Why did I ignore the value of the iPhone's non-phone features?


Someone who read my previous iPhone post asked me why I ignored the value of the features of the iPhone other than its being a phone: web browser, email, calendar, music, videos, etc. My response, in brief, is that I don't think it's good for those things.

I don't think any device the size of a cell phone is good for those things. Even if the screen of the iPhone is much better for those tasks than any other cell phone, it is still way too small for web browsing, reading email and checking a calendar, and that would be true no matter how much resolution it had. Those tasks are best done on a laptop with a decent size screen and if I want to do them while I'm on the go, then I'll carry a MacBook with me. So I don't view those features as reasons to get an iPhone. I haven't heard a single reviewer say they were dumping their laptop after they got an iPhone.

What about music and videos. When Apple released the video iPod I said it had too small a screen for watching movies and I think that's true of the iPhone also. People are spending thousands of dollars to upgrade their home entertainment systems to large screen HDTVs. Movies are made to be watched on big screens and everyone knows that. I just can't believe that many people want to watch movies on a cell phone size device; I know I don't. As for music, the iPods are great for that and a lot cheaper than an iPhone.

As far as I'm concerned the only reason to consider getting an iPhone is because it's a neat phone. For everything else, carry a MacBook and/or an iPod.

Posted: Tuesday - July 10, 2007 at 03:58 AM          


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