iPhone: My thoughts after using it for 3 days
July 2nd, 2007 by ktula
What i like about it:
- Very easy and intuitive to use. In fact, i will even go further to say that this is the most intuitive phone i have ever used, not to mention the fact that this is a “SMART” phone. There is barely any learning curve for using the iPhone. I can’t really say the same thing about WM(Windows Mobile)-based phones or Blackberry phones. At least for me, the steep learning curve for using any Blackberry devices probably requires me to equip myself with Mount Everest climbing gears.
- Very cool-looking icons. I know this is just eye candy but would you rather use a not-so-eye-pleasing phone? There is simply no comparison with the Windows 3.1-era icons on the current generation of WM-based phones. You know Apple is doing something right when you have people trying to make their non-iPhone devices look like an iPhone. Imitation is the greatest form of compliment.
- One of, if not, the best phone UI. If you are new to any WM or Blackberry phones, you will know how difficult it is to work your way through the menus to find something that you want, using the 20 or so buttons on the phone.
- The best web browser on a phone. After using Safari on the iPhone, it is quite painful for me to even consider browsing the web on another phone. Have you ever tried using the built-in IE on a WM6 device?
- Drop dead gorgeous display. There is not another phone out there with a clearer and brighter display.
- AT&T’s EDGE network is not as slow as i had anticipated, only if it’s more reliable (see below for my gripes on it). Coming from TMobile’s GPRS world, EDGE is a welcome upgrade. In testing on iphonenetworktest.com, i can get up to about 190 kbps. That said, i get a similar throughput using TMobile’s EDGE network on a TMobile Dash.
- Seamless integration with Google Map. It is almost fun to use Google Map on the iPhone. You can search for a location by either entering the address, by selecting from saved bookmarks or a list of recent searches, or from the Address Book!
- Pretty decent call quality. I have not experienced the dropouts or interference during the few calls i made, unlike the reviewer at foxnews.com.
- Visual voicemail. I don’t think i want to go back to using a “normal” voicemail system again after using iPhone’s visual voicemail. With visual voicemail, you can pick and choose the voicemail message you want to listen to without having to go through any other messages.
My gripes:
- The biggest concern i have prior to buying the iPhone was AT&T. I know Apple will come out with a great version 1.0 product, but i have serious doubt on AT&T’s ability to deliver the required service to make this phone great. Case in point, until a few minutes ago, for more than two hours, i was not able to connect to AT&T’s EDGE network. It is not a big problem now since i am home but what happens when i am on the road and i need to use the excellent built-in Google Map for directions?
- In Safari, it is possible to rotate iPhone and have it display horizontally in landscape mode. But this does not work for Mail, SMS and Notes. It is definitely easier to use two hands on the virtual keyboard in the landscape mode.
- Bluetooth file transfer does not work. This may not have been an oversight by Apple, as some have speculated. My guess is that Apple intentionally disabled Bluetooth file transfer to force users to go through iTunes. Right now, iTunes is the only official tool to transfer files (and only music, photos, address book and calendar) to the iPhone. By disabling Bluetooth file transfer, Apple prevents someone from installing third party programs on the iPhone.
- It is not possible to make/receive calls and send/receive SMS in Address Book (on a Mac) because it is not possible to pair up iPhone with Address Book.
- USB connection is the ONLY way to synchronize the iPhone to your Mac (or PC). It will be better if synchronization via WIFI or Bluetooth is possible.
- No instant messenger support. Apple intentionally made the SMS text chat on the iPhone looks like iChat but why not include iChat or any other popular instant messenger? This may be one of the few concessions Apple has to make to AT&T (in addition to locking the phone to AT&T’s network) since AT&T makes a buckload of money off SMS or text chat.
- Lack of support of Flash, Java and Apple’s own Quicktime in Safari. Steve Jobs has boasted on a few occasions that the Safari web browser in the iPhone is a full featured browser, unlike other phone-based browsers. Without Flash/Java support, as great a web browser as Safari is, it is still a “handicapped” browser.
- I hear a slight buzzing sound coming out of my Harman Kardon Soundsticks (connected to my Powerbook) occasionally when the iPhone is right next to the Powerbook. This is the same sound i hear when Janet’s SE W810i sits too close my car stereo while the cassette-adapter for my iPod Nano is being used. This issue may not be unique to iPhone. I hear similar buzzing sound when the TMobile Dash is next to my Powerbook as well.
- Can’t use your own songs as ring tones. You are limited to the 25 ringtones on the phone. What’s Apple intention for this limitation? If the songs that i have in my iTunes are legally purchased, why can’t i use them as ringtones? I don’t need some record company or mobile operator to tell me what i can or cannot use as a ringtone.
- Built-in camera does not do video. I suspect this feature will be added in the very near future.
Overall, my experience using the iPhone has been great. Drowning the SE K608i accelerated my decision to purchase an iPhone and i have no regrets so far. Most of my gripes with iPhone are software related and they can easily be resolved by enabling or adding a few features. If AT&T holds up its end of the bargain, i think i will be a very happy iPhone user. So it’s time to bid adios to TMobile and say Hi to AT&T.
Update 2007/07/02:
Since last night, i have not been able to register for a new online account on AT&T wireless:
Update 2007/07/03:
After trying to register for an online account on AT&T wireless website since i acquired the iPhone last Friday, i gave up and called tech support to register it for me.
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