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http://www.macnn.com/articles/01/05/16/should.apple/

Should Apple enter mobile phone arena?

updated 03:05 pm EDT, Wed May 16, 2001

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BusinessWeek Online's Stephen Baker suggests that Apple and Motorola should team up to create mobile phones with wireless Internet capabilities. "Apple has the brand and knows computers. Motorola does phones. In this ramp-up for the mobile Web, these two need each other."

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05/16, 03:15pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
I am glad someone agrees

I am glad someone agrees with me. I have been saying the same thing for a long time. My first cellphone was a mystic purple Nokia. Now I have this POS Sanyo. When the new J-Phone U2
Las Vegas (Bootleg)
Discotheque
25 April 1997comes out this summer ... the debate is, should I put the Sanyo in the bus lane before or after the new Nokia is in hand. BUT, what I really want is iPhone. And a Apple PDA. Steve doesn't have the balls to do it though.

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05/16, 03:20pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
enough with that

apple makes computer for graphics, video and music. enough with that phone thing please....

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05/16, 03:21pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Still waiting

I am still sitting here with my Handspring Visor putting off my wireless module and phone module purchase waiting for Apple to give me what I NEED BABY!
Hello...ooo...ooo...oo...o..................
Is anyone listening?

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05/16, 03:24pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
h*** no

the last thing apple should do is get more involved with motorola.
motorola doesn't care about apple, as the g4 debacle has shown...
they've got to stop relying on moto!

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05/16, 03:25pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Digital Hub, folks

This is probably one of the more absurd suggestions in a while. First off, the whole "browse the internet with your cell phone" idea is right up there with, "Let's read the latest Stephen King book on our Palm! The backlight will make it even spookier in the dark!". Nobody wants to read a book on a lousy LCD screen, and people who are using a cell phone to brose the web have too much free time.

That aside, Apple is marketing itself as a Digital Hub. Creating a mobile phone with Motorola doesn't fit that. Not to mention that Motorola just dropped out of their R&D efforts to build a Palm based cell phone. I can't believe this was even thought about for more than a second.

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05/16, 03:26pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Nokia / Apple

remember the rumours that apple was in talks with Nokia? There were serious talks about such a convergence. Anyone have details?

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05/16, 03:28pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
BusinessWeek?

This is the same Business Week that says Apple's retail stores will flop. Apple would take a much larger risk getting into a Wireless Phone/PDA/Web device that right now only finds real use with stock market quotes and sport scores updates. I personally don't see much benefit to wireless web, it is clunky , expensive, and offers a poor overall web experience. Now if Apple were to expand its Airport technology to a large network scale to allow me to use my TiBook on the web from anywhere, that might go somewhere. It would be perfect for iBook users, and the web usefullness and experience will not suffer.

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05/16, 03:32pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
don't go there

if there is one industry that's in big trouble it's mobile phones. everybody has one, all the new ones have small and hard to understand advantages nobody cares about.

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05/16, 03:32pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Booooooo

This would not help with world domination, business week needs to realize we already know they were paid by Microsoft to give such crappy ideas!

SWGS

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05/16, 03:48pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
no!

as one poster said, MOTO does us Mac users no favors... and to h*** with wireless web access via cellphones, anyway

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05/16, 03:55pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
He must not use a Mac.

Another know it all banker tellign Apple what they should do. Apple makes computers...and related hardware thats cool, innovative and powerful. Maybe he should be advocating the rest of the ignorant masses at least educate themselves about the Mac instead of knowing where they stand cuz their friend told them.

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05/16, 03:57pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Dig Hub can INCLUDE a PDA

Apple's Digital Hub can include, dare I say it NEEDS, a PDA, and what better PDA than an Apple iPhone. I've been putting off buying a Palm/Handspring PDA, as well as an mp3 player, updated cell phone, AND laptop because I envision a wonderful combo that includes all of them: a 5 lb iBook or Titanium laptop, and an Apple* cell phone/PDA/mp3 player/wireless internet device-in-1 !!

Yes, Apple makes computers for graphics, video and music, but they also make computers for business (my small company is completely Mac-based), internet and other communication applications - which should include phones and wireless PDA's

From the article:

"Now if I fall in love with this Pocket PC, or a phone with similar software, what are the chances that I'll buy an Apple next time I'm in the market for a computer? Pretty slim, I'd say. Computer makers like Apple need to get into phones."

I agree 100%, because the PocketPC, as flawed by Windows CE as it is, is making me drool by already offering these devices. Apple missed the CD-R / CD-RW boat, they better not miss this one.

Jeff Schultz
schultz@weather2000.com
http://www.mp3.com/JeffSchultz

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05/16, 03:57pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
I dunno - not a bad idea.

If there was a way to easily swap data between my crappy Qualcomm and my Mac, I'd be happy. I want a Cell/PDA combo, and aside from the expense the Handspring seems like a great idea with the Visorphone. (not available in Miami, alas). If such a PalmCell or Newtonphone were available, I'd be all over it. I wouldn't use the wireless for much beyond cell phone use, tho I could see others liking it.

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05/16, 03:58pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Motorola?

That lame company made their own users use a competitors processor. I have no respect left for a company like that. Its not choice when its dictated.

Hmmm...I wish i could have the government deciding whats right for me just like my company. Grrr.

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05/16, 04:02pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Not MOT

As we all know.. MOT suxx.. so a future telephone would probb be out 2-3 years after it was first presented.. due to error in the chips from MOT..

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05/16, 04:04pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Apple PDA

Apple's PDA will feature a Mac OS X like interface. It will be a PDA with inbuilt cellphone, mp3, AirPort, color screen and will offer a hot plug expansion slot. It will be launched for Christmas buying season - you read it here first.

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05/16, 04:14pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Bad idea

I do thoroughly believe that Apple should introduce a new handheld PDA as part of their structured line of products (and their attempts to market them as part of a new, digitally integrated world.) But I don't believe they should be doing phones.
Why?
Apple positions itself as an innovator, a company that invents computers that work in ways other peoples' don't. They are, in short, the originals. Having said that, IMO, for an Apple product to succeed in the market, a primary emphasis must be placed on something unique, and not just for the sake of uniqueness, but unique in ease of use, features, and form. Apple could do this with a PDA, and personally, I think they'll need to do their own OS to succeed with it (a PalmOS based Apple PDA simply isn't original, it's one more knockoff).
Knowing this, how can Apple make a cell phone unique? I honestly don't believe they can do much more than fiddle with the outer casing really. We already have phones with internet, organizer, and other capabilities. I don't see the ability for Apple to create a unique and interesting product here, and if they can't do that, then building one makes them look like a market follower rather than the creativity leader they've positioned themself as .

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05/16, 04:17pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
not w/Moto

the idea with temaing up with Moto is retarded anyway. Their phones suck. PERIOD. I'd take my Samsung 3500 and its quickly deteriorating hinge connection over ANYTHING Moto has to offer. They created the flip-fone (now considered a BRICK but still produced), then the Startac (with tiny batteries that jump off the phone), then... they forgot how to be creative. Jeez, even Samsung improved on their design by putting a second display on the OUTSIDE so you can see who's calling

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05/16, 04:17pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Geek chic.

One problem with "gee-whiz" ideas like web browsing on a wireless phone is that it is a nerd's dream; not what the general consumer wants.

Designers need to consider not just what they think is a cool idea but what most people would like to do with their phones.

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05/16, 04:31pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Anyone read the Wired?

There is a section of the new Wired Magazine (Andy Grove is on the cover) that has statistics in fine print along the top. Anyways, there's a fact that something like 60% (don't have the magazine in front of me remember) of people in Japan access the Internet from cell phones.. It was a huge number.. Americans need to learn to think outside of "their" box and at new ideas and concepts...

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05/16, 04:33pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Motorola's v-phone

Kicks a**, and I love my 2 year old startac. Clearly, Motorola can still make the best phones around.
Fact is, at the rate microshaft is acquiring "convergence"-critical businesses, very soon unless Apple and others do something you won't be able to do ANYTHING without using a M$ product.
The b******* are going after the WORLD. They're trying to push Tivo, Palm, Nintendo out of business.

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05/16, 04:47pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
'net access in Japan

One big difference between Japan (along with the rest of the world) and the US is that cell phone rates are cheaper than in the US. Also, there are aprox. 10,000,000,000 different cell phone standards in the US, compared with one in the rest of the world.

This is why Apple would be stupid to introduce its own cell phone, as the Great American SNAFU is hurting every wireless company, as is the Great European 3G SNAFU.

An Apple branded PDA would be nice, especially if it had real handwriting recognition. Unfortunately, the idiotic wankers in the press still remember the Newton, and they still make jokes about it. I don't think that another Apple PDA would be able to survive the onslaught.

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05/16, 04:48pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Motorola Red Tape

Motorola is so screwed up right now, it would take them forever to even think of this idea.

They have trouble ordering toilet paper, much less designing new products.

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05/16, 04:55pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Digital Hub

What I want is an Apple PDA with phone and wireless capabilities, an Apple branded home MP3 type stereo amp/speaker deal (to replace my home stereo) and an Apple electronic car to plug it all into. I want all Apple branded products that connect and talk so that I can run my entire world from my Cube. Apple could be the next Sony!

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05/16, 05:00pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
BusinessWeek *follows*...

Apple *innovates*. They don't need some spreadsheet jockey advising them on how to innovate, they've *always* led the way for the non-innovators to immitate.

Stick to the stock charts, BW... it suits your suits better.

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05/16, 05:05pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
sync with winCE

Apple could probably make a good device - but I dont see how it would be better that what Palm is going to offer and Palm works well with Mac.

BTW Wasn't there something about an Apple license of Palm software a while back?

I think a better use of resources, consistent with the digital hub idea is to make sure MacOSX and Mac Office for OSX have good integration with WinCE and Palm devices.

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05/16, 05:09pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
MacPhone

There is another route to go here. Instead of an Apple branded cell phone, what about a Mac that can access the internet wirelessly via a cellphone 'chip' inside the Mac itself? Flip open your Mac, open the networking control panel (or use the control strip?) and select from Ethernet, Airport, Infrared, PPP (analog connect), and Digital (cell). Cellular connectivity may not be fast, but for a quick check of stocks and scores or for the sending of a fax?????

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05/16, 05:22pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
MacPhone continued

Wierless faxing? I know folks out there will say that you can do this already using a modem (built-in or PCMCIA) along with a cell phone and connector, but I'm talking about the putting the guts of a cell phone INTO a PowerBook or iBook. You may not have a small hand held device, but you also would not have to connect up any wires or devices. The mic and speakers on the Book can act as handset, or you could plug in a Mic equipped headset (Jabra?). Apple used to have a utility on their Performa series of machines called ApplePhone that worked quite well -- telephone, fax and answering machine all in one. Update the utility with caller ID and one button access to stock quotes, sports scores, text-mail, and even one to Explorer, Netscape, Opera or any browser of choice. Small "cell" apps could be included that would auto-format messages so they could fit to screen of cell phone recipients. Get it all working on the Books, then work on a PDA sized device!

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05/16, 05:25pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
visorphone suchs

we shouldn't turn phones into palms, we should turn palms into phones. too bad visorphone is huge, expensive, and ugly.

when the market is ready apple will make something.

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05/16, 05:45pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
visorphone -Fortune mag

What Apple should do is licence the palm operating system and bring out a PDA, or just make a deal with Visor, let them produce one with an Apple logo on it, Apple sells it. Visorphone exist already, it will get smaller in due time.
Also a deal with Sony for the memory stick, just put the Apple logo on it and it will sell. Read Fortune magazine, they asked Jobs about his plans concerning this; I believe he looked up to the ceiling, smiled and said "I know nothing about that" (something like that)

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05/16, 06:21pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Convergence

... If apple DOES get back into the PDA market ... they HAVE to work with WIRELESS or it won't sell! Steve said it in one of the investor? meetings that I listened to.

There was more RIGHT with the newton than wrong. Take an ibook, remove some ports, put a smaller screen that doubles as input device, run MacosX , man ... that's a grown-up PDA if I ever saw one ... doable?

Convergence not only on the cell phone/PDA level, but also on the computer/PDA level!

convergence...convergence...convergence
/tc

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05/16, 06:36pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
a few notes

One reason for the japanese love of internet-via-cell-phone is the fact that their language often fits several words into one character, therefore they are able to fit much more information into the small screen then we are with our languages. Another reason is that they love gadgets.

What would be a hit in Europe is built in GSM capabilities. Just slide the sim card into the powerbook and you can fetch mail, surf and so forth. It has been slow, but lately one can surf in speeds up to 48 kbs. Also, the powerbook could be used as a speaker phone... No other computer maker offers that out of the box...

If Apple were to make an PDA it would have to be based on Palms operating system. There is no way they'd want to deal with the "but there are no apps for it" arguements again...

The idea of letting Handspring make them for Apple is dumb, Apple is about style, which Handspring clearly does not have.

Apple branded mp3 players would be cool, but why not make them airport capable, so when you are at home or in the office your computer can stream the music to it... when not within an airport network use the built in memory... if airport the next generation delivers what has been rumoured (ie much smaller) it would be feasible...

Apple needs to make products that are dependent on apple computers and are superior to competitors... why buy an apple mp3 player when samsungs is cheaper, well because apples mp3 player works like a radio inside an airport network, and you can stream to it from your iTools account etc...

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05/16, 07:34pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Apple phone

Apple could bring innovation to the phone, keep in mind that there speciality is design, in packaging, under the hood, and in interface. Current web phones are built working from the current phone handset design, sorta like designing the telephone on your desk to connect to the interface without making any major changes to its design. If Apple came in with a web phone/PDA, I'd hope that they'd design it from the ground up, and I can assure you, if they did that, you'd see innovation. Hmmm, perhaps a FITALY keyboard with intergrated numeric keypad for interface along with a color touch screen?

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05/16, 08:05pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
web enabled phones good

"Web enabled phones" are a good idea. But so far there is not a very good implementation of the idea in the US. The reason web enabled phones are a hit in Japan is NOT because you can fit more of a word on a smaller screen (often the opposite because unlike Chinese, Japanese is only partly based on characters that mean a lot -- the rest is phonetic -- my wife is from Japan and I see a lot of Japanese). In Japan, normal net access requires a computer (expensive) and a connection (also expensive). The exoense has what has kept people out of the online market. The cell phone access is cheaper, and they do like gadgets there. (And as an aside, Japan has several competing cell phone standards, like in the US, and the Japanese ones are ALL homegrown and non-compatible with the rest of the world. No GSM in Japan. They are based on various technologies including CDMA but are all Japan only systems. And it seems every store sells cell phones there and every one has one). The BIGGEST reason that cel phone access to the internet has taken off there, besides the expense of the traditional way, is that NTT DoCoMo had the foresight to design and setup phone accessible services that were made from the start to be phone accessible, and they also got companies to make really cool and capable phones. The web sucks on a phone if the service you are accessing was not made to work with your phone. But phone based services that happen to use the internet as a backbone are way cool. Very few exist here in the USA though.

But I hope Apple is NOT doing phones with Motorola. Motorola couldn't make a software-ergonomical phone if its life depended on it. My StarTac 8167 (silver Sprint one) is the worst physically and software ergonomic phone I have ever used. Nokia and even Ericsson are 100x better.

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05/16, 08:14pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
I don't think so...

I don't want my phone, my tv, my refrigerator, or anything else running on Apple, MS, whatever... My phone is a phone, not an internet portal. It's for talking, not surfing.

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05/16, 09:32pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
First of all

I've had a StarTac, and now a Timport Motorola cellphone. Both have been great! My TimePort was even run over by a car, twice. (Front and back wheel both hit it...) It still works wonderfully. I have never had the battery pop out of either one, even when the car hit it. I love Motorola cell phones. My TimePort works well enough as a wireless modem. It's only 19.2kbps, but it's fast enough for telenetting into routers or checking email. And it works with my iBook and my Thinkpad.
Second of all, Apple should work on a PPC/OS X based PDA. It would have to be an embedded PPC version, most likely (or maybe not - G3 are pretty low power). And OS X would have to be dumbed down. But, it's what they know already. PPC code and OS X. Without having lots of RAM, HD, more than one port, etc. it should fit into a pretty small package.

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05/16, 09:53pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
This....

is totally g**.

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05/16, 10:39pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
digital hub = i agree

i agree with one of the first posters who reminded us of the "digital hub" mentality that apple is taking. just look at (in my opinion) the kick-a$$ "middle seat" commercial for the ibook. by marketing as the hub to all those things, it makes apple seem bigger than it is. all those devices all hooked to the ibook. everyone thinks that the mac is so isolated, when it isn't everything is moving towards cross-platform standards, etc.

well, except microsoft. they're busy making their own standards.

p.s. the only thing i could have done without int he ibook commercial was the "who let the dogs out." cute 6 months ago, now just old.

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05/16, 11:13pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Re:a few notes

Visor is about style, I suppose you haven't seen the latest slim one (would do very well next to my Ti).

Today I heard about a chip which can emulate other chips and therefore run different operating systems, with minimal performance hit. Forgot the name but it is small, low voltage (2W) and will be used in PDA's, the bad part is that it maxes out at 600 Mhz. I also heard Apple has shown an interest in it.

This would make a 600 Mhz PDA compatible with Palm OS, OS9.1, OS X and wincrap OS (XP, Hva e you seen the trash?) in Titanium, with 2nd generation airport (longer range?).

cheers

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05/17, 12:35am | report spam | close Reply | delete
please let it happen

I bought a phone but I wanted a PDA... I need both but I can't afford a both!!

if they where the same product I would pick one up instantly

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05/17, 03:23am | report spam | close Reply | delete
Thick!

I have never seen such shortsighed comments in my life!
Yes Apple NEEDS to get into phones, and dont tell me their aint a market!
The obvious option for Apple is to keep making their computers smaller and smaller (and no Palm licence) full blown OSX on a walkman sized device Is the way forward and WILL happen.
Those new PPC chips recently that enable half the computer to be a chip? Well thats just for starters, expect a product from Apple that uses it towards the end of the year.
As for the phone side of things, all a phone is is a wireless modem, and modems change speed all the time, will constantly be able to get smaller, and with loads conflicting standards. Whats needed here is a new port to slot a "phone stick" onto your "iBrick" , and for the "phone stick" yes Apple could do with the help of motorolla to define some kind "phone stick" standard.

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05/17, 10:03am | report spam | close Reply | delete
Keeping up with the Jones

[rant] Business Weak - yyyuck, peeyew, caca [/rant]

I just don't think Apple + cell phones is a good idea. And, any *dependence* on Moto has proven to be nearly fatal for Apple. So yeah, leave Apple branded cell phones alone.

On the other hand, a new and improved Newton, or even better, a Mac/Apple styled tablet PC could certainly "show up" the Transmeta based tablet PC plans of the competition. We all know Apple could do this 10X better than Compaq.

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Should Apple enter mobile phone arena?

updated 03:05 pm EDT, Wed May 16, 2001

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I am glad someone agrees

enough with that

Still waiting

h*** no

Digital Hub, folks

Nokia / Apple

BusinessWeek?

don't go there

Booooooo

no!

He must not use a Mac.

Dig Hub can INCLUDE a PDA

I dunno - not a bad idea.

Motorola?

Not MOT

Apple PDA

Bad idea

not w/Moto

Geek chic.

Anyone read the Wired?

Motorola's v-phone

'net access in Japan

Motorola Red Tape

Digital Hub

BusinessWeek *follows*...

sync with winCE

MacPhone

MacPhone continued

visorphone suchs

visorphone -Fortune mag

Convergence

a few notes

Apple phone

web enabled phones good

I don't think so...

First of all

This....

digital hub = i agree

Re:a few notes

please let it happen

Thick!

Keeping up with the Jones

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