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PC Pro: Interactive: Forums: The Meeting Place: iPhone vs. iPhone killers
Interesting article in this months c't magazine.
They put the iPhone up against the HTC Touch Diamond and Touch Pro and the Samsung Omnia.
The iPhone got a bit of a battering, to be honest.
It didn't stack up very well against the HTC or Samsung.
The summary said, if you really want a 'phone you can use with just your fingers, then the iPhone is the way to go, if you can live with its shortcomings.
Otherwise the HTC devices are better as mobile organisers and the keyboard on the Pro makes it the obvious choice for the person who types a lot of messages or E-mails - the main reason I went for it.
The Samsung was clobbered for buggy software and regular crashes (and Samsung saying the operators were happy with its reliability, so they won't be bringing a patch out any time soon ), although it had the best display and the best camera.
For web surfing, they were all pretty much as good as each other, with Safari not really having any plus points over Opera 9.5 - the multi-touch being a little more obvious than the SLR camera like zoom process on the HTCs and Omnia.
Main problems with the iPhone, in comparison were:
- lack of copy and paste (a question on iPhone users, does Apple provide an alternative, to get contact information and 'phone numbers from web pages, e-mails or SMS messages?)
- lack of video
- lack of flash (for camera)
- lack of MMS sending and MMS video and image editing facilities
- deficient Bluetooth implementation
- lack of 3G modem facilities
- deficient in areas of the PIM software implementation
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Quote: : Main problems with the iPhone, in comparison were:
- lack of copy and paste (a question on iPhone users, does Apple provide an alternative, to get contact information and 'phone numbers from web pages, e-mails or SMS messages?)
- lack of video
- lack of flash
- lack of MMS sending and MMS video and image editing facilities
- deficient Bluetooth implementation
- lack of G3 modem facilities
- deficient in areas of the PIM software implementation
What I do find interesting is that none of that non-feature list you mention has been something that I have considered a problem.
If there is a phone number in a web page for instance, you can dial it straight from the Safari.
I am actually rather grateful for the lack of Flash, as I have yet to see anything worthwhile that has been produced with it...
I must confess that I haven't a clue what the last two are, and really cannot be arsed to google them!
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I'm going to guess that Dave meant 3G Modem, which should clear things up a bit.
PIM software is Personal information Management Software.
Think of it as an electronic version of the Filofax.
For those of you too young to remember Filofaxes, think of them as a paper based version of your PIM software.
For what it's worth I've had me Samsung Omnia for a few weeks now, and have yet to encounter a system crash.
It actually seems to be very stable.
I was standing in a back queue last week, and the guy in front of me was playing with his iPhone.
I'm sure I noticed a bit of envy when I started texting on the Omnia
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Quote: : What I do find interesting is that none of that non-feature list you mention has been something that I have considered a problem.
If there is a phone number in a web page for instance, you can dial it straight from the Safari.
That is good.
Sort of answers my question, but how do you insert the contact details into your 'phone book?
Quote: : I am actually rather grateful for the lack of Flash, as I have yet to see anything worthwhile that has been produced with it...
That was "flash" with little f, not Adobe Flash.
As in being able to take photographs in poor lighting conditions.
Quote: : I must confess that I haven't a clue what the last two are, and really cannot be arsed to google them!
Sorry, John V is right, I meant 3G.
As in attaching your iPhone to your laptop to get email, surf the web etc.
When the laptop doesn't have a cable or wi-fi connection.
PIM: Yes, again, John hit the nail on the head.
Don't they teach you kids nuffing these days?
The abilities of the contact mananger, calendar, todo lists, audio and written note taking etc.
Were criticised.
Quote: : For what it's worth I've had me Samsung Omnia for a few weeks now, and have yet to encounter a system crash.
It actually seems to be very stable.
Glad to hear it.
I was surprised to read of the crashes, they were apprently in their Wiz-whatsit "finger touch" layer.
Quote: : I was standing in a back queue last week, and the guy in front of me was playing with his iPhone.
I'm sure I noticed a bit of envy when I started texting on the Omnia
Just try 'phoning him using a video call
I liked the look of the Omnia, but the keyboard (and the fact that the Omnia is out of stock for 2-3 weeks here) swung the Touch Pro for me.
I like the iPhone, a lot, but its poor contracts here, in comparison to normal smartphones and the fact that my main use for it, apart from calls and SMS is the PIM (calendar, contacts, e-mail, todo lists and notes) functionality - music, photos and web surfing are pretty much novelty features for me - made the iPhone a bit of a non-runner, for me.
I still think it is a brilliant concept, but it is weak in the areas which are important for me.
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Speaking of Video calling...
When Mrs. V was at her worse with the whole cold/flu thing, she didn't eat anything for a couple of days.
The day before yesterday she told me she really fancied some cottage cheese!
So off I went to the shops, but they didn't have her favourite brand.
I didn't have a problem standing in the middle of Asda holding my 'phone out at arms length and waving it in front of the cheese section whilst a disembodied voice shouted, (she does that a lot!
) No! Not that one!
Carry on! Yep! that one wil do!
The moral of this story is that if I had an iPhone, she wouldn't have had any cottage cheese!
Gawd bless technology.
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Quote: : Quote: : What I do find interesting is that none of that non-feature list you mention has been something that I have considered a problem.
If there is a phone number in a web page for instance, you can dial it straight from the Safari.
That is good.
Sort of answers my question, but how do you insert the contact details into your 'phone book?
I must confess that I've never had need.
*Goes off to experiment*
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Firstly, I really hate the "killer" tag that the media append on to every new MP3 player / smartphone.
It is totally meaningless.
What does it mean?
That everyone who was going to buy an iPod / iPhone stops, and buys this other device instead?
Yeah, right!. From what I have seen with the iPod, all of the "iPod killers" that have come along over the last 7 years have all turned out to be "iPod victims" instead.
Quote: : The summary said, if you really want a 'phone you can use with just your fingers, then the iPhone is the way to go, if you can live with its shortcomings.
Of course, there are no "shortcomings" of any kind with the other devices.
Quote: : Main problems with the iPhone, in comparison were:
- lack of copy and paste (a question on iPhone users, does Apple provide an alternative, to get contact information and 'phone numbers from web pages, e-mails or SMS messages?)
- lack of video
- lack of flash (for camera)
- lack of MMS sending and MMS video and image editing facilities
- deficient Bluetooth implementation
- lack of 3G modem facilities
- deficient in areas of the PIM software implementation
And all of those are totally subjective.
What about the media playback facilities and desktop integration of the other phones?
What about 3rd party application integration?
Do that have an AppStore?
(I guess there is something for Windows).
Anything like this comes down to personal preference on the features you want and use.
Anyone who looks at the tech spec sheet of anything as a basis to make a decision doesn't really understand, and probably feels disappointed with a lot of the products they end up buying.
More megapixels in a camera doesn't mean it takes better photos, etc.
And if you don't want / don't care about a certain feature, then it's irrelevant anyway.
The iPhone will outsell all of those other phones you mention.
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Http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phones/whats-hot/
T-Mobile UK are posting up the Android coming soon.
Looks like an iPhone.
Just a footnote on outselling, the new N96 is outselling the iPhone byt 14 to 1 in Europe.
Its also no.1 in the Carphone Warehouse's 'chart' but I do find that harder to believe as its £99.
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Quote: : T-Mobile UK are posting up the Android coming soon.
Looks like an iPhone.
An ugly version of it though.
Man that thing is horrible looking.
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Quote: : Firstly, I really hate the "killer" tag that the media append on to every new MP3 player / smartphone.
It is totally meaningless.
I totally agree.
The devices are aimed at different market segments, they just all happen to have touchscreens...
Quote: : Quote: : The summary said, if you really want a 'phone you can use with just your fingers, then the iPhone is the way to go, if you can live with its shortcomings.
Of course, there are no "shortcomings" of any kind with the other devices.
I didn't say that.
The iPhone is designed to be used with the fingers and is a little more "natural", the other 'phones still rely on WindowsMobile 6.1 Pro, which is designed to be used with a stylus, so using fingers is possible, but not as accurate.
The TouchFlo and Whiz interfaces go some way to compensate, but only for common tasks, dig deeper and some people have problems.
Personally, I haven't had to resort to the stylus yet.
Quote: : And all of those are totally subjective.
What about the media playback facilities and desktop integration of the other phones?
What about 3rd party application integration?
Do that have an AppStore?
(I guess there is something for Windows).
Anything like this comes down to personal preference on the features you want and use.
Agreed, which is why I said that the iPhone is still a brilliant concept, but it is weak in the areas I need.
Desktop integration is built into Windows Vista, plug it in and it automatically starts syncing with my PIM software in the background and it appears as a mobile music device in Media Player and Explorer, just transfer individual songs or playlists over, copy documents over that I need.
The media playback facilities of the Windows devices actually cover more formats than the iPhone Although what the quality is like in comparison, I don't know.
I've never had an iPhone.
I dropped a couple of podcasts I hadn't had time to listen to onto it.
Playing 8 hours of audio podcasts used about 1/3 of the expected battery life.
The audio quality was okay (clear, LOUD (I had it turned down to the lowest volume setting and it was loud enough).
But that was an exception.
I don't like wearing earphones and I don't like listening to music when I work, so the media playback facilities are generally irrelevant to me, as a differentiator.
Quote: : Anyone who looks at the tech spec sheet of anything as a basis to make a decision doesn't really understand, and probably feels disappointed with a lot of the products they end up buying.
More megapixels in a camera doesn't mean it takes better photos, etc.
And if you don't want / don't care about a certain feature, then it's irrelevant anyway.
This was a head to head test over a couple of weeks, not a comparison of spec sheets.
My buying decision was made after using an iPhone, a Touch Pro and a Nokia E71.
I agree, basing it just on the spec isn't going to give a definitive answer, but it helps narrow the field down.
In the end, it was the things missing from the iPhone spec sheet that swung me to the Touch Pro.
Quote: : The iPhone will outsell all of those other phones you mention.
Individually, maybe.
In terms of platform, they still have a few million units to go, before they catch up...
That said, they are aimed at different markets, as the specifications show.
There just happens to be some overlap.
Although both lag way behind proprietary platforms from other manufacturers and the Symbian S60 platform.
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Quote: :
Main problems with the iPhone, in comparison were:
- lack of copy and paste (a question on iPhone users, does Apple provide an alternative, to get contact information and 'phone numbers from web pages, e-mails or SMS messages?)
Pen and paper
Quote: : The iPhone will outsell all of those other phones you mention.
Maybe individually, but the Windows Mobile platform outsells ever other smartphone platform IIRC, and the software is tailored for each device
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Lack of copy and paste has annoyed me a couple of times on my iPhone.
I'm sure it will be introduced with a software update when they decide on the best way to do it.
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Quote: : Maybe individually, but the Windows Mobile platform outsells ever other smartphone platform IIRC, and the software is tailored for each device
However, there are more iPhones going online than Win Mobile.
IIRC it's like 0.9% of online platforms are iPhones, 0.6% are WinMobile.
Something like that.
Anyway, what does it matter what 'everyone' else is using?
Buy what works for you.
All this talk of killers and killing...
Too aggressive for 10.30 on a thursday.
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Well it's 50/50 in the office with Alex, Mark and Clive all having opted for the new iPhone.
Not sure if James or Orestis are after new mobiles yet but my contract finishes on October 9th but I'm still undecided.
If there was a turn by turn voice Satnav app for the iPhone that would probably sell it for me.
I think Tomtom and telenav are working on it but TomTom said they were working on a version for the N95 (using internal gps) and this hasn't materialised...
I'm reluctant to get the N96 even if the battery life issue of the N95 has been resolved.
The last time I used Nokia Maps I got very very lost.
Blackberry bold is also a possibility.
My HTC Tytn II isn't bad, TomTom runs like a dream and I've found a brilliant music player for it but it's too bulky and the keyboard is too fiddly.
The Omnia is very attractive, especially as WM6 is bypassed somewhat with an iPhone like menu system.
Browsing on the iPhone does look awesome though.
I think I'll go for 02 simplicity and wait and see what the Google and Sony phones are like!
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At least it is a bank holiday tomorrow
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