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Are you serious?

A million email enquiries?
That is a HUGE amount - people just dont bother with that kind of thing normally.

If one million are making this effort, and with the inevitable 20 million a year switching from ipod to iphone, plus the rise in iPods anyway (dont forget the iPhone is an iPod).....

I think that Apple is grossly underestimating at 10 million sold.

I predict 30 million worldwide in 18 months. At least.

Can they make them quick enough, and will they stand up to the wear and tear that phones must?

I hope they can. Go Apple!
 
I camped out for Star Wars 001 and Star Trek 001 and Colossus: The Forbin Project 001 :)

Rocketman, geek supreme

Someone else who has seen the Forbin Project - must have been very lonely on that line!!:)


Iphone : I shall be having one, all my family and my wife's family want one, even 'grandma' wants one!! ( I kid you not!). I seriously don't think some people realise how huge this has the potential to be. The mobile phone was 'the star Trek communicator' of the nineties - incredible technology but people are ready for something better and yet again only Apple can do the S/W and H/W integratation with class. Really lots of people can do 'old tech' push button h/w with a clunky O/S and app design but really who other than Apple can make it simple enough to make it worth the effort...

My feeling is 1 million is literally the tip of the iceberg. There are 100million unseen just below the surface waiting to get one.
Let's face it - has there EVER been a sexier phone???

I mean this is going to be used in singles bar instead of 'chat up lines'!!

...Back to the Apple LCD TV ; Here is my definitive draft Specification (and especially for the bean counters at Apple who wants to know what I'm willing to lay down £1500.00 for and want to work out the 'margins' achievable!!!If they do everything on this list and it's perfectly stunning I'd certainly go to £2000.00)

42” & 50” Form Factor. Cinema class Display
High quality ‘Piano Black’ classic styling. Super Slim and elegant. Iphone class styling.
Integrated ‘rear slot mounted’ ‘AppleTV’ media streamer with full iTunes Store *
Direct ‘Web Browsing’ with ‘Quartz Zoom’ and ‘Spaces’ tabbed Browsing.
Optional Bluetooth Keyboard
Iphone Integration. Call can be taken via the TV. Automatic ’time-lapse’ DVR upon call
Integrated iSight Video camera with iChat client. Automatic ’time-lapse’ DVR upon call
Apple 160GB** Digital HD Recorder - with optional Sat/Cable/Freeview card
Integrated iPod/Iphone charging Dock with auto-synch to remote Mac/PC iTunes
Genuine ‘mighty mouse’ style Scroll ball Remote Control with mag ‘on/off’. one maybe two buttons and 'wii' style pointer movement.
Apple one button ‘point and click’ mouse based graphical user interface. (using the 'wii' style wave to point' remote)
Apple Hi-Fi 100 watt ‘Invisible’ Sound system with optional ‘bluetooth’ rear 5.1 speakers. Internally mounted sub facing down.
Side loading Blue-Ray DVD slot.
Apple OSX foundation platform.
Apple Class Apps. Apple Remote Desktop ***
Auto-Update.

* Apple TV 'brains' box is a special TV slot in edition which is rear mounted in an access slot. It can be replaced, repaired and upgraded as and when new versions are released. The standard I/O is replaced by a single interface connector to link it to the TV. This will enable people to keep the actual screen element for at least 5 years whilst maybe buying a 'new' brain after 3yrs when and if new tech comes along. Keep support/repair costs down as well.

** HD Optional Size upgrade.
*** Access your Mac 'onscreen'. Mac compatible only.

(Yes, I am an Apple Fanboy - and why not love something fantastic when everyone else is so second rate!)
 
Except power consumption, which means Apple would never do it. But hey, if you're willing to spend the extra money (both upfront and every month), cause extra carbon to be added to the atmosphere, and increase dependendance on foreign energy for a better TV picture it's your money and conscience.

On topic though, I'm really going to sit back and wait on this iPhone. Apple had such an opportunity with this device, and the hardware seems absolutely brilliant (assuming they add 3G before they start selling in the EU) but I'm really cautious because of a few things on the software side:

- locking you into one carrier and not selling an unlocked version
- locking down the OS

It's just so dissapointing because if they'd really wanted to be innovative, and to shake up an industry that's just begging to be shaken up, they would have released:

- a device that used cellular 3G as a "data-only" service for when wi-fi couldn't be found
- used VOIP for all telephony
- sold their own VOIP service tied-in with .mac for all those who would rather swipe a credit card and have an out-of-the-box solution for phone, IM, and email (and given some actual value to .mac in the process)
- left the OS unlocked so power-users can run their own VOIP clients, IM programs, browsers, and the other programs that Mac users love so much
- built-in a GPS so the device could have provided location-specific information
- done something USEFUL with wireless mesh networking

THAT would have turned the industry on it's ear. THAT would have been innovative. THAT would have been convergence. THAT would have gotten his Steveness on the cover of Time next year. THAT would have had my credit card out on day 1.

But no, what they've released is basically a very slick smartphone. That's not innovation, that's just refinement of a well-entrenched product that someone ELSE innovated. The only real innovation I've seen advertised so far is visual voicemail? Hell, if they'd done it right voicemail would have gone the way of the dodo on this device -- integrated messaging (voicemail as email along with faxes etc.) is also very well entrenched and by not doing that they're 5 years behind in yet another area.

It's just so sad because they have the name and the money. Entering into this industry they could have dictated their own terms. Surely ONE of the big carriers would have been happy to partner with them just to sell their 3G data service. There could have been different models released for different markets and different wireless technologies (3.5G, wimax, etc.) but the basic device would have been IP only and thus the radio and the carrier are just a means to an end -- getting an IP connection.

But no, Apple has instead locked the users into continuing to pay a phone company for each and every minute we talk (a commodity that's basically free in the digital age). And locked us into that company. And surrendered a lot of control to that company. How last-century is that?!?

I completely agree with you and that's a brilliant list of features (especially the bit about making .mac better value), but Apple never does things that way. They don't like to compete in existing markets, but would rather forge out some new niche for themselves by coming up with an innovative product that keeps the rest of the supply chain happy (whether it be music companies, film distributors or cell operarators). My guess is that they do it because of Nagromme's spot-on observations about their ongoing battle for marketshare in the computer industry: they don't want to bother making a wonderful product that's easy-to-use and, although, not as flexible in terms of the features it has (think how crippled the ipod has been relative to other mp3 players), is the most practical and functional device of its kind on the market, only to lose out to Microsoft/Nokia, purely cos ppl are used to their products' interfaces and altho not entirely satisfied with them are scared to try anything new.

Look at the apple TV. We wanted Apple to make a Tivo-killer, but they just gave us an ipod for our tellies, and told us it would be the dvd-player for the 21st century, even when its less res than HDDVD/BR. As if I'm gonna be happy paying them for lossy downloaded soft copies of all my content, locked by a rigid DRM designed to appease the studios. They're not gonna sell us a wonderbox for $300 that'll do everything we want. They've said time and time again that their business model is not heading towards the all-in-one living room solution. They prefer accessories, the profit margins are better (look at what they've stripped from the ipod to get it down to $300 - it doesn't even come with a charger anymore).

Anyone who wants an apple-branded TV should pick up a Mac Mini, an Elgato and a new hi-def monitor when they come out at NAB.

Apple knew that since most ppl have a phone with walkman capabilities but still carry an ipod all the same, they had the potential for a convergence device that would have the operators clamouring. They squeezed them so hard that Verizon (I think?) turned the exclusive deal down. They're about as keen to save us consumers on call charges as they are to stop us buying movie downloads in favour of movies recorded onto a hard drive off the telly with the adverts automatically skipped out, cos they don't want to upset any part of the existing infrastructure that they're not directly competing with.

As for the whole 3G thing, ppl forget that battery life on those phones broke the 24hr mark round about the time GSM phones were getting 7 days in standby, and whilst the iphone will probably be 3G in Europe, if 3G isn't nationwide in the US, most ppl would prefer a few more hours music. IMHO, Apple hasn't released any info on carriers etc here and in the rest of Europe, because they know the iphone will do well enough at launch (based on news like this article) to demand more from UK/Euro carriers than they've gotten out of Cingular.

Hopefully, in a couple of years, when the iphone has enough flash memory to lure me away from my 30gb ipod, it'll have at least half the features you've suggested.

In the meantime, could ppl please stop telling me that even when Bill Gates is giving to charity, he's still being evil, greedy or just trying to dodge tax (there are many ppl who make more money than they or their descendants can ever spend even after income and inheritance tax, but very few are quite so generous - its not as if Jobsy's in a different tax bracket). Walmart is evil, Microsoft just lack innovation and make s**t software.
 
Here is my definitive draft Specification (and especially for the bean counters at Apple who wants to know what I'm willing to lay down £1500.00 for and want to work out the 'margins' achievable!!!If they do everything on this list and it's perfectly stunning I'd certainly go to £2000.00)

42” & 50” Form Factor. Cinema class Display
High quality ‘Piano Black’ classic styling. Super Slim and elegant. Iphone class styling.
Integrated ‘rear slot mounted’ ‘AppleTV’ media streamer with full iTunes Store *
Direct ‘Web Browsing’ with ‘Quartz Zoom’ and ‘Spaces’ tabbed Browsing.
Optional Bluetooth Keyboard
Iphone Integration. Call can be taken via the TV. Automatic ’time-lapse’ DVR upon call
Integrated iSight Video camera with iChat client. Automatic ’time-lapse’ DVR upon call
Apple 160GB** Digital HD Recorder - with optional Sat/Cable/Freeview card
Integrated iPod/Iphone charging Dock with auto-synch to remote Mac/PC iTunes
Genuine ‘mighty mouse’ style Scroll ball Remote Control with mag ‘on/off’. one maybe two buttons and 'wii' style pointer movement.
Apple one button ‘point and click’ mouse based graphical user interface. (using the 'wii' style wave to point' remote)
Apple Hi-Fi 100 watt ‘Invisible’ Sound system with optional ‘bluetooth’ rear 5.1 speakers. Internally mounted sub facing down.
Side loading Blue-Ray DVD slot.
Apple OSX foundation platform.
Apple Class Apps. Apple Remote Desktop ***
Auto-Update.

* Apple TV 'brains' box is a special TV slot in edition which is rear mounted in an access slot. It can be replaced, repaired and upgraded as and when new versions are released. The standard I/O is replaced by a single interface connector to link it to the TV. This will enable people to keep the actual screen element for at least 5 years whilst maybe buying a 'new' brain after 3yrs when and if new tech comes along. Keep support/repair costs down as well.

** HD Optional Size upgrade.
*** Access your Mac 'onscreen'. Mac compatible only.

(Yes, I am an Apple Fanboy - and why not love something fantastic when everyone else is so second rate!)
I'm an Apple fanboy too, but I'm also a realist. That will never happen, and the mighty mouse scroll ball is an aging flawed design.
 
I hope they mean : "One million ENQUIRIES".

One million INQUIRIES is a hell of a work load for someone to organise... ;)


---

e.g. "Please enquire for more information about the one million inquiries launched about the iPhone."
 
For $599, the thing should have nothing short of 40 gigs of memory (for the photos, music, etc.), at least a 5.0 megapixel camera, and be able to record video clips.;)

I just don't get it. When Jobs said, "It will have a 2 megapixel camera," the crowd went nuts. They should have booed!!!:mad:

Too right. But people will pay a premium for a label. They can live with low spec for the oh's and Ah's they get when they pull it out of their bag. The thing is most labels/badges, for example BMW, give you the option of 'extras' this may come in time with Apple.
 
I was one of the million that put my email in and will be picking up an iphone once they are out :)
 
I hope they mean : "One million ENQUIRIES".

One million INQUIRIES is a hell of a work load for someone to organise... ;)


---

e.g. "Please enquire for more information about the one million inquiries launched about the iPhone."
Some sort of brit humor I'm not getting?
 
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