay Apple to use their apps in the ads. I think being in an Apple commercial is the #1 way to get downloaded zillions of times.

If the app's are free, then it wouldn't matter. Considering that Apple is using this app as a major selling point for the iPhone, I'd expect them to send some money the developer's way.

ZiggyPastorius · Nov 4, 2008, 01:50 PM

This commercial is perfect. These kinds of things are exactly why I love the iPhone so much. Not "finding a place to eat per se," but just the cool-factor and the simplicity of something like that. Touch a button, shake the phone, and you've got a place to eat, from there, just press another button to make the call to the place. Brilliant.

IgnatiusTheKing · Nov 4, 2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilamite

If the app's are free, then it wouldn't matter. Considering that Apple is using this app as a major selling point for the iPhone, I'd expect them to send some money the developer's way.

A lot of apps are only free because the include advertising or drive users to sites where they can purchase things.

queshy · Nov 4, 2008, 05:17 PM

lol...sequence shortened...

elppa · Nov 4, 2008, 05:55 PM

“Solving life's dilemmas, one app at a time”

would have made more sense to me to be:

“Solving life's dilemmas, one shake at a time”

I love the music they use, I can't sit still when listening to it!

bobfitz14 · Nov 4, 2008, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bosox3125

did anyone else notice that it now says "sequence shortened"? might hold true for ads demoing 3G speeds...

i noticed the Sequence Shortened thing too. i don't have an iPhone so i wouldn't know how much of a time lapse they actually did, but it's sneaky how Apple made the font a couple shades off of white when it has a white background.

mr-macintosh · Nov 5, 2008, 11:12 AM

wait Aplle has an add about solving dilemas hahaha what about solving the dilema of MMS or copy and paste or landscape text in SMS or any of the other "dilemas" apple didnt fix but hey, at least you can find a place to eat by shaking your phone right?

I have an iPhone BTW

Kilamite · Nov 5, 2008, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr-macintosh

wait Aplle has an add about solving dilemas hahaha what about solving the dilema of MMS or copy and paste or landscape text in SMS or any of the other "dilemas" apple didnt fix but hey, at least you can find a place to eat by shaking your phone right?

You do realise Apple didn't write that app? You can't moan about Apple not providing MMS or copy and paste and then compare that to a 3rd party app that allows you to find a place by shaking your phone..

Luvinia Krista · Nov 29, 2008, 05:04 AM

When does the new version of the apple iPhone come out? I haven't been able to track down an exact date. Also, are there any phones out there that are like the apple iPhone? I've heard of the LG voyager, but would like more options.

lostprophet894 · Nov 29, 2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crisss1205

I saw this ad earlier this weekend, now they find it. Saw it about 3 times now.

Wow. You're SO awesome.

Maybe this says something about your TV habits.

Nov 4, 2008, 01:50 AM	#2
superstrikertwo macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: California	Just saw it during CSI: Miami. __________________ Proud 16GB iPhone 3G [S] Owner My site: Planet Disney

Nov 4, 2008, 09:06 AM	#5
bosox3125 macrumors newbie Join Date: May 2007	notice anything? did anyone else notice that it now says "sequence shortened"? might hold true for ads demoing 3G speeds...

Nov 4, 2008, 09:14 AM	#6
happydude macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: a country with a new sense of hope	i use this app occasionally. works well and is a fun way to impress non-iphone people when we can't decide where to go for dinner. not sure it should have been the focus of a commercial though, there's better apps out there. __________________ hi

Nov 4, 2008, 11:17 AM	#10
crisss1205 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York	I saw this ad earlier this weekend, now they find it. Saw it about 3 times now. __________________  15.4" 2.4GHz MacBook Pro (Early 2008)  15.4" 2.66GHz MacBook Pro (Unibody)  iPhone 3G S⃣ 32GB  Other Apple Stuff

Nov 4, 2008, 11:30 AM	#11
domness macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: UK	It's a great app no doubt, but when not many restaurants are added for certain areas, the whole point of the app can go right out of the window. __________________ Blog - Twitter \| iPhone 3G OS 3.1b3 \| MacBook Pro 13.3" \| iPhone Developer - iMood, DonkPad, Twitterville

Nov 4, 2008, 01:07 AM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Apple Releases New iPhone Ad: 'Dilemmas' Apple has posted a new iPhone commercial, 'Dilemmas', to their ad gallery. The commercial focuses on Urbanspoon [App Store], which provides information, ratings and reviews on restaurants. In particular, the ad highlights the application's "slot machine" function, in which a user can shake their iPhone to allow Urbanspoon to make restaurant recommendations. Urbanspoon was previously profiled on our iPhone blog. Article Link: Apple Releases New iPhone Ad: 'Dilemmas'

Nov 4, 2008, 03:44 AM	#4
mattrobs macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2008	Not the prettiest looking app!

Nov 4, 2008, 11:17 AM	#9
sfh macrumors regular Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento CA	it's just one of those "wow, your phone can do that" aps that takes a common problem and offers a simple solution for. I think it's a great app slow to start up though

Nov 4, 2008, 12:11 PM	#12
Doctor Q macrumors god Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: at the table with countless relatives	I just use Free Joker's Wild to play a slot machine, see how much virtual money I can make, then pick a restaurant I already know based on how rich I feel. __________________ "You've just been abducted, of course you need crepes!" -- Walter Bishop

Nov 4, 2008, 12:16 PM	#13
Kilamite macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Scotland	I've always wondered if Apple gives any money to the developers for using their software in their ads? __________________ - MacBook Pro Unibody 15" 2.8GHz 'anti-glare' - Apple TV 1TB (work in progress) - iPhone 3G 8GB - MobileMe // OS X 10.6.2

Nov 4, 2008, 01:50 PM	#16
ZiggyPastorius macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Berklee College of Music	This commercial is perfect. These kinds of things are exactly why I love the iPhone so much. Not "finding a place to eat per se," but just the cool-factor and the simplicity of something like that. Touch a button, shake the phone, and you've got a place to eat, from there, just press another button to make the call to the place. Brilliant. __________________ The multiplying villainies of nature do swarm upon him, and fortune, on his damned quarrel, smiling, showed like a rebel's whore.

Nov 4, 2008, 05:17 PM	#18
queshy macrumors 68040 Join Date: Apr 2005	lol...sequence shortened... __________________ "I always feel sorry for the guy in the iPhone commercials. He always gets a call right in the middle of trying to do something" (one1).

Nov 4, 2008, 05:55 PM	#19
elppa macrumors 68020 Join Date: Nov 2003	“Solving life's dilemmas, one app at a time” would have made more sense to me to be: “Solving life's dilemmas, one shake at a time” I love the music they use, I can't sit still when listening to it!

Nov 5, 2008, 11:12 AM	#21
mr-macintosh macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2008	wait Aplle has an add about solving dilemas hahaha what about solving the dilema of MMS or copy and paste or landscape text in SMS or any of the other "dilemas" apple didnt fix but hey, at least you can find a place to eat by shaking your phone right? I have an iPhone BTW __________________ Tech Blog:http://www.techinfo.ning.com iPhone/iPod communtiy:http://www.youripodstop.com Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/bigwedge

Nov 29, 2008, 05:04 AM	#23
Luvinia Krista macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2008	When does the new version of the apple iPhone come out? I haven't been able to track down an exact date. Also, are there any phones out there that are like the apple iPhone? I've heard of the LG voyager, but would like more options. __________________ Blackberry navigator

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