iPhone is not a geek phone (yet)

In spite of so much hype about iPhone, I still think it is not for geeks (as yet).


It may be flashy and have a good touch screen interface, but it is limited any too manys ways.

First, is the lack of open architecture. Apple has always been a pet hate of mine for their unwillingness to offer an open platform.


Though Apple is so vocal about their millions of applications available for iPhone hype, most free applications are just crap. Yes, I repeat just crap. Even some paid apps are craps too. Agreed, most iPhone apps don’t cost more (may be £1) however, most of them don’t do any real task either.


Problem is, most iPhone apps are still not matured. Numerious applications are just a front end interface for web based applications (like iPhone Facebook, news readers etc.). Any website, which is designed for mobile browsing, is already offering same feature and functionality. All those apps which can’t be used unless you’re online are pretty much useless IMHO.


My next gripe is the iTune. You can just install an application directly (without using iTune) to iPhone. You can bypass iTune but you must then install it directly from App Store. Give me the option of copying application directly to its memory from computer.


There are not many applications which you can use in iPhone while being off-line. If you are willing to develop iPhone applications and NOT on Mac platform, then you are screwed. Apple arch rival Microsoft is still way ahead with the formers intuitive Visual Studio IDEs. You may argue why Apple should offer good IDEs in Microsoft platform? Well, forget MS platform, why not offer something on free Linux platform?


Yes, you can achieve a lot more things by jail breaking the iPhone. But why do I need to do it in the first place. The product should be sold in unlocked form in a reasonable price.

In some European countries, Apple does sell iPhone in unlocked format!!

What is best Smart Phone?

I was looking in market for a comprehensive feature rich smart phone. But more I looked, more I got confused!
Although iPhone is probably current market leader, but it has two serious drawbacks - too pricey and comes locked to network! Though it is possible to jailbreak iPhone, it invalidates warranty. Too bad :(
Nokia's N97 is again too pricey. Its user interface is no match to that of iPhone's. Although a separate key board does help a lot.
I am currently an old generation Palm PDA user. So, naturally I keep an eye on its next release Palm Pre model. But I don't think it would be any cheaper.
Nokia E71 looks like Blackberry but I'm not sure if I'd be interested in carry a full size keyboard [which does not hide itself as in N97]. But it is cheaper though screen size is smaller.
This leaves two other candidate - HTC Hero and Blackberry. The former uses Google's Android OS and still have a hefty price tag.
Somehow, I've never been a fan of Blackberry.

How my mobile phone works like iPod Nano?

I thought of buying an iPod Nano. But after I examined iPod’s features, I discovered that my Nokia 6300 mobile can do almost everything an iPod Nano does!

The iPod Nano’s display size and resolution is exactly same as that of my Nokia 6300’s

My Nokia can play MP3 directly and 3GP video files. I can convert any MPEG, WMV, MOV, AVI, FLV (You Tube’s) etc. video files using loads of free converter available on internet.

Feature	iPod Nano	Nokia 6300
Screen	320x240 [4 cm x3 cm]	320x240 [4 cm x3 cm]
Music Playback	AAC	MP3, WMA
Video Playback	MOV	3GP
Interface	Via iTune only	As USB disk via cable or Bluetooth
Portrait/Landscape mode	Possible by tilting iPod	Possible via buttons
Built in Accelerometer	Yes	No (but not an issue)
Adding extra application	Only Apple’s application will work	Any Java (jar) file will work in the phone
Replacing battery	You need soldering tool to replace battery	Just take out the old one and put new battery inside
Extended memory	No way to put additional memory in iPod Nano	You can add micro SD card of size up to 2 GB
Built in speaker	None – you listen via microphone plugged into your ears only	Yes and of good quality sound
Built in camera	No	Yes – 2 mega pixels
Built in radio	No	Yes
Can be used as phone?	No	Yes (it is a phone!)
Price (mid 2009)	£100	£70

If you are thinking of buying an iPod (Nano or Classic), my advise will be hold on. There is a high possibility that your current mobile phone has all the facilities of an iPod. Although I do understand that majority of people buy iPod just because everyone else have it and it looks cool.

Nokia 6300 is quite an old model. But even that phone can compete with iPod. So, I am sure newer mobile phones even have more capabilities than an iPod.

Now I might have saved you few $£€ etc