I got a new iPhone 4s yesterday. I’m not a natural Apple customer. So this is something of an unknown for me. To date I’ve avoided all things Apple. My main discomfort with the mighty fruit, apart from the price, is that while Mr. Jobs products look wonderful. The whole top down, total integration, of Apple’s product line feels a little fascist.
I know that’s a bit harsh, and mostly it was said for effect, but it does feel bit like I’ve joined a cult. Someone said to me yesterday when they saw the phone. “They’re like crack cocaine.” I can only think he meant the iPhone will take over my life. A sobering thought as I am tied into this thing for two years.
Why choose an iPhone? I’ve been looking to get a new phone for while, and spent a long time weighing the pros and cons of a replacement for the dinosaur I used to carry. To date most of my phones have been supplied by Sony Ericsson. So I checked out their latest incarnations. While they were packed with features, and Android’s latest operating system, they were on the whole flimsy. They felt like they’d crumble over time. I had a look at a couple of phones from Blackberry. The build quality was better, but their screens are too small, and I knew that would become an issue.
In the end I took the plunge, and got the new iPhone. Out of the box it feels substantial. Its features and apps all seem intuitive. The first negative I’ve come across is the calendar app. For some reason you have limited control of repeat appointments. I want to repeat an appointment every twelve weeks, but find myself limited to every week, month, or year. I’m sure I’ll be able to find a replacement, but it’s still annoying that you can’t control appointments adequately.
The phone’s on-screen keyboard might take a little getting used to, but I’ve managed to write this whole thing without too much trouble. Cut and paste options are still hard to control. My fingers are imprecise tools, something more delicate is needed. Overall the whole experience reminds me a little of typing on my old Psion Revo, and I wrote a substantial amount of my first screenplay on one of those things.
It might not be such a problem once I get to grips with the Siri function. I tried it out yesterday with limited success, felt a bit of an idiot talking to myself. Amused my girlfriend though.
In the end I think I chose the iPhone because it seemed like the best choice from a quality standpoint. It feel like I’m holding something that will last. Still not a hundred percent though. Feels a bit like I’ve gone and drunk the cool-aid.
Darrin // Nightingale 