Haven’t heard of it yet? you’re missing out! Just 2 days ago Apple* announced the release of their new iPhone* 2.0. Check out the new commercial!
So what is the deal? Well. To start, the price has come down 50%! It is now only 199.00$ Thats all! That is hardly anything. Next, 3G? What is that? Well, said in a very poor and simple way, the phone is much faster. Faster in loading wireless data through high frequency (+GHz). So basically it has wi-fi, bluetooth and G3. Between the 3, weather free or through contract, you will always be able to connect through internet.
Another big deal is Apple* has made its iPhone* APIs available to anyone. SDK? What does that mean? Basically anyone who writes software for Mac* computers can easily transfer these apps to the iPhone addressing. This is a big deal. With my little basic knowledge in my self taught capabilities, can modify almost any software to fit it on the phone. I could give it my own interface and such… As it would take hours for me, some home developers have made games in less then 2 weeks or such. If you write your own soft ware, you can easily sell it on internet. Work places can easily have a professional come in, and in weeks write basic software for users to interface with work machinery and such! Example. Im if Im a industry, I can have a pro come in. And lets say in less than a month have my workers using their iPhones* to remotely connect and operate and monitor machinery from a distance. That is a very very big deal. The iPhone is taking shape in to a hole new tool. Software writing will bee much much cheeper, no doubt.
GPS? Finally, that was like the last antenna they could fit in (not true, still could use wi-max and more…) I think a lot of people misunderstood the iPhones first generations integration with Google Maps*. The first phone could pull up from internet information like Google*, it could not locate your position. Well, there are always other ways, but no fast ways for you to be able to see where you are. Now, integrate GoogleMaps* with your GPS*! Will probably be seeing a new line of software and similar come out from Google*. Some thing awesome in a few ways, almost scary in others, is LOOPT*. This one really caught my attention. Basically you can install it for free. And you and your chosen friends can see where each other are. Not only. It also integrates with maps and stores, activities, and various sites. Ever search in GoogleMaps* a store? and it come up right on the map? Well, basically this simple software, and will probably be seeing much more features come out, allows you to integrate you location, your nearest friends, on a map with local activities. In the Apple* Keynote* the demo shows the demonstrator with his friends in town and finding a near by restaurant, looking it up to see if its any good, consequently inviting the friend to join, all in a minute. My guess is that there will be versions like, if your friend gets lost…and much easier memorization of locations and friends house. Perhaps even some sort of monitoring system for parents or employs…
Another web application that caught my attention was from Associated Press*. This may sound familiar to some of you. They are, I guess, the largest internet news provider. What got me thinking, is, you can download their little software for free, consequently not only can you easily access local or international news, but you can as well participate with your photos and video from the integrated camera on the phone! Now the chances that you witness some sort of accident may not be many, but the chances that someone with and iPhone* on the spot of a crime scene, for example, are pretty high.
Apple* Success
Why and how is Apple* so successful? As I thought about it for a while, this is one of my main reasons that make them so successful. Take a Motorola* for example. They are, or were, in the Guinness World Records* for largest something company. But what make the 2 so different? See, Motorola* (like any other company) when outputting items such as cellphones, they out put a hole series. So, lets say a new communication frequency comes out, example, Bluetooth*. Motorola will come out with a series of, let say, 7 phones. Similar design, but different. Some smaller, thinner, larger LCD, more features. They come with better ones with in them selves. The more expensive one, or the cheeper one. Six months later, a new series, complete different from the last. Maybe a similar menu but… and this is what ever single company does! I cant think of any other one who doesn’t. Accept for Apple*. How is it different? Well simple. Apple puts its best teams all focusing on the same item. One item. The iPhone* is one. The are no sub models, and no larger screen… Yes, they do vary memory sizes, but thats minimal. The iPhone. Any new that comes out, its just a better upgrade from the last one. So they put so much focus just on this phone, its their only one, and it is so powerful. An interesting fact I noticed watching the Keynote* (available at www.apple.com) was that everyone is so exited! Why? This isn’t the passion for the new item that everyone had last year when they first announced the hole gig. It s truly opening the door to a hole new world! I say this, not with my love for Apple* but because communication is taken a truly different corse, and I firmly believe that.
So, jumping ahead. I tried thinking, with todays technology (with what we already have), what is the highest end a phone could reach? The iPhone* covers most of them for now, but… this is kinda how it goes:
Phone (in/out calls, 3 ways, free voip, voice mail…) – tv (online videos, live streaming, video conferencing…) – video (your own dvd, movies, tv shows, amateur, and more) – music (you library, online radio, Pandora*) – photo (your private collection, public libraries, sharing your own…) – camera / video-camera (never miss an important moment) – GPS (where you are, where your friend are currently, your favorite locations, entering job sites, never get lost) – wi-fi / G3 (internet, email, shopping, surfing, you name it, everything!) – game (as seen, with touch screen, motion sensors all new 3D gaming and graphics(already available for the iPhone*) - book (purchase, share, write, pass notes(from teachers or students), read) – universal remote (house uses, timers, remote timers(like, dish washers and dryers or such, any appliance(you could even set your TiVo* from being away), control your house lights, garage door…) – work tool (login automatically when you get to work, for notification sensors for large machinery…) - credit card (have your phone set up with you bank, make purchases with it, like swiping it, just can just use one of the various frequencies and just punch the code in (already available in some northern Europe countries), walk up to a coke machine…) – projector (not only run PowerPoint* or Keynote* but some have already integrated a mini projector ( DLP Pico projector*) – and to conclude, all this with mega storage!
The new iPhone* is a mini computer. Eventually it will be a full computer. It is already much faster. 3D gaming? It will be available all over the world (62 countries)! mobileme* will keep your computer, phone, 2nd computer all synced! (calendar, email, contacts, photos,) + more!
As always… comments, questions, opinions and feedback is always appreciated!
