apple news/media reports
07/19/2007, 4:10am, EDT
Thursday, July 19th
13 reasons not to buy an iPhone
PC World editor-in-chief Harry McCracken, who earlier this year left the publication because an anti-Apple piece was censored, has posted a list of 13 reasons not to get an iPhone, including lack of 3G, inability act as a modem for laptops, no built-in chat client, no slingbox client, a lack of adequate storage space, inability to edit Office documents, no built-in To-Do list, contract requirements and the virtual keyboard. McCracken says he purchased a Windows Mobile-based AT&T 8525 instead, commenting "A week with the iPhone showed me I could be adequately happy tapping out text on its screen. But I'm happier still with real keys with actual tactile feedback--the 8525's slide-out keyboard provides nice big ones with a dedicated period key, real arrow keys, and other luxuries," but admitting "(there are ways) that the iPhone is more impressive than the 8525, and it's just plain fun in a way that the 8525 will never be."
McCracken in April left the publication after newly appointed President & CEO Colin Crawford sought increased control over the editorial process from its then editor-in-chief McCracken and refused to publish a negative piece about Apple titled "Ten things I hate about Apple." In the weeks following the public controversy over the magazine's editorial integrity, Crawford returned to his former post at IDG Communications with a new "Executive Vice President" title (previously he was "Senior Vice President"), while McCracken returned as editor-in-chief of the magazine.
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The data rates for SMS and MMS messaging are out-and-out scandalous on most tariffs. Up until now, people have put up with it because there was no credible alternative, and the mobiles networks have been having a field day. Hopefully the iPhone will wake people up to the crazy rates they are being charged to send a photo on a mobile...
McCracken has long since identified himself as an Apple hater. You'll get nothing but biased comments from him so why pay attention to his blatherings?
Could the iPhone be improved? Sure it could. Would I rather have 3G than AT&T's edge? Sure I would. How about dropping the price to $50 instead of $600 and giving us flat rate unlimited phone calls and internet access for say $30 per month? I'd go for that too. And what about giving it tethering capability as a modem for laptops? Sure, I'll take that one too. And how about Skype VOIP rather than AT&T metered minutes? Sure, bring it on.
It's such a shame for a distortionist like McCracken to focus on the negatives as if he's trying to find only negatives. It's about the same as if Tony Parker were to write an article titled, "13 Reasons not to Marry Eva Longordia."
The bottom line is that the iPhone is several orders of magnitude better than any other cell phone because it is so much more than a cell phone.
1. It doesn't have a puree function (though it does blend!)
2. It doesn't slice, dice, or julian fries.
3. Lower camera resolution than a Canon 1Ds MkII
4. Does not allow GPS tracking of your pets and kids.
5. Low frame rates for Doom 3.
6. Default "wallpaper" doesn't feature lush green fields and overly saturated blue skies.
7. Denied Official Harry McCracken Seal of Approval.
8. Can't squirt songs to your buddies Zunes.
9. No built in web server makes it "not a very good web hosting phone," according to Steve Balmer.
He says the above, which is a compliment, and about half of the stuff he lists I agree with (is there really no iChat on the iPhone!?).