New Apple iPhone: Huge Hype, Flawed Function
I remember when Krispy Kreme™ donuts and In and Out Burger™
first came to Phoenix, Ariz. It was like a feeding frenzy. The
public was rabid with anticipation, salivating at the chance to get their hands
on one of those “golden” donuts or mouth-watering hamburgers.
The message was clear: you’ve never had a donut (or
hamburger) like this, and you’ve got to get one. NOW! Honestly, I never paid
any attention to the ads. In fact, I just rolled my eyes and gave a sympathetic
nod of my head whenever friends breached the subject.
It seems that a similar raucous has been created by the
esteemed Apple iPhone, billed by some as the “Jesus-phone,” with its
unbelievably hyped expectations, it seemed the second coming of mobile media
devices. But has the device actually lived up to expectations? College students
all around the country are dying to find out. (As if you don’t know already).
Sleek Looks Can’t
Save iPhone
What? You consider yourself a savvy college student but you
don’t actually own an iPhone? You’re not alone—and honestly—you’ll probably be
glad that you didn’t buy an iPhone, priced at nearly $600, over a much-needed
computer for the new school year.
People across the board are claiming that Apple’s new
product is probably “the best iPod ever” according to PC Magazine (“Apple
iPhone: Fun, Fabulous, Flawed,” June 30, 2007). In case you haven’t noticed, it’s
supposed to be a phone. However, everyone I talk to (and the reviews back this
up) say that it is absolutely the worst phone ever, even with the tons of
innovations and some spectacular features.
Here’s the overall rundown
from PC Mag:
BOTTOM LINE:
·
It's the best
portable media player ever.
·
It's possibly the
most fun we've ever had with a handheld device.
·
It browses the
Web like a champ.
·
Yet as a voice
phone and a messaging device, it's a loser.
·
The iPhone is
full of contradictions.
PROS:
·
Fun new interface
for navigating multimedia.
·
Huge screen looks
amazing.
·
Terrific Web
browser.
·
Syncs well with
PCs and Macs.
·
YouTube function
is great.
·
Functions flow
seamlessly into each other.
·
Built-in speaker
for voice calling and music.
CONS:
·
Poor business
e-mail and PIM connectivity.
·
Bad audio quality
on phone calls.
·
Tons of "GSM
buzz" on nearby speakers.
·
Virtual keyboard
hard to type on.
·
No phone
functionality with iPod speaker docks.
·
No FM radio.
Version 1.0 a Big
Disappointment?
Ok, the iPhone has some great elements, but it is version
1.0 after all. What do you expect? You never want to buy the first year’s model
of a new car, so what were we thinking with the iPhone? There are some pretty fabulous
features with the iPhone, but let’s face it. It really doesn’t live up to
expectations (or at least all the hype) and it certainly isn’t what Steve Jobs
(Apple founder/CEO) said it would be: "an incredibly great cell
phone," "the best iPod we've ever made," and "the Internet
in your pocket."
As PC Mag says, “One out of three isn't bad. Yes, the iPhone
is the best iPod ever—ironic for something not even called an iPod! But it's
just a plain lousy phone.” So, I guess we’ll have to wait until Apple gets it
right and fixes the many shortcomings of the phone before we can say that the
iPhone is the mobile media device of choice, at least for sophisticated college
students.
For Full Reviews:
PC
Magazine (shorter synopsis)
CNet
(extensive review, user ratings and commentary)
Talk
to the education finance advisors at NextStudent. They have all the information
and advice you need on student loans. Check out www.nextstudent.com.
Be
sure to tune in next Tuesday for my next blog about this week in student loans.
Student
Loan Girl