“E.T. iPhone Home”

July 1st, 2007

This is a delicate blog entry to write. The arrival of the iPhones has slaked a long-standing thirst among some people I know, and they are protective of their enthusiasm. They are sensitive to any discussion about iPhones from non-iPhone owners right now, just in case that discussion is meant in any way to make fun of their enthusiasm.

So let me say first off, their enthusiasm is AWESOME. I do recognize that it is anything BUT “blind fandom” for a major name brand, and I think it’s very cool to anticipate something with happiness and then revel in the satisfaction of its arrival. And the iPhone itself IS awesome. It is truly the coolest little gadget I’ve ever seen, and it is more than lifestyle-improving for its owners; it is going to change the way we use cellphones—and think about how much we use cellphones. That’s huge. One day not long from now, every one of us will have either (a) an iPhone, or at least (b) a MUCH BETTER cell-phone from another company, the inspiration for which we can thank Apple for. (I mean, do YOU like your cell-phone? Really? It’s annoying, right? Imagine holding one that’s PERFECT instead.) This is a far-reaching technological evolution happening in front of our eyes. And I recognize that, and I do not think any iPhone passion misplaced. So I hope my friends will not take it the wrong way if I indulge in a little teasing about things like, “The ladies room is out of toilet paper; can you push the button on your iPhone that spits out a roll?” and “Can I get a piece of iGum? I’ve got Ranch-dressing taste in my mouth.”

Here are the reasons I don’t want an iPhone right now:

1] It’s more expensive than other phones
2] I tend to wash phones in the laundry (see 1)
3] I like to chuck my phone in my purse, my backpack (say, under some books and a computer), and in the backseat of my car (see 1)
4] I already have a phone, an iPod, a camera, and a computer, and I’m not quite at the point yet where I wish a lot of the time that they were one device. Soon.
5] I sometimes lose my phone for days at a time (see 1)
6] I like to let my nieces play with my phone (see 1; review it again)
7] I can enjoy the benefits of Stevel’s iPhone as a secondary user for now and be satisfied

I’m told the iPhone is very durable, anything but “precious.” So at some point I will get past all of this and go for it. Just not yet.

And anyway, I am already enjoying a benefit of the iPhone that was never advertised: Stevel will TAKE IT WITH HIM, he will ALWAYS CHARGE IT, and he will ENJOY USING IT. This means he is now available to me at all times. So yes, I too am a fan.

3 Responses to ““E.T. iPhone Home””

  1. Abigail Says:

    I want an iPhone but I can’t justify it yet. Perhaps by the time my current phone dies I’ll have gotten over that item 1 too.

  2. jerPhone Says:

    Its a good point about how the resources of iPhones are available to all near an iPhone owner. Already people come up to me to knowing they can look something up, find a their old house from space, or read and post comments on blogs. :)

    The anxiety of having to baby fragile devices has long ben a problem with cell phones and especially “smart” phones. Apple has done an amazing job of resolving this problem: the iPhone is simply immune to everyday abuse. Totally scratch and drop proof, you simply CAN throw in a bag/purse/pocket without absolutely no concern whatsoever. I have purposely dropped my phone many times from a variety of heights onto a variety of surfaces and it still looks brand new. And works.

    This greatly enhanced durability is at least as important as the fluidity, fun, and usefulness of phone itself.

    HURRAH!

  3. dad Says:

    I just knew Stevel would get one. And I do not begrudge him the technology, one bit. I mean I am not a techie, but I so want one.

    I think guys like Stevel are ideal for the Beta test phase. And once they have provided their input, the second generation iphones will be even better.

    Then I am going to get one myself.

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