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Japan far ahead of iPhone
Toronto Star
Cellphones there used for everything from buying milk to booking a train
January 12, 2007
Bruce Wallace
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
TOKYOTomoaki Kurita presides over racks of cellphones lined up outside his shop on a busy sidewalk in Harajuku, Tokyo's catwalk of youth street culture where people attracted by the riot of phone options can stop to flip open and fondle the latest models of what the Japanese call a "keitai."
From behind his busy counter, Kurita giggles when asked about the excitement in the United States over the arrival of Apple's iPhone cellphone that also could be used to download music and surf the Internet.
"Sounds like business as usual," he says.
As stock markets swooned and techies buzzed over Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs' long-awaited entry into the cellphone market, Japanese consumers could be excused for wondering: Why the fuss?
Many Japanese had a hard time buying Jobs' hype about "reinventing" the phone. The revolution is well underway in Japan, where cellphones are used for everything from navigating your way home by GPS to buying movie tickets and updating your blog from wherever you are.
Oh yeah. Japanese cellphones also download music, surf the Net and make phone calls.
They've been a natural extension of daily life the past few years, spurred by the Japanese decision to be the first country to upgrade to third-generation cellphone networks, or 3G, which increased broadband capabilities and allowed for greater, faster transmission of voice and data. Apple's iPhone, by comparison, will operate on a 2G network.
It was 3G that sparked the boom in music downloads that makes it common for phones to be used as portable digital music players here.
And it is 3G that has led the Japanese into a world where they can watch live TV on their phones, use the phone as a charge card to ride trains or buy milk at the corner store or take a taxi, and conduct conference calls between as many as five people. Ticket Pia, Japan's major entertainment ticketing agency, has been selling email tickets to cellphones since 2003.
Most observers contend the U.S. has begun to close the gap on cellphone use in Japan, South Korea and Europe. Music downloads by cellphone are rising in the U.S. and the long-term threat to iPod's lead in downloads was a major force behind Apple's entry into cellphones. Other functions are following.
"We plan to introduce one-way video conferencing in the U.S. this year," says Melissa Elkins of LG Electronics MobileCOMM, referring to a function that would allow one person to be visible to the other during a phone call. Two-way telephony has been available in South Korea for about 18 months, Elkins says.
But the biggest difference between the U.S. and countries like Japan is the culture the keitai has created. To wait for a light on a Tokyo street corner or ride a train these days is to see crowds of people with their heads down, thumbs pumping as they send photos, text message or play online games on their phone. Increasingly, they are reading books and manga comics on their phones, too.
The keitai has become an extension of personality.
There is software to create a personalized home page on the cellphone. Young men and women customize their phones, hang posses of tiny dolls off them, cover them with stickers and paints.
"I like it because it's cute," says Mami Nawa, 23, as she shows off the dial pad she has painted in purple and pink tones. "And with my long nails, the paint gives me a better feel for the phone. It curves more."
Nawa spent about $170 (U.S.) on her phone and another $25 to decorate it, although she says some friends spend much more on the decoration, not the phone. But neither she nor friend Makiko Yamada, who are sampling the phones in Harajuku, would pay anything close to $500 for a cellphone, they say.
Like other Japanese consumers, Nawa and Yamada pick and choose the functions they want. They don't use their phones as charge cards known here as the "wallet function."
But they check train schedules and have made hotel reservations with their phones. They keep music on their phones and subscribe to daily emails that deliver news headlines and fortune telling. They shop from their phones from online sites and bid for goods in online auctions.
Source
Toronto Star
Cellphones there used for everything from buying milk to booking a train
January 12, 2007
Bruce Wallace
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
TOKYOTomoaki Kurita presides over racks of cellphones lined up outside his shop on a busy sidewalk in Harajuku, Tokyo's catwalk of youth street culture where people attracted by the riot of phone options can stop to flip open and fondle the latest models of what the Japanese call a "keitai."
From behind his busy counter, Kurita giggles when asked about the excitement in the United States over the arrival of Apple's iPhone cellphone that also could be used to download music and surf the Internet.
"Sounds like business as usual," he says.
As stock markets swooned and techies buzzed over Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs' long-awaited entry into the cellphone market, Japanese consumers could be excused for wondering: Why the fuss?
Many Japanese had a hard time buying Jobs' hype about "reinventing" the phone. The revolution is well underway in Japan, where cellphones are used for everything from navigating your way home by GPS to buying movie tickets and updating your blog from wherever you are.
Oh yeah. Japanese cellphones also download music, surf the Net and make phone calls.
They've been a natural extension of daily life the past few years, spurred by the Japanese decision to be the first country to upgrade to third-generation cellphone networks, or 3G, which increased broadband capabilities and allowed for greater, faster transmission of voice and data. Apple's iPhone, by comparison, will operate on a 2G network.
It was 3G that sparked the boom in music downloads that makes it common for phones to be used as portable digital music players here.
And it is 3G that has led the Japanese into a world where they can watch live TV on their phones, use the phone as a charge card to ride trains or buy milk at the corner store or take a taxi, and conduct conference calls between as many as five people. Ticket Pia, Japan's major entertainment ticketing agency, has been selling email tickets to cellphones since 2003.
Most observers contend the U.S. has begun to close the gap on cellphone use in Japan, South Korea and Europe. Music downloads by cellphone are rising in the U.S. and the long-term threat to iPod's lead in downloads was a major force behind Apple's entry into cellphones. Other functions are following.
"We plan to introduce one-way video conferencing in the U.S. this year," says Melissa Elkins of LG Electronics MobileCOMM, referring to a function that would allow one person to be visible to the other during a phone call. Two-way telephony has been available in South Korea for about 18 months, Elkins says.
But the biggest difference between the U.S. and countries like Japan is the culture the keitai has created. To wait for a light on a Tokyo street corner or ride a train these days is to see crowds of people with their heads down, thumbs pumping as they send photos, text message or play online games on their phone. Increasingly, they are reading books and manga comics on their phones, too.
The keitai has become an extension of personality.
There is software to create a personalized home page on the cellphone. Young men and women customize their phones, hang posses of tiny dolls off them, cover them with stickers and paints.
"I like it because it's cute," says Mami Nawa, 23, as she shows off the dial pad she has painted in purple and pink tones. "And with my long nails, the paint gives me a better feel for the phone. It curves more."
Nawa spent about $170 (U.S.) on her phone and another $25 to decorate it, although she says some friends spend much more on the decoration, not the phone. But neither she nor friend Makiko Yamada, who are sampling the phones in Harajuku, would pay anything close to $500 for a cellphone, they say.
Like other Japanese consumers, Nawa and Yamada pick and choose the functions they want. They don't use their phones as charge cards known here as the "wallet function."
But they check train schedules and have made hotel reservations with their phones. They keep music on their phones and subscribe to daily emails that deliver news headlines and fortune telling. They shop from their phones from online sites and bid for goods in online auctions.
Source
As I expected, Asia was going to shrug this off. They might like this phone, but by the time it gets there in 2008, it better be more competitive in that market. Right now, there are plenty of options in Japan that go with the "disposable phone" philosophy that currently exists there and in most of the world.
no 3g + closed platform + no office support + 8gb + super ui + requires cpu to download to it + 2 year commitment + no video phone != $600
it is ok for the ipod to be closed, its really only a media player. but for a "smart phone" to by hamstrung by what ever apple thinks you need is a joke. I hope the consumers speak with their pocket books and hold off until apple realizes all this.
it is ok for the ipod to be closed, its really only a media player. but for a "smart phone" to by hamstrung by what ever apple thinks you need is a joke. I hope the consumers speak with their pocket books and hold off until apple realizes all this.
Two more questions to add to the long list:
1) Does the screen scratch easily? Smudges dont worry me as much as scratching (and Im surprised no one has addressed this issue yet).
2) Will there be full bluetooth OBEX capabilities? (i.e. will I be able to download files such as ringtones and pictures to and from my phone as I currently can with my Cingular RAZR?)
I have to admit, along with many others I was enthralled and captivated (i.e. oooing and awwwing) with the glitz and glamour of the iPhone, however in some regards it would be a DOWNGRADE in technology. HSDPA has been around for a while, and I am a little more than disappointed that Apple, Inc. (still getting used to that) hasnt included that functionality in the unit, ESPECIALLY given Safaris and Mails hunger for rich HTML pages and pictures. A faster bandwidth would most assuredly be a necessity, otherwise I can readily predict frustration in web browsing and email reading. If this glass screen is anything similar to the video iPod, then scratching will definitley be an issue. The lack of voice recognization and iTunes ringtones is a bit perplexing as well, although it doesnt seem clear to me whether a bluetooth headset would automatically detect handsfree recognition (something my Verizon RAZR does without voice programming each contact entry, unlike, sadly, my Cingular RAZR which requires each contact entry be programmed for handsfree dialing).
What's the big deal about Cingular??? SERIOUSLY. I have used Verizon for years and switched to Cingular. The customer service is far better, with improvements in 3G (HSDPA) technology, download rates are on par with Verizon's, and they don't screw over their customers by locking features on phones other providers offer (i.e. Verizon's disabling Bluetooth OBEX to force customers to pay for downloading ringtones and pictures). CDMA limits use to North America only; it's dated and ineffecient. Why does everyone defend Verizon? The company is horrible. More over, would Steve Job's pick a bad cell phone carrier to launch a product his career might be staked on? Apple, Inc.'s choice to use Cingular will open many peoples' eyes to the reality that Verizon is NOT the only choice in excellent mobile service.
Hopefully these issues will be resolved either before Junes launch or within the year, otherwise I wont be buying any time soon (especially for $599)
1) Does the screen scratch easily? Smudges dont worry me as much as scratching (and Im surprised no one has addressed this issue yet).
2) Will there be full bluetooth OBEX capabilities? (i.e. will I be able to download files such as ringtones and pictures to and from my phone as I currently can with my Cingular RAZR?)
I have to admit, along with many others I was enthralled and captivated (i.e. oooing and awwwing) with the glitz and glamour of the iPhone, however in some regards it would be a DOWNGRADE in technology. HSDPA has been around for a while, and I am a little more than disappointed that Apple, Inc. (still getting used to that) hasnt included that functionality in the unit, ESPECIALLY given Safaris and Mails hunger for rich HTML pages and pictures. A faster bandwidth would most assuredly be a necessity, otherwise I can readily predict frustration in web browsing and email reading. If this glass screen is anything similar to the video iPod, then scratching will definitley be an issue. The lack of voice recognization and iTunes ringtones is a bit perplexing as well, although it doesnt seem clear to me whether a bluetooth headset would automatically detect handsfree recognition (something my Verizon RAZR does without voice programming each contact entry, unlike, sadly, my Cingular RAZR which requires each contact entry be programmed for handsfree dialing).
What's the big deal about Cingular??? SERIOUSLY. I have used Verizon for years and switched to Cingular. The customer service is far better, with improvements in 3G (HSDPA) technology, download rates are on par with Verizon's, and they don't screw over their customers by locking features on phones other providers offer (i.e. Verizon's disabling Bluetooth OBEX to force customers to pay for downloading ringtones and pictures). CDMA limits use to North America only; it's dated and ineffecient. Why does everyone defend Verizon? The company is horrible. More over, would Steve Job's pick a bad cell phone carrier to launch a product his career might be staked on? Apple, Inc.'s choice to use Cingular will open many peoples' eyes to the reality that Verizon is NOT the only choice in excellent mobile service.
Hopefully these issues will be resolved either before Junes launch or within the year, otherwise I wont be buying any time soon (especially for $599)
I don't think Office support is as important for consumer phone buyers as it is for the (traditionally) pro smartphone users. I don't think this device is in any way targetted at the Pro market, they're going for a much, much wider "the rest of us" - thus paralleling the Mac's reasoning and development.
I have a hunch Apple will open the iPhone up, just not initially. If Apple open the platform up to 3rd party developers, every analyst in the industry will warn the device's survival depends on the developer community - thus taking the iPhone's future chances largely out of Apple's hands. I think (and hope) once the device starts selling well, they'll release an SDK.
The 8GB is pretty good for a smartphone, isn't it? Compared to music players, I don't know of many Flash devices that have much more.
Incidentally, what does it use for RAM? I heard the Flash used in music players isn't suitable as it has a more limited number of re-writes.
It's not that easy. My experience is with the 4th gen, maybe the 5th gen is different. Here's how it seemed to me: getting the case open without damaging it is quite difficult--it is very tight. Then, the wire from the battery that you have to remove runs UNDER the main board at one point, so you need a special screwdriver (Newertech sells them very reasonably) to undo the screws at the bottom. And, there are a couple of very thin, very small ribbon connectors that you have to be careful not to damage.
My suggestion would be--you take your iPhone to the Cingular store. They send it in for battery replacement. In the meantime, they loan you a temporary phone (just a plain one, with your SIM card in it), for free, while you wait for your iPhone to come back. For a premium price, one should get premium service!
Exactly! How many consumers absolutely have to have Outlook syncing anyway?! The same people that had orgasms after the release are whining now that it's not everything plus the kitchen sink. Apple has, for many years now, targeted the more wealthy consumer sector (macs have traditionally been more expensive than pc's). The iPhone is clearly going after the same market, for the moment anyway.
I've been a quiet but devoted mac user since the days of the Classic but looking at the front page today... all but one post about a freaking mobile phone.
That's it for me I'm afraid, Apple is all about expensive aspirational life style products now for people with too much money, no sense, and little interest in real innovation. I already have a phone. iTV is near useless outside of the US.
While we're at it, the computers are technically the same as current generation pcs now other than being hobbled by Apples proprietry interests, so while you guys get excited about each 0.2GHz speedbump in processor speed, the enthusiast pc community are already overclocking their Core2Duos well beyond 3GHZ in stock configuration.
There is increasingly less to choose between OSX and Linux save a few brushed metal dialogue boxes as an alternative to windows.
For the first time in 15 years I have zero interest in replacing my current mac (a 12" powerbook) when it dies.
That's it for me I'm afraid, Apple is all about expensive aspirational life style products now for people with too much money, no sense, and little interest in real innovation. I already have a phone. iTV is near useless outside of the US.
While we're at it, the computers are technically the same as current generation pcs now other than being hobbled by Apples proprietry interests, so while you guys get excited about each 0.2GHz speedbump in processor speed, the enthusiast pc community are already overclocking their Core2Duos well beyond 3GHZ in stock configuration.
There is increasingly less to choose between OSX and Linux save a few brushed metal dialogue boxes as an alternative to windows.
For the first time in 15 years I have zero interest in replacing my current mac (a 12" powerbook) when it dies.
I think you are right
Why put in a full version of an OS without some use for it?
Article from Macworld:
The iPhone is running an optimised but full version of OS X that weighs in at considerably less than half a GB, according to Apple vice president of worldwide iPod marketing Greg Joswiak.
Joswiak confirmed that the operating system sits in the flash memory of the device and that Apple will provide updates to the operating system like we do today.
He emphasised: Apple has a proven and very smooth update mechanism for everything from our computers to our iPods. We will follow that kind of model here, which is an advantage a lot of phones dont have.
Joswiak claimed that the reduced size of the operating system was a result of expertise of the team at Apple, rather than cutting out functionality or removing core technologies. Remember that OS X on a Mac features a lot of applications that we dont have to ship on the iPhone, he added.
The optimised operating system sits in the flash memory. According to Joswiak, Apple chose flash because it is more versatile than a hard drive, this decision ruled out a larger hard drive, at least for now. Flash has some nice advantages for us in putting it in that form factor. Its very small and very durable, Joswiak said.
Why put in a full version of an OS without some use for it?
Article from Macworld:
The iPhone is running an optimised but full version of OS X that weighs in at considerably less than half a GB, according to Apple vice president of worldwide iPod marketing Greg Joswiak.
Joswiak confirmed that the operating system sits in the flash memory of the device and that Apple will provide updates to the operating system like we do today.
He emphasised: Apple has a proven and very smooth update mechanism for everything from our computers to our iPods. We will follow that kind of model here, which is an advantage a lot of phones dont have.
Joswiak claimed that the reduced size of the operating system was a result of expertise of the team at Apple, rather than cutting out functionality or removing core technologies. Remember that OS X on a Mac features a lot of applications that we dont have to ship on the iPhone, he added.
The optimised operating system sits in the flash memory. According to Joswiak, Apple chose flash because it is more versatile than a hard drive, this decision ruled out a larger hard drive, at least for now. Flash has some nice advantages for us in putting it in that form factor. Its very small and very durable, Joswiak said.
That's OK, I don't want one yet anyway
I'm excited by the iPhone, but disappointed by all its lacking capabilities. Still, I'm encouraged by comparison with the iPod, which was primitive and really pretty bad at the start (limited to only Apple customers, interface could be improved, yada yada), but has evolved to be much more refined and pretty complete in terms of what I like and need.
I hope the iPhone follows a similar route and expect that, by 2010, which is coincidentally just about the time I'd be expecting to treat myself to one, they'll be much better, cheaper, and more widely available.
If not, of course, by then there will be much better and more refined other phones as well, no doubt.
I'm excited by the iPhone, but disappointed by all its lacking capabilities. Still, I'm encouraged by comparison with the iPod, which was primitive and really pretty bad at the start (limited to only Apple customers, interface could be improved, yada yada), but has evolved to be much more refined and pretty complete in terms of what I like and need.
I hope the iPhone follows a similar route and expect that, by 2010, which is coincidentally just about the time I'd be expecting to treat myself to one, they'll be much better, cheaper, and more widely available.
If not, of course, by then there will be much better and more refined other phones as well, no doubt.
Why now?
I don't understand this iPhone announcement at all. Of all the rumored devices to be released at MacWorld, the best we get is a half-baked prototype of a phone?
Why didn't they just release this as a widescreen video iPod with a 60gig drive? All it needs is a little kickstand and this would be serious competition for the Archos 604. And it would completely crush the Zune.
As a phone, I don't get. It's 6 months from release. There are better phones available today for 1/3 the price. Yes, it's sexy and the multitouch screen is very cool. But I already have a phone. What I don't have is a great widescreen portable video player.
Steve, where's my new monitors with built in iSights? Where's my 12-inch MacBook Pro? Where's my quad-quad MacPros? Where's something I can buy today?
I don't understand this iPhone announcement at all. Of all the rumored devices to be released at MacWorld, the best we get is a half-baked prototype of a phone?
Why didn't they just release this as a widescreen video iPod with a 60gig drive? All it needs is a little kickstand and this would be serious competition for the Archos 604. And it would completely crush the Zune.
As a phone, I don't get. It's 6 months from release. There are better phones available today for 1/3 the price. Yes, it's sexy and the multitouch screen is very cool. But I already have a phone. What I don't have is a great widescreen portable video player.
Steve, where's my new monitors with built in iSights? Where's my 12-inch MacBook Pro? Where's my quad-quad MacPros? Where's something I can buy today?
I have a SE P910 that I use for all of my business needs. It's a great phone.
The Iphone to me is a lifestyle phone. Can it do 1/2 the things my P910 can do..no..but I'm going to be first in line to buy the iphone.
Apple is catering to the people who enjoy cool gadgets and style. There are a lot of people out there, that it's going to be hard to find this in stock when it launches.
I also hope that they don't open this up to 3rd party developers. I don't want apps released that don't work seamlessly in convergence. If you saw the keynote and saw how SJ showed how it would work in real life, music fades, put someone on hold, send them pic or email, go back to call, or keep talking to them on speaker..that's what this product is about. Seemless integration that I am afraid a lot of 3rd party developers are just not going to be meticulous about as apple is.
The Iphone to me is a lifestyle phone. Can it do 1/2 the things my P910 can do..no..but I'm going to be first in line to buy the iphone.
Apple is catering to the people who enjoy cool gadgets and style. There are a lot of people out there, that it's going to be hard to find this in stock when it launches.
I also hope that they don't open this up to 3rd party developers. I don't want apps released that don't work seamlessly in convergence. If you saw the keynote and saw how SJ showed how it would work in real life, music fades, put someone on hold, send them pic or email, go back to call, or keep talking to them on speaker..that's what this product is about. Seemless integration that I am afraid a lot of 3rd party developers are just not going to be meticulous about as apple is.
Why hating on Cingular?
I don't get the Cingular hate mobile. Why? I have used Verizon for years, but after being screwed numerous times I switched to Cingular. Some basic points in comparing Cingular to Verizon (which most people seem to defend):
1) Verizon is known for billing mistakes (I have countless friends who have had billing disputes with Verizon for not updating plan changes when made and not giving their loyal customers the benefit of the doubt). I was billed three times ranging from $300-400 dollars OVER a month because the Verizon rep didn't properly implement changes in my minutes and media allowments, not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. What could I do? NOTHING.
2) Verizon cripples features on their phones that are available to other carriers. Verizon crippled the Bluetooth OBEX, forcing customers to pay for ringtones and file/picture downloads. Verizon's P.R. fully admitted this decision as a "business tactic", which ended up placing them in court in defense of Verizon's crippling Bluetooth OBEX on the Motorola v710 (and they lost, big time).
3) Cingular's network does have 3G and HSDPA, which is on par with download rates as Verizon and Sprint's 3G networks (so why all the misinformation about download rates?), AND as a GSM phone it can be used internationally (except for Japan, which doesn't allow any outside carrier).
4) Verizon's customer service is a JOKE. Cingular's reps are actually NICE and cordial (something American's seem to be forgetting - respectfulness).
5) Would Steve Jobs stake his career on a new product with a bad mobile carrier? I think not.
It seems a lot of people are talking out of ignorance, bad P.R. and heresay. Has anyone actually personally used Cingular (and don't lie) or made the change from another carrier (Verizon) to Cingular to discuss pertinent issues? Would someone please explain to me the hate for Cingular? Please.
I don't get the Cingular hate mobile. Why? I have used Verizon for years, but after being screwed numerous times I switched to Cingular. Some basic points in comparing Cingular to Verizon (which most people seem to defend):
1) Verizon is known for billing mistakes (I have countless friends who have had billing disputes with Verizon for not updating plan changes when made and not giving their loyal customers the benefit of the doubt). I was billed three times ranging from $300-400 dollars OVER a month because the Verizon rep didn't properly implement changes in my minutes and media allowments, not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. What could I do? NOTHING.
2) Verizon cripples features on their phones that are available to other carriers. Verizon crippled the Bluetooth OBEX, forcing customers to pay for ringtones and file/picture downloads. Verizon's P.R. fully admitted this decision as a "business tactic", which ended up placing them in court in defense of Verizon's crippling Bluetooth OBEX on the Motorola v710 (and they lost, big time).
3) Cingular's network does have 3G and HSDPA, which is on par with download rates as Verizon and Sprint's 3G networks (so why all the misinformation about download rates?), AND as a GSM phone it can be used internationally (except for Japan, which doesn't allow any outside carrier).
4) Verizon's customer service is a JOKE. Cingular's reps are actually NICE and cordial (something American's seem to be forgetting - respectfulness).
5) Would Steve Jobs stake his career on a new product with a bad mobile carrier? I think not.
It seems a lot of people are talking out of ignorance, bad P.R. and heresay. Has anyone actually personally used Cingular (and don't lie) or made the change from another carrier (Verizon) to Cingular to discuss pertinent issues? Would someone please explain to me the hate for Cingular? Please.
that's not so relevant as i was stalking about flash.
not safari or Firefox. both crash. the problem is flash on a mac.
Cingular... YUCK!!!!
I guess I will not be getting one after all... ATT wireless is the worst service in the world TDMA sucks and if I can't "open" the phone then well... LG KE850
Apple if you read these posts, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE rethink this and dump AT&T. Open the phone up so we all can buy it independently and choose our own service.
So what if the "Phone company" doesn't support us, None of them do now!!!
I guess I will not be getting one after all... ATT wireless is the worst service in the world TDMA sucks and if I can't "open" the phone then well... LG KE850
Apple if you read these posts, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE rethink this and dump AT&T. Open the phone up so we all can buy it independently and choose our own service.
So what if the "Phone company" doesn't support us, None of them do now!!!
my take on this iphone deal is that all new products cost more than a counterpoint device from another company, this is how apple works. premium products cost more money, for example take the nokia 8800, when first launched it was about £300 with a contract, the product lacked many new technologies, yet there is a market for it. the iphone is a premium product, and will not be in most people's price range until a few generations later, the ipod did not really take off until generation 3.
the apple iphone is an amazing product, and i do not quite see the problem with price. its locked to one provider, so the numbers sold will not be as high, therefore the subsidy on the carriers part is low, will be made in reasonably small quatitites for a mobile phone, cingular had to change their network somewhat to accomadate the visual voicemail elements.
if apple had not partnered with just one network they would have had a much harder time in getting all of the major networks to change the network's to change their systems for the visual voicemail, which is probably why the price from cingular is higher than people would want, your paying for cingular to change the network.
sorry for the long post, but this is just my input on the situation, having read the many topics.
suff
the apple iphone is an amazing product, and i do not quite see the problem with price. its locked to one provider, so the numbers sold will not be as high, therefore the subsidy on the carriers part is low, will be made in reasonably small quatitites for a mobile phone, cingular had to change their network somewhat to accomadate the visual voicemail elements.
if apple had not partnered with just one network they would have had a much harder time in getting all of the major networks to change the network's to change their systems for the visual voicemail, which is probably why the price from cingular is higher than people would want, your paying for cingular to change the network.
sorry for the long post, but this is just my input on the situation, having read the many topics.
suff
Cingular is NOT ATT. Why does it suck? Read this article, it might enlighten you:
http://www.arcx.com/sites/CDMAvsTDMA.htm
Screw OFFICE!
MS Office can go blow itself man.... sorry.... that was to brash of me..
I meant to say that MS Office support is not as necessary for me. Apple either needs to keep Office as an option but still raise iWork to a worthy competitor (it isn't yet but can be, and be greater)
OR
Scrap office support and just make iWork the must buy application (still making it a worthy competitor to Office) Pages should be able to save or export Word documents and just as Keynote should still be able to with Powerpoint docs.
The iPhone should sync with Pages and Keynote documents. iCal, Address Book and .Mac. I should be able to access my online storage from the phone, pull up a Pages doc, edit it, and then save it to the phone and online. review Keynote pages in full color and with full graphics and video and audio.
Nothing like the crappy PowerPoint on DocumentsToGo. Then people (like I have already done) can drop MS Office altogether. The only time I have to see a Word file is when I have to export so a Windows friend of mine has to read it.
That is the way Apple should go... If they don't... then support OpenOffice and free the world of tyranny.
MS Office can go blow itself man.... sorry.... that was to brash of me..
I meant to say that MS Office support is not as necessary for me. Apple either needs to keep Office as an option but still raise iWork to a worthy competitor (it isn't yet but can be, and be greater)
OR
Scrap office support and just make iWork the must buy application (still making it a worthy competitor to Office) Pages should be able to save or export Word documents and just as Keynote should still be able to with Powerpoint docs.
The iPhone should sync with Pages and Keynote documents. iCal, Address Book and .Mac. I should be able to access my online storage from the phone, pull up a Pages doc, edit it, and then save it to the phone and online. review Keynote pages in full color and with full graphics and video and audio.
Nothing like the crappy PowerPoint on DocumentsToGo. Then people (like I have already done) can drop MS Office altogether. The only time I have to see a Word file is when I have to export so a Windows friend of mine has to read it.
That is the way Apple should go... If they don't... then support OpenOffice and free the world of tyranny.
These Are Nice!!
I am glad I have read these. Now I can definitely keep my Sprint service.
I am glad I have read these. Now I can definitely keep my Sprint service.