IMO this is better then Iphone

[Binaryman]

Nokia N800 Internet Tablet Also Does Skype
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/333/C12758/

[Scandiman]

This highlights for me one of my main issues about the iPhone, there are already so many alternatives to it on the market. The main difference I think they are offering is a focus towards consumers instead of business users.

[Binaryman]

Excactly Scandiman. It's not like the whole world will now end up with going Iphone. It might become the Volkswagen or Toyota of the mobile phone market. Or perhaps the Ferrari or Maserati. But it will never dominate or dictate to the whole market. And any way..I think it's a good thing to have Iphone although I dont understand why they chose to go anti-.mobi albeit in a thinly disguised way. Whatever for? What do they stand to gain by taking that stance? Why make out as if .Mobi is a watered down internet? Anyway .Mobi can lift those restrictions it has at any time if they wish and the market so requires.

[Scandiman]

Apples stated goal is to reach only 1 or 2% of the market. They will make plenty of money at those levels but the overall impact on the market won't amount to much. They are a very late comer entering a very crowded market with a fancy high priced product. The iPhone is very cool indeed and I'm almost certain it will be a success for Apple but all the hype of it being a death blow to .mobi is a joke.

[Tim]

Could their stance on mobi be related to their overall ms vs. mac campaign?

[newton]

Could their stance on mobi be related to their overall ms vs. mac campaign?

Probably and it doesn't help that the HTC touch mobile (http://www.htctouch.com) is MS based either

[nombre]

i really believe that the nokia 800, iphone, blackberry, treo etc are _all_ still very much a niche market

i don't think all of them added together will get 10% of the total market for cellphones

it will probably increase, but very slowly, most non-techies still want to carry small, cheap, easy to use phones

these units make a lot of noise but only because techies have an inordinate amount of influence and input with the media, especially the net media

[Reece]

i really believe that the nokia 800, iphone, blackberry, treo etc are _all_ still very much a niche market

i don't think all of them added together will get 10% of the total market for cellphones

it will probably increase, but very slowly, most non-techies still want to carry small, cheap, easy to use phones

these units make a lot of noise but only because techies have an inordinate amount of influence and input with the media, especially the net media

There was a day, not so long ago, when if someone were to mention spending $10000+ on a PC, people would look at you, ask if you were aware this wasn't 1970 and probably ask if you were mad. Now, it's part of a growing sector of very high end "gamer" computers coming with multiple graphic cards, liquid cooling, quad core + processors, etc... I see the cell phone the same way -- most people are used to paying $0 or very little for a phone when they sign such a hefty contract. Will Apple be able to sway them over? It's too pricey for me personally, despite having the money for it. I don't see many parents buying this for their children, the lack of a keyboard and it's overall design (and the camera) makes it a bit too consumerish for businesses. Even geeks are more likely to go with a umpc or mini-laptop once they're aware of the total cost of ownership involved here. So who exactly is being targeted with these phones?

[nombre]

reece
great question
i find myself following the iphone thing with great interest

i would imagine it will appeal to that very small, well heeled group of tech obsessed folks who just want to have a pretty piece of technology and who don't count their coins too carefully

i'm sure it's beautiful and i personally hope it morphs into the next ipod (a good bet i would think) but i really don't see them getting a large piece of the market

they are shooting for 1% supposedly which they may get over time as costs fall but i really think this is in danger of being a failure (i am on record as recovered apple cultist having owned everything they made just about)

i will say again at risk of being dead wrong,i just don't think that many people want to access the "full size" web on their phones (i.e people don't feel a need to boot up the full-size version of the ny times on their cellphone as an example) especially if they have to pay a premium price

i specifically exempt anything to do with entertainment, like video, music and games from that prediction

[Reece]

reece
great question
i find myself following the iphone thing with great interest

i would imagine it will appeal to that very small, well heeled group of tech obsessed folks who just want to have a pretty piece of technology and who don't count their coins too carefully

i'm sure it's beautiful and i personally hope it morphs into the next ipod (a good bet i would think) but i really don't see them getting a large piece of the market

they are shooting for 1% supposedly which they may get over time as costs fall but i really think this is in danger of being a failure (i am on record as recovered apple cultist having owned everything they made just about)

i will say again at risk of being dead wrong,i just don't think that many people want to access the "full size" web on their phones (i.e people don't feel a need to boot up the full-size version of the ny times on their cellphone as an example) especially if they have to pay a premium price

i specifically exempt anything to do with entertainment, like video, music and games from that prediction

I'm following it with great interest as well. It hasn't been released here in Canada yet, I believe there are still TM issues on the word iPhone here being discussed. As for the device itself, I was appalled at how high the contracts were and how little they came with -- not to mention the hidden fees. So I pay $499 for the device, there's a $36 activation fee, fees for a whole pile of typical carrier charges, all in addition to the $60+/month plans which include a whopping (??) 200 text messages. I sure hope AT&T is giving Apple at least the full cost of the iPhones for taking part in this venture, because signing with such a contract seems like suicide otherwise.

And for families out there... Don't get fooled by the small print. It ISN'T $80/month for 2 plans -- it's $110/month. Gotta love the small print and horrible discount you get even if you choose to buy 2 of these overpriced phones.

[nombre]

i live in victoria

can you you even _imagine_ what telus rogers or bell would charge for an iphone with unlimited data downloads ????

i'd have to be sitting down before they told me .....

[Reece]

i live in victoria

can you you even _imagine_ what telus rogers or bell would charge for an iphone with unlimited data downloads ????

i'd have to be sitting down before they told me .....

I hear ya ;) Unlimited internet isn't very friendly here in Manitoba either... Would probably be $100+ for just the internet (not aware of companies actually offering it, so it's on a per MB usage).

[Gerry]

Someone had asked the question earlier will the iPhone help or hurt .mobi.

Currently, neither. There will still be the problem of "who knows .mobi?"

There has also been a lot of fuss over the default .com button. Keep in mind this was first revealed to the public in April. So how long had it been in development (R&D) and when was .mobi released? So why would they include an untried and unknown extension to sell their product.

The iPhone will no hurt .mobi. Anything that people can use to access a mobi site is only a benefit. But the iPhone will also no help the .mobi market. How is it to help if no one knows that much about it or is not aware of the extension?

That is where we do need the big player, the larger corporations, to just take on product and advertise it on television and in print with the .mobi as the default URL. In order to be successful, it will take a successful campaign to even build up name (extension) recognition let alone brand recognition.

It will take a catalyst, perhaps BofA, or perhaps even someone that does not even have a web presence at the moment to put .mobi into everyday usage and speech.

We'll get there. It is just a matter of time. And from what I am seeing and reading it is going much faster than I anticipated.

As for the iPhone, many advertising industry experts are already saying that this is unquestionably one of the largest hyped products prelaunch in history. The iPhone will have to live up to it's hype. If it doesn't, then it will hurt Apple, not the .mobi. With a hopeful market share gain of 1%, that leaves 99% of the market that could care less about the iPhone.

Speaking of which, there are some tremendous alternatives out there to the iPhone. The sleek iPhone package design may be new to the American market, but it is certainly not new to other markets.

http://www.forbes.com/2007/06/19/iphone-mogul-treo-tech-wireless-cx_df_0619iphoneoptions_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=200 00&boxes=custom
In Pictures: Nine iPhone Alternatives

My favorites:

http://images.forbes.com/media/2007/06/19/1_altiphone.jpghttp://images.forbes.com/media/2007/06/19/3_altiphone.jpg

http://images.forbes.com/media/2007/06/19/8_altiphone.jpg

[dartho]

I use an O2 Atom XDA - small enough to not feel like I'm carrying a brick, and does *everything* I need it to. With an iPhone will I be able to VPN into the office, remote desktop to the a server and fix up issues - all whilst sitting on the bog at home? Will the iPhone be usable whilst in a protective cover?

It's all hype - a gadget, not a business tool.

[Gerry]

I Will the iPhone be usable whilst in a protective cover?What cover?

[vikrantjain22]

Probably and it doesn't help that the HTC touch mobile (http://www.htctouch.com) is MS based either

Apple doesnt plan to launch the iPhone in India for another 1 year as per their office announcements in India.
On the other hand HTC has already gone ahead and signed an agreement with Airtel, the Biggest MObile Operatore in India and are going to lauch their product range in India pretty soon.

Their isnt much of a hype here given the cost factor and also due to the fact that you have phones available here for as low as $ 150 with almost most of the features and maybe even better with a much better mobie browsing exp. on them

[Gerry]

Apple doesnt plan to launch the iPhone in India for another 1 year as per their office announcements in India.
On the other hand HTC has already gone ahead and signed an agreement with Airtel, the Biggest MObile Operatore in India and are going to lauch their product range in India pretty soon.

Their isnt much of a hype here given the cost factor and also due to the fact that you have phones available here for as low as $ 150 with almost most of the features and maybe even better with a much better mobie browsing exp. on themHTC has many very nice designs, including the first pic that I showed which is also touch screen. Needless to say, I am sure Apple is already working on version 2.0 to correct/improve on this iPhone first release.

But as you can see, and as you perhaps already know, the technology is nothing new to the Far East and your nation. I think that is why there is so much hype...SOMETHING PRETTY, AND NEW, IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS!!!

But a glass screen? No cover? Not 3G?

But, we are all for the success of any product that can deliver .mobi.

Personally, I love the design and features of that helio Ocean. In that pic it shows it horizontal with the slide out keyboard. Vertically the slide out is the number pad. Very sleek design, less than half the price of the iPhone. Sprint is the provider here in the US.

[nombre]

Speaking of which, there are some tremendous alternatives out there to the iPhone. The sleek iPhone package design may be new to the American market, but it is certainly not new to other markets. from what i read yesterday at the launch, i got the feeling that the people waiting in line were apple cultists mainly, including steve wozniak who founded apple

they ended up with plenty of phones to go around, nobody even needed to wait in line at all

you are right gerry, there are plenty of good alternatives and these are made by people who make their entire living off the cellphone

apple is up against the big boys and the going will be rough

[Gerry]

from what i read yesterday at the launch, i got the feeling that the people waiting in line were apple cultists mainly, including steve wozniak who founded apple

they ended up with plenty of phones to go around, nobody even needed to wait in line at all

you are right gerry, there are plenty of good alternatives and these are made by people who make their entire living off the cellphone

apple is up against the big boys and the going will be roughI've been at work last night and just woke up. Today is June 30th, 2007. Now the the iPhone rush is over, what reportedly is the death of mobi today?

Damn, need more coffee.