... then He created iPhone, and it was Good
 
What an appropriate topic to write about on the 4th of July... the liberating freedom that comes with the iPhone.  Now obviously I am biased in favor of Apple products.  Heck, their logo is even on the bottom of my blog.  I will try to be unbiased, however, and still tell you how much I love the iPhone.
 
First, iPhone is four things:
 
1. The interface (i.e., the layout of the physical buttons as well as the layout and logic behind the “Finder”).  This does not include the interface inside each app, but rather the top-level interface for accessing apps and also the device settings.
 
2. The hardware
 
3. The software (i.e., the web browser, the music/video player, and the rest).  See the note above on how this is separate from the “top-level” interface.
 
4. The network
 
OK, so let me comment on each.  The “interface” of the phone itself is nothing short of superb.  I shed tears at how simple and “get out of my way” it is.  A big, big “FUCK YOU” to Motorola, LG, and all of the other cell phone makers who have forced their crappy interfaces on me over the years.  I mean, how ridiculously stupid is it to have some LG phone with an “OK” button,  a “Send” button, and a “#” button.... then have different apps use different ones to indicate acceptance of input.  And the worst part?  No one at LG cares.  Believe me, I have read blogs that have made the same observation for years and years.  No one at LG or Moto or Eriksson or Nokia have ever lifted a finger to standardize their interfaces, their software, or their usage.  So with the arrival of the iPhone, are we really that surprised that Apple (who is known for user interfaces) is having such success?  Eat shit and die, cell phone manufacturers.  Do I seem bitter?  It’s because I have finally been vindicated.... “See”, I told my friends, “it IS possible to have a simple user interface without all those fucking buttons”.  Bravo, Apple.
 
OK now the hardware is also very good.  It’s responsive (in terms of CPU speed) and the touch-screen works great.  It’s slim and not too heavy.  Screen brightness is good.  Another A+ for Apple.  Jury is still out on battery life, but so far it seems really good.
 
The software.... hmmm.  I do have a couple of pet-peeves here, but they are minor and possibly unfounded.  For example, I live in New York and when I’m on the subway I want to put iPhone in airplane-mode so it’s not wasting battery life.  This would be nice to have on a top-level menu... but then again, it is quite possible that the hardware detects that it’s in a no-signal zone and is very good at shutting down for longer periods of time before checking for a signal.  I have not conducted tests to verify this.  Years of shitty phone logic have obviously gotten me skeptical of anyone’s ability to craft this feature correctly (how many times have you gotten off a flight and your cell phone is near dead, even though it was fully charged when you got on?).
Other than this (and a couple of other) pet-peeves, I like the software very much.  I miss Instant Messenger... I’m sure that’s a firmware-release away though.
 
Finally, the network.  Well, AT&T pretty much sucks, but for voice-only it’s passable.  The data rates of EGDE are pretty dang slow though.  I’m glad, however, that Apple wisely chose an inferior network over Verizon’s draconian demands (they wanted to stamp a Verizon logo on the phone and put Verizon software on the iPhone.... what the hell does Verizon know about good software?  Most of their stuff should be on exhibit as examples of bad software).  Believe me, right now Verizon is knocking on Moto/LG/Nokia/Erikkson’s door an demanding an iPhone-type device.  And guess what, Verizon, YOU WON’T FIND ONE. They don’t have the capability to create on unless they....oh, I don’t know, TRAVEL BACK IN TIME 20 YEARS, ADOPT OPENSTEP, AND START DEVELOPING SOFTWARE.  And Microsoft’s shitty platform ain’t the answer either.  Aaaahhhhh that felt good to get out.  Seriously, it’s only a matter of time (i.e., at the end of the AT&T exclusivity period) before you will have iPhone on every network.  Without their fucking logos or software.  How pissed off do you think phone companies will be when they realize that they can’t shove their third-rate software down your neck anymore?  Heheheh.  NEWSFLASH:  If your software were any good, we would WANT it.  It’s called DEMAND, and it stems from QUALITY and FEATURES, something that phone company software teams (except for perhaps the 3rd-party guys developing games) don’t understand.
 
So rejoice, my fellow Americans (and soon Europeans!), the iPhone cometh and it shall set you free.  Seriously, it’s that good, and it really wrests control of your mobile lifestyle away from the phone companies and back into your hands.  Pun intended.
My Blog
Wednesday, July 4, 2007