Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Mossberg's Early iPhone Impressions

The keyboard will be fine I'm sure. Having used an LG Prada I found the touchscreen to be very serviceable - much more so than typing on fiddly little buttons and so there is no way that Apple would have got this so wrong that they spent 2.5 years still mucking about with the idea if it were a non-starter??

If the keyboard was a 'marginal' factor they would have just gone straight for an Iphone Nano in a Nano form factor and buggered off all the other bits to just have ipod+phone.

It'll be awesome - I'm sure.:)
​
 
Just to put this in context... I recently got a Motorola Razr and it took me a few days before I could use the left, right, and centre button on it without pressing another button at the same time and messing everything up.

To say that he hasnt got to grips with something as unique as a touch screen keyboard within an hour is a no brainer.
 
What about ladies (and gents at times) with long fingernails?

It can be an advantage on a smartphone keyboard. Will the touch interface "feel" a fingernail?
 
mudaudio said:
Get some media heavyweight to position the keyboard as a 'possible flaw', then later come around saying 'boy how wrong was I?'. People would think 'wow, he doubted it just like me, but now he loves it!.
Click to expand...

Yup, this is exactly how I see it too. Either he was prompted, or he is setting himself up, for a big positive review on the 29th. The best impact would be for him to be initially skeptical and then resoundingly positive after using it for a while.
 
I just got an iPhone email from Apple about 15 minutes ago...anyone else? It asks you to prepare your data and in doing so recaps some of the phone's functionality.

-=|Mgkwho
 
mudaudio said:
If I were a cynic, I'd say this is clever PR.

Get some media heavyweight to position the keyboard as a 'possible flaw', then later come around saying 'boy how wrong was I?'. People would think 'wow, he doubted it just like me, but now he loves it!.

Or maybe he's just telling the truth. That would be nice!
Click to expand...

I really love your comment. :) You are spot-on. Apple is too smart to let Walt have a loose tongue before the launch. So if he says something, he will be cautious to not get the wrath of Jobs. Also, what he said may just help iPhone in the end if he reverts his position. Still, whether he gets used to the keyboard or not, from his cautioned estimate, people should already know what they will be buying and therefore should not complain too much later!
 
All I want to know is how easy is it to use the phone one handed. My current P900 has that scroll wheel - just like a Blackberry. I've a horrid feeling that using it two handed will be a bit of a pain - what about answering the phone whilst you're driving? I'd have to put my fag in the ash-tray; steer with my knee; and use both hands to answer the phone. I might end up spilling my drink:)
 
Mgkwho said:
I just got an iPhone email from Apple about 15 minutes ago...anyone else? It asks you to prepare your data and in doing so recaps some of the phone's functionality.

-=|Mgkwho
Click to expand...

I did as well. I am going to start to work on doing the things they recommend.

I just want to be able to get one on Jun 29th.
 
About using the keyboard in widescreen mode: We know you can browse with Safari in landscape mode, so you'd BETTER be able to type that way.
 
The way I'm looking at the "one-handed keyboard" issue is reassuring me. When do I most often text message someone using only one hand? When I'm eating and on occasion driving (yes it's bad). And most of the time I don't need to text it's just gotten easier.

I think with the new visual voicemail, it will make voicemail so much easier and accessible. Think of it as getting an instant voice text message. So I feel like I will eventually start leaving voicemails more often instead of texting. When I NEED to text, in a meeting or something like that, I will have use of two hands. This makes me not as worried about the keyboard.
 
Digitaljim said:
So why doesn't he just keep quiet until it is a fair test.
Click to expand...

Because like almost every other tech writer on the planet, he uses teasers in an attempt to keep you coming back to his site.

It's like when you go to dpreview or Steve's Digicam's, and they have a "first look" at a camera that pretty much is just a copy of the Nikon/Canon/Pentax/Sony press release. Then at the bottom it'll say "a full review will be coming as soon as we've completed our testing" - meaning they haven't touched the camera yet.
 
The Beauty of iPhone

Well, everyone seems to have concerns about the iPhone keyboard. And the beauty of the iPhone is that if it needs to be fine tuned for better performance it can be done in a software update. That's the whole point of a touchscreen keyboard.

In my mind the screen real estate that you get back when the keyboard goes away is well worth any trouble that the keyboard may present.

Beside the fact that the product hasn't even shipped yet, have you every seen a kid sending a text message on a cell phone. If they can create messages that fast on a numerical keyboard, adapting to the iPhone ought to be easy in a few days, or even hours. As adults our fears of new technologies tends to hold us back.

If you want to see how easy it is to use your new iPhone have your 6 year old show you how to use it.

Al
 
Jesus.

What is there not to like about the iPhone?

An iPod is $200-300.

A normal cell phone is $200-300.

The iPhone is all these and much more.

The iPhone is THE God's device.

Give me an iPhone for review, and I will be positive about it.

Mossberg is an idiot.
 
sfoalex said:
Oh I'm not upset or anything. I would just rather read reviews from folks that can make up their own mind, and aren't on the take. What's the point of reading these reviews when they are always the same?

Best,

Alex
Click to expand...

Calling him in on the take is a little much. So you don't like the way that Mossberg has made up his mind, fine -- but that doesn't mean he hasn't made up his mind himself.
 
It's nice to see the point made that a quick test of a device isn't appropriate for a proper review. When you buy a new gadget, especially one that changes some established habits (like poking little keyboard buttons), your impression in the first few days is going to be based on how easy/hard it is to get used to it, not now much you'll like using it once you've gotten used to it.
 
How hard would it be to script the proximity sensor to know a finger is close to the phone and magnify the letters like in the dock? I suppose that could even be customizable like the dock as well.
 
For the one-handers!

How about a modified T9, where you touch the button with the proper letters/number and slide your finger to select the desired letter/number?
releasing your finger selects the character.

This doesn't let you type blind, but it would be a nice middle ground for people with fat fingers (like myself) who don't SMS enough to have the keyboard (and special characters) memorized.

Yes I am dating myself (mid 40's) so pipe down you young wipper-snappers!
 
Southernboy said:
If Walt gives it a bad review we're in trouble; he's generally very pro-Apple. Could be interesting.
Click to expand...

I think that he appears to be Pro-Apple because the products he reviews from Apple actually are very good. If Apple came out with some piece of...well...you know...then I think he would not hesitate to pan it.
 
Problem with reviews is very often they just can't be subjective.
(Not necessarily the fault of the reviewer.)

Someone who was seasoned in Windows trying OS X would of course find things weird because of their comfort and familiarity with Windows.

Same thing goes for cell phones. Veteran users who are used to a keypad are going to find it strange and it could take some time for them to adjust.

For someone like me who hates the small buttons and menus and so forth of cell phones, the iPhone at first appearance looks like a device I could more easily enjoy and find useful.

So I think it is more than just whether the iPhone has enough positives over negatives. Does it have enough "got to have" features or unique features that would convince a current cell user to switch and stay with it through the adjustment period?
 
williedigital said:
Exactly, most people just text with one hand while they are holding the phone. I think the fact that you have to use both hands to type on the iphone might be a big issue.
Click to expand...


Er, DO you have to use both hands?? can you not hold it in one hand, and then use your thumb?

I think this remains to be seen...
 
Well, I recall reading a very positive review on The Wall Street Journal by Mossberg about the iMac, but that was years ago.

I am just worried Mossberg may do a 180 and stab Apple on the iPhone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back