If the photo didn’t give it away, for one of today’s topics we’re touching on double standards in the electronics market, or at least the way products are covered in the press and by fanboys. We’re also doing a revisit on Windows Vista as well as discussing PC versus Console gaming. As an added bonus we’ve tacked on a review for Michael Bay’s latest explosion-fest Transformers, which, like a lot of current movies, would be twice as good at half the length.
Great podcast!
And yes, all Apple employees are getting an iPhone, even the ones who work at their iStores, or Apple Stores, whatever the not-online stores are called (no name, just the Apple logo).
Even Apply Store employees? Even in Canada (please)?
I just got a Blackjack fo $75 two months ago and it is pretty cool, except for the proprietary headphone. So I am not getting an iPhone. But then again I have a Creative Zen rather than an Ipod and I use windows, so maybe I am not a credible source. I did watch the Attack of the Show review of the iPhone though.
The iPhone on its own isn’t too impressive. Sure it’s thin, but the NES would be too if it didn’t have such a big ass case!
Awesome Podcast Yet Again. We want more Food discussion!
I am not sure that comparing the iPhone to the PS3 is really fair. They are two totally different types of devices with different audiences.
I think its best to compare the iPhone to other ‘smart’ phones. The other thing to keep an eye on is the cost of the phone with and without contracts. Apple claims that the price of the iPhone is without contract so you shouldn’t compare it to a phone that is discounted because you sign a contract.
What is crazy is that you still have to sign a contract to get an iPhone (well, for the most part, there are ways to get a monthly version). If there is no phone subsity then why am I forced to sign a contract. I haven’t had a chance to ask anyone from AT&T that.
I have a Treo 700p from Sprint that I bought out of my contract period so I had to pay the full price. I ended up paying pretty close to the price of the iPhone. Now the 755p is available at a similar, no rebate, price.
If you limit the comparison two a device like the Treo and the iPhone you have a much more fair comparison. Even then the iPhone, at this time, is pretty limited in comparison. I like Apple products but I am frustrated by the iPhone. I do some software development for OS X and I assumed there would be a full SDK that would allow me to do development. OS X is one of the most developer friendly platforms with tons of decent tools and documentation free to the public from Apple. The fact that they, to date, have kept the iPhone closed is the most frustrating aspect.
I don’t know how they can call it a ‘smart’ phone when, compared to devices like the Treo, it pales in comparison. It might have a nice screen and a built in iPod but otherwise its pretty limited. Here are some of the limitations I see when I compare it to my Treo:
– The Treo is EVDO, I regularly get over 500k using DSL reports
– The Treo supports SD cards and, with the new firmware, SDHC
– The Treo has removable battery
– There are 1000’s of third party applications for the Treo
– I have a Phone As Modem plan that allows me to use my Treo for internet access on my computer
Now the iPhone has advantages over the Treo.
– It looks nicer
– It has a better UI
– It is s full video iPod
– It has Wifi
– it is durable (I’ve seen some impressive demo’s online that show this)
– The screen is higher resolution (its 480 x 320 (the Treo is 320×320, most Windows Mobile phones are 240 x 240 or 240 x 320)
In the end it comes down to what you want out of a device and what you are willing to pay for that. I personally don’t feel that the iPhone is too expensive. For me the thing that is stopping me from buying it is the fact that I would loose a lot of functionality that I have come to rely on.
If Apple releases a SDK for the iPhone I will consider switching but until that time I don’t think its worth it.
–Chris
Alright that is not fair to sony, the fact that all those extra features (not the opioniated ones) are based on a simple fact that if Sony would re-release the treo today these features would probably be the same, fact is I smell apples on you, I believe Mac’s are not all that special, one the design is plain, I said it plain, two the damn things always force you to buy Mac formated stuff, sure windows has
Its holes, and linux isn’t exaclty main stream, but Apple has to have something besides a Unix base ((damn command lines) and the simple fact they want ALL of your money (PS those apple fanboy’s that want nothing to do with microsoft, they own half the company so ha!)
Simply put Ben is right, apple finally got themselves a name and they are pulling a Nintendo, Shoving every little piece of crap they can done there die-hard’s throughts
~Krepticor
I reject the iPhone to PS3/Apple to Sony comparison. First of all, Sony actually deserves bad PR for many reasons beyond the PS3 that I shouldn’t have to explain. Additionally, the iPhone is actually NOT THAT EXPENSIVE for a NEWLY RELEASED cellphone. A lot of new cellphones especially smartphones are released around that price range including the N95 that everyone likes to compare it to. Anyways, there’s nothing like the iPhone on the market at this time which definitely the same can’t be said for the PS3. So, while a funny comparison please don’t try and make it out to be true.
y r the iPhone pics both missing youtube? Cant get updated pics of the main menu?
You know, people are always comparing iPhone’s features with other smartphones. But those people are the ones who have never used an iPhone. It’s the interface that makes it so amazing and unique! Go down to your local mall and go into the Apple store. Screw around with it for a while, and you’ll understand why it’s so great. Oh, and the YouTube app is very cool.
The major problem, as a student film maker, is that the iphone only has tops 8GB of memory. A video ipod starts at 30GB. Why would they do this? I’m sure there will be an upgrade in the future. I’ve got no interest in it for probably 3 years.
Agree totally that films should be shorter this summer. Transformers could have had a couple of subplots removed, though I thought it was much more fun than Spiderman 3. Spiderman 3 obviously could have had at least 30 minutes excised. Long shots of every ingredient of Harry’s omlette does not give fans more of a good thing. I still believe films work better shorter, despite the hype of extended editions.
It’s a joke. The picture is a joke. It clearly illustrates that consumers as a whole having a double-standard for what they’re willing to say about a device, with respect to its price. In my opinion, the picture does nicely. As far as the cost vs. practicality of either Apple’s and Sony’s products? Both companies have produced shoddy and uinfriendly consumer electronics that expect consumers to pay a premium simply because of the niche they hold in the market. Screw you, Apple, and screw Sony, too. When a product is Japanese-made, it used to mean something. Now Sony has smeared feces all over that idea. Shame on Sony, and shame on the consumers who continue to give them the idea that they can charge whatever the hell they want for their garbage. Apple, too. Steve Jobs can go get hit by a flying G5, it’s good for little else.
@Dean
Exactly! You get exactly what Ben and I were saying in the podcast. We’re not saying that one is right and one is wrong exactly. But we are saying that an obvious double standard exists in the consumer electronics world.
It just so happened that the price point of the PS3 and the iPhone lined up quite nicely making the comparison that much easier to make. 🙂
Yeah, I get what you’re saying, too. I mean, if Apple had made the PSP, there would be nowhere as near the amount of bitching and whining about it.
I’m not saying that Sony doesn’t do the same thing Apple does, both Sony and Apple do the exact thing: put premium pricing on their products (though Sony does it more out of necessity since it costs more to produce a PS3). The thing is, Sony seems to be the one that gets bashed for it while Apple gets to be praised for its crap.