Dear Mr. Jobs (About That iPhone...)

Larry Magid, In An Open Letter To Apple's CEO, Has Some iPhone Suggestions

(CBS)  Dear Steve,

Thanks for letting me try out one of your new iPhones. Not only has it been fun to play with but having it over the weekend sure made me the center of attention. Were I young and single, I have no doubt the iPhone would have gotten me a date or two.

I feel sorry for all those people who waited in line and spent $500 or $600 on Friday but couldn't activate it because of AT&Ts glitches. They missed out on showing it off during the weekend and impressing their friends.

Seriously, it's a breakthrough product and Apple is to be congratulated for raising the bar not only for future cell phones but future media players. I sure hope you incorporate the touch screen and "multi-touch" interface on future iPods and maybe even future Macs. Once again, your genius for user interface has paid off.

But there are a few things you could improve. I'm hoping that some of these might be fixable in software as a free over-the-air download. Other fixes will of course have to wait for Version 2.

I won't bug you too much about that slow AT&T Edge network because I know you're going to eventually switch over to AT&T's 3G network.

Meanwhile there are other things that you could start to work on right away.

The interface is great but it could be improved with a consistent back or "escape" key. The process of backing out of screens that you don't want to be in is inconsistent. On some screens there is a cancel option but sometimes you have to go back to the main menu when what you really want is to go back one screen.

I love the fact that you can turn the phone sideways when browsing the web or looking at pictures and that the built-in accelerometer changes the view from portrait to landscape automatically.

How about adding this capability to email and other applications? The reason you should do it in email is because holding the phone sideways would let you display a wider keyboard, which would allow you to place the virtual keys further apart. As it is now, I'm frequently pressing the wrong key because they're too close together.

I love the Google maps but hate that you have to tell the phone where you are. GPS is now a common feature, even in free phones. With its 3 ½ inch screen and built-in speaker, the iPhone could be a killer navigation device if only it could track you as you drive, walk or bicycle, as can many phones that run Telenav and other GPS navigation programs.

I like your built-in applications but the phone is limited. I know – you're going to allow developers to create applications that run within the web browser. But it would be good if developers could create native applications that run on the phone's OS X operating system.

When you and Steve Wozniak developed the Apple II you created an open software and hardware interface, which is what made that early machine so valuable and set the standard for all subsequent personal computers. Why not extend that to phones?

[dsieberg]

Excellent points, Larry! And ones I don't think I've read in many other places. After a few days with it I'd have to agree with all of them. (Good on you for staying clear of the "Reality Distortion Field.")

[dukeudevil]

Enough excellent points to have me wonder why I'd pay even $100 for it.

[redfiveuk]

I must say you mac fans make me laugh, if you think the mac phone is good look at the nokia N95 its far far superior

[mitch0927]

Just another distraction to be the cause of more traffic accidents. Just what our kids need, another gadget to take away from their attention to driving. Most of the kids I have encountered lately think they have a complete grasp on driving skills, which of course they don't.

[britishspy]

This article looks like another cheap advertise on here!!

iphone is nothing compared to Nokia N95 with 5mp camera :D

[prolegomena]

C'mon... the iPhone is a cool gizmo, and the user interface is the real achievement. I'll still wait at least 3-6 months before considering buying one, but that's out of my sense of pessimism for new technology.

Still think it's cool.

[sevenveils]

the iPhone is no more than a Newton with a phone chip. The Newton could connect to the internet wirelessly years and years ago. Heck, people were emailing and faxing others using Newtons back in the 80s.

The nokia N95 is almost an Iphone. The only thing its missing is the apple logo and marketing hype.

[jolsonbear]

Every thing this company makes is plain, square and way too expensive. There are better products out there that get the job done betters at lower cost. Computers, mp3 players and cell phones included.

They haven't developed anything "new" in years. They just take other companies ideas and box them in cool, square, non-confusing packages for intellectually inferior consumers who have more cash than brain cells to burn.

[archangelric]

1. The Nokia does not have the iphone's intuitive software. Consider: scrolling with your fingertip to an image of an album you want to play a song from; pinching an image to shrink it.

2. The Nokia is $749 retail list - more than an iphone

3. The Nokia does have a really nice camera - is that why you bought a phone?

4. A Newton with a phone chip? There is much more here in execution, software, etc. but its good to know someone recognized it's ancestors, its roots.

5. "Every thing this company makes is plain, square and way too expensive." I'm sorry, what planet did you say you are from? I have yet to see anything plain come from Apple; from the Apple II days forward. Square? no Apple product has ever been square except for the transparent plastic, fanless, Mac or the Mac mini (well, it's rounded). Way too expensive? how can you say that; again compare the nokia at $749 to the iphone $499; Macs cost more than PC's because they do more than PC's. Remember, you can do a software PC on a Mac; but not a software Mac on a PC.

[tburzio]

GSM = European Union. ATT uses GSM, the EU standard. CDMA, the American standard that uses GPS, is illegal in Europe. The French don't want to use GPS in case they need to attack us some day. See news reports about Galileo, the EU GPS project.

[amazedd]

Dear Mr Ford,
Why start with a Model T? Let's go straight to GT and spare us the bother.

[emilymhanson]

Dr. Mr. Jobs,

Sorry, I don't have an extra $500 and my chocolate Verizon phone works just fine, not to mention I just got it. So I have no intention of buying a new phone until the price is reasonable and AT&T stops acting like Microsoft.

[house015]

For those who claim the Mac products are no better than regular PCs...have you really compared the two products? Sure, the Mac devotees get a little nuts sometimes, but their product is, in fact, better. Intuitive programs, far better security and none of the "so you want a screen to go with the cheaper-than-a-Mac $400 computer system?" a la carte pricing PCs love so much. Yeah, I guess they're just deluded. Just keep buying those Dells, dude.

[boston1954]

My phone is my phone. My camera is my camera. My computer is my computer. My MP3 is my MP3. Call me old fashioned but I see no reason to combine them...........

[CBSTV]

Very well written, Mr. Magid. I hope that Steve Jobs sees your suggestions.

[brianbwb-2009]

$500, and you cannot change the battery if it dies? This was a corporate design decision that turns what would have been a good idea into a very expensive toy that cannot be relied upon to be a device for important communications.

AT&T Edge? Obsolete telecommunications technology, but they will gladly let you pay for the upgrade to 3G down the line, maybe say, another $200? If it is a simple software upgrade, why can they not do it now, and if hardware, how is it worth upgrading something for which you cannot even change the battery?

If parts are needed, will Apple reverse its' policy of not letting vendors stock parts, or will you have to wait four to six weeks for parts from Apple, as they do with their PCs?

Once again, a good premise by Apple is spoiled by corporate greed, count me permanently out.

[brianbwb-2009]

Macs cost more than PC's because they do more than PC's.
Posted by archangelric

Since when? The vast majority of software has been and still is "PC" based, though many are now coding in universal binary, because even Mac is now Intel.

Macs used to outperform PCs for graphical apps, but that was fifteen years ago, before Silicon Graphics took that title, since then the Intel/AMD
graphics card manufacturers have long since caught up to and surpassed Mac, to the point that now Mac uses Nvidia, Matrox, and Ati cards.

PCs are still MUCH cheaper, easier and less hassle to service, ( I am an A+ certified technician and also did warranty service for Macs, I know what I am saying) and definitely outperform Mac on a "bang for the buck" basis.

I can build a seriously high end, quad core PC with 16 GB memory, and a TB HDD for the same price as a standard dual core Mac with 4GB memory, and a 500 MB hdd.

[cyberdjs4]

Macs cost more because there are lots of people stupid enough to pay for a fantasy.

Macs and PCs are the same computer once you crack the case open and look at the hardware inside.
A slick OS means nothing when the HD or power supply fails.

By the way, when was the last time you backed up your data?

GET OVER YOURSELVES PEOPLE!
Let's stop fighting over which is the better computer and let's figure out how we are going to fix this country after Bush leaves office.

[jbelkin]

A PC is a fine computer when you are a telemarketer or you're at the Jiffy Lube. Grown ups should demand better and that's a Mac. Perhaps you haven't graduated from college or are unwilling to spend real money on a computer, that's your choice - that's why there are PC's. Same reason there is a Motel 6 versus a 4 Seasons - you don't get the difference, that's fine. Pc appeals to people on a budget, nothing wrong with that. Pc's only compete on price, Macs are designed more than just on price - just like there is a difference between a Suzuki and a BMW.

Some people like Twinkies, chilli and wine coolers - people with more discriminiating taste prefer desserts not wrapped in a thousand miles away, $75 steak and a Mac. To each his own. Perhaps as you get older and make more money, you're appreciate a Mac but hey, whatever.

As for the iphone as well as the ipod and the Mac, once again, in an instant, your Nokia, palm & moto, your Compaq, & your Rio are once a distant second best.

[jbelkin]

A PC is a fine computer when you are a telemarketer or you're at the Jiffy Lube. Grown ups should demand better and that's a Mac. Perhaps you haven't graduated from college or are unwilling to spend real money on a computer, that's your choice - that's why there are PC's. Same reason there is a Motel 6 versus a 4 Seasons - you don't get the difference, that's fine. Pc appeals to people on a budget, nothing wrong with that. Pc's only compete on price, Macs are designed more than just on price - just like there is a difference between a Suzuki and a BMW.

Some people like Twinkies, chilli and wine coolers - people with more discriminiating taste prefer desserts not wrapped in a thousand miles away, $75 steak and a Mac. To each his own. Perhaps as you get older and make more money, you're appreciate a Mac but hey, whatever.

As for the iphone as well as the ipod and the Mac, once again, in an instant, your Nokia, palm & moto, your Compaq, & your Rio are once a distant second best.

[jbelkin]

A PC is a fine computer when you are a telemarketer or you're at the Jiffy Lube. Grown ups should demand better and that's a Mac. Perhaps you haven't graduated from college or are unwilling to spend real money on a computer, that's your choice - that's why there are PC's. Same reason there is a Motel 6 versus a 4 Seasons - you don't get the difference, that's fine. Pc appeals to people on a budget, nothing wrong with that. Pc's only compete on price, Macs are designed more than just on price - just like there is a difference between a Suzuki and a BMW.

Some people like Twinkies, chilli and wine coolers - people with more discriminiating taste prefer desserts not wrapped in a thousand miles away, $75 steak and a Mac. To each his own. Perhaps as you get older and make more money, you're appreciate a Mac but hey, whatever.

As for the iphone as well as the ipod and the Mac, once again, in an instant, your Nokia, palm & moto, your Compaq, & your Rio are once a distant second best.

[jbelkin]

A PC is a fine computer when you are a telemarketer or you're at the Jiffy Lube. Grown ups should demand better and that's a Mac. Perhaps you haven't graduated from college or are unwilling to spend real money on a computer, that's your choice - that's why there are PC's. Same reason there is a Motel 6 versus a 4 Seasons - you don't get the difference, that's fine. Pc appeals to people on a budget, nothing wrong with that. Pc's only compete on price, Macs are designed more than just on price - just like there is a difference between a Suzuki and a BMW.

Some people like Twinkies, chilli and wine coolers - people with more discriminiating taste prefer desserts not wrapped in a thousand miles away, $75 steak and a Mac. To each his own. Perhaps as you get older and make more money, you're appreciate a Mac but hey, whatever.

As for the iphone as well as the ipod and the Mac, once again, in an instant, your Nokia, palm & moto, your Compaq, & your Rio are once a distant second best.

[undermyboot]

Here's why you should NEVER buy another Windows computer: Microsoft Vista now reports EVERYTHING YOU DO on your computer to Microsoft. Mac does not. Microsoft takes control of your computer from you. They can even disable your computer remotely if they think you are doing something that violates their all-encompassing policies. Apple does not. So if you like Microsoft controlling everything you do on your computer and seeing everything you do on your computer, then go right ahead and be a Microsoft slave. Read this analysis of the extremes Microsoft has gone to with Vista. then buy a Mac.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Forget-about-the-WGA-20-Windows-Vista-Features-and-Services-Harvest-User-Data-for-Microsoft-58752.shtml

[undermyboot]

Are you using Windows Vista? Then you might as well know that the licensed operating system installed on your machine is harvesting a healthy volume of information for Microsoft. In this context, a program such as the Windows Genuine Advantage is the last of your concerns. In fact, in excess of 20 Windows Vista features and services are hard at work collecting and transmitting your personal data to the Redmond company.

Microsoft makes no secret about the fact that Windows Vista is gathering information. End users have little to say, and no real choice in the matter. The company does provide both a Windows Vista Privacy Statement and references within the End User License Agreement for the operating system. Combined, the resources paint the big picture over the extent of Microsoft's end user data harvest via Vista.

Reading Between the EULA Lines

Together with Windows Vista, Microsoft also provides a set of Internet-based services, for which it has reserved full control, including alteration and cancellation at any given time. The Internet-based services in Vista "coincidentally" connect to Microsoft and to "service provider
computer systems." Depending on the specific service, users may or may not receive a separate notification of the fact that their data is being collected and shared. The only way to prevent this is to know the specific services and features involved and to either switch them off or not use them.

[undermyboot]

Microsoft has an additional collection of 47 Windows Vista features and services that collect user data. Still, Microsoft underlined the fact that the list provided under the Windows Vista Privacy Statement is by no means exhaustive.

Activation, Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP), Device Manager, Driver Protection, Dynamic Update, Event Viewer, File Association Web Service, Games Folder, Error Reporting for Handwriting Recognition, Input Method Editor (IME), Installation Improvement Program, Internet Printing, Internet Protocol version 6 Network Address Translation Traversal, Network Awareness (somewhat), Parental Controls, Peer Name Resolution Service, Plug and Play, Plug and Play Extensions, Program Compatibility Assistant, Program Properties%u2014Compatibility Tab, Program Compatibility Wizard, Properties, Registration, Rights Management Services (RMS) Client, Update Root Certificates, Windows Control Panel, Windows Help, Windows Mail (only with Windows Live Mail, Hotmail, or MSN Mail) and Windows Problem Reporting, Windows Genuine Advantage, Windows Defender, Support Services, Windows Media Center and Internet Explorer 7, are the main features and services in Windows Vista that collect and transmit user data to Microsoft.

This extensive enumeration is not a complete illustration of all the sources in Windows Vista that Microsoft uses to gather end user data. However, it is more than sufficient to raise serious issues regarding user privacy

[undermyboot]

Microsoft Vista raises minute-by minute spying on Microsoft customers to a new level.

Use parental controls? Vista reports to Microsoft EVERY SINGLE WEB SITE your child visits and what they type.

By using any of these items, you agree to share your information with the Redmond Company: Windows Update, Web Content, Digital Certificates, Auto Root Update, Windows Media Digital Rights Management, Windows Media Player, Malicious Software Removal/Clean On Upgrade, Network Connectivity Status Icon, Windows Time Service, and the IPv6 Network Address Translation (NAT) Traversal service are the features and services that collect and deliver data to Microsoft from Windows Vista. Microsoft says that users have the possibility to disable or not use the features and services altogether. But at the same time Windows update is crucial to the security of Windows Vista, so turning it off is not really an option, is it?

Windows Vista will contact Microsoft to "confirm
the identity of Internet users". Of course that the Windows Vista Digital Rights Management could not miss from a list of services that contact Microsoft on a regular basis. If you want access to protected content, you will also have to let the Windows Media Digital Rights Management talk home.

The Malicious Software Removal tool will report straight to Microsoft with the findings of your COMPUTER SCAN. Also,"by default standard Internet Protocol information will be sent to Microsoft at regular intervals."

[brianbwb-2009]

"Perhaps as you get older and make more money, you're appreciate a Mac but hey, whatever"

Hey, jbelkin800, I am older, I do make more money, I still prefer PCs, especially AMD based ones, why?

More bang for the buck, and I can tailor it to my needs (music and video production) much more cheaply than a Mac, and as someone posted, they are both Intel under the hood, that is why I like AMD.

By the way, I do appreciate beluga on a slice of Edam cheese, Cohibas, owned a Maserati for a summer and sold it, both bad gas mileage, and too low slung for the streets it was on.

While I tend to favor the practical, I do also appreciate the finer things in life, Mac is not one of them...

[brianbwb-2009]

to UnderMyBoot,

Your reasons are quite valid, and is why I still use win xp. Also, the software I need for my work is by and large not ready for prime time in Vista, and probably won't be for at least two or three years, if ever.

XP does what I need it to do now. Vista does not.

Vista is a waste of money at this time, and as long as they play Big Brother, it will never see my HDD.

I don't need aero glass, or any of the offerings of Vista, though I wouldn't mind 64 bit address space.

I just wish my DXIs, VSTIs and my DAW and video editing studio was available in *nix, I'd be there yesterday.

[jamescvnt]

RoadComm, Inc. an large Telematics company is in beta with beta with an application and services for phones which offers many iPhone features plus navigation and GPS based services.

I tried it for 6 months, it's very good and it's free.

Why would anyone want to spend that kind of big money for iPhone?

[jamescvnt]

Forgot to give you guys's the link to sign up the free Navigation, it's

RoadComm.net