This review in the Wall Street Journal provides the greatest depth I've seen so far. The author(s) actually used one for a few weeks:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118289311361649057.html

(note that this link may expire after awhile)

We have been testing the iPhone for two weeks, in multiple usage scenarios, in cities across the country. Our verdict is that, despite some flaws and feature omissions, the iPhone is, on balance, a beautiful and breakthrough handheld computer. Its software, especially, sets a new bar for the smart-phone industry, and its clever finger-touch interface, which dispenses with a stylus and most buttons, works well, though it sometimes adds steps to common functions.

That might explain all the photos we've been seeing of alleged users of the iPhone on the Apple rumor sites the past few weeks and months.

heath

More official reviews (incl. Pogue at the Times):

http://www.macrumors.com/2007/06/26/more-iphone-reviews/

heath

Speaking of iPhone:
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=71163
Here is a video

I'm standing in line to buy an iphone in front of the applestore in cinci right now... and I have to pee..... can someone take my place for a few mins?

kidding...

I've heard there where around 200 released early to "reviewers"

I was considering hocking everything I own and buying apple stock today... I'm sure it will jump! ATT was said to have hired 2000 extra workers for it's release. I'm sure Steve Jobs will be watching the ticker Monday morning.

Last time I remember hype like this was when the "segway" was introduced.... "it'll change all our lives..."

Last time I remember hype like this was when the "segway" was introduced.... "it'll change all our lives..."

Well I don't watch TV anymore, so maybe I'm missing something, but my observation is that I've never seen so many people *saying* how much a product has been hyped. Seems Apple is just advertising the iPhone like all their other products... the "hype" appears to come from other sources and not Apple itself. Doesn't seem like they need to spend anything on advertising in fact, it's remarkable how much free publicity they're getting from the news media.

And no, I won't be getting one. I have a problem with any kind of device like this since it would steal what little free time I have left and chain me to a computer 24/7. But speaking as a shareholder, I hope the rest of you are lining up to get one! ;-)

Funny that you mention the Segway.... just saw this AP story:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070629/apple_iphone.html?.v=44

Even Steve Wozniak, the ex-partner of Apple CEO Steve Jobs, showed up at a Silicon Valley mall at 4 a.m. aboard his Segway scooter. He helped keep order in the line outside the Apple store at Santa Clara's Valley Fair Mall.

Great article:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070629/D8Q2PNR00.html

heath

Heh, that article is almost identical to the AP article I linked to above :-)

Whoops! Well, it IS AP...

heath

How's this? Woz stands in line for an iPhone:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-iphone29jun29,0,4233409.story?coll=la-home-center

heath

I was going to try and get one last night...but the lines were crazy here in NYC and probably every other metropolitan city in the US.

I wonder how many of those in line were just trying to flip them on eBay and Craigslist? [Ruins it for the rest of us!]

The last time I've heard of this kind of line in NYC is probably for the Playstation 3 launch[and before that the PSP] and some particular model of Nike shoes.

In small towns, there were lines, too. As far as re-selling for higher? Nope, Apple had enough made.

heath

Time Magazine's review is here: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1639068,00.html

Steve Jobs has said, repeatedly, that this is the best iPod that Apple has ever made, and it is. It's also the best phone that anybody has ever made. E-mail and web-browsing are unbelievably great. Ditto the crisp music and video playback. Everybody I called with the iPhone remarked on the crispness and clarity of the audio.

But to look at the iPhone as a laundry list of features and bugs is to miss the point (though if you did, the former would commandingly outweigh the latter). The iPhone isn't just the gadget du jour, it's a fresh new platform, an exceptionally powerful mobile computer that's still in its infancy. There's a full version of Apple's desktop operating system in there. The Palm and the Treo, et al., were merely harbingers of the era of true walk-around mobile computing that Jobs has just inaugurated. Hail to the chief.

Went down to the applestore last night, and they claimed they were out at 8pm...however they were saving a couple hundred for the morning(truck didn't show until 11am apparently), and we were able to come back at 8:45am the next day, getting out of there with our phones by 9:30.

I have to say I am quite impressed. Overall it is by far the best mobile device I have used to date, and that's ignoring the features like apples reliability, and ease of use in connecting the phone to a computer.

The touch screen alone could keep me entertained for hours.

I couldn't help myself today. After touching and playing with the iPhone for just 2 minutes at the Apple Store, and replicating every move I saw in the commercials-- I went ahead and got one for myself and my wife.[It's a huge "indulgence" but the phone is really that compelling.]

There was plenty in stock--you should be able to walk into any Apple store and walk out with one.

Apple definitely made enough of them [or enough for the Apple Stores anyway.]

My dumbest move was knowing full well that the iPhone was arriving and renewing my Verizon contract this past Feb[I'm paying hefty termination fee]. But it is worth every penny.

The thing is so intuitive and well thought out--everything is logical and makes sense.

And yep---that Youtube commercial with the skateboarding dog plays exactly like the commercial. [As long as you are connected via Wi-Fi]

Be forewarned, if you touch this thing at a store or a friends...you might be really tempted to get one.

Posting this from my new iPhone now!

I think they've done an amazing job with it, much better than I expected.

I would have liked this phone, but the following shortcomings make me want to wait for something else.
Emphasis on #17 - NO VIDEO shooting capabilities that other phones have.
Of course, many of us know what good video is, so we have dedicated tools for that, but at the price they're asking, it would have been nice to see some other features that other less expensive phones have.
1. Bluetooth is ONLY good for connecting a headset. That's it.
2. There is no file browser on the device at all. Data must be organized (if at all) in the appropriate application.
3. The camera is a simple application that has ONE button: the shutter. Pictures come out okay on the device, but nothing too fancy on a monitor, especially if it was an attempt at a macro shot.
4. SIM card is damn near impossible to open, if at all. I didn't look into it extensively.
5. Web browser is slow, even over WLAN. Even the simple OneList web app that was created takes around 20 seconds to load over WLAN. You can not highlight, cut, copy, or paste and text from a website, and you can not save any images you find from a website either. The only nice thing about it is the tabbed browsing, which crashed on me when I went to Engadget and YouTube on two tabs. This is the only application that allows you to use the keyboard in landscape mode.
6. The keyboard sucks. It gets slightly better after the iPhone "learns" you, as the employees said, but even then, it's not a device you can use with one hand comfortably, much less without looking.
7. You can only send one picture at a time in an email.
8. No custom ringtones (yet, as we were being told) and the alert tones can not be changed whatsoever.
9. The default ringtones are incredibly lame.
10. The only form of customization outside of a lame default ringtone is the wallpaper, which you'll only see when you need to unlock the device or when you get a phone call.
11. "Picture pinching" or using two fingers to zoom on any content is certainly fun to play with, but not practical whatsoever. This operation depends solely on using the device with two hands.
12. No document editor or native viewer. You can not store documents on the device to be viewed, they can only be viewed as attachments when they're sent to your in an email.
13. Visual voicemail is laggy and reacts about the same way as pushing the fast forward and rewind buttons on traditional voicemail systems. The only advantage is for those that get that many voicemail messages a day that they need to sort them according to priority.
14. NO games. None.
15. No voice dialing.
16. No speed dialing (which can be made up by the "quick list", but getting to that quick list isn't as fast as holding a single key on a real keypad).
17. No video.
18. No MMS.
19. It's still <4GB for $500 and <8GB for $600
20. It only takes around 2 hours to explore every menu without any options for expandability except to scrounge around for new web apps that will load slowly and nowhere near as smoothly as the native apps.

Discovered through DIGG & Howard Forums (http://digg.com/apple/A_list_of_iPhone_dissapointments)

Also, from Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/30/iphone-not-supported-under-64-bit-windows-xp-or-vista-oops/)
The iPhone is not supported under 64-bit Windows XP or Vista.
I'm sure that'll be worked out soon though.

And even with all that said, if an iPhone just magically landed in my lap, I'd still use it over my current phone.
:)
Hope everybody has fun with it.
It'll be interesting to see if they have a 'mini' or 'nano' version soon.

I hope to be posting my iphone review soon, but as of right now I just have an ibrick. Come on at&t activate the stupid thing.

so can I buy apple stock monday moring at fridays close price....?

Also... it's funny how my current phone ( tmobile dash ) is suddenly locking up and missing calls..... does steve also have control over devine intervention? plea pass the coolaid!

Wahoo posting from my iphone. I wonder how much aapl and t will jump tommorow.

Hopefully by the time it comes out over here in Japan next year they will have worked out all the kinks in it and will come out with a newer version of it. I am already giving my wife all the reasons why I "need" to get one.

I love what SciFi Tech talked about and linked to:

http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/2007/06/29/iphone_day_is_h.html

heath

I would have liked this phone, but the following shortcomings make me want to wait for something else.
Emphasis on #17 - NO VIDEO shooting capabilities that other phones have.
Of course, many of us know what good video is, so we have dedicated tools for that, but at the price they're asking, it would have been nice to see some other features that other less expensive phones have.


Discovered through DIGG & Howard Forums (http://digg.com/apple/A_list_of_iPhone_dissapointments)

Also, from Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/30/iphone-not-supported-under-64-bit-windows-xp-or-vista-oops/)
The iPhone is not supported under 64-bit Windows XP or Vista.
I'm sure that'll be worked out soon though.

And even with all that said, if an iPhone just magically landed in my lap, I'd still use it over my current phone.
:)
Hope everybody has fun with it.
It'll be interesting to see if they have a 'mini' or 'nano' version soon.

This sounds a lot like the ipod I have on my hip. You can keep your calendar and contacts, but can't add or edit to them without an external application. You can have a song list, but can't add or edit without itunes. This issue and the fact that my ATT/Cingular coverage is horrid where I live puts me out of the iphone list. I think Apple really messed up by not releasing it to more carriers. The only interest I had in the device is the ability to play my demos, sortof like I do with my ipod now, but with the iphone, I would have sound. I just hope sprint comes up with something decent, but I doubt it since all they want to release are more stupid camera phones.

About the fact that the iphone doesn't do shoot video, that seems silly to me. That makes the defice more of a tv than a personal device.

who really cares about any of these "hip" gadgets. you couldn't get me to wait online for a product if you paid me. excuse me, but, get a life.

Yeah, Bill, when I was watching the news of people standing in lines, it brought back memories of the Cabbage Patch dolls. Although I haven't heard stories of stampedes or death from this release.

"get a life".... what life would be better without apple?

I shudder at the consequence of not.

Now where's my cool-aid?

I agree that the lemmings are full tilt over a "phone".... but at least it is a communication device and not a product that makes them less attractive or worse fat! ( not that I have anything against obesity or unattractive people )

and I'll admit.... I'd like an iphone... but I'd rather have a merlin vest upgrade... and an hdcam ex..... and a RED.... and a Aimes lounge chair.... and a date with heather graham ( if I was single )

This nearly became the very first Apple product that I would consider owning except for three things:

1) They won't be in Canada for months (although I could Ebay one)
2) From what I read battery life is terrible.
3) My phone is a more important tool than my camera and there's no way I'm going to risk my main communication tool to Apple. Ipods are one of the most unreliable devices out there, I'm not taking a chance buying a phone from the company that makes them, no matter how much I like it spec wise. I'll stick with SE for now, but probably going to Nokia or RIM for my next phone.

If they are proven rock solid after a year or two and a revamped version comes out with a great battery, I'm in.

"Get a life?"

Not sure how that is the type of constructive comment that helps fellow DVinfo users.

This new iPhone doesn't happen to be for me either, but the hip gadget that my colleagues and I communicate with constantly (happens to be Blackberry) has dramatically improved our work efficiency. If a device isn't for you, cool, then you don't need to invest in one. Doesn't mean your circumstance or personal opinion applies to all and warrants a generalized derision.

All you iPhone folks, enjoy. Carry on!

Just a reminder to keep the spirit of DV Info Net friendly... or else!

I'm perfectly happy with my Moto Q on Sprint, but can certainly understand the appeal of the iPhone to the Apple crowd. More power to ya,

The thing that tickles me is all those people waiting (hours/days) in line for something that was probably the best stocked item next to egg nog each holiday season. I was seeing people get their phones within minutes after the last person in line had been there for days!!! $600 for a phone, wow that's a bit much even if I was rich. My Crackberry is nice and fully hackable with the Java Dev kit. only cost me $14.99!!!

$600 for a phone, wow that's a bit much even if I was rich.

To help put things in perspective, I remember when Nokia brought out a chrome plated looking phone in the late 90's that was just a phone and they were able to charge $800 dollars for that thing. The belt ciip holster had it laying horizontal on your hip, like a sunglasses case. And there were no discounts either. I've seen many phones come along that cost more than the $600 price tag for the larger capacity iPhone. It always costs more to be the first kid on your block with the newest technology. I guess my biggest desire has always been a widescreen iPod. The iPhone is that and more. But I don't own one because I'm with another carrier.

As an Apple stock owner though, I'm glad to see the early users sing the praises which should help sell more of them!

-gb-

MSNBC reporter's iPhone dies after 4 days, but Apple gets things set right:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19614050

heath

The quality of the 3.5" screen on the iPhone is pretty amazing--its like watching HD. [Though I haven't really looked at other devices like the Playstation Portable]

This could this another avenue for DV filmmaker's to start making available films formatted to take advantage of the iPhone.

I'm gonna have to try exporting some footage from the HV20 for this thing...

The quality of the 3.5" screen on the iPhone is pretty amazing--its like watching HD.

Just goes to show how subjective something like this can be. The iPhone screen is 480x320 - 153,600 pixels total (http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html). HD is 1920x1080, or 2,073,600 pixels - more than 10 times as many. Or putting it another way, the iPhone screen is less than half the resolution of standard DV (720x480 = 345,600).

I'm sure it is beautiful - especially compared to what we've come to expect from a cell phone. But it's a long way from HD...

Just goes to show how subjective something like this can be. The iPhone screen is 480x320 - 153,600 pixels total

I'm sure it is beautiful - especially compared to what we've come to expect from a cell phone. But it's a long way from HD...

Well, of course I know it's not HD.

;-)

What Apple did to make it look so good was to use a very dense lcd panel...160 dpi.

At the normal viewing distances that this thing is intended, it is has more than enough pixels to make it crystal clear.

And yeah, perception is everything...

I have always marveled at the banners on the sides of buildings that look like photographs.

But then learned that they need to only print them at really low resolutions because from the distances we normally view them---it has more than enough dots, it looks silky smooth.

And yeah, perception is everything...

Indeed. There seems to be widespread agreement that the LCD screen on the Sony Z1 is not adequate for focusing HD and it has 250,000 pixels. Of course it looks very nice also...