10+ Reasons Why You Should Hate the iPhone
Techtree News Staff, Aug 09, 2008 1252 hrs IST
Everything that is wrong with the Apple iPhone
Everybody loves the iPhone. Even though few in India have seen, touched, or used the device, the buzz for the product is palpable; its praise almost universal. While we agree that the iPhone is a great device that gets a lot right, there are several faults that need to be highlighted. The most glaring of these faults have come crawling out of the woodwork in the past few weeks.
The biggest issue here is that Apple has created what some like to call a "walled garden" through its App Store business. Instead of a thriving software ecosystem, Apple wants a developer to pay $99 before starting development; to only sell software through Apple's store, and to comply to restrictions placed. The reasons for doing so might be noble: greater security, and greater stability could only have been assured by a closed environment, as Apple likes to point out. But is that really so? Does Apple guarantee a secure and crash-proof product now that both consumers and developers live in this gilded cage?
The decision to create this walled garden has also seen useful applications removed from the store, or useless applications being added to the store, and then removed. Yesterday, we learned that Apple might be tracking everything installed on the iPhone, with speculation that this hidden mechanism might even allow them to remotely disable an application.
If all of this doesn't give you cause for a pause, here's everything else that's wrong with the iPhone and the Apple way of things:
1. You can only sync music and video through iTunes. Want to drag-and-drop content from your hard-drive? Would like to sync music from another store -- from Amazon, for example? You are out of luck.
2. You can only install apps through iTunes. Never before has a cellphone maker slammed the door to an open development enviornment and received nothing but praise for doing so. Imagine Microsoft creating a gated software ecosystem and installing themselves as the gatekeeper. They would be eaten alive by the press. Apple gets a free pass.
3. Apple deletes useful applications. Nullriver's modem app went to the grave with no reason stated. Apple's digital business is dependent on the music and movie industry's whims. How long before the industry dictates which applications we can run?
4. Apple might not accept apps which might be detrimental to its own business. We won't hold our breath for competitive products to appear on the iPhone anytime soon.
5. You can only run one third-party application at a time. An instant messenger that runs in the background and collects messages while you are away? Not happening.
6. Apple might not allow app vendors to open up their apps. The terms of the NDA that potential application developers for the iPhone need to sign, effectively restrict redistribution of the source. Apple has created OSX on the back of FreeBSD; Safari on KHTML, SproutCore library used in MobileMe, and now they have built a layer on top that excludes others. Nik at TechCrunchIT laments that "the same community who demand all from Microsoft, feel gifted and special when Apple give them an inch of rope... Applications can only be installed from a single source, iTunes, and open source applications and distribution is near impossible. How do you install an iPhone application without iTunes? Where are the community advocates arguing for a standard interface, openess and free code?"
7. Limited Bluetooth use. The iPhone 3G has Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR but can you transfer files over Bluetooth? Does it support A2DP? Stereo Bluetooth? No on all counts. As of now, all you get from Bluetooth are headset voice calls, and that's it.
8. No copy-paste. This might be more of an interface issue that Apple is seeking to solve, than anything else. But it only underlines the drawbacks of a walled garden. If development was as open as say, it is on the Palm platform -- you would have a hundred different solutions by now, and at least one you could actually use. This also underlines how much the innovative spirit is killed by a controlled development environment. The iPhone ecosystem doesn't encourage software tinkering and probably won't spur garage breakthroughs that drive the industry forward.
9. No MMS. While you can e-mail photos, multimedia messaging is absent from the device. And speaking of videos...
10. No video recording. In the world of YouTube, the iPhone 3G does not offer video recording.
11. No voice command. For a touch-screen-only phone, voice controls would have been a huge plus for hands-free or one-handed control. Can we expect this functionality to be added by a third-party app?
12. Hardware locked to carriers. You cannot use any SIM card with this GSM device. How stupid is that? Hello monopolies, goodbye competition. Thanks to carrier lock-in when the phone launches in India, the iPhone 3G might not even enjoy 3G until months afterwards. How do you like them apples?
The iPhone 3G is a great device. Apple has innovated with its interface; it's great at what it does. The problem is that its benefits and innovations only highlight Apple's missteps. Dave Winer posits that it is a lack of choice that makes Apple products an attractive proposition: "All the other products suck. Hugely. Apple's [products] just suck a bit less. Not a huge accomplishment for an industry, imho."
The Apple iPhone 3G might be a great product. But that does not account for the universal praise that it earns all over the net, from press and fans alike. If we do not underline its drawbacks, the status quo will be maintained. So grow a little hate inside your hearts for the iPhone. Apple can do wrong.
USER COMMENTS
One reason I hate this article: the word 'why' immediately follows the word 'reason' in the title! argh!
by c0nd3mn3d, slickers, on Aug 29, 2008 04:42 AM, Report abuse Reply
C'mon, you guys. Do you honestly think they were not aware of the above mentioned? There are reasons behind them... Think. Has anyone thought about the word "Security"? And you say, "Monopolies"? Please -- if Nokia or Motorola had the concept for this or the technical know-how and ability to deliver, would you be calling them the same? Sounds like we have a few upset Microsoft dead-heads in the room. Whatever... Apple is providing a solid architecture for your value. This is state-of-the-art technology people. I don't care about your whining. Features are only going to get better in time. In my business world, this product is amazingly powerful and extremely useful. It has already made a difference. -Written from my iPhone
by Matthew, Baltimore, on Aug 16, 2008 05:24 PM, Report abuse Reply
Thats....true...I hate it.....anyways....
by GiG, bangalore, on Aug 16, 2008 03:01 PM, Report abuse Reply
Hi, I didnt knew all these things and was planing to buy one (iPhone) but thanx for this info now i too believe apple is creating monopoly and trying to retrict all s/w on iphone to them , its really mean.
by Brave, Pune, on Aug 16, 2008 02:00 PM, Report abuse Reply
by mohan, bangalore, on Aug 15, 2008 10:28 AM, Report abuse Reply
And you Cant forward an SMS message!!!! how dumb is that
by keith, london, on Aug 14, 2008 04:26 AM, Report abuse Reply
I researched the iPhone up and down / inward and outward and finally decided to extend the life of my nokia 6230i by another 1.5 years by investing in a good bluetooth stereo headset. iPhone is simply one truck full of hoopla. I am a old styled man and i love my freedom (read freedom with firmware, media files, service provider, enhancements, memory capability and choice etc..etc..etc... oh yes i travel around 3 diff countries and actually make calls with three diff service providers of MY CHOICE) comon be a man.. look at facts in the eye.. and don't beat around the bush.
by Kris, StLouis, on Aug 13, 2008 12:25 AM, Report abuse Reply
i phone is the best phone i have ever seen.i m from india please let me know the price of i phones
by NAVEEN KAUL, INDIA, on Aug 12, 2008 05:42 PM, Report abuse Reply
honestly, I believe that the iPhone customers and the open source community are distinctively different groups with distinctively different views on freedom. If you buy an iPhone, you believe in the freedom to express yourself or something like that, and you accept certain limitations. If you are in the open source movement, you don't care much about the iPhone bling.
by Peter, Frankfurt, on Aug 12, 2008 03:58 PM, Report abuse Reply
3g iphone rocks. its way faster than the 1st gen old one. check the online stores,,,old ones are going for 150$ which is like 5-8k. But they are going because guys want to upgrade to 3g. everyone is awaiting the launch. all others have launched their new models and lowered prices in anticipation...so sorry dost..while yr points may be factually correct,,most are overcome by third party hacks or dont matter. once, just once try surfing on iphone..then u decide..yr call.
by madjack, mumbai, on Aug 10, 2008 01:53 PM, Report abuse Reply
Please tell me where is the first gen iPhone available for 150$. If you dont have a source, stop making stupid comments.
by Pat, Mumbai, on Aug 10, 2008 04:43 PM, Report abuse
$150? Try more like $300-$400, first Gen iphones are golden since there is no contract and can easily be unlocked.
by OS11, Bristol, on Aug 10, 2008 07:43 PM, Report abuse
hey patty boy..if you are done with reading your bombay times,,surf a little mr. small pecker, do your own hard work. Have you tried this useful search engine called google? pretty useful some people tell me.
by sam, brittania, on Aug 10, 2008 11:57 PM, Report abuse
Give me one link to an iPhone selling for $150 and I will accept I am stupid. If not, you are stupid.
by Pat, Mumbai, on Aug 11, 2008 01:51 PM, Report abuse
@Pat Here you dingbat - forums[dot]kidrobot[dot]com/viewtopic.php?t=112238 Now that we know you are stupid, and you agree to accept that you are stupid. Can we please move onto something more interesting. BTW - You really should learn to use search Engines, before displaying your spectacular Ignorance ... *grin*
by Pats, Glasgow, on Aug 11, 2008 07:05 PM, Report abuse
Lol! You call that spam a sale ? Shows your intellect :lol: My only point was that people should confirm facts before posting. A working iPhone (v1 or 3G) does not have a resale price of $150. Check on ebay if you still have a doubt. Lets move on.Have a nice day.Bye.
by Pat, Mumbai, on Aug 11, 2008 07:10 PM, Report abuse
On second thoughts, can you buy one from that guy for me. I will pay you $250 for it ;) Oh wow! N95 for $180. Cool sale man! Haha!
by Pat, Mumbai, on Aug 11, 2008 07:18 PM, Report abuse
Techtree has essentially got what it wanted. Hits. See the number of comments all articles on iPhones get. I still dont understand how this classifies as news. TT is on its way down.
by Pat, Mumbai, on Aug 10, 2008 04:45 PM, Report abuse Reply
hey pat, sorry dude, but I think thats why you posted your first comment to start with. Guys..why dont you compete with each other s publications somewhere else. you guys are also ex TT only, then why play games like that. Only your comment in the whole list is like this. Unmistakable. Boss grow up and be a sportsman. Now I realise, this highest no of hits is what you didnt like. chill man.
by rajiv, patna, on Aug 11, 2008 12:04 AM, Report abuse
Hahaha patty baby..u got stuff going dudy. pity am a regular. but how come you came around to see TT going down? are one more hit? just one bit of analytics? lol. dont kill yourself buddy. happens..just one of those days.
by Nikhil c, Bangalore, on Aug 11, 2008 03:23 AM, Report abuse
@Rajiv: Does your post even make sense ? I am an ex-TT ? whatever that is supposed to mean. Accept it or not, this article clearly cannot be classified as NEWS.
by Pat, Mumbai, on Aug 11, 2008 01:53 PM, Report abuse
With Iphone about to (or has it already) make an appearance in the Indian market, this article is educative in the sense it allows for Indian Customers to make an informed choice about the phone. No doubt - many would get to a store, and see how absolutely simple it is to have an iPod and a phone in one device, which simply thrills with the ease of use. However anyone who values Bang for their buck would want to know about features - and this article goes a long way in removing the Gloss over what is essentially a good product. Now Pat - should you be unable to understand it, you really cannot blame TT for it right?
by Pats, Glasgow, on Aug 11, 2008 07:00 PM, Report abuse
I am not against the article or its contents. My point is simple. This is NOT a piece of NEWS. Just see which section it is posted under.
by Pat, Mumbai, on Aug 11, 2008 07:13 PM, Report abuse
Many things stated in this article are completely wrong and I can't believe all you ignorant people are believing this dribble. 5. 'you can only run one-third party app at a time'..WRONG i run my instant messenger program in the background and it DOES collect my messages while i use other programs. 9. 'No MMS'...WRONG! You can email photos and I HAVE a program for multimedia messenging. I also have a program for voice conversation so chew on that. 10. 'No video Recording' WRONG AGAIN I have a program called video recorder that takes 30 second clips and I can email these to anyone i so chose. 8. 'No copy-paste' WRONG AGAIN i have a program called iCopy and its straightforward copy and paste. 12. 'Hardware locked to carriers' you may think thats right but you would be WRONG! I can used AT&T for a while and my friend used Unicell for his and I am currently using Telstra because I am studying abroad in Australia. If you believe anything on this article then clearly you have no idea of the iphone's capability and the fact that it is a computer in your pocket and runs OS10. No other cellphone runs a computer software. I realize this is new technology to you guys but once you hack your iphone you can do anything you want to it and it will kill any other phone on that market and if you dont believe that then your a sap. PEACE OUT
by Sugarloafer04, Wollongong and USA, on Aug 11, 2008 09:21 AM, Report abuse Reply
Hey Bro - we are talking about a machine that is just off the shelf. I am sure with the right software - you could run WinCE apps :) but of course you would have to write your own VM software to run it first eh? ... cut these guys a little slack man.
by Pats, Glasgow, on Aug 11, 2008 07:09 PM, Report abuse
you got all the point very clear and up to date. thanks for all this knowledge
by parakram, udaipur, on Aug 11, 2008 10:57 AM, Report abuse Reply
by Sugarloafer04, Wollongong and da USA, on Aug 11, 2008 11:20 AM, Report abuse
Every technical-oriented person considering a iPhone solution should read this article! Useful information beyond all the hype and praises. Thank you!
by James, Taipei, on Aug 11, 2008 08:58 AM, Report abuse Reply
yes, having UNIX running the iPhone is a major attraction to technical types. there has never been a phone this powerful, then all niceties of Apple's engineering expertise make it unbeatable for years to come. this list was written by someone that doesn't have an iphone since about 60% of them are flat out wrong.
by Mike Hoffman, Halifax, on Aug 11, 2008 09:50 AM, Report abuse
It is a matter of choice ! Feature Rich or not Apple iPhone is ok for someone who likes it.
by Nikhil Chopra, New delhi, on Aug 11, 2008 09:01 AM, Report abuse Reply
N95 rules :) nothing apple can EVER do about that. apple's pitch phrase is buy-me-and-fools-will-think-you-are-cool.
by anon, Auckland, on Aug 11, 2008 03:35 AM, Report abuse Reply
how's that's tiny 2.6 inch screen, wonky interface and poorly quality software working for you? fact is, Nokia is VERY worried about Apple since they simply don't have the resources to compete against a unix based computer firm as powerful as Apple. I sat in line with a Nokia Engineer flown in from Helsinki for MacWorld this year. You could sense she was terrified of what Apple may do once they release the iPhone nano. Nokia is toast unless they go with a license from Apple, nobody is going to want any Nokia phone once they are exposed to an iPhone.
by Ted Landrey, Martin, on Aug 11, 2008 05:57 AM, Report abuse
no body who know what a good phone is would even waste money on an iphone.
by Anon, Auckland, on Aug 11, 2008 08:19 AM, Report abuse
and i have used an iphone and i know it is inferior to an N95. heck even sonyericsson phones are better.
by Anon, Auckland, on Aug 11, 2008 08:21 AM, Report abuse
Firstly, Apple did not claim that their Iphones is the mother of all handphones in the world... Indeed there are better phones than Iphones out there.. For people like me...I don't care if you are going to have 100 reasons to hate the Iphone..carry on thinking if you wish to.... To me Iphone might lack of some quality features and of course some imperfection.. but its a beauty to behold... I'm gladly to take it as my lawfully wedded phone..just like my wife ;).
by Rozli, Singapore, on Aug 11, 2008 07:56 AM, Report abuse Reply
I have heard that if you download your songs from a third-party supplier that if you sync them with the iTunes software that it will automatically convert it to being an iTune, so people can't say that they have to buy a iTune through them. I have done that with iPods but I don't know 100% if that also applies to the iPhone as well. If someone would check that out for me I would highly appreciate it.
by Kaitlyn, Carlisle, on Aug 11, 2008 01:28 AM, Report abuse Reply
You have heard wrong. iTunes doesn't convert any song format, it's a media PLAYER which supports lots of common formats. Any free song wherever it comes from will play fine within iTunes, no conversion needed. Apple doesn't control anything about "purchased" songs, they are simply the distributor. The iPhone and iPod acts the same, any song you have will play fine, but if you "purchase" a song from the Online Store, you will have to abide by the record company's rules. (again, Apple has no control over that)
by OS11, Bristol, on Aug 11, 2008 05:02 AM, Report abuse
I would agree...anything apple does is 'locked' in...then you have to work your way with libgpod'S and the like..yea i am a ticked off user of Ubuntu who is trying to get his nano 3g synched :)
by Anish Nambiar, Hyde Park, on Aug 11, 2008 03:30 AM, Report abuse Reply
My God I already see 3 articles about the iPhone on the main page itself. What is TT trying to pull off ? Trying to improvise on the iPhone craze ? And like all said, they dont even qualify as news. Some random stuff picked from here and there that was posted a year ago If you are so freaking unhappy. jail break it. Pwnage tool FTW
by Cyrux, hyd, on Aug 11, 2008 12:55 AM, Report abuse Reply
Double Thumbs up 2 Tech Tree for this article.....very few ppl have d gutz 2 speak d truth n TT has it....m really very happy 2 c dat u can call a spade a spade....Unlike other tech sites which jus go ga ga over this thing...1 of it broke all d limitz by givin d iphone gadget of d year 07 here in India wen it was not here officially....for cryin out loud how can common ppl know wat it is if they havent even used it!!!!! O ya n how can those ppl have a watch over d application we put on our phone....they (ppl at apple) delete it if not purchased 4m authorized place....WTF....this is pure monopoly...i admire Apple 4 all d tech stuff they have come out wid so far...but this is strechin it outa limits....Apple d Hitler of Tech world datz all i can say
by iCEMAN, Mumbai, on Aug 11, 2008 12:41 AM, Report abuse Reply
haha ur stupid. 2. um. it makes my life easier. i dont have to looking for it. its just there =p 3. it was against AT&T contract. it will be returning to international users that have a carrier that allows it. apple is working on it. for a news/blogger you dont know much. 4. i found a total of 7 sudoku apps. pretty competitive. 5. apple is working on this and said its releasing it in September. ill skip a few. 12. smartest thing ever. apple is making sooooo much profit on this device. maybe to you its bad. but i dont care. apple is smart. and this in not why i should have it.
by edden, Las Vegas, on Aug 10, 2008 11:03 PM, Report abuse Reply
An adapter from Hong Kong allows iphone music to headphones and Belkin has same for car radio.
by John Royse, St. Petersburg FL, on Aug 10, 2008 10:48 PM, Report abuse Reply
way too opinionated... most of this criticism is immaterial to the experience of the phone. the only tangible things missing are the MMS, video recording, and cut/paste, which still by no means overshadow the virtue of this device and how it truly puts internet in your pocket, frees you from your laptop, and reinvents intuitive user interface for a handheld. the author of this article clearly hasn't realized how much better Apple products truly are over any other manufacturer.
by objective techn, Redwood Shores, CA, on Aug 10, 2008 08:58 PM, Report abuse Reply
Another day, another list of iPhone MIAs. From this list, take the obvious tech tradeoffs for the limitations of current battery design, and direct assaults on AAPL's business model, and missing features only explicable in the fullness of time, and you're left with: almost nothing. Having used a v1 16GB iPhone since January, it's the best portable device I've ever used (incl several cell phones, one Palm, and one MessagePad). It gets way way more things right than things wrong --or incomplete. The "answer" for the itchys & scratchys of tech is to buy a different device. On a different network. Wait for OpenMoko or Android. Or better yet: buy an iPhone, current or previous, and jailbreak it.
by Anonymous, NJ, on Aug 10, 2008 08:46 PM, Report abuse Reply
Well this is nothing new. Apple has always been a rather closed club of ignorance. Their boxes barely stand up to a well made home rig. And their gimmick of a phone... well I've seen nothing of it that impresses me when compared to even an average smartphone. So once again, Apple makes something pretty for the ignorant masses to eat up. It's not Microsoft, so it must be good... right?
by Nemo, Columbus, on Aug 09, 2008 03:56 PM, Report abuse Reply
Actually, Apple has always been for the upper echelon of computerdom. It's more for technically savvy person, the engineering and computer science types. Windows is more for the lower, uneducated classes, the people that don't understand computing so they cobble together parts to try and build a Mac clone. Macs hold their value much longer than the tinkertoy machines, that's why smart people only buy Macs...
by OS11, Bristol, on Aug 10, 2008 08:46 PM, Report abuse
YOu forgot two big problems. The battery is not removable and does not last long and typing text message is a nightmare with its small keys and quirky interface. LG Voyager still better choice for business folks.
by Raul PEDRAZA, Miami, on Aug 09, 2008 07:01 PM, Report abuse Reply
The battery is certainly removable, it's only $14 to replace... its battery lasts longer than ANY smartphone according to PC Magazine. And actually the keys on the iPhone are larger than a Blackberry, and it's MUCH easier to type on. It's just that you've never used an iPhone so don't understand how it works.
by OS11, Bristol, on Aug 10, 2008 08:34 PM, Report abuse
LOL. You're just another sorry sucker that hates apple. So what if it's missing all these "important" features? People still love and buy their products despite their drawbacks. It's our money so don't worry about us "Apple lovers". Go crawl under a rock and eat your rotten apples because the rest of us are enjoying their shiny new ones!
by Jesus Abarca Jr, Ft. Myers, FL, on Aug 10, 2008 08:32 PM, Report abuse Reply
by chris s, michigan, on Aug 09, 2008 08:00 PM, Report abuse Reply
yes, i wonder how long Blackberry / RIM will be around now that the iPhone has surpassed them, they are going to end up like Palm. "end of story", oh so true!
by OS11, Bristol, on Aug 10, 2008 08:24 PM, Report abuse
by SABU VARGHESE K, KOCHI, on Aug 10, 2008 11:46 AM, Report abuse Reply
You dont even have a iPhone 3G in Kochi - so what the heck are you posting about?
by Anonymous, TVM, on Aug 10, 2008 08:07 PM, Report abuse
I can't believe there are so many people emotionally defending a..... cell phone. It's just a cell phone (yes, it's slick and has some great features), and Apple is just a brand. While the iPhone's touch GUI is a great step forward, the phone has some shortcomings - and the article did a good job pointing them out. I think it's important to remember not to get emotionally attached to a company brand. Apple is more expensive, has poor warranties (unless you pay even more), and uses cheaper components than the design suggests. Why be brand loyal to that?
by dave, sf, on Aug 10, 2008 03:51 AM, Report abuse Reply
Oh, and what's with the battery being locked inside and only Apple can change it for $? That's so wrong. I wish Apple loved their customers they way their customers love them.
by dave, sf, on Aug 10, 2008 03:54 AM, Report abuse
@dave the iPhone battery is fully user replaceable, and it's only $15. It's a total myth Apple has to replace any battery in any device they make, it's simply a "service" they offer if you want it... geeesh!
by OS11, Bristol, on Aug 10, 2008 07:53 PM, Report abuse
The Iphone is not pefect i agree, however like any peice of hardware its not just a cell phone, it will have all the above items addressed and i can see that this "cell phone" will recieve upgrades free that will unlock more potential, as far as cost goes, and apple in general, i sold every pc i had 6 machines and traded UP to apple, i have been a pc user for 20 years and now all i can say "unless you use a mac daily you will never understand why people are loyal" it just works and i dont stress anymore, apple is like a religion we just cant convince anyone its better... they just have to try it to believe it
by paul, sydney, on Aug 10, 2008 08:05 PM, Report abuse
Thanks for the thoughtful and intelligent criticism. Based on it - and other research- I'm going wait before I buy a new phone. I have two concerns - 1) I hate iTunes (& iPods), the most over-hyped junk ever (it's Apples version of Office), in this case the simpler WMP is better, and has higher quality music settings. I hate low fidelity music. 2nd, closed systems bite. You can't get Netflix (superior on-demand movie quality to iTV or whatever it's called) on an Apple because it's blocked. What great service will they hold back on the iPhone that we don't even know about yet...? It's worth waiting 12 months for a new phone to see what's available on Symbian or Android. And also, this article was not FUD. Whoever wrote that was dead wrong. Why do we consider being brand loyal stupid except when it comes to Apple, then its all of a sudden cool?!?
by dave, SF, on Aug 10, 2008 12:38 AM, Report abuse Reply
ah, there is no fidelity limit to iTunes, it plays lossless just fine. Sounds like you have never used iTunes, that's all.
by OS11, Bristol, on Aug 10, 2008 08:02 PM, Report abuse
When I connect the iphone with the computer instead of upgrading the application iTunes automatically delete everything and I cannot use the phone anymore ...
by George, Bucharest, on Aug 10, 2008 07:07 PM, Report abuse Reply
The Iphone is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
by Carol B, Hauppauge, on Aug 10, 2008 06:01 PM, Report abuse Reply
wanna be diffrent??? after all its good..
by sudeep, pune, on Aug 10, 2008 04:53 PM, Report abuse Reply
Whether you hate it or love it millions will queue up to buy it. Myself included. If they open the stores at 12 in the night I will be there that time
by Sidharth, Vizag, on Aug 10, 2008 03:49 PM, Report abuse Reply
by anonymous, amritsar, on Aug 10, 2008 02:42 PM, Report abuse Reply
another st*pid post from morons who simply hate iPhone coz it is popular
by CEBEP, City, on Aug 10, 2008 02:08 PM, Report abuse Reply
Shims like it all bout India. Who cares. My iPhone works great.
by waldo, boulder, on Aug 10, 2008 01:21 PM, Report abuse Reply
This article = EPIC FAIL, is easy to point out negative stuff why not the positive?? Bias, why you write?? if youre being so subjective!
by Arnaldo, Colombia, on Aug 10, 2008 12:51 AM, Report abuse Reply
This comment = EPIC FAIL, is easy to point out negative stuff why not the positive?? Bias, why you write?? if youre being so subjective! Yo mero,
by YoMero, D.F., on Aug 10, 2008 12:56 PM, Report abuse
thats why I LUUUUUUUUV my blackberry... LUV IT
by danny, santa clarita, on Aug 10, 2008 01:00 PM, Report abuse
by ross, carmel, on Aug 10, 2008 12:53 PM, Report abuse Reply
this isn't 10 reasons to hate the iphone, this sounds like 10 rants about the apple apps store, get a life...seriously. If you don't like the apps store that much, which you have no reason to because there are plenty of free apps you can download. you are not forced to pay for apps and you can also download them from your phone, you don't need itunes. Also, hardware locked to carriers?? remember sim cards? How about sprint phones, they are locked to sprint. I don't see why you aren't hating on them. But thanks for the free rant jokes.
by Jack, New York, on Aug 10, 2008 12:28 PM, Report abuse Reply
Another anti-Apple blogger that has to dig deep to find fault. Nulliver was removed becuase it breaks the rules set by our carrier. This is well documented. The app store is controlled as in a shared environment, security and control would be passed to users which would 100X the support folks as 1 of 10 apps would work. iPhone does not text photos - this was taken off the table - if you have an iphone, email the photo. Video recording kills the battery - crossed off the list. All yoor rants have well documented responses but of course you would never link to them. People that rip the iPhone all have one thing in common: THEY DO NOT OWN AN iPHONE
by Steve J, San Jose, CA, on Aug 09, 2008 06:58 PM, Report abuse Reply
I have an iphone 3G and it sucks. The battery lasts only 4 hours unless you turn half of the reasons to buy it off and the so called "push" email is not "push" and hell, it doesn't work half the time. Which is not acceptable. I have had Macs for 20 years but I am going back to a blackberry. They might not be as slick but they work, which the iphone doesn't.
by jenner, Paris, on Aug 10, 2008 12:23 PM, Report abuse
thats why you hack it..... duhhh
by jim, clifton park, on Aug 10, 2008 12:22 PM, Report abuse Reply
by Dean Sorenson, Live Oak, on Aug 10, 2008 12:21 PM, Report abuse Reply
Great article. "Imagine Microsoft creating a gated software ecosystem and installing themselves as the gatekeeper. They would be eaten alive by the press. Apple gets a free pass." So true. It boggles the mind.
by iconicus, Tucson, on Aug 10, 2008 12:23 AM, Report abuse Reply
Apple is a business. They not obligated to provide you anything. It is your choice whether to buy or not. Am I better off using their products than not, I think I am and I'm voting with my money. Why would anyone want to turn Apple into microsoft?
by Anonymous, Pensacola, on Aug 10, 2008 02:17 AM, Report abuse
Umm, that criticism would make sense if apple had a walled ecosystem for their computers, but the wall only extends around the iphone. What is is reminiscent of is the early days of Nintendo when it had complete control of development for its systems
by Fan_boi, Vancouver, on Aug 10, 2008 10:35 AM, Report abuse
They also are advertising "half the price." But I have AT&T service already so my daughter could get the 2G phone. I held out for 3G and now they want to charge me twice as much. No thanks!
by marty, Santa Clara, on Aug 10, 2008 10:10 AM, Report abuse Reply
what an effin waste of time this forum is.
by Icant Believeit, La Jolla, on Aug 10, 2008 08:52 AM, Report abuse Reply
Not an entirely truthful article 1) False: Filemagnet on Appstore lets you drag and drop from desktop. Amazon music is mp3 and will play and sync in itunes. (They even offer the option of letting iTunes manage their music) 2) False: Most cellphones operate only in walled gardens as opposed to computers. If you want to have your own way there are open source installer applications for iPhone. 3) True 4) Normal in cellphones 5) Normal in cellphones 6) Half false: You can install open source, unlimited access apps if you want to. 7) True 8) True: ...and while they have said it is on the list to do it is still lame 9) Half false: MMS apps exist, if you want to install them. Or you can email to MMS if you google how. Or you can ask why which comes up with obvious answers a) MMS is not standards based with incompatibility across brands b) carriers have variable limits to what/how much can be sent or received c) carriers charge the user even if the receiver cannot receive d) while most phones have the feature it is not commonly available due to carrier, plan, network or user limitations. e) MMS has been a flop globally from a carrier revenue perspective. 10) Half false: Apps can be installed if you want to do this with automatic conversion and upload to Youtube 11) Half false: Appstore already has a few apps offering this 12) 90% False: In very few countries is it single carrier locked. You can legally buy it unlocked in many countries. Carrier locking is almost the rule in the world. This is a whinge about telcos not phones. Only no one has the guts to take them on properly about it so they complain about the phone makers instead. Lame To conclude. The iPhone is probably the best at what it does and what it doesn't do will surprise you. If you want to opt out of the safe application process you can and the world is your oyster with some risk and skill. The most powerful platform ever leveraged for a phone and it has been restricted for the sanity of 90% of the market, the other 10% who want that freedom of feature access will find a huge homebrew market waiting to embrace them. Then again if you actually find a phone that a) has everything you want b) does it all in the way that you want it to... Buy two so when it inevitably falls apart in 12 months you can keep using it since the phone maker will now be making models that are completely incompatible with yours and there will be no software or firmware upgrades for yours EVER. Unless the one you bought was an iPhone. BTW There are at least 10 things that it doesn't do that are better reasons to list. Copy Paste is one of them.
by Cy Starkman, Australia, on Aug 10, 2008 08:20 AM, Report abuse Reply
1: What's the big deal? itunes is free 2: So what? itunes is free 3: I need that application back too. I agree 4: That's normal 5: They are working on a protocol to send messages to the iphone that will allow IMs and other software communicate in the background 6: I agree 7: I agree 8: I've read it will be ready soon (on v2.1) 9: I agree. 10: I agree 11: Who cares 12: Its unlockable (using a small sim)
by David, London, on Aug 10, 2008 08:20 AM, Report abuse Reply
and lets not forget the worst sounding speaker in the world I've probably owned 20 phones over the last few years and the iphone 3g is by far the weakest yet..by far.
by jack, toronto, on Aug 10, 2008 07:09 AM, Report abuse Reply
point 160, If you're canadian, forget point 10 as there isn't any that can be found, point 161, why canadians get things like the google app, or the ebay app or pandora? let alone netshare and orb.
by jack, toronto, on Aug 10, 2008 06:57 AM, Report abuse Reply
by Rajagopalan.V.S, Bangalore, on Aug 10, 2008 05:53 AM, Report abuse Reply
I love articles like this that spawn so much debate! I am trying to decide between an iPhone and the Blackberry Bold, and I think I'm going to get the BB when it comes out. The iPhone is a really slick product, but for me, it misses the boat in a few crucial areas, the keyboard being the biggest one. I also can't believe it lacks video recording. That's just lame. I know there are third-party solutions out there, but I want what I buy to work out of the box, especially for that price. I also hate the way Apple chains you to iTunes. Sorry Steve-O, maybe next time!
by Footbeeters, ct, on Aug 10, 2008 05:27 AM, Report abuse Reply
Hmmm... Everything you say is right, of course. But still, it's always been that walled garden that's kept the list of applications that run on Mac -- and now the iPhone -- admittedly short, but also sweet. While there may exist several times the number of applications on other platforms, most of them suck, and brutally. Many Windows applications are so bad that they defy comprehension. If that's the model you'd like to see on the iPhone (or the Mac, perhaps), then let's just agree to disagree; stick to the wince and palm devices, where choice rules, granted, but not quality or coherence.
by Keith G, NYC, on Aug 10, 2008 04:30 AM, Report abuse Reply
iPhone - no bluetooth, no voice dialing, no video, no mms, no sms forwarding.... iPod - no fm, not drag and drop thingy.... mac books - DAMN costly what apple basically does is it gives the industry what is needed....but then it makes its products such a way that they completely suck!! I mean look at the ipod....we needed such a music player...but when you can include fm and all the other stuff apple is still not advancing... laptops, well it hasnt done anything that would make us call it a pioneer...there are a hell lot of notebooks with much better configuration than apple's similarly priced notebooks.... all in all.... apple apple all hype apple apple not ripe!
by Deepak, Jodhpur, on Aug 09, 2008 07:23 PM, Report abuse Reply
...and yet people still buy them, and the marketshare is growing. Can you explain that? If their products truly suck, why would more and more people switch? Maybe you need to take a second, unbiased, look.
by Aaron, Dallas, on Aug 09, 2008 07:29 PM, Report abuse
People still buy Macs because they want to seem cool. It certainly isn't because they perform better and are a better value.
by Joe, Washington, on Aug 09, 2008 07:41 PM, Report abuse
Deepak, The iPhone has BlueTooth, just not data transfer or stereo. Stereo would be nice, but data transfer would be lame because it's so slow and limited range...and you've already got USB, WiFi, Edge and 3G for data. "no voice dialing", not true, the iPhone has voice dialing through AT&T TellMe (actually provided by Microsoft) as well as 3rd party apps. "no video", again, third party. "no fm", you mean 'radio'. Ha, I remember fm radio, back in the days when you had to be within range of the actual station and you'd get all kinds of static. And then it evolved into satellite radio where you had to pay monthly fees, but couldn't get many local stations. That seems like ages ago. Now days, with devices like the iPhone, you can get FM, AM radio stations from all over via your Edge or 3G connection. You can be anywhere. It's free. There are some stations that are Internet only...you get those too. There are also apps like Pandora, which again is free, and allows you to roll your own customized radio station. ... "but when you can include fm and all the other stuff apple is still not advancing"...Apple is advancing so fast, you're being lapped and don't even realize it. Try to keep up.
by Macslut, San Francisco, on Aug 09, 2008 07:43 PM, Report abuse
Deepak, It doesn't make toast either. FFS the iPhone is about what it does do it does do incredibly well if not far easier than any of the other so called smartphones. You aren't going to get this because you have never picked one up and actually used it. If you had you might get it. The iphone was not created to tick a collection of feature boxes. It was designed to do certain things very easily.
by rattyuk, Miami, on Aug 09, 2008 08:41 PM, Report abuse
dude...i felt the same way until i saw my friend's macbook pro....after using his for awhile, i completely hated working on windows and ended up buying a macbook pro myself. Seeing my laptop, atleast 3 of my friends and cousins have bought it. You're talking about getting better configuration for the same price, dude i play alot of games and i run windows through bootcamp just for the games, let me tell you one thing, get any of those notebooks with better config for the same price, I can bet the macbook would not only be better but would also last much longer!!!!! You won't believe this but even the windows performs much better on a macbook pro then on any other laptop with the same configuration. Apple really knows how to make the most out of the hardware!!! About the iPhone, I'm buying it this month. I was waiting for the 3G one to come out. As everyone have already mentioned, Apple stuff is expensive not just cos of the cool looks (as i used to think before) but its great to actually use one.
by eshan, Delhi/Dubai, on Aug 10, 2008 03:22 AM, Report abuse
people buy products that works for them. look at the iPod, it lacks what other music players have - fm radio, video recording, etc...but yet it's the dominant player by far on the market and that's not because it's the only one that's cool or stylist. Sony and Creative have cool stylist players as well. it's simply because it does what people want/need which is to play music. Adding features isn't advancing if people don't use them.
by Trekks47, Baltimore, on Aug 10, 2008 03:45 AM, Report abuse
If Microsoft tried restricting who could develop software for Windows, decided which software you were ALLOWED to run, insisted on a cut of all software sales for it's platform and tied you to a specific ISP, they would be flailed by the press and sued beyond belief. Apple seems to get a a pass. I don't get it.
by Borg, asdf, on Aug 10, 2008 12:12 AM, Report abuse Reply
what you fail to understand is market share. Microsoft is run on 90% of the computers worldwide while Apple has only 5% (and that's being optimist). If Microsoft were to do what you propose, they would shut out pretty much every other competitor and shows they're a monopoly because people would have no other choice if they wish to stay in business and stiffens competition . Apple, on the other hand, has such a small market share, they really aren't a big player except to themselves. So if people don't like what they are doing, it's no big deal because they can change to Microsoft or another OS. You're trying to compare a marlin to a 1500-ton shark. Not the same thing.
by Trekks47, Baltimore, on Aug 10, 2008 03:32 AM, Report abuse
Can someone name me another phone which supports multi-touch technology? Many commentators appear to believe all touch phones are multi-touch.
by Dave, Montreal, on Aug 10, 2008 02:35 AM, Report abuse Reply
bla bla bla bla...garble garble garble iphone bla bla bla mms garble garble garble garble vbla bla....
by absar, mumbai, on Aug 10, 2008 12:28 AM, Report abuse Reply
For me i-phone is like a beautiful new bride i will loose interest after using or Fu**ng its touch UI in few days.
by sachin, goa, on Aug 09, 2008 11:58 PM, Report abuse
Wait 6 more months for an Android device. You can read Android features as opposite to all the 12 points above
by Sunish, Raipur, on Aug 29, 2008 10:54 PM, Report abuse Reply