Iphwn

Yeah, that’s right. Last week I bought an iPhone off ebay. If I need to tell you what it is, simply press the google shortcut (Alt+F4) and search for it.

Anyway, it came this morning. I am an Apple fanboy. I have high expectations and standards (and taste, and class, etc). This device surpassed anything I have ever thought possible. Opening the box reveals it in its plastic cradle, waiting for your embrace. Unclothe it (plastic wrap) and it comes alive with the stroke of your finger. The screen comes alive, wanting you to fondle it. Then suddenly you are taken to the “Locked” screen, where you can’t do anything except activate it with your computer (you MUST do this in order to use any features).

Activating it is not a problem because of the brilliant minds over at the iPhone Dev Wiki (again, Alt+F4 to Google). Using a command line tool, my iPhone was activated in seconds. What does this mean, activated? It means that I can use all of the its features, EXCEPT the telephone part (more on that later). In iTunes, I bestowed it a name (”Namaste”) and synched it up to my libraries. It was pretty fast (no shock there).

Gripe 1: For some reason, Apple decided it needed to recess the headphone jack (it’s sunken in). This means that a lot of headphones will not fit in to it without an adapter (mine included!). The buds included do, and although decent for pack-in buds, they are rather terrible compared to any high-end headphones.

Other than that gripe, playing music is a joy! The interface is incredible. Coverflow+fingers is brilliant! Also, the tilt sensor is genius. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say it’s incredible. Browsing photos is also amazing. The interface (your fingers) is so natural. It feels like you are handling actual photos (or albums, etc). The included iSight camera (2 MP) is also quite great. It’s nothing exceptional, and its not too great indoors, but outside it’s stunning. I took some spy shots on the bus this morning and they are gorgeous.

In general the interface is a real treat. It’s novel. It feels ALIVE! You drag the page and it scrolls but it also slides; it’s fluid. The apps bounce open. It seems to know what you want to do. Typing is decent. Not amazing but not as bad as all the reviews are saying. But the interface is really a shining achievement. After switiching back to my laptop, it feels dead and static. We’ll see how this adjustment works!

WiFi has been…troublesome. My router won’t let me connect (basically anything!), no way, no how. I went out to a Bridgehead (local coffee shop) and not much luck there either. Starbucks connected but it was a pay serice (wtf?). That was about as close as I’ve come on day one. I was able to load a page served from my laptop, but other than that and some “pay us” sites, no dice as of yet. I will keep trying. Qbasicer’s router may prove more useful, who knows.

I think that about sums it up for now,

Namaste