Happy Days are Here Again - The iPhone Saves The World

 

After what seemed like an eternity, the iPhone finally has hit the market. Now we will have world peace, end to hunger and no more worries about global warming. At least if you listen to Mac Fanatics that is.

Yes once again the press and the sheep that are permanently entranced by the “Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field” (SJRDF), are announcing a “break through” in technology. Sure the thing looks “cool” and it does have some great features, but these have been out for years and Apple Inc. is only playing catch up once again. Has any of these people ever heard of a Treo or a Blackberry? Basically besides the difference in interfaces, these devices have had the same basic functionality as the iPhone for a couple of years now. Heck I had one of the original Compaq iPaq's running WinCE that would do all of this (albeit I had to have a few additional modules for the web access and phone, but it was available back in 2001). Even my old Palm VII could access the web (but alas no graphic capabilities).

As far as a phone playing music, access the web, etc., my little Samsung A600 can do that if I wanted it too, yet we are lead to believe this things are a groundbreaking breakthrough in technological achievement? Yo, how about the Razr? Yes once again the SJRDF is in full force and the sheep are lining up to plop down huge bucks to disguise the fact they have no personalities.

A phone, even one as “cool” as an iPhone is only as good as its carrier. Everyone is making a big deal that AT&T is the sole provider means absolutely nothing. Once upon a time AT&T was the only carrier, then the big breakup came in the mid 80's. The company was broken up into 6 regional carriers for local service and AT&T was left with the long distance business with upstarts Sprint and MCI as its main competitors.

Over the last 30+ years there has been a steady stream of consolidation of these so called “Baby Bells” with Southwestern Bell (SBC) being one of the last two left standing. SBC went on a buying spree incorporating Ameritech and Pacbell (two of the original 6 Baby Bells) and others into its fold.

When the wireless rage started they came up with a spinoff called “Cingular”. AT&T also tried to enter the wireless fray and were less than successful. SBC wound up merging with its former “parent” and decided to use the AT&T name as if they felt that the old name would fool people. Maybe a few older people would be fooled as that was the only company they dealt with as children, but in fact it is the same old Cingular and SBC service that a lot of people I know have come to loathe. One can put a suit on a pig, but guess what, it is still a pig.

Apple Inc. has come out with a lot of really nice looking, well designed products (and quite a few duds, hello? Newton anyone?) and yes they do look great, but looks aren't everything. I played with one of these and I do like it, but for the price,and the service provider, I will pass. I like my iPod, and Palm Tungsten and Samsung phone. I don't need to roll all into one. Let's face it if one function goes bad, you are pretty much up a creek.

Yes once again Steve Jobs marketing genius has captured the gullible media into spreading his message as he laughs all the way to the bank at the fools lining up to purchase iPhones and worship at the “Altar of Steve”.

Mahalo.

To be continued........