Introducing the Apple iPhone

In way, it was a good thing (for my bank account) that I couldn’t purchase the iPhone last week.  After watching Steve Jobs’ usual charismatic Macworld keynote, I was ready to throw my credit card at Apple.  After a few days of mulling it over though, I’m not ready to dish out $499/$599USD (4GB/8GB respectively) for Apple’s latest invention.  A lot of the postings out there seem to touch on the coolness of the features.  I thought I’d write a little something about the dissappointments; at least for me.

1. Is the iPhone’s 4/8GB storage capacity enough for most users?
2. How well will the Multitouch technology work in the real world?
3. It’s larger than the Pearl, but smaller than the Blackberry 8700.  Is that small enough?

I touch [pun intended] on these points below and also offer up a handy little comparison chart below that compares the features of the Blackberry Pearl and the Apple iPhone in one handy little place.

Multitouch. Not sure if you noticed during the keynote demonstration of Apple’s patented new touchscreen, that Jobs’ used a single hand to type an email:  One deliberate keypress at a time.  If he wanted to impress the hoardes of RIM users, put both hands on the device and hammer out a three paragraph email.  I can type on my blackberry without looking at my screen… how will users accept the new functionality without the tactile feedback from a physical keypress?  What about screen scratches?  Everybody is going to want to put a screen cover on this thing to protect it too.  I’ve seen the screen protectors for the Treos; their utilitarian purpose is singular evident: they protect the screen and they are U-g-l-y (with a capital ‘U’).

Storage Capacity. Where’s the storage?  While I watched the Keynote, Jobs’ had me eating out of the palm of his hand.  I don’t know if I’m just used to really BIG things from the Apple braintrust, but I was expecting to be WOWed with a 100GB iPhone… not meager 4GB and 8GB versions.  Yes, I realize that memory technology might not be there yet from a cost perspective, but this is what I’ve come to expect from Apple.  Big dissappointment from me when it comes to storage capacity.  Plus, this leaves the 30 and 80GB iPod users without a solution to their two device dilemma.

Size. The iPhone will measure 115 x 61 x 11.6mm.  It’s slightly slimmer than the Pearl, but longer by 8mm and wider by 10mm.  It is important to note that although it’s larger than the Pearl, the iPhone is less wide (by 8.5mm) and considerably thinner (by 8mm) than my Blackberry 8700 (110 x 69.5 x 19.5 mm).  The iPhone is not going to go unnoticed in your shirt pocket.

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After Cisco and Apple come to an agreement over the iPhone trademark, and the FCC approves the device, the Apple iPhone will see it’s US debut in June 2007 through Apple and Cingular stores countywide.  Not sure where that leaves Canadians, but I was told not to hold my breath until 2008.  Canadian GSM carriers (ie. Rogers) will also have some work to do if they plan to offer Cingular’s equivalent to “Visual Voicemail“.  Hopefully Rogers will also consider offering an unlimited data plan like Cingular too.

Althought I’m a fan of the iPhone and of the cool technology Apple crammed into such a small place, I think I’ll hold out until that 100GB model hits the market (I’ll settle for a 30GB version too).

Technorati Tags: Email – Apple – MP3 – Canada – Blackberry – Research In Motion – Pearl – Cool Technology