Love-Hate relationship with my iPhone
We at FamilyLink are now developing iPhone applications and we had to get iPhones for use and testing. iPhones are all the rage and are the new status symbol the way that Blackberries and Treos used to be. I do think that in the future, more applications will be on the hand held devices and thus require fewer people to own desktops. With the volume of iPhones that are sold, more development resources will be directed to this platform.
I am a mobile device “power user” and probably use more applications than the average user. I rely heavily on my mobile device and I expect it to work as hard as I do. I don’t carry it around to make a statement, unless that statement is that I am busy and I have a lot I need to get accomplished.
Things the iPhone does well
The Safari browser implementation on the iPhone shows that you don’t need a desktop to use the internet. The browsers on the Treo and Blackberry do not provide a strong user experience. Thus the iPhone takes a huge leap forward in reducing the need for laptop computers. Mankind will still need to have desktops and laptops, but that need is diminished by the iPhone and similar devices. More on this later in the comparison below.
Apple does a great job on human interfaces and usability. Almost to a fault, even when the interface looks great there may not be any substance behind it. This was the case in the early Apples, Apple IIs, Macintoshes, etc. In fact the early Macs were such a joke because they looked good but were completely inadequate for doing anything other than playing games or drawing pretty pictures. Later they became serious business machines with serious applications that made them the best tool for certain jobs.
Over time the substance behind the interfaces has been able to mature to the point of being useful. I am hoping that will be the case with the iPhones. Steve Jobs, someone whom I admire (not always agree with, but admire), has announced the iPhone business productivity enhancements (or whatever it is called) for June. I am looking forward to these much needed upgrades.
I have been using a Treo on the Sprint Network. I have used a Blackberry and other devices described in the comparison below. I know that you can get a Treo on the AT&T or other networks, but I chose the Sprint network for its nation wide speed advantage. This is why my company’s Air Cards are on the Sprint network as well.
My review of my first month of using the iPhone is as follows: Looks great, doesn't do much (yet).
I love the form factor of the iPhone. It is the same weight as my Treo, but half the thickness. This makes it 2x more carry-able in my mind. However, since I am still packing around my Treo with it's phone service turned off, that negates the form factor. (More on why I am still carrying around the Treo later in this comparison) Form Factor Advantage iPhone.
I love the Safari browser implementation on the iPhone. In fact, I like it more than sitting at desk and using IE or Firefox to browse the internet. This browser is 10x superior to the user experience on the Treo or Blackberry. However, this is the only advantage that is clearly in favor of the iPhone. I wish that the rest of the iPhone had been as well thought out as internet browsing. Huge Browser Advantage iPhone.
However, it is great at home, at work, as the city office building, at BYU, which are the the main places that I stay for any period of time. However, in any other place the network feels like molasses. I have had some problem with connecting to some Wi-Fi networks, even though I am properly authenticated. A friend told me to reboot my iPhone and that has solved the problem for now. I really like the Wi-Fi implementation on the iPhone. Huge Wi-Fi advantage iPhone.
The AT&T Edge network is painfully slow compared to modern 3G networks. I loved the Sprint network and still have my regrets about leaving it. Some of the features of the iPhone (like iTunes) don't work unless you are in range of a WiFi system. It was a huge coup for AT&T to lock up the contract with Apple for iPhones, however, it is frustrating users who have experienced better network speed. I have commiserated with others who have changed to the AT&T network, only to have buyer’s remorse. We may love/like/tolerate the iPhone, but we hate the AT&T network. Advantage Sprint network and Treo.
I like the email implementation on the iPhone. It has some advantages and disadvantages compared to a Blackberry or Treo. But I don't feel like I have lost any email functionality with the iPhone. Email Advantage even.
I also like the camera implementation. It is on par with my Treo. However, there is no 'Cam Corder' mode to create video. I have used video from my Treo for many things including videos that I have uploaded to YouTube. This is a slight step down from my Treo. Slight Camera/Camcorder advantage Treo.
I like the Google Maps implementation on the iPhone. It looks better than on my Treo, but has the same functionality. Google Maps Advantage even.
Now for the serious downsides to iPhone.
User input on the iPhone is abysmal. I hate entering text into the iPhone. It is the worst implementation of data input into a PDA type device that I have ever experienced. Shame on Apple for releasing something this awful! I had an Apple Newton 15 years ago that is light years ahead of the iPhone for data input. Every Newton, Palm, Windows CE, Blackberry, Treo, cell phone, Nintendo GameBoy, Nintendo DS, generic PDA, etc that I have ever used is better than the iPhone for data input. I have come to realize how important it is to be able to get information into a PDA.
I take copious notes in the various meetings that I am in. I have given up doing that on the iPhone.
I tried to connect a BlueTooth keyboard to the iPhone that I have used with my Treo. No drivers exist for BlueTooth keyboard on the iPhone. Another missed opportunity for the iPhone.
I hope that someone develops a "Graffiti" text input application for the iPhone. That would be a big improvement. You couldn't use a stylus because of the nature of the iPhone touch screen, but if it accepted finger tip movements then it would work just fine. On this subject you can use a gloved finger or a stylus on the iPhone. This means that you have to take your glove off to answer the phone if you are in the cold. I don't like that, but I can tolerate it. One thing that Graffiti could do that takes a lot of practice on any other device is the ability to input text without looking at the device. Some people can do that with Blackberries and Treos and cell phones, but it takes a lot of time to train your fingers to do that. However, I could take notes on my Palm Pilot and Apple Newton without looking at the device. This was very convenient. Huge Advantage Treo, Blackberry, Palm Pilot, Apple Newton.
I tried to move the hundreds of memos from my Treo to the iPhone, but it can't be done. Interestingly enough, some of those memos were originally written on my old Apple Newton. However, they are stuck on my Treo, which I will continue to carry around for looking up my personal notes. I can drag and drop this memo structure onto any computer or device except my iPhone. This is a limitation of iTunes as much as the iPhone, but since the iPhone is dependant on iTunes, the iPhone takes another hit. Huge advantage Treo.
This brings up the syncing process between my desktop and my mobile device. I have several computers that I store my important data and all of them are Windows based computers. Maybe my experience would be different if I used a Mac; I have heard that is the case. However, I don’t use a Mac.
The only thing that easily came across from my Treo to the iPhone was my photos. That was nice. However, my personal notes, contacts, schedule, and documents didn't. It took some work and I was finally able to move my contacts across from my Treo to the iPhone, but that process scrambled the type of contact info so now most of the cell mobile numbers that I had in my Treo were all remapped as either "work" or "home" numbers. I can't easily text people that I could with my Treo. Huge data advantage Treo.
I used DataViz Documents to go on my Treo. I had 100 megabytes of MS Word documents, MS Excel spreadsheets, .PDF files, MS Power Point slides, etc on the 2 gig SD card in the Treo. I could pop that card out and plug it into a variety of computers and copy files to or from that card. That was a very nice way to conduct business. I even had a 10 megabyte spreadsheet that I could open and search on that SD card. It was so convenient to have that ability. None of that works on my new iPhone. I can't sync documents to my iPhone. I can view attachments, but the doesn't let me edit or create them on my hand held device. This lack of support for standard business files indicates to me that the iPhone is not a serious business device. Huge document usage advantage Treo.
I am experimenting with alternatives to native support for MS Office documents. I like what I have seen so far with Zoho.com's suite of online document types. I like how Google documents look on my iPhone, but I can't edit them or create new ones like I can with Zoho's. I am still looking for solutions and am not satisfied yet. I use about 60 Google Docs to manage my company and I need to edit them on my portable device. Online Documents Advantage Even.
The iPhone does not have a way to be a digital recorder. I used mVoice software on my Treo to record meetings or special events. This is something that should be added to the iPhone to compensate for the lack of data input capabilities. Digital Recorder Advantage Treo.
PocketTunes on my Treo combined with the speed of the Sprint network allowed me to listen to streaming internet audio from various news and talk stations. I listened to local news and sports no matter where I traveled in the country. I could pipe that audio from my Treo into my car's audio system and listen to my favorite programs. I was able to listen to my home news while watching my son play soccer in Oregon. That was a beautiful system that was almost like magic. But that magic doesn't exist on the iPhone. I can listen to KSL in iTunes on my computer, but not on my iPhone. Streaming Audio Programs Huge advantage Treo.
I am not happy with the implementation of Google Chat on the Treo or iPhone. I like it on the Blackberry. The chatting capabilities of the Treo and iPhone are adequate, but not as good as the Blackberry. I am hoping that Google or someone else will implement a Google Talk for the iPhone. The alternatives that I have seen are inadequate. Google Talk Advantage Blackberry. I had hoped that someone would have implemented a Skype client for the iPhone. I read several blogs that claimed it was going to happen, but I haven’t seen it yet. Skype Advantage Even.
Results of comparison
Huge Advantages iPhone: 2
• Safari Internet Browser
• Wi-Fi
Advantages iPhone: 1
• Form Factor
Even: 4
• Email
• Google Maps
• Online document usage
• lack of Skype client
Advantages Treo, Blackberry, or other device: 4
• Speed of cellular network
• Camera/Camcorder
• Digital Recorder
• Google Talk
Huge Advantages Treo, Blackberry, or other device: 5
• Text input
• Transferring data between computer and hand held device
• Syncing between computer and hand held device
• Use of MS Office Documents
• Streaming Audio
I am a mobile device “power user” and probably use more applications than the average user. I rely heavily on my mobile device and I expect it to work as hard as I do. I don’t carry it around to make a statement, unless that statement is that I am busy and I have a lot I need to get accomplished.
Things the iPhone does well
The Safari browser implementation on the iPhone shows that you don’t need a desktop to use the internet. The browsers on the Treo and Blackberry do not provide a strong user experience. Thus the iPhone takes a huge leap forward in reducing the need for laptop computers. Mankind will still need to have desktops and laptops, but that need is diminished by the iPhone and similar devices. More on this later in the comparison below.
Apple does a great job on human interfaces and usability. Almost to a fault, even when the interface looks great there may not be any substance behind it. This was the case in the early Apples, Apple IIs, Macintoshes, etc. In fact the early Macs were such a joke because they looked good but were completely inadequate for doing anything other than playing games or drawing pretty pictures. Later they became serious business machines with serious applications that made them the best tool for certain jobs.
Over time the substance behind the interfaces has been able to mature to the point of being useful. I am hoping that will be the case with the iPhones. Steve Jobs, someone whom I admire (not always agree with, but admire), has announced the iPhone business productivity enhancements (or whatever it is called) for June. I am looking forward to these much needed upgrades.
I have been using a Treo on the Sprint Network. I have used a Blackberry and other devices described in the comparison below. I know that you can get a Treo on the AT&T or other networks, but I chose the Sprint network for its nation wide speed advantage. This is why my company’s Air Cards are on the Sprint network as well.
My review of my first month of using the iPhone is as follows: Looks great, doesn't do much (yet).
I love the form factor of the iPhone. It is the same weight as my Treo, but half the thickness. This makes it 2x more carry-able in my mind. However, since I am still packing around my Treo with it's phone service turned off, that negates the form factor. (More on why I am still carrying around the Treo later in this comparison) Form Factor Advantage iPhone.
I love the Safari browser implementation on the iPhone. In fact, I like it more than sitting at desk and using IE or Firefox to browse the internet. This browser is 10x superior to the user experience on the Treo or Blackberry. However, this is the only advantage that is clearly in favor of the iPhone. I wish that the rest of the iPhone had been as well thought out as internet browsing. Huge Browser Advantage iPhone.
However, it is great at home, at work, as the city office building, at BYU, which are the the main places that I stay for any period of time. However, in any other place the network feels like molasses. I have had some problem with connecting to some Wi-Fi networks, even though I am properly authenticated. A friend told me to reboot my iPhone and that has solved the problem for now. I really like the Wi-Fi implementation on the iPhone. Huge Wi-Fi advantage iPhone.
The AT&T Edge network is painfully slow compared to modern 3G networks. I loved the Sprint network and still have my regrets about leaving it. Some of the features of the iPhone (like iTunes) don't work unless you are in range of a WiFi system. It was a huge coup for AT&T to lock up the contract with Apple for iPhones, however, it is frustrating users who have experienced better network speed. I have commiserated with others who have changed to the AT&T network, only to have buyer’s remorse. We may love/like/tolerate the iPhone, but we hate the AT&T network. Advantage Sprint network and Treo.
I like the email implementation on the iPhone. It has some advantages and disadvantages compared to a Blackberry or Treo. But I don't feel like I have lost any email functionality with the iPhone. Email Advantage even.
I also like the camera implementation. It is on par with my Treo. However, there is no 'Cam Corder' mode to create video. I have used video from my Treo for many things including videos that I have uploaded to YouTube. This is a slight step down from my Treo. Slight Camera/Camcorder advantage Treo.
I like the Google Maps implementation on the iPhone. It looks better than on my Treo, but has the same functionality. Google Maps Advantage even.
Now for the serious downsides to iPhone.
User input on the iPhone is abysmal. I hate entering text into the iPhone. It is the worst implementation of data input into a PDA type device that I have ever experienced. Shame on Apple for releasing something this awful! I had an Apple Newton 15 years ago that is light years ahead of the iPhone for data input. Every Newton, Palm, Windows CE, Blackberry, Treo, cell phone, Nintendo GameBoy, Nintendo DS, generic PDA, etc that I have ever used is better than the iPhone for data input. I have come to realize how important it is to be able to get information into a PDA.
I take copious notes in the various meetings that I am in. I have given up doing that on the iPhone.
I tried to connect a BlueTooth keyboard to the iPhone that I have used with my Treo. No drivers exist for BlueTooth keyboard on the iPhone. Another missed opportunity for the iPhone.
I hope that someone develops a "Graffiti" text input application for the iPhone. That would be a big improvement. You couldn't use a stylus because of the nature of the iPhone touch screen, but if it accepted finger tip movements then it would work just fine. On this subject you can use a gloved finger or a stylus on the iPhone. This means that you have to take your glove off to answer the phone if you are in the cold. I don't like that, but I can tolerate it. One thing that Graffiti could do that takes a lot of practice on any other device is the ability to input text without looking at the device. Some people can do that with Blackberries and Treos and cell phones, but it takes a lot of time to train your fingers to do that. However, I could take notes on my Palm Pilot and Apple Newton without looking at the device. This was very convenient. Huge Advantage Treo, Blackberry, Palm Pilot, Apple Newton.
I tried to move the hundreds of memos from my Treo to the iPhone, but it can't be done. Interestingly enough, some of those memos were originally written on my old Apple Newton. However, they are stuck on my Treo, which I will continue to carry around for looking up my personal notes. I can drag and drop this memo structure onto any computer or device except my iPhone. This is a limitation of iTunes as much as the iPhone, but since the iPhone is dependant on iTunes, the iPhone takes another hit. Huge advantage Treo.
This brings up the syncing process between my desktop and my mobile device. I have several computers that I store my important data and all of them are Windows based computers. Maybe my experience would be different if I used a Mac; I have heard that is the case. However, I don’t use a Mac.
The only thing that easily came across from my Treo to the iPhone was my photos. That was nice. However, my personal notes, contacts, schedule, and documents didn't. It took some work and I was finally able to move my contacts across from my Treo to the iPhone, but that process scrambled the type of contact info so now most of the cell mobile numbers that I had in my Treo were all remapped as either "work" or "home" numbers. I can't easily text people that I could with my Treo. Huge data advantage Treo.
I used DataViz Documents to go on my Treo. I had 100 megabytes of MS Word documents, MS Excel spreadsheets, .PDF files, MS Power Point slides, etc on the 2 gig SD card in the Treo. I could pop that card out and plug it into a variety of computers and copy files to or from that card. That was a very nice way to conduct business. I even had a 10 megabyte spreadsheet that I could open and search on that SD card. It was so convenient to have that ability. None of that works on my new iPhone. I can't sync documents to my iPhone. I can view attachments, but the doesn't let me edit or create them on my hand held device. This lack of support for standard business files indicates to me that the iPhone is not a serious business device. Huge document usage advantage Treo.
I am experimenting with alternatives to native support for MS Office documents. I like what I have seen so far with Zoho.com's suite of online document types. I like how Google documents look on my iPhone, but I can't edit them or create new ones like I can with Zoho's. I am still looking for solutions and am not satisfied yet. I use about 60 Google Docs to manage my company and I need to edit them on my portable device. Online Documents Advantage Even.
The iPhone does not have a way to be a digital recorder. I used mVoice software on my Treo to record meetings or special events. This is something that should be added to the iPhone to compensate for the lack of data input capabilities. Digital Recorder Advantage Treo.
PocketTunes on my Treo combined with the speed of the Sprint network allowed me to listen to streaming internet audio from various news and talk stations. I listened to local news and sports no matter where I traveled in the country. I could pipe that audio from my Treo into my car's audio system and listen to my favorite programs. I was able to listen to my home news while watching my son play soccer in Oregon. That was a beautiful system that was almost like magic. But that magic doesn't exist on the iPhone. I can listen to KSL in iTunes on my computer, but not on my iPhone. Streaming Audio Programs Huge advantage Treo.
I am not happy with the implementation of Google Chat on the Treo or iPhone. I like it on the Blackberry. The chatting capabilities of the Treo and iPhone are adequate, but not as good as the Blackberry. I am hoping that Google or someone else will implement a Google Talk for the iPhone. The alternatives that I have seen are inadequate. Google Talk Advantage Blackberry. I had hoped that someone would have implemented a Skype client for the iPhone. I read several blogs that claimed it was going to happen, but I haven’t seen it yet. Skype Advantage Even.
Results of comparison
Huge Advantages iPhone: 2
• Safari Internet Browser
• Wi-Fi
Advantages iPhone: 1
• Form Factor
Even: 4
• Google Maps
• Online document usage
• lack of Skype client
Advantages Treo, Blackberry, or other device: 4
• Speed of cellular network
• Camera/Camcorder
• Digital Recorder
• Google Talk
Huge Advantages Treo, Blackberry, or other device: 5
• Text input
• Transferring data between computer and hand held device
• Syncing between computer and hand held device
• Use of MS Office Documents
• Streaming Audio
Labels: Apple, AT and T, Blackberry, FamilyLink, Graffiti, iPhone, Safari, Sprint, Treo
posted by David at 10:46 AM
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