I read a lot of different blogs - some topic-specific, some personal. If one were to browse through my feed reader items from the past couple of days, however, one might assume that I’m a really big Apple fan. Perhaps even a little obsessive. Why? Because it seems like every other frakking item in Google Reader is about Apple’s new iPhone.
I admit - the iPhone looks pretty spiffy. I won’t be owning one (remember: poor college student), but they still look neat, and I’m sure the iPhone does all sorts of awesome things: it let’s you use it as a phone (imagine that!), map things, send and receive email, read news, construct skyscrapers out of thin air, and don’t forget - if you ask it nicely, it’ll do the dishes, too.
But it’s a phone. When you get down to it, it’s a bloody phone. A lot of the stuff I’ve seen zipping through my feed reader makes it sound like it’s going to cure cancer, or perhaps bring back the dinosaurs.
But it won’t be doing anything even remotely as important.
It’s a phone. Relax, people. Breathe. Say it with me: phone.
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June 30, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Fig
Thankfully, it’s not being released here in the Great White North. Yet.
I’m going to hide in my igloo when it is.
June 30, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Josh
I don’t know if an igloo will cut it. I’d recommend a sealed bunker with no phone / internet access.
July 1, 2007 at 6:56 am
Cas
I committed what amounted to heresy yesterday - I told someone I wouldn’t be buying an iPhone when they are released over here. Yes, they are very pretty, but I just don’t need one! I hardly use my normal mobile as it is.
And yes, all this coverage is getting ridiculous!
July 1, 2007 at 8:30 am
Josh
! You told someone you wouldn’t be buying one when it comes out on your side of the pond! That is heresy!
July 1, 2007 at 8:36 am
Nils
I actually got my iPhone turn-off yesterday when I saw this picture of Scoble holding up a iPhone like it was the new-born saviour or something.
It’s an image that conveys all that’s wrong with the world.
I’m not a brooding, black-clad leftist sitting in the dark and I like the thing too. But I have no need for a new phone yet, it’s not out here for six months, it’s very expensive and I’d hardly use it. Much like you and Cas then, I suppose.
July 1, 2007 at 8:44 am
Josh
It’s an image that conveys all that’s wrong with the world.
I agree. I’m not trying to make a huge deal out of this, but the fact that so many people are obsessed with it kind of creeps me out. The picture of Scoble holding it up like that is even creepier. It’s a phone, not the cup of everlasting life.
July 1, 2007 at 11:35 am
Nils
Precisely. Thanks for that pat on the shoulder there. We’re a minority
July 1, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Joshua J. Slone
I don’t even _like_ talking on the phone. If they removed that functionality and just called it iMobileComputingDevice, I’d probably be a lot more interested.
Under the right circumstances I’m all for a bit of overexcited product launches, though. You bet your bippy I was pretty pleased to be getting my Wii launch night.
July 2, 2007 at 9:17 am
Josh
Yeah, I’m not fond of telephone chatting either. If it were called iMobileComputingDevice, I’d be more interested in it, but I still wouldn’t treat it like it was the second coming of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Certainly, there have been things I’ve been excited about - remember me and Star Wars? - but I think this whole iPhone thing has gone too far.