iPhone

So here come the Apple iPhone.

Revolutionary multi touch screen, which could detect more then one touches at the same time. Whole new user interface. Looks real thin and cool.

Here's what I think.
Steve Jobs got a point. Most "smart phones" out there forgot that you make calls with a phone. They got tons of flashy functions, yet it's really hard to make a call. Watching Steve make the call with an iPhone in his presentation seems really simple. I like how all the call related functions are easily accessible, how easy it is to place call, answer calls, and even make conference calls. Yet, I don't like the contact list. It's a long list in alphabetical order, where you need to do extensive scrolling to find what you want. In that perspective, I prefer the Palm OS address book application, where you just write in the name of who you want, and you have it. Other then that, the phone aspect of this gadget is very nice.

The touch screen looks really nice. But with 4 years of experience on touch screens, I would say that these things very from every device, so you could never be sure if you like it or not before you get to use it in person. But no matter how good the touch screen, an on screen is never good. Try typing an email with that thing, you'd be driven crazy before you get to the second paragraph.

The new "swipe & gesture" based control method of the multi-touch
interface seems best for iPod controls. Apple should bring it over to the next version of the iPod.

Safari (the browser), on the phone, seems interesting. It loads quite fast and renders web pages just as a computer would. But that's the problem. It only zooms in and out. What if you find a wide web page with long paragraphs across the screen? Do you want to do excessive scrolling (I did that ocassionally on my PDA, and it is a pain in the ass), or do you squint at the tiny fonts?
With Netfront on my PDA, it wraps the lines fitting the paragraphs on the narrow screen by auto introducing line brakes in the page, eliminating the need for side scrolling. That is a must for mobile web browsing if you don't like itzy-bitzy fonts, yet I don't see it in the presentation.

600USD with a 2 year contract? Yuck! You could get 3 Treos (with contract) for that.

So it is revolutionary, but not affordable at launch. It could take off if prices drop, though. Also, it's not out till June, Apple still might make changes to it, so the problems apparent now, may not be in the future production product.

Links:
Apple - iPhone
Apple - Presentation video
LAtimes hands-on report by David Pouge