iPhone: not what it's cracked up to be


Sure, I could attempt to write another earth shattering discussion of faith and cancer, but how 'bout a few moments of fun?

Prior reviews: "But I thought the iPhone was actually useful!" and "iPhone: I was wrong (sort of). There is a to do list manager."

Short review: After using the iPhone for a few months, here are my impressions:
If you want to browse the web wherever you go, it's fun. If you want a useful PDA/cell phone, it's not even as good as a treo.  No cut and paste, no searching, lousy interface to contact database in the phone application (but not in SMS and email - go figure). It's cute, it works, but it's lacking the quality of user interface I used to expect from Apple.

Long review: read more [facebook readers: click on "View original post"]

I've been using Mac computers at home and at work for a long time - bought my first Mac SE/30 in 1991, now have several macs in the family. I've been pleased with the user interface and how the mac lets me organize my work according to my own fashion, vs. having that organization imposed upon me by the operating system. My axiom on this subject is that "the purpose of a computer is to get your work done." The mac lets me do that.

The iPhone is a severe departure from this axiom. Steve Jobs describes the iPhone as "the internet in your pocket." If that's what you want, then it's an ok device (the screen is kind of small for good browsing, but it's ok). However, when I buy a cell phone, the features that I look for are
- a useful voice communication device
- easy integration with the work-related data on my computer (contacts, calendar, to-do list)
- easy access to that work-related data

The iPhone is fair to middlin' in each category.

Voice communication I have no complaints. The antenna is a little weak relative to other phones, but it works fine most places I go. Best of all, no complaints about strange echoes that I've gotten from other phones like my Treo 600 or iPaq 6315.

Easy integration with work-related data
I decided to try an iPhone out of frustration with my iPaq. The PocketMac synchronization software works well most of the time, which means that every few weeks something breaks down that I can't figure out how to fix. Very frustrating. The iPhone integration, as implemented, works fine. However, the implementation deliberately omits the to do list that's integrated right into Apple's own iCal application. Sure, they "fixed" the problem by making your to do items show up in a folder in your iPhone email, but it's not prioritized, not easily used, it's crippled. In this fashion, even the venerable Palm OS does a better job integrating with iCal than Apple's own iPhone. If I didn't already have the phone, I'd be tempted to go back to a PalmOS Treo again. (My Treo 600, bought unlocked and used on Ebay, has died after faithful service.)

Now, there are on-line to do list managers that integrate well with the iPhone browser. I use the Toodledo service (http://www.toodledo.com ), but the weakness there should be obvious: if you go into a building with any kind of shielding or interference with your cell signal, you lose your to do list. There is some data that should reside directly inside your PDA. Web apps are, frankly, an embarassment when I've got 16GB of storage in my hand. GIVE ME ACCESS TO MY DATA! Oops, lost my temper there. Sorry.

There are also a few resident-storage to do list managers available. However, they don't sync with your computer, so the only way to access your to do list is on your iPhone. Once again, I want access to my data, both on the PDA and on the computer.

Easy access to work-related data
The iPhone lacks two features that are disgustingly absent, given their presence in the Mac-side software:

(1) cut and paste: it is not possible to transfer text from one application (say, an email with someone's email address) to another application (such as your address book/contacts list). As Rush Limbaugh recently said on his program, "Apple practically invented cut and paste." He was similarly unhappy with this missing feature, even though he was given an iPhone 3G as a promotion.

(2) Easily searchable data: it's not possible to search your contact list in the contact list application; email and SMS let you start typing in a name and the possible matches are displayed for you to select, but in the contacts list you have to select the first letter and then scroll the screen until you see the person you're looking for. I have over 1000 names in my contacts list - faculty, students, researchers, friends, etc. that I've met over the years. It's a ridiculous interface for making cell phone calls, especially since the ability to search by typing in a name is already present in the other two applications.

Final recommendation
It's a fun phone, but it's not ready for prime time. It wounds my soul to have to say so, because I've been a big Apple fan for some time. However, the design of the iPhone and it's distribution/marketing strategy tells me that Apple had three goals in this device:
- Put the internet in your pocket; if the other features happen to be useful, then great, but that's not the priority.
- Maintain a stranglehold on the ability to put software on the device, in part to help with
- Milking this thing for every dollar they can get out of it! (I don't know it for a fact, but I suspect that Apple gets back a part of the $60/month data package that's required of every AT&T iPhone user.)

I don't object to a business making a profit on their device. However, on my end, the first priority goes back to my axiom: does this thing help me achieve my own objectives? For now, the iPhone doesn't fall into the leading contenders for that title.

Maybe iPhone 3.0 ...

Posted: Fri - July 18, 2008 at 01:08 PM           | |

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