Apple's iPhone turns four today!
(CBS) - The other day, a friend of mine was using my BlackBerry Curve and looked dumbfounded when nothing happened after he touched the screen. He was trying to zoom in on something by spreading his index finger and thumb across. "It doesn't do that," I told him. And that's when I realized how the iPhone single-handedly changed our world.
Today, the iPhone turns four.
Pictures: How the iPhone changed our lives
The godsend-of-a-mobile-device was introduced to us four years ago on this day - it was the first of many launches to come of its breed. At the time, the market consisted of BlackBerries, Palms and Windows Mobile devices. (Remember those?) I think people also used those Motorola Razrs, too. (Have you seen one lately?)
The multi-touch interface of the iPhone thrilled folks (though many didn't love the price tag and the flaws that came with the innovation). The device not only endowed its owner with a "cool" factor, it also had the best Web browser any phone had ever seen. Plus, it played music and video - unlike any other cell phone device that preceded it. Sure, it only came with modest apps that displayed stock quotes, weather forecasts and YouTube clips, but such capabilities laid the groundwork for the amazing apps to come.
Fast forward four years and now the iPhone can record video, run more than one third-party application at a time, even connect you face-to-face with a friend to chat. You can also play addictive games like Angry Birds and become an instant "photog" with app Instagram.
Complete coverage of the iPhone on Tech Talk
The gadget, which cost around $499 for AT&T users when it first launched in 2007, can now be yours for as low as $200 with 200 carriers worldwide. And oh, it comes in white now, too!
These days, if you don't have a phone you can touch to control, you're shunned by techies and Apple geeks alike. And who can blame them? Where would we be without the iPhone?
