BLOG: Most so-called iPhone alternatives are nothing of the sort

[spacerog]

Most so-called iPhone alternatives are nothing of the sort
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/06/25/most-so-called-iphone-alternatives-are-nothing-of-the-sort/

Substituting expensive phones to compare with the iPhone does a disservice to both devices, because the iPhone easily comes up short with missing features it might never be destined for (ultra-BlackBerry security, an industry-trumping digital camera, etc.) due to its target market, while something like the N95 gets bad marks for not being able to match up to the iPod features of the iPhone or even its full keyboard - features that Nokia's handset was never designed to have.

[soloudinhere]

well let's evaluate:

The new HTC Mogul from sprint has the following:
-Wifi
-Evdo data (faster than 3G)
-full keyboard
-full internet browser with flash and java
-threaded SMS and IM capability
-3rd party apps up the wazoo
-Ability to tether undetected
-micro SD expansion
-Universal miniusb charging and data transfer

With the addition of a 4gb MicroSD card (about $100 full retail, $50 on ebay) the phone costs $499. Seems like direct competition with the iPhone no?

[spacerog]

No.

It is missing at least three key features. Killer-Ap type features.

1. The real internet
2. Non-linear visual voice mail
3. OSX

- SR

[Marksman]

Here is a good quote I found in the article this morning:

“Other phones - even BlackBerrys - can do a million things but you can’t figure out how to do anything on them.”

So it doesn't matter what all those phones claim they can do because the reality is most people can not use any of those features because of the way the phone is designed.

The iPhone will actually make its features available to users.

[JnC]

Re: Mongol, I don't care what the checklist of features are. If Windows is on a phone, I'm not buying it. The OS and apps are an unstable house of cards. My last Windows pda couldn't even keep time. You'd figure "clock" would be something they'd master by now.

How would you change Windows Mobile 6? (http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/24/how-would-you-change-windows-mobile-6/)

[robhon]

People keep trying to compare and contrast features but that raw data tells you nothing about the experience. I believe the whole point of Apple getting into the mobile phone market (other than to make money) is about the "user experience."

You have to remember this is the FIRST iPhone to hit the market. The next will be better and the next better than that. The important development here is that Apple has ported a hot graphical user interface over to a mobile phone. Sure there's Palm and Windows and whatever. None of those is, by any stretch of the imagination, GREAT.

What's truly great about the iPhone is that it has an almost magical interface. Everything else is an extension of that. None of the other devices can come close to touching that. (Pun intended.) :2cool:

[wjp09]

well let's evaluate:

The new HTC Mogul from sprint has the following:
-Wifi
-Evdo data (faster than 3G)
-full keyboard
-full internet browser with flash and java
-threaded SMS and IM capability
-3rd party apps up the wazoo
-Ability to tether undetected
-micro SD expansion
-Universal miniusb charging and data transfer

With the addition of a 4gb MicroSD card (about $100 full retail, $50 on ebay) the phone costs $499. Seems like direct competition with the iPhone no?

The mogul looks hideous.

[soloudinhere]

I have a mogul and it looks very little like the promotional photos, as it turns out.

And it does have full internet through Opera with flash and java, which the iPhone lacks. I have never encountered a page that did not work exactly as it does on a regular computer.

Some could argue that they're not a worthy comparison to the iPhone because the iPhone should not be considered a smartphone due to its blatant lack of productivity or customization/security features.

[SmartAlx]

This article didn't say anything about the openmoko, the only REAL iphone competition. I'm so sick of the n95 comparisons. Totally different devices. Different purpose and the n95 won't run on at&t's network. Openmoko though. That has iphone's number! Touchscreen, Linux, first open source phone ever, gps, better camera, 3G, Sd slot. Unlocked. It's cheaper, with no contract. It has it all except multi touch and the killer interface, which does rock hard. Don't get me wrong. I love love love love my iphone. The iphone's much more mature since it's not dependent on the open source community to make it usable. The openmoko won't compete for some time, but when it's mature, let's just say that Apple had better have the iphone 2.0 ready.