Posted by: aggieman
on Jun 24, 2009
My relationship with my iPhone over the last two years draws a lot of similarities to my relationships with that of the opposite sex. I've been with the iPhone since June 29, 2007 but have had many affairs with other phones since only to come right back to it. Ok, that sounds bad, no I've never had an affair or cheated on my wife, but I'm so good at finding the slightest imperfection. Anyhow, as close to perfect as the iPhone has always been I've always found those slight and sometimes major imperfections that just drive me crazy. This has led me to many phones in the past two years beginning with the hideous AT&T Tilt. Following up the mistake that was the Tilt was the Nokia N95-3, then back to the iPhone, then the N95-4, back to the iPhone, Nokia E71, back to the iPhone, iPhone 3G, Nokia N85, G1, back to the iPhone 3G, Blackberry Bold, Blackberry Storm, Xperia X1a, back to iPhone 3G. I still have the Blackberry Bold and use it as my workhorse, but all of the other phones have either been sold off or put into retirement.
Enter the Palm Pre. Wow. This phone has the most breathtaking UI I have ever seen. The screen is slightly smaller than the iPhone's but has the same pixel count making it look as crisp as any screen I've seen with the exception of the Bold. Multitasking (using the cards is awesome), full Facebook integration, free turn by turn navigation, a slide out keyboard that I really liked, nice camera with a flash, and a beautiful design. What was there not to like? I had a two week fling with the Pre where I was simply in love. The only things currently lacking from the Pre would be apps, video, an onscreen keyboard, and flash support. Flash support and apps are already certainties to come and on screen keyboard and video are highly likely to show up via an update. The browser was on par with the iPhone's and dare I say it, I actually enjoyed using it more than the iPhone's. Pages such as Myspace and Facebook update realtime in the browser and they support the full site including the IM feature of Facebook. Data speeds on Sprint were blazing fast. I constantly was showing 2.3 Mbps in speed tests. I still was uneasy about switching to a CDMA carrier however.
Posted by: fury
on Jun 21, 2009
I camped out for the 3G S launch so that I could be near the front of the line. The Apple employees greeted us at the store doors with fanfare and applause and made me feel like a desired, appreciated customer, and a part of something bigger than me, something to remember. Unfortunately, the iPhone 3G S comes cuffed to one of the dumbest companies on the planet, and that is souring my Apple.
The buying process was painless and amazingly flexible. I was just shy in the bank, so I paid for part of it with cash (they did that by using a gift card to do it). When I did the credit check at the reservation process beforehand, it informed me I would have to pay a $750 deposit on top of the $299 32-gig phone and a 2-year contract. I spoke with the representative who greeted me at the store to take my order, and asked if there was a way I didn't have to do a 2-year contract. No problem, just pay the full price for $747.93 after tax! That's a little easier to swallow than the $1,087.93 I'd have had to pay to do the 2-year agreement. So, that's what I did. But he didn't get the full story from AT&T. Neither did the AT&T employee I called before opening the phone in order to verify.
Posted by: Hawk
on Mar 6, 2009
I have spent the last couple of months attempting to find a car integration solution for an iPhone 3G with InCase Slider case, but I see a light at the end of the tunnel. The solution works with the Incase or for that matter any hardshell case.
It amazes me that there is almost no solutions out there for a dock that will charge and pass-through audio. There are a couple that are close including the Kensington Liquid AUX Deluxe and the Griffin TuneFlex AUX SmartClick. Both the Griffin and Kensington offer a unit that is a dock, mounted to a flex cable that attaches to your lighter socket. Each will charge the iPhone and pass audio through it at the accessories connector, and each come with a steering wheel mountable remote.
Posted by: Christopher Meinck
on Feb 26, 2009
In our iCafe Spotlight, we'll spotlight some of the new and exciting features at EverythingiCafe. Today, we feature Friend's Location. Members of the site can add the "Friends Location" application in iPhone Social. Now all your friends within EverythingiCafe will appear in Google Maps within your profile. Simply rollover the pushpin icon to view your friends. Directions on how to add applications available after the break.
Posted by: Christopher Meinck
on Feb 10, 2009
Apple's hardware has been responsible for differentiating the iPhone from the rest of the bunch. Stunning design combined with unmistakable features like multi-touch have helped the iPhone become what it is today. Customers are fickle when it comes to hardware, but Apple hasn't had to worry much as many so-called iPhone killers have come and gone. The Palm Pre appears to be the first smartphone worthy of the title, but don't expect existing iPhone customers to jump to the new smartphone. Thanks to the App Store, Apple has created what Barclay's analyst Ben Reitzes describes as the "lock-in effect". Sure most iPhone owners are locked into AT&T contracts, but it's the App experience that will prevent most from never jumping to a competitive phone.
“This software strategy enables a distinctive “stickiness” for the iPhone, which should enhance customer loyalty over the long-term. We believe ‘apps’ personalize iPhones to levels that competitors cannot match. We also believe strong interest in the App Store is helping to pull through iPod touch units.”
Posted by: Christopher Meinck
on Feb 3, 2009
Apple continues to approve applications that do not infringe on their ecosystem and the virtual shelves of the App Store continues to get more and more cluttered with what we'll call nonsense apps. Krapps is website dedicated to dishing the dirt on what they call the "lighter and krazy side of apps … call ‘em anti-brilliant apps – slacker apps – not amazing apps". Today they inform us of a new low for the App Store. No I'm not talking about the forty some-odd flatulence apps. In some odd way, I do think there is a need for iFart which also appears to be a very well designed app. Starting today, you can purchase iPee (App Store link) for $1.99 or the free ShyBladder (App Store link). These applications are for those who have "a bashful bladder" and offer up various running water sounds to help move things along.
Posted by: The Apple
on Jan 1, 2009
Since the inception of the iPhone in June of 2007, people have been asking how to use the Copy and Paste function of the iPhone. When these people ask this question on a discussion board, or a forum post, they are stunned when they find out there is no Copy and Paste function on the iPhone. How can such a basic feature, that most computer users use several times daily, be excluded? Even Apple employees don't have the answers to this question. They just tell you where and how to leave feedback! (I believe they are just as perplxed as the consumers!) Even the official Apple discussion board has over 250 topics on C&P.
Some people are so desperate for Copy and Paste that they have created photoshopped pictures, showing how this missing feature can be seamlessly integrated into the iPhone interface. Other people have created concepts of how they would incorporate C&P into the iPhone. Companies have created applications in the App Store, that include C&P within the application. Why does it seem like everyone is interested in getting C&P on the iPhone except Apple?
