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iPhone: Balda touchscreen, no Intel CPU [u]

updated 04:00 pm EST, Wed January 10, 2007

iPhone components

The introduction of Apple's iPhone has boosted its stock with the company hoping to garner 1 percent of the project 1 billion mobile handset market--about 10 million phones--in 2008; however, the announcement hit other handset makers' shares, including Nokia, Samsung, and LG. Despite previous (incorrect) Reuters reports, Intel will not supply the main chip inside Apple's iPhone, but said it is supplying chips for the Apple TV set-top box. "We are not providing the silicon inside the iPhone," Intel spokesman Bill Kirkus told Reuters. "We are providing the silicon inside the Apple TV." Germany's Balda will supply touch-screens.

However, at least one analyst believes the lack of a tactile keyboard may not be optimal for heavy email/Blackberry users. "We're very impressed with the seamless hardware and software innovation in the iPhone, yet it's still early innings in a new generation of converged mobile devices that tap emerging internet services. Features not announced that seem natural in coming generations include GPS, speech & handwriting recognition, and video conferencing, " Merrill Lynch told its clients in a research note. "The lack of tactile keyboard, while allowing greater flexibility, is not optimized for heavy email/blackberry use, a sticking point for some."

by MacNN Staff

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macnorway2000
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2006

0

01/10, 06:16am | report spam | close Reply |
Just wait...

it won't take long before someone comes up with a very small BT fold-together keyboard for iPhone...

Peter Bonte
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Joined: Aug 2001

0

01/10, 06:59am | report spam | close Reply |
stylus

A keyboard is to bulky and the keys are to small, its not that we can't use a stylus with the onscreen keyboard if it works better.

Blackberry is now officially dead!

Feathers
Grizzled Veteran

Joined: Oct 1999

0

01/10, 07:35am | report spam | close Reply |
missing the big picture

Why is it that one feature defines the device? Just because it has telephonic capabilities, is it really a phone? I think the greatest significance is that Apple have produced a mobile version of OSX. This thing is a spectacular PDA, wait 'till the third party apps start to appear. Personally, I could live without the phone, a true video ipod / PDA with wi-fi running OSX that's an amazing new device!

slider
Mac Elite

Joined: Oct 1999

0

01/10, 08:37am | report spam | close Reply |
Again, again, again, agai

RE: missing the big picture

Finger GUI in my hand! I just don't get it, how can they miss it! Here again, iPod music player device: Apple didn't invent it, nor the idea of a music store, but they did may it easy for anyone to use and really understood the problems before introducing a solutions. Apple iPhone: Apple didn't invent the all-in-one concept, but come on, they clearly pointed out what the problem is with these current smart phones, it's like DOS on a PC few used it, the iPhone is to smart phones what Macs were to the computer market. Wake up! Again! Geez.

fsauer1
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Joined: Jul 2002

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01/10, 08:40am | report spam | close Reply |
PDA's are Dead

I totally agree with "feathers". The remarkable thing is this is running OS X. Depending how "lite" it is, you have all that Steve said, plus new PDA, and a true "mac in your pocket". Equally, Steve has publicly declared what his focus/vision has been for the las 5-6 years, consumer digital life, not computers. CPUs and UIs are a meaning to an end now, not the end. He's playing a different game than the analysts are watching.

jarod
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Joined: Apr 2005

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01/10, 08:45am | report spam | close Reply |
it's unreal

Just goes to show that 99% of companies out there are worth s*** and are only successful because we know no better. Today was history in the making (again). How can all the BIG phone companies who SPECIALIZE in cell phones be completely and utterly ANNIHALATED by a company that just gets into the market. Goes to show that Apple is the ONLY TRUE technology visionary and leader out there. I hope they BURY everyone else.

fsauer1
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Joined: Jul 2002

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01/10, 08:49am | report spam | close Reply |
iPhone = Newton v10.0

Many wanted Newton resurrected. I think they just got it, and orders of magnitude better.

bobolicious
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Joined: Aug 2002

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01/10, 09:01am | report spam | close Reply |
Poor track record...

...to date with contact management - does anyone remember PowerTalk? While all you zealots claim the messiah has arrived I think we should 'hold the phone' before proclaiming a miracle - the darn thing doesn't even have regulatory approval yet - and my guess is that there will be plenty of issues for power users, and to date palm integration with address book & isync has been 'plug & pray' so for me I'm not going to hold my breath - 3rd party solutions have been far better than anything Apple has brought out to date...

msherer
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01/10, 09:11am | report spam | close Reply |
Your next PC = iPhone....

Maybe not on the first rev, but anyone who does not think this is where it's going is simply not paying attention. Consider: o Apple's website prior to the keynote teased "The first 30 years were only the beginning" o Almost the entire keynote was devoted to the iPhone. o Apple *bought* Cisco's trademark for the brand "iPhone". That can't have been cheap. o Apple officially changed it's name from Apple Computer to Apple, Inc. o The evolution of the iPod has been from a simple music player to a converged media device, borderline PDA. o The evolution of iPhone is very likely to be from a converged media device/phone/internet communicator peripheral to subsuming the computer itself. Jobs didn't announce that the iPhone was driving his Keynote display, but that day is surely coming. o The scrollwheel interface that is the hallmark of the iPod is gone from the iPhone. The new UI is so impressive that you have to wonder what the future is for the existing iPod UI. o The iPod created a hardware ecosystem. The iPhone will create a hardware and a software ecosystem.

Let the fun begin.....

Sprocket
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Joined: May 2002

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01/10, 09:36am | report spam | close Reply |
It's still early days . .

but I could see this as Newton v10.0 for me as well -- depending on more info of course. Assuming this could function as a Wifi PDA, this could seriously solve my problems and perhaps finally retire my MessagePad 2000. I agree with 'feathers' -- phone not required here. I'll be keeping a very close eye on this as time goes on.

koolkid1976
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Joined: May 2003

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01/10, 09:37am | report spam | close Reply |
re:Poor track record...

What are you talking about? Poor track record with what? MacOS 8 and earlier was a poor track record. Ofcourse some MacOS technology developed in the early 1990's call PowerTalk has a poor track record. You are acting as if this is their first attempt at email and contact management since then. Haven't you used OS X?

What does the issues palm is having have to do with the iPhone?

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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01/10, 10:16am | report spam | close Reply |
comments

Can the sh*t be piled up any higher in here?????

Blackberry is now officially dead!

Dead my a**. The blackberry is THE device used by businesses and government officials to do all their communications. I really don't see them moving all this email capability to Yahoo! mail. Not to mention the expense of the entire transition.

Just goes to show that 99% of companies out there are worth s*** and are only successful because we know no better. Today was history in the making (again). How can all the BIG phone companies who SPECIALIZE in cell phones be completely and utterly ANNIHALATED by a company that just gets into the market. Goes to show that Apple is the ONLY TRUE technology visionary and leader out there. I hope they BURY everyone else.

Right, only Apple gets it, and no one else does. Apparently someone was at the keynote and got a little too close to the Steve's RDF.

Of course, shouldn't we actually wait for the iPhone to be RELEASED before we crown it the jewel of the market. By your prognosis, everyone should be investing in Cingular stock, and dumping their Verizon/Sprint/etc stocks, because no one will be using those services after July 1.

And let's not forget the downsides to the 'converged universe' you're all praising. Right now, when my iPod died, I still had a phone. If my phone doesn't work, I still have an iPod. Your new Apple iPhone/computer dies, you've lost ALL your communication abilities.

And I sure hope OS X lite has been refined better then OS X itself. For I don't think phone users will like it if they get a spinning beachball when they try to answer the phone.....

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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01/10, 10:18am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: problems

First, why the iPhone comments in this thread?

Second, this device REQUIRES an HDTV!? I can't use it with my regular NICAM/NTSC TV? WTF!!?

Third, still waiting for an iTunes store here, and thinking it'll never come...

Because its an iPhone name thread.

But as for the iTV, AppleTV is a horrible name, and what good does HD content abilities do for you if Apple doesn't sell HD content on the iTMS?

zac4mac
Mac Elite

Joined: Oct 1999

0

01/10, 10:29am | report spam | close Reply |
call a waa-mbulance

As for me - Hooray, Newton's back, smaller and better. Already on Cingular, T-637 is almost dead. Perfect.

herbert68
Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2000

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01/10, 11:11am | report spam | close Reply |
Blackberry???

I strongly disagree with Merrill Lynch! Typing on those tiny Blackberry keys is a pain and I desparately want them to go away if I don't need them, what a waste of precious real estate!

Besides, who uses Blackberry outside the US?

debohun
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Joined: Feb 1999

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01/10, 01:13pm | report spam | close Reply |
External KB? Bah Humbug!

If this things runs Mac OS X, then that means it is capable of running Inkwell, which, when combined with its touch screen and a stylus, means handwriting recognition (either now or in the future). The on screen keyboard looks perfect for entering phone numbers, and instant messages, but for longer entry session, I'm hoping that this thing turns out to be an upgraded Newton.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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01/10, 01:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
here's a question

Who else thinks that, with Apple's name change, plus their apparent lack of desire to talk anything computer-related at their big year show, that perhaps Apple is looking to get out of the computer business within the next few years? They seem like they're becoming more interested in becoming an entertainment company, not a computer company.

fsauer1
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Joined: Jul 2002

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01/10, 01:30pm | report spam | close Reply |
RE: Here's a question

Leopard will be a partial answer to the question. I think the computers are necessary for Apple. Its the R&D for all else, hardware, and UI. iPhone capabilities come from OS X at the core. Steve has always insisted from the beginning on building both hardware and software (remember Dr. Alan Kay's quote?) For the mobile computing market (which is what the iphone is technologically), computing is the key.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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01/10, 04:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
Other phone issues

Being its tied to Cingular/Edge, isn't EDGE going away? Wouldn't you think they'd tie it to something that's actually got a little speed to it?

Of course, wouldn't it be nice if they also sold us the full-screen video iPod we were hoping for (for those of us not in the need for a cell phone)?

Going back to the blackberry argument, I find it hard to think that its much of a competitor, since the blackberry is generally bought by companies for employees. Think they're all going to switch to Cingular?

And what about the issue that the phone is 'closed' and you can't get 3rd party apps to run on it? And considering how Apple updates the iPod (all new features go to the latest iPod version only), basically what you have is all you get. No chance for Firefox or Quicken on iPhone (I know, Quicken wouldn't end up there, since we're still waiting for a decent version for OS X!). Or maybe Apple's planning on offering new apps, just like iPod games, for just $5 each.

And we know its going to cost $500-$600 just for the phone (doesn't that seem kind of high for a phone? Or maybe that's just me, since I, like most people, just get a good cheap one with our contract, rather then buy them outright), but how much is the monthly contract going to cost? What of the internet capabilities. Is it really going to allow full syncing, or is Cingular going to lock that down unless you pay extra (you know how those companies are)?

To me, there's still lots of questions here...

lurkerdude
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Joined: Jan 2005

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01/10, 04:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
Criticizing is fine

So it's okay to showcase a product 6 months (and maybe 7 or 8, this is the tech industry after all) in advance, but it's not okay to criticize it because it's not "final"? If you are going to show it, you are expecting press and commentary. It's not all going to be good.

I have criticisms, but they don't necessarily match the ones mentioned above:

- $499 and $599, and that's with a two year contract (if the press is correct). This may be a consumer product, but clearly a certain kind of consumer. That's why the comparison to Blackberry was apt - there's going to be considerable overlap between Blackberry's market and the market for this device.

- True web browsing vs wap pages sounds impressive, but I would have to see this against the reality of bandwidth (not talking about wi-fi) constraints... so this also points to the consumer having to get an unlimited data rate plan.

- One handed use vs two handed use. I'm sure it can be used one handed, but Jobs didn't demo it that way. I'd like to see if it was as easy to use there.

- That soft keyboard. Probably an improvement over Blackberry and other keyboards, which are terrible, so I can't say this is a real criticism. Still, I wasn't impressed with Jobs' finger typing speed. I'd still take progressive text on the number pad.

- Fingerprints.

Really, this most impressive thing in that demo IMO was the voice mail.

zac4mac
Mac Elite

Joined: Oct 1999

0

01/10, 04:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
I have a T-637 and Cingul

ar and none of its capabilities are turned off. I get full BT sync and browse on Mac or PC. T-637 syncs perfectly thru iSync. I would be shocked if Cingular did the Apple phone any differently. They're not T-Mobile or Cricket, you know.

Z

bobolicious
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Joined: Aug 2002

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01/10, 04:52pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: re:Poor track record.

Um yes I've been using OS-X since 10.1 & despite Apple having currently numerous help sections & a dedicated palm plugin I haven't found enough tech info (such as a field map) to verify what info gets synched where - all categories seem to get shifted into notes & never synced back, yada, yada - now creating the better mouse trap is one thing (address book logic/methods) but purporting to offer sync when really only seemingly doing it one way & even then corrupting most of the data irretrevably is another - hopefully Apple's consistent ecosystem approach is the answer - but so far the track record is indeed 'plug and pray' from my experiences from Powertalk to present day...

gambit23
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Joined: Nov 2004

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01/10, 04:59pm | report spam | close Reply |
Hmm

Initially, I was excited about all of the features, but Steve completely lost me on the price and release date.

And then I watched the keynote.

This device is truly impressive, and since all of the functionality is software-based, Apple can keep updating the apps/OS/etc... anything it wants!

Only thing of interest that made me go Hmmm... is the name: iPhone.

iPhone? This is an entirely new platform that happens to have phone functionality! This thing is more of an iPod than the iPod!

Either way, this thing looks fantastic. Almost TOO good, like this thing was staged. But it wasn't. Check out the keynote. This device is amazing.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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01/10, 05:16pm | report spam | close Reply |
Other notes

sliderHere again, iPod music player device: Apple didn't invent it, nor the idea of a music store, but they did may it easy for anyone to use and really understood the problems before introducing a solutions. Apple iPhone: Apple didn't invent the all-in-one concept, but come on, they clearly pointed out what the problem is with these current smart phones, it's like DOS on a PC few used it, the iPhone is to smart phones what Macs were to the computer market. Wake up! Again! Geez.

jarod Just goes to show that 99% of companies out there are worth s*** and are only successful because we know no better. Today was history in the making (again). How can all the BIG phone companies who SPECIALIZE in cell phones be completely and utterly ANNIHALATED by a company that just gets into the market. Goes to show that Apple is the ONLY TRUE technology visionary and leader out there. I hope they BURY everyone else.

Visionary? Leader? Perhaps. Unless you read slider's post, which basically states (correctly) that apple's not inventing anything here, they're just putting on a supposedly easy to use interface. In fact, you could argue they haven't come up with anything 'new' in a long time, just inventing better wheels.

BTW, besides the UI, there isn't one thing I've seen about this phone that you can't find in any other phone out there. It can be argued its just a me-too product. Whether it sells through the roof or not isn't the point.

JEB
Junior Member

Joined: May 2001

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01/10, 05:32pm | report spam | close Reply |
watch the keynote -- yes

gambit, i agree; i actually went to MWSF (yeah!) and sat down and got one of the big-screen presentations of iPhone -- i've noticed most people here who have any qualms w/ it:

a) haven't thoroughly been able to research what it is, *really* in its entirety, and like you said,

b) great idea to watch the Keynote quicktime stream.

You'll notice the postive posts, are from folks who've been in touch w/ the new AppleInc-er Ship!!

Also, in response to "But as for the iTV, AppleTV is a horrible name" . . . I thought iTV was a hokey name. Right away, I thought the logo "apple" + "tv" puts 2 really great things that I/you/consumers/me/them/everybody can all relate to (our TVs) . . . plus Apple squarely attached to that (the logo).

Nicely thought. Simple. A statement about the innovative leadership of what this new product & the iTunes download (meda content-wise) is ushering in.

GO APPLE!!! GO MWSF!! GO IPHONE!!! GO ITV!!!

McDave
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01/10, 08:05pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: re:Poor track record.

Bobolicious you've answered your own question. The Whole idea behind iPod is that proprietary solutions are far more useful than common architecture systems which are fraught & are a fundamental compromise. Palm isn't an Apple product & existing iPod syncing is flawless. But I guess we'll see.

McD

McDave
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01/10, 08:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
Keyboard comment

Did the Analyst who made the comment actually use it or are they assuming?

McD

bobolicious
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01/10, 09:11pm | report spam | close Reply |
re re: re:Poor track reco

...yes but don't claim to offer a solution without really making it work - ship & tell - unfortunately my classic apple contact management issue - great design in isolation of the world claimed to connect to - hopefully the iphone will solve it - at $500 US a pop...

athleticsfan
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01/10, 09:24pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: other notes

BTW, besides the UI, there isn't one thing I've seen about this phone that you can't find in any other phone out there.

I'm really not trying to be a jerk here, but that's the funniest comment I've ever read. You're kidding, right? That's like saying, "...well, besides the fact that we need it to live, I don't see the need for all this air..." No matter how hard you try, you CANNOT discount the importance of the UI. It is at the heart of EVERY product and is especially important in making comparisons here.

Do devices currently exist which have all of the iPhone's individual elements? Absolutely. However, there are two major differences:

1. In a market where most phones REQUIRE that you read a manual due to their complexity, the iPhone takes those same, exact, "been there, done that" features and slaps a great, easy-to-use interface on top of it. It's always seemed to me that one of the biggest hinderances of other devices has been their legacy UIs. With the possible exception of Symbian/Nokia, there hasn't been much in the way of innovation in the mobile space for years. Most of these handset makers are just building on top of old, though familiar UI elements making for a truly cumbersome experience.

Why did people buy the RAZR? It certainly wasn't because it had such a great interface or was a joy to use. The interface is slow and the features are just fairly average. It was because it was pretty, but anyone who owns one will tell you that using the thing was a "meh" experience. Nothing special, "but it's a RAZR!" Why not give people something to actually be excited about?

2. Apple "makes the whole widget". Seriously, the iPod was not the first, nor was it ever the best HD-based music player, but when paired with iTunes it can't be touched. If Apple implements that same level of integration, I don't think the iPhone can miss.

Of course, I will reserve my final judgment until I have an iPhone in my hot little hands, but from what I saw, Apple took the time to develop one of the most well-thought out devices I've ever seen. And, while it may not be for everyone, it'll be for enough of them that Apple is all but guaranteed to have a hit on its hands.

McDave
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01/10, 10:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
So what is the point?

"Whether it sells through the roof or not isn't the point"

Any fool/geek can come up with an idea (I think the biggest one stated MP3 players & phones would converge one day) the challenge is to make one which actually works and in such a way that it becomes part of everyday life. The real question is not 'what' but 'how' so iPod succeeds when most other MP3 players fail. In fact, you could say that the iPod was so good it actually created the digital music market.

McD

LouZer
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Joined: Nov 2000

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01/11, 07:00am | report spam | close Reply |
tweaking

Besides third-party apps, the closed system will limit the UI tweaking and additions that third-parties are known to do (I know, I know, Apple makes the bestest ever UI and there'd be no reason to want to tweak it, but you know how some people are, they like things 'their' way - as hard as it is to believe, there's actually one or two people who have issues with the current OS X UI, the dock, fonts, the overly simplistic display of data, etc - but I'm sure they're just idiots who haven't drunk enough of the kool-aid).

Roehlstation
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01/11, 09:00am | report spam | close Reply |
re: Poor track record...

Don't compare anything that Apple did while John Sculley was running the ship to anything Apple does now. With Steve back, their track record is great (only exception being the "Flower Power" and "Dalmation" iMac.) Although, they did look pretty sweet in person.

nativeNYer
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Joined: Apr 2005

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01/11, 11:21am | report spam | close Reply |
re: missing the big pictu

"This thing is a spectacular PDA, wait 'till the third party apps start to appear. Personally, I could live without the phone, a true video ipod / PDA with wi-fi running OSX that's an amazing new device!"

Yes! Absolutely! I would LOVE to see such a device. I don't have much of a use for this as a phone, especially since I will NOT switch to Cingular, but as hybrid iPod/PDA/Internet device, well, I'd buy it for sure. Get rid of my crappy Palm once and for all. And have my iPod rolled into it. Sweet! Let's hope something like that is in the works.

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iPhone: Balda touchscreen, no Intel CPU [u]

updated 04:00 pm EST, Wed January 10, 2007

iPhone components

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Just wait...

stylus

missing the big picture

Again, again, again, agai

PDA's are Dead

it's unreal

iPhone = Newton v10.0

Poor track record...

Your next PC = iPhone....

It's still early days . .

re:Poor track record...

comments

Re: problems

call a waa-mbulance

Blackberry???

External KB? Bah Humbug!

here's a question

RE: Here's a question

Other phone issues

Criticizing is fine

I have a T-637 and Cingul

re: re:Poor track record.

Hmm

Other notes

watch the keynote -- yes

re: re:Poor track record.

Keyboard comment

re re: re:Poor track reco

re: other notes

So what is the point?

tweaking

re: Poor track record...

re: missing the big pictu

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