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What about the Microsoft iPhone, IBM iPhone, Dell iPhone or the HP iPhone
As we all know, yesterday the iPhone from Apple was announced (release in the early summer). I posted my thoughts on why I don't believe this will be as big as the gadget and big tech bloggers believe it will be. Let's ignore my (valid) reasons and let's assume this device will be the killer awesome piece that most believe it will be.
So last night I started to wonder why people love this device so much. And so here is my question… are people in love with this device because:
- it's an Apple device and so people just love it regardless of quality/feature set
- it's a freaking awesome device and no matter who created it, it would be just as heavily pushed by this blogger/media set
First reason… it's an Apple device….
So here the idea is that the iPhone device might not be so great, but because Apple has been known to put out quality products that are easy-to-use and designed well, everyone automatically goes ga-ga over it. And more importantly, it's a "Jobs" product and his name sells merchandise. Perhaps it's the sex appeal that Apple has currently.
Second reason… its an awesome product and under any name would do well
This one is tougher to think about by do some Zen thinking and clear your mind. Would people be all over this device with 100s of posts on TechMeme about the iPhone if it was sold by any of the following:
- Microsoft
- Dell
- HP
- IBM
These companies don't have the "glitz" or "sex appeal" that Apple currently has. So would a Microsoft iPhone be as highly touted? What about if HP or IBM produced it? Would a blogger like Steve Rubel, Michael Arrington, Lev Grossman at Time, Gizmodo or engadget write so passionately about a product if it had the same feature set but made by one of the four companies I mention? I doubt it. I really do.
Conclusion
My guess is that the answer lies somewhere between both of my reasons above. But I do believe that the Jobs name and the Macintosh apple with a chunk out of it could sell wet wood to someone trying to start a fire these days.
What's your thought, I'd like to know.
Pc user too. So I bought the iPhone to give to my gf, and using it until then. I dont listen to music much, I’d rather read a book in text or play Go on a device like this. Whats the deal, I cant even save a text file on this 8Gb ‘cool’ phone.
None of these companies have ever introduced a device to the market that innovates in the way the mac, ipod or iphone innovates. I’m not talking about technical spec innovation. I’m talking about user experience innovation.
If any of these companies ever actually does bring a product to market with the kind of innovation in user experience that the iPhone represents, than bring up the question.
The user experience innovations in iPhone address every frustration I’ve ever had with cellphones in 12 years of using them, except battery life. It’s almost uncanny.
Windows 95 brought the internet easily to the masses -the built-in tcp/ip stack was far easier to configure than the 3rd party add-ins then available for the Mac. The iPods user interface was stolen from Creative Labs (and now they are paying for it).
Problem is so long as Jobs keeps spouting BS people believe him – for years he told the world that the Mac cpu was superior to the Intel ones – so superior in fact that they switched to Intel and virtually doubled the performance.
I think they could package dog turd in a bag with an apple logo on it and it would sell.
The reason is they make great looking products with sleek UI.
Now they managed to convert the ipod crowd to the mac book crowd they have more people blogging on them.
I think they are just the Nike of the computer world.
My only gripe is the price.
I’m a PC user. I’ve used a number of Apples/Macs over the years but have always found myself returning to PC’s because of dollars and the fact that the majority of users use PC’s. That said, I’ve never had my own Mac but I’ve owned many a PC. Now that Apple is Intel based I can see myself making the transition when my current laptop is done.
I think the point you make about Apple being able to sell wet wood, or at least generate a positive buzz about wet wood, is bang on. But you’ve gotta admit this new phone of theirs is pretty unbelievable.
I don’t think it would have generated the same buzz if anyone else had produced it, but no one does sexy like Apple. And this is one sexy looking little phone.
I would love to have one but at the end of the day I’ll probably go with a cheaper option and play five more rounds of golf.
what about the LG KE850/Prada phone?
http://www.slashphone.com/89/6073.html
http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/blog/?p=49
PRADA have a nice design.
I did a survey of all the rival smartphone web pages and I have to say there is nothing that comes even close to this device in design and user interface quality.
Judging by how anemic the competition is, I think only Steve Jobs and Apple could have done such a device, and that’s why Apple has such an image and gets attention so easily.
It’s earned the attention and image.
D
The main difference in my eyes is the fact that when apple puts out a product it usually works without configuration and with as little pain as possible. I have set up hundreds of computers and network devices bearing apple, microsoft and linux as it OS of choice and have never seen a device work as easily as an apple device.
Why do you think that so many companies tried and are trying to copy the iPod? Because of its genious design and simple user interface. You plug it in to your computer and it does to work for you. Similar devices on any other platform have fallen short of that user – tech gap. Not to mention it’s an awesome looking product.
The same can be said for many other hardware and software categories, but I don’t want to write a book.
When people see that apple is putting out a phone, they are excited because it…
1. Will be easy to use
2. Will look attractive
3. Will have adequate functionality for its purpose
4. Will have a simple yet effective user interface
5. Will just be that thing your friends will be jealous of
No other company has that appeal, and if they ever had that appeal they blew it because they didn’t live up to expectations and put out products that were ugly or hard to use. Sure, in the 80′s apple put out products that didn’t work out… that was over 15 years ago…
Now pin it up how you want, as someone who doubted the iPod and called it “hype”, you can hate on the iPhone and eat your words later, or just accept that Apple makes asthetically and functionally superior products.
Personally i think this iPhone would look killer in white,
but back to the price its just not even close to practical for the average American.
It has been known for quite a while that the MAC and apple are equated with style, asthetics, reliability, and parsimony. However, the phone world is a new venture for apple. It does offer a lot of uses in one device. Does it really work as well as the media depicts it? Time will tell after its release and it is in the market. I am considering the purchase of the IPhone, but not sure about the reliablility and clarity of ATT as the carrier. I am happy with verizon. Does anyone know how ATT service is? Can it compete with verizon? This, I think will be a big factor in the success of this latest(must have) gadget. It does not matter if the phone can do X,Y, and Z, if the service is not good(i.e. sprint and nextel). I will wait for further reviews before I purchase one.
Yup. People believed Jobs and not Creative. Lucky Creative! You know, there is a reason and there is a name for it. It is called Ergonomics. Some things work more easily and gracefully and more comfortably than others. Jobs recognises things that work. So what if Creative or Xerox invented it- they are lucky that Jobs moved it for them, because they coudn’t do it for themselves. Unlike so many other thieves (and believe me- all innovators are thieves at some level) Jobs and Co. CAN AND DO INNOVATE.
My best guess, if you remember what Apple did with the iPod, they will produce the bells and whistles version of the iPhone and after the dust settles they will come out with a “shuffle” (bare bones) version. One that the rest of us can afford.