The next must-have luxury gadget, perfect for business, travel, and fun, has got to be the much-anticipated iPhone. All this buzz won't mean a thing until it's actually tested and evaluated, of course - is it the next gotta-have-it for gearheads? The iPhone sure qualifies as a luxury multifunctioning cellphone: The price tag starts at 500 bucks, and bumps up to 600 with all the bells and whistles added.
A solid rule of thumb with new technology is, wait for the next model. First models released to the early adopter hordes are often imperfect in glitchy ways that are subsequently fine-tuned. Prices also tend to drop after the initial rush. "Wait a while" is obviously not what the industry would advise, since it affects tech companies' bottom lines, but it's a good idea for consumers.
So, what do we know about the iPhone? We know that it supposedly one-ups this column's favorite PDA, the Blackberry. Remote email access, keyboard on a touchscreen, and, oh yeah, a cellphone. But the real breakthrough is the web access. Not just text, as on a Blackberry, but the real, beautiful web page deal. Whenever the iPhone can receive wi-fi signals, the internet is right there, on the screen. Gorgeous. The Apple website relays that Web 2.0 applications are compatible with iPhone web apps, so they interface seamlessly.
Now, iPods are so popular, and so widespread, that they're taking on the iconic status of Jell-o and Band-aids. That is, iPod as a brand name is becoming eponymous for the word MP3 player, so as to mean the same thing (sorry, Zune). But iPhones have iPods built right in. Do the smart folks over at Apple think they'll have the same smashing success with IPhones as they've had with iPods? I'm sure they hope so. This column's biggest complaint with the later models of Blackberry PDAs is that web searching is s-l-o-w. However, Blackberrys use their own internet access, whereas iPhones' web browsers are wi-fi capable, enabled with Safari. We know how fast a Google search is with wi-fi. As an iPod nano, shuffle and mini owner, this column is no stranger to Apple fandom (and, yes, geekitude). While we know that "Want it" feeling, we may not need every single version of an iPod or a smartphone.
A smart consumer would see Apple's history of updating products after each initial launch, and hold off buying an iPhone. That's certainly what this column recommends. Not that saying "just wait" has stopped the eager early adopters before. Being pragmatic may be good advice with new technology, but nothing can beat the feeling of being among the first to whip out a shiny, new, highly desired gadget in front of fellow acolytes. The iPhone comes out June 29. Have fun with it.
Related, on Suite 101:
Blackberry Pearl Product Review
Blackberry 8800 Product Review
Ricoh 500SE Digital Camera Review
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