If you are a subscriber to my blog you probably know I'm not an iPhone fan, and if you didn't know this, you can still read it here.

While reading my rss feeds this morning I 'stumbled upon' a blog post from Tarek Esber, a guy who recently bought an iPhone but wants to go back to S60, and he gives us 9 reasons to do so...

Pretty funny that 2 of his reasons where in my post. Can't say I didn't warn you :-)

Watch out for July 11!

Prices:

• 8GB model 525€
• 16GB model 615€

Great! Remember the iphone 3g, stay away post?

Well having to pay 525€/615€ for a phone that sucks that much? Wicked...

This probably won't keep the fanboys from buying it :-) but seriously: come on samsung/android/htc/... give this new microsoft some competition!!

I just couldn't resist.

Have a look at the following ZDNET post:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Photos-iPhone-running-Windows-XP/0,130061733,339289801,00.htm?omnRef=1337

Ok, I must say, it is newsworthy. It's more or less a "breakthrough". I realise we have had mobile remote desktop solutions before (VNCsea for iPhone, and others). But this Citrix client is more then just a "remote desktop client". Because it doesn't just connect to a server running a certain OS. No, it connects to a server running more than 1 virtual instance of (perhaps multiple) operating system(s). So it is quite nice what Citrix achieved.

But, I must say: ZDNET: get your facts straight and do not try to deceive the reader in thinking that there was actually a windows XP running on the iPhone, because it was not! It was running as a virtual instance on a remote server. So at all time, to be able to use(not run) windows XP on your iPhone, you should have a wifi connection available. (I'm guessing that it would be just a bit to slow over a 3G connection...)

Or: Are them ZDNET editors just not capable of thinking straight?

Just my 2 cents ...

At the Apple WWDC(World Wide Developer Conference), which was launched on monday, Steve Jobs presented the new iPhone 3G. It was supposed to be a big step to the new iPhone 3G. Well here's how I (and some others) feel about the story.

I'll start with a small summary of what apple told us about their new iPhone. The price will be reduced (worldwide) to a maximum of 199$(or EUR) and 299$(or EUR) - why o why is apple so fond of the $$ = EUR rule, not quite honest... - for respectively the 8GB and 16GB models. And the sales will be expanded to 70+ countries. Some of the features(which you probably already know): 3G, GPS.

Now let's talk!

As for the reduced price. First of all I really do not believe that this will be the maximum price worldwide. For example what about our country, Belgium, where the iPhone will be coming out 11... oh no wait, there was a small lack of communication between Mobistar and Apple. Or is it about our "silly" Law preventing Apple/Mobistar from locking the iPhone thats the problem. If and when the iPhone will be available here, it will cost much more than 199/299 EUR, I'm sure.

Oh and, the customer has to pay a price for the price to pay (nice sentence :-)):

There will be no more home activation. The iPhone will have to be activated at an apple/<provider x>'s retail store. This is probably done to make it more difficult for "hackers" to unlock Apple's precious product.

Other prices to pay? Here are some (missing) features in the iPhone 3G:

• A 2MP camera? For a "revolutionary" device? You must be kidding right?
• Metallic back cover is downgraded to a plastic glossy white or black one.
• Video recording? Nope, still not available.
• No MMS(Multimedia Messaging). Ow come on! Even my really old "backup" phones could do that...
• Voice dailing? Nope, still not implemented. Guess bad luck for the bussiness users/people who tend to be on the road a lot.
• Cut and paste? Nope
• Flash in the Safari browser? Nope

As for the main new iPhone feature, the 3G, Steve Jobs showed us the nice 3G network:

21 seconds ! Now that's fast isn't it ? Guess the AT&T 3G network isn't as fast as our Belgian ones :-)
I really have to say it: at that point this device was probably the only one in the whole U.S. using the 3G network (as they were not really widely using it before), so what will happen when Apple will sell a lot of their precious 3G devices? Will a full webpage really load in 21s?

There might also be some bad luck for people living in the wrong place (at the wrong time?) as the AT&T 3G network coverage is quite bad. Check it out at http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/ but don't be deceived by the map, the coverage on the map is the normal (EDGE) coverage when you click data. To get a more accurate view click on 3G 'in select areas'. That will get you here or click on Mobile TV, because that requires 3G. Nice?

Conclusion:

Don't get me wrong, at the release of the first iPhone i also thought "hmm nice product". And it is quite nice, it's intuitive, has a nice design and works pretty good/fast. BUT it just lacks a ton of features and the Apple strategy (make money, a lot of it and fast) is quite obvious again. The iPhone 3G could have lacked less of the features desribed here. But hey, if you feel the concurrention competition breathing down your neck, better release an unfinished product FAST, attach a 2 year contact to it, and at least your safe for those 2 years. Thanks to the people who will buy it for the "WOW"-factor...

Seriously, I think the iPhone glory will be blown away by the more experienced manufacturors/software developers soon enough...

Another nice post telling the truth:

http://phandroid.com/2008/06/10/iphone-3g-deceitfully-mediocre/ (Also: do read the wonderfull comment that's quoted in the post!)