First iPhone Review from Walt Mossberg

[Padriac]

Yeah, but what about "Copy and Paste?"

To me that is almost a deal-breaker. Almost.

However, I *hope* they come up with a "fix" for this. I think this is a *very* big deal that many of you seem to be avoiding. I can live without Flash (I'm positive this will come in an update). I can (almost) live without a replaceable battery. I can *barely* take not having 3rd party apps. However, the lack of "cut/copy and paste" is enormous that some of you won't realize you *miss* until you absolutely need it.

Just some basic examples:
1. Street addresses into contacts.
2. Street addresses into Google Maps

So your friend e-mails you an address *or* texts you an address on where everyone is going to meet up. Think of that scenario. Think of the steps you have to take to get the *address* from the email/txt msg over to the contacts or to google maps. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. It's why it's *almost* a deal breaker. Almost.

w00master

I believe that the iPhone parses all phone numbers and addresses as links, so in your case #2 there would be no typing required, it would automatically launch google maps if you click on the address. I'm not sure though, but I thought this was shown somewhere.

In all honesty, I don't think this omission is anywhere near deal breaker until there are apps aside from google maps that can actually use it. But in theory, I'm with you.... at some point this needs to be added.

 

[RnSK]

Ah. Another myth needs to be cleared up right now...

Carriers do not lock phones...manufacturers do.

Look it up for yourselves. The perception (in the US) is that the Evil Telcos are doing this to you, when it is sooooo the opposite:

If McTelco wants to brand a phone, or change any of the advertised features, the manufacture requires in almost every case for the phone to be restricted to use by that carrier because its "their phone".

Of course, practically all of Europe knows this, be folks here stateside seem to be slow on the uptake, mostly because of historical views and biases bast on big bad "Ma Bell".

So yes people, in summary, anything the phone don't do is all Apple. Believe it. It only works to Apple's advantage, and really, I wonder what in hell ATT saw in this deal besides a way to get "their sidekick and razr rolled into one" and really dick with verizon's numbers

No?

Look at the kind of pushback apple has been getting from Verizon, Euro providers and Telstra. If you make a phone, you know, you are an *OEM* to them...not a partner...and you damned sure don't get to tell them what they can and can't do with it...THEY spec to YOU.

I'm sure Nokia and Sony Ericsson are doing high fives right now...the iPhone's success will give them the ammo THEY need to make sure their designs aren't bitched up by telco dickering. They HATE the fact that the end user isn't the customer.

 

[RnSK]

Yeah, but what about "Copy and Paste?"

To me that is almost a deal-breaker. Almost.

However, I *hope* they come up with a "fix" for this. I think this is a *very* big deal that many of you seem to be avoiding. I can live without Flash (I'm positive this will come in an update). I can (almost) live without a replaceable battery. I can *barely* take not having 3rd party apps. However, the lack of "cut/copy and paste" is enormous that some of you won't realize you *miss* until you absolutely need it.

Just some basic examples:
1. Street addresses into contacts.
2. Street addresses into Google Maps

So your friend e-mails you an address *or* texts you an address on where everyone is going to meet up. Think of that scenario. Think of the steps you have to take to get the *address* from the email/txt msg over to the contacts or to google maps. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. It's why it's *almost* a deal breaker. Almost.

w00master

The cases above are invalid on the iPhone; it knows addresses and phone numbers and gives you appropriate choices when you click them. This has been demonstrated.

 

[pixies4ever]

What kind of phone is this?


Personalization is the cool thing about ringtones. I have some Afrika Bambaataa that I want as my ringtone. And I would always know it was my phone ringing (I mean come on how many people here even know who they are???)

I remember World destruction with johnny Rotten http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxnkuyBxBrM since 1984 it jumps into my mind from time to time (not via my phone btw)

 

[benspratling]

Well. Well.

That explains quite a lot then.

*goes to pop a Geritol*

Yes that poll does explain quite a lot. I guess those folks on the forum who thought they could pin me with my music selection were right. I'm white, 25 y/o and grew up in the suburbs. Did they also guess I'm Southern Baptist and in grad school for aerospace engineering? Did they also guess from my taste for Good Charlotte that my favorite composer is Beethoven and my second favorite Tchaikovsky? I just think the music-box-like chimes in "A New Beginning" make a very clean and responsive ring-tone (before the ambiance, of course).

And lastly for those pesky ringtones - this is very reminiscent of system sounds on Mac OS 7 on my parent's first PowerPC Mac. Maybe if I can hack the file directory structure I can find the ringtones folder... and accidentally erase the e-mail application. Nope, I'll wait for it to be sanctioned; meanwhile I'll use my laptop and office for the internet instead of my phone.

For those of you who've stood up for me, thanks, I need it. Good Charlotte isn't my favorite, some of their songs are downright repulsive, but "A New Beginning" is great.

As for copy & paste, why don't we have copy and paste? And why don't dashboard widgets let you select text? (and then copy and paste?) Maybe this new Wil Wheaton-look-alike in charge of software experience isn't doing such a great job. The again, maybe it's one of his employees. Perhaps the rest of the interface is so good, we'll forgive him and let them fix it up with a software update.

One more thought now that I've actually read Walt's review.
It's clear from Walt's explanation of the iPhone that Jobs does not view the cell phone as the next desktop computer. Your palm is not where you'll edit documents - it's where you'll responsively monitor others and keep in touch. He obviously intends for us to do our work from our office. I just hope that means games on the iPhone. BTW, FWIW, I did have a dream last week that I was playing some kind Nintendo of golf game on the iPhone with two fingers.

 

[benspratling]

Is that its ridiculous

Even Apple knows that less than a quarter of the stuff people has on their iPods comes from the iTunes store. The likelyhood is much higher that a non-iTMS song would be a ringtone choice.

A lot of people here seem to be both new to the way Apple operates and not very schooled on the history of the company.

Its very simple...when given a choice of why Apple may or may not have done something, you can safely pick from the following two choices and be right over we'll say 90% of the time.

1. There isn't any money in it for them. Apple doesn't do the razors/razorblades thing.

2. They think they know better than you, and will market you into submission

You don't have custom ringtones because Apple can't make money on them (yet), someone at Apple thinks their choices in unique, expensively sound designed, meticulously tweaked built in ringtones sound better than "Milkshake" bleating out of *their beautiful phone* for 15 seconds

Seriously.

Where's the money in letting me choose my own background image? Why do they let me set my own pictures and photos as my background image for free, but won't let me set my music as a ring tone for a price? And if they're not going to sell ringtones, why stop me from setting my own?

 

[pixies4ever]

i can't let this go without saying something. i'm dumbfounded on so many levels. the fact that you can't have a terrible song blaring out of your gorgeous new phone is a deal breaker? if anything, i think iPhone would be doing you a favor by restricting your heinous musical taste to your earbuds only. also, the unintentional comedy inherent in calling "Marimba" childish, while referring to a good charlotte song as "perfect" is, well...perfect!

And will be doing me a favor as well
Deep down inside a lot of people are still 13, i travel to work by train everyday, so I have seen it

 

[Project]

Wow. What a lot of immature folks on here. Just relax, sit back, chill.

I think an important thing to take out of this is that nearly all of the iPhones shortcomings can be resolved with simple software updates, which Apple have already stated WILL be coming.

For a version one attempt, this seems to be a phenomenal achievement. They have done the hard work in creating a media centric, easy to use but stunningly beautiful UI. The easy stuff is filling in the gaps - copy/paste, adding ringtones etc. This is easy stuff to figure out and rectify.

The hard part is the other manufacturers coming up with a UI that comes close...

 

[benspratling]

Wow. What a lot of immature folks on here. Just relax, sit back, chill.

I think an important thing to take out of this is that nearly all of the iPhones shortcomings can be resolved with simple software updates, which Apple have already stated WILL be coming.

For a version one attempt, this seems to be a phenomenal achievement. They have done the hard work in creating a media centric, easy to use but stunningly beautiful UI. The easy stuff is filling in the gaps - copy/paste, adding ringtones etc. This is easy stuff to figure out and rectify.

The hard part is the other manufacturers coming up with a UI that comes close...

I agree completely. So I'll go on with my life, and when ringtones become an option, I'll bite.

 

[w00master]

The cases above are invalid on the iPhone; it knows addresses and phone numbers and gives you appropriate choices when you click them. This has been demonstrated.

You know you're right, and it's definitely a poor example that I provided, but think long and hard about what isn't recognized on the iPhone: UPS/FedEx trackers, model ID#s, product codes, a note that you have saved in the iPhone Notes app that you want to text msg to someone. I could go on and on.

Copy and paste is a BIG deal. I know that many of you don't recognize it *right now*, but will as you use your iPhone more and more. Right now, I use a Sidekick, and when I 1st got the phone, I *never* thought I'd be copying and pasting, but I discovered that it is essential. Guess what, the Sidekick has copy and paste. You'd think that the iPhone that supposedly "runs OS X" could copy and paste.

Still, I'll probably be getting one with the hopes that they update this soon, but I hope people here understand that you don't realize you've missed something until you actually find a need for it.

w00master

 

[typerlover]

Who knows what will be in a software update? The fact of the matter is right now this is the product that is coming out and its shortcomings. Its ridiculous to talk about how this and that can be fixed in a software update.

What you get on friday is what is worth talking about, not some fictional update which we wont be able to predict what it will provide.

 

[123]

The easy stuff is filling in the gaps - copy/paste, adding ringtones etc.

The problem is that ringtones doesn't seem to be a gap. It's a business model. And they won't be going to change that.

 

[Project]

The problem is that ringtones doesn't seem to be a gap. It's a business model. And they won't be going to change that.

Fair enough. And if you are going to not get the phone over such a small matter, then thats on you.

For me personally, I have always put my phone on silent and to vibrate since about 1999. I think ringtones are corny, be they Apple ringtones or mp3s.

Thats just me though.

I think Apple have done a great job though if the lack of custom ringtones is one oft he bigger complaints.

 

[123]

The cases above are invalid on the iPhone; it knows addresses and phone numbers and gives you appropriate choices when you click them. This has been demonstrated.

How does it know addresses? Do you think people are going to text you addresses in vcard, xml or url formats?

 

[Project]

Who knows what will be in a software update? The fact of the matter is right now this is the product that is coming out and its shortcomings. Its ridiculous to talk about how this and that can be fixed in a software update.

What you get on friday is what is worth talking about, not some fictional update which we wont be able to predict what it will provide.

Erm, no. Apple have consistently stated that the phone will be constantly improved by software updates. For many people, this is a reason to get or not get the phone. Im one of them. We have already seen YouTube added to Apple TV. The knowledge that small shortcomings will be ironed out and big features added over time make me see the purchase as an investment.

Its like part of the Tiger deal was that you knew Apple would update the thing numerous time to add features, fix bugs, make it more secure etc.

 

[benspratling]

Fair enough. And if you are going to not get the phone over such a small matter, then thats on you.

For me personally, I have always put my phone on silent and to vibrate since about 1999. I think ringtones are corny, be they Apple ringtones or mp3s.

Thats just me though.

I think Apple have done a great job though if the lack of custom ringtones is one oft he bigger complaints.

Wow 1999, I had just started my senior year in high school. Back then all ringtones were corny. You just need to buy "A New beginning" and listen to the first 36 seconds.

As for the small matter, this is actually consistent with Jobs reinventing things. He tends to do a great job with the overall design of stuff, but in the revolution there are always some traditional functions he omits. Some for good, some for the worse. It hapened with Macintosh (command line), Mac OS X (printing), iPod (replaceable batteries), and now iPhone (user ringtones). Eventually it will come around, or third parties will provide it. Mac OS X has a command line, Mac OS X now has printing, the iPod's batteries can be replaced by user kits and one day the iPhone will have user ringtones.

I have no doubt Apple will update the features of the phone with software updates, but I don't yet know which improvements those will be. Until I get "A new Beginning" I'm just going to buy a new battery for my razor.

 

[michelepri]

European market

I's not an opinion, when it comes to cell phones the European market the by far the most important in the world. This is where the best phones come from, the best networks, and where most of the money is. If Europeans expect so much free stuff and freedom of choice it's partly because their market is about 10 years ahead. Apple is trying to establish themselves in the US first, which makes sense with Playstations maybe but not with phones. That's the mistake.

Nobody can ignore the fact that the phone has nice design and a good interface, but the numbers of features missing is way too big.

Let's face it, the only "revolutionary" feature about this phone is the flipping album covers. That's really the only feature most people would use every day and that's not available (for now) on other phones.

But I don't see what will stop Sony with adding a flipping cover feature in their phones too.

As for internet, without 3G and without Flash, I don't see how Apple can claim that their internet experience is the real one. It's not. I get better internet on most Nokia phones.

As for a previous comment about choice not benefiting the UK market, let's not forget that UK is not really European market. I regard it more as a US province. They are the only ones in this geographic location that sell phones tied up with providers, and they have horrible prices.

Italy and many other countries benefit from very high standard services that for now the IPhone doesn't even get close to. You can download all youtube videos free and watch the flash version, you can watch digital TV and download entire shows and music clips, you get skype with a data flat rate so many calls will be free, you had visual mailbox for 10 years already...

So in Italy the Iphone would be about 5 years back with the exception of the flipping album cover.

 

[Padriac]

I's not an opinion, when it comes to cell phones the European market the by far the most important in the world...

Dear Europeans, we appreciate your concerns, but please stop bitching about American cell phone products and networks. We realize yours are better. When the offical European iPhone specs/launch date are announced THEN you may bitch. Until then, your worries are speculative. Thanks.

Signed, your American Mac compatriots.

 

[GulGnu]

about pleasing the Europeans, a task hardly accomplishable since you have to give 'em so much free stuff, it has to be more than cutting edge and oh!

Us Euros aren't *that* hard to please - we just want a data network that actually exists in these parts (this is 3G country).

 

[gr8tfly]

You'll notice in the iTunes Store Terms of Service, it specifically forbids songs being used as ringtones. I think there is just some legal problem here.

Maybe somebody already addressed this: the notice only has to do with songs bought through the store. Has nothing to do with music obtained from other sources (your own CD, your own music - Garage Band?, sound fx, your pet - too many to list, actually).

I would feel let down if I didn't have the same ability to personalize my ring, message notifications, alarms, etc. as I have had on my last few phones (on ATT/Cingular).

Does anyone know when Walt actually reviewed the phone? The article date was current, but I thought many reviews had been done a while ago and were held at Apple's request.

I'll still be at my Apple Store come Friday, though

 

[Anawrahta]

I's not an opinion, when it comes to cell phones the European market the by far the most important in the world.

I disagree. The Asian market is. By Asian I mean China, India, and the South East Asian Peninsula. There's three times as many people here. Yes the populace is far poorer, however phones are major status symbols much like cars are in the US. I've met several kids who make 200 euros a month and own 500EUR phones. The growth potential here is bigger than anywhere in the world. Europe is important, but as a mature market, competition there is fierce and margins will eventually start to shrink.

That aside, is anyone else irritated by the fact that Mossberg continually referred to the iPhone as a smartphone? The iPhone is not a smartphone.

 

[Project]

That aside, is anyone else irritated by the fact that Mossberg continually referred to the iPhone as a smartphone? The iPhone is not a smartphone.

Really? You are not going to come up with the ridiculous 'you cant load your own software on it' excuse are you? Its certainly a *lot* smarter than my Windows Mobile smartphone.

 

[twonine]

Lack of ringtones...

Wow 1999, I had just started my senior year in high school. Back then all ringtones were corny. You just need to buy "A New beginning" and listen to the first 36 seconds. [...] Until I get "A new Beginning" I'm just going to buy a new battery for my razor.

I've never heard that song and I'm starting to hate it. Please stop talking about it so much.

As for the ringtone argument, I'm convinced it will be addressed. I've personally added one ringtone to my current phone... specifically to make it sound like a frakking phone. Phones these days come preloaded to sound like a casio keyboard or something.

Adding ringtones used to be the only real 'unique' or 'fun' thing you could do with your new phone after you had it set up. With the iphone I think there'll be plenty to keep you happy until they update that feature.

 

[lofight]

i wonder if you can use bluetooth to make your own ringtones. thats what i do now with my slvr7. i edit an mp3 and selecet the part i want as the ringotne then send it to my phone bluetooth then set it as ringtone. i bet youll be able to with the iphone

No , you won't be able to use your own mp3's a ringtones...but you an listen to them in coverflow on your iPhone while searching the internet and getting attachments in mail and then there's a call, your music faids out and you can call....

 

[50548]

Like what? The ability to choose a carrier or set our own songs as ringtones... Yeah I see, that's certainly too much to ask for.

Can you choose a carrier when you select Sunrise in CH? No. Same applies for the iPhone...if they have a contract with one or few carriers, that's it. Stop bitching.

As for songs as ringtones, this is record companies' fault, not Apple's. It's another case of stupid copyright limitation imposed by them, simple as that.