Apple iPhone

[coolrajiv 1]

Although the Apple iPhone has not even hit the market, it has already become an industry measuring stick for any new multimedia handset being launched, with the latest comparison coming through the introduction of Samsung's Ultra Smart F700 on February 8th.

Like the Apple iPhone, the F700 features a full touch screen. However, although Samsung noted that the device reflects the recent trend in the telecommunications industry by using a touch screen user interface, the F700 will still include a QWERTY key pad (unlike the iPhone) for users who are not yet familiar with a touch-screen-only user interface. The F700 also features VibeTonz technology which allows users to feel the buttons accompanied by responsive vibrations.

A "Drag and drop" method of touch screen was adopted for easier menu navigation, Samsung indicated, and the device includes a music play list control. Volume, play lists, brightness of screens as well as other menu controls can be controlled utilizing the touch screen.

Samsung has also touted the 3G capabilities of the Ultra Smart F700, with 3G not initially scheduled to be supported by the iPhone. Although a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) network is not yet fully deployed, the handset supports the standard. Samsung pointed out that once the 7.2 Mbps HSDPA network is completely deployed, F700 users can download an 4MB MP3 song in 4.4 seconds.

Samsung added that a full HTML browser along with the QWERTY key pad enables access to the Internet for e-mail and data services. The device also features a 2.78-inch TFT LCD color display, a 5 mega-pixel camera with auto focus and Bluetooth support.

The company did not say when the handset will hit the market and at what price.

[ssr 10]

one more IPhone killer, an open platform phone,

Neonode N2

[HetalDP 947]

Hey I have POsted iPhone Killer on

Meizu M8 vs iPhone in

Other Phone Category even the Samsung will look age older in Front of Meizu

For Meizu the link is

http://www.rimweb.in/forums/index.php?showtopic=8765

For ASUS series the Link is

http://www.rimweb.in/forums/index.php?showtopic=8764

Edited February 19, 2007 by hpnasik

[ssr 10]

Sorry, I found 3 threads in which I can post

But finally decided to put IPhone killer here

Some one has to move some posts here and there. (and then this post has to be deleted )

Edited February 19, 2007 by ss_rakesh

[anujit 0]

Every one and every thing is a "iPhone killer"!!!!

But dudes how do you kill something that doesn't exist!!! Or that 100% of these self proclaimed experts no squat about in terms of specs/features and of course how it will do in the market. These killer reports are insane!

Everything is compared to a product that not more than 5 people outside Apple have seen/touched for not more than 10 minutes each.

If you see a touch screen phone people... call it a touch screen phone.

[coolrajiv 1]

Has Sprint "Upstaged" the iPhone?

According to Sara a mobile expert , "the upstage for the most part has a phenomenal design." The Upstage is small and very thin. It is comparable in size to the last generation of the iPod Nano - and that is a good thing. As Sara points out, "It is the first phone that flips from side to side." Early reports had this phone being called the Samsung "Flip." One side essentially serves as the "Phone" and the other side serves as the Music player, Media Player and picture viewer (among other things.)

The Phone side of the Upstage has a small, color LCD screen. Under the screen are two "soft keys" above the smaller d-pad. In the middle of the small d-pad is the Menu/OK key and to the sides are the dedicated Camera button and the Back button. Under the d-pad are the Green and Red phone keys. Sitting underneath is a standard set of number keys for dialing - each with the traditional three letters for the awkward texting using T-9 or other methods.

In short, on the first side we have a very basic phone that is a delight to hold - small, rubberized texture and it fits very neatly in your hand.

Along the right hand side is a volume rocker switch, a reset button and the proprietary jack for charging the phone and using stereo headphones. Along the left hand side is a convenient "Hold" button, the "Flip" switch (more on that later) and the Micro SD memory card slot. The idea is that some functions are controlled on this side of the phone and others on the "Media" side of the phone. The phone prompts you to "Flip" to the other side if that function is controlled there.

Now, to the other side of the phone. What you notice first on the second side of the Upstage is the large, gorgeous screen. It is on this side that the Upstage logo and the large "Samsung" lettering can be found. Under the large screen is a large touchpad which is touch sensitive (emphasis on "sensitive") with a Play/Pause button in the middle.

The touchpad is used for accessing all controls on this side of the phone - navigating through the menu screens, choosing the type of media to watch or listen to and even choosing contacts to dial or text.

In general, I found the controls easy to use, intuitive and the overall style is just beautiful. The function of the Touchpad is great, but as Sara aptly points out, "The touch pad on the side with the larger screen is amazing. It can be much easier than having to press a lot of buttons, but it isn’t always helpful. Since it is ultra touch sensitive the slightest movement can mess up what you are doing. You can adjust the sensitivity level, but that doesn’t always help."

The Upstage as Phone: Sara point out that "One really amazing thing about this phone is its call quality. It is spectacular. All the times I have used it I have not once had a problem. You can clearly hear the person on the other side and hey can clearly hear you." I would agree with her assessment here. The call quality is good and the flat, dial keys have a very nice and very high tech feel to them.

The size of the phone makes it perfect to hold and use as a standard phone. The Upstage also support virtually all Bluetooth profiles, and call quality with various Bluetooth Headsets was also excellent. My only issue (which is a continued issue with this phone is that if you navigate through the large menu on the "Media" side of the phone and say, select "Call History," once you choose to "dial contact" you have to switch to the other side. There is a lot of "switching" sides with this device.

Messaging on the Upstage:

Messaging occurs on the "Phone" side with the smaller of the screens. You can navigate your messaging menus while on the "Media" side, but as Sara points out: "When you go to send someone a message the phone automatically tells you to flip the phone onto the side with all of the buttons and on the screen is that exact same thing you just had on the other side. You don’t necessarily have to type on the number side, there is and option to type on the side with the touch pad. It is just a lot more difficult."

Messaging uses either a Multi-tap sort of approach or more of a T-9 approach. The predictive text was actually pretty good on this phone. As with many phones, there are all kinds of options for your texting sounds and screens.

In the Messaging menu are also options to send picture mail, voice messaging, IM and email, chat and voicemail. While checking email is possible, the interface is a little cumbersome and without a keyboard, writing emails is time consuming.

Web Browsing:

Click on the Web icon from the Media side, and a very nice menu from the "Vision Home Page" is displayed. Navigate to the desired option, news, sports, weather and more and push the center button. Many options are displayed and the speed was very good using Sprint's EVDO network.

Web pages are navigated using the touchpad - which was sometimes a little tricky. A "rocker" or trackwheel would have made web navigation much easier.

As Sara points out: "There are categories to choose from and if you don’t find what you are looking for you can search it on the search bar."

The Upstage as a Music Player:

Without a doubt, this is one of the huge strengths of this device and why, I believe, it will take some of the thunder away from the iPhone.

My pre-teen certainly enjoyed this feature. She points out that "Most people either have an apple ipod or and mp3 player. Well this phone is both and so much more. There are thousands of songs to choose from and range from all ages. It is remarkably easy to download a song. All you have to do is click on the song title and then once the next page loads click buy." It is very easy for your kids to buy songs on this thing - maybe too easy. But, at the new price of $.99 - it is very reasonable. The Sprint music library is not as large as iTunes - but it is substantial.

One of the nice features is just how easy it is to both access your music library and buy new music. Along the bottom of the large screen are icons for the "Music library," "Buy Music" and "Sync" button for syncing music with the PC.

It was easy to create playlists and navigate through the music stored on the device. You will definitely want to purchase a larger Micro SD card - at least 1gig or 2 gigs in size. I found that after I let my daughter load her songs onto the Upstage that she barely touched her iPod - she didn't need to.

Sound quality was great. The Upstage plays plenty loud and the detail in the music is quite good. There is a proprietary jack that plugs into the side which allows you to use your standard headphones. The jack contains a microphone, so that when a call comes in you can easily take the call - listening through the headphones and talking into the Mic. I should also point out that the Upstage supports A2DP - Streaming Stereo Bluetooth technology. If you add a Bluetooth Stereo headset - there will be no wires to hassle with.

Upstage Camera:

The Upstage uses a 1.3 mega pixel camera which produced very nice images. The lens is on the "Phone" side and the large screen is used as the viewfinder. Sara had fun with the camera and pointed out: " Not only is there a camera, but there is also a camcorder. The one thing about this camera is when you are taking a picture and you hear the click the picture isn’t taken yet. After the click if your object you are photographing moves, then you have the picture of them moving. Otherwise from my experience it is almost as good as a digital camera."

Power Vision Features:

I have long been a fan of the Spring Power Vision Network - and this phone does not disappoint. The options to access the Power Vision Network are available in several of the icons in the menu screen. One thing that was confusing to me was that if I wanted to listen to Sirrius Radio or other Streaming Radio, I had to go to Sprint TV instead of to "Music" in the icon list. This was not a big deal - but it was not as intuitive as other options on the phone.

Sara observed that: "Watching television and videos is just like watching it on a small television. The games are one of my favorite parts about this phone. There is a large variety of games to choose from and they are very fun to play. One difficulty playing games is that the touch sensor can become quite a nuisance." I would add that the touch sensor touchpad made navigating through the many screens in the Sprint TV section and other Power vision sections a little challenging. Too many times (even after adjusting the sensitivity) I inadvertently clicked the wrong button and had to start over.

That being said, the options are too numerous to list - from all the various TV options (picture quality was great and streaming was pretty smooth) to music options (I love the Sirrius radio option) to other media content - this is a very capable Multi-Media Device.

Flip:

One of the most creative and, at times, frustrating features of this phone is the "Flip" button. As Sara points out: "Flipping this phone is not just moving it from side to side. Next to the lock button on the side of the phone is a button that says "flip". When you want to flip the phone you press the flip button and a little picture of the phone and a red arrow will come up on your screen telling you to flip the phone over. You cannot flip the phone while text messaging or while any applications are running.

I completely understand the novelty of the "Flip" and the need to, let's say text from the side with the keys. The one thing I don't understand is why Samsung put a dedicated "Camera" button on the "Phone" side which immediately prompts you to move to the other side to use the camera. All in all, it took a little while to get used to "flipping" the phone. I do believe that non-technical folks might get a little frustrated with the continual "flipping" that takes place. Gadget folks and younger users will simply think the Flip feature is very cool.

Overall Conclusions:

From the mouth of my twelve year old: " This phone is just incredible. It has millions of excellent features, looks fantastic, and is just purely amazing. I love everything about this phone. Well not everything the only thing that sometimes gives me grief is the touch sensor pad. Otherwise I would not change one thing about this phone."

He dad feels that this is truly a "revolutionary" not "evolutionary" kind of product. Making use of both sides of the phone is brilliant. Most features work very well. Menu navigation is a little tricky with the sensitive touch pad - but after some time, you do get used to it.

The overall look and feel of this phone rivals anything out there - it is small - it is nice in the hand and the functionality is great. Sprint and Samsung have a winner here with the Upstage. Time will tell whether this will take some air out of the iPhone bubble - but at $99.00 with a two year contract you get a lot of phone for the money - for about $400 less than what the iPhone will cost you.

Pros:

* Great design

* great build quality

* good sound quality

* loud speaker

* innovative and fun to use

Cons:

* The touchpad is very sensitive and takes lots of getting used to

* the "Flip" button loses some of the novelty over time

The Samsung Upstage is available at www.sprint.com for US$99.00.

Wow Iphone has serious competition now.....

Edited May 29, 2007 by coolrajiv

[copperco2 24]

i dont think I Phone is been launched.. but i have seen it in a shop in mumbai...

its thin.. and it has got a brand...name. and ofcourse technology... but it could not hold my attention for more time than it took me to have it in my hands to get the feel. Well what can i say but it is an I Pod and ALSO a phone.

[vmsanghrajka 0]

Hey fella,

Apple iPhone has finally announced the official launch date on June 29th for this marvel.. For those, who dunno kno wht features its got.. Here's a sneak view

"iPhone combines three amazing products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone"

Wide Screen ipod:

Phone is a widescreen iPod with touch controls that lets you enjoy all your content — including music, audiobooks, videos, TV shows, and movies — on a beautiful 3.5-inch widescreen display. It also lets you sync your content from the iTunes library on your PC or Mac. And then you can access it all with just the touch of a finger.

Phone:

iPhone is a revolutionary new mobile phone that allows you to make a call by simply pointing your finger at a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. It also automatically syncs all your contacts from a PC, Mac, or Internet service. And it lets you select and listen to voicemail messages in whatever order you want — just like email.

Internet device:

iPhone features a rich HTML email client and Safari — the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device — which automatically syncs bookmarks from your PC or Mac. Safari also includes built-in Google and Yahoo! search. iPhone is fully multi-tasking, so you can read a web page while downloading your email in the background over Wi-Fi or EDGE.

Multi-touch:

iPhone features the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse. It’s an entirely new interface based on a large multi-touch display and innovative new software that lets you control everything using only your fingers. So you can glide through albums with Cover Flow, flip through photos and email them with a touch, or zoom in and out on a section of a web page — all by simply using iPhone’s multi-touch display.

Intelligent Keyboard:

iPhone’s full QWERTY soft keyboard lets you easily send and receive SMS messages in multiple sessions. And the keyboard is predictive, so it prevents and corrects mistakes, making it easier and more efficient to use than the small plastic keyboards on many smartphones..

Watch the video demo:

... Its really worth a watch

Official Website: http://www.apple.com/iphone/phone/

Guys, i m waiting fr this phone as i m true apple fan.. Dunno kno whn it ll launch in India.. Any suggestions/feedback.. Can anyone import it for me.. N yeah, cost is around $ 500.. Approx. INR 20,000-23000.. But worth.. What say?

[tanveer 59]

[coolrajiv 1]

Hey fella,

Apple iPhone has finally announced the official launch date on June 29th for this marvel.. For those, who dunno kno wht features its got.. Here's a sneak view

"iPhone combines three amazing products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone"

Wide Screen ipod:

Phone is a widescreen iPod with touch controls that lets you enjoy all your content — including music, audiobooks, videos, TV shows, and movies — on a beautiful 3.5-inch widescreen display. It also lets you sync your content from the iTunes library on your PC or Mac. And then you can access it all with just the touch of a finger.

Phone:

iPhone is a revolutionary new mobile phone that allows you to make a call by simply pointing your finger at a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. It also automatically syncs all your contacts from a PC, Mac, or Internet service. And it lets you select and listen to voicemail messages in whatever order you want — just like email.

Internet device:

iPhone features a rich HTML email client and Safari — the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device — which automatically syncs bookmarks from your PC or Mac. Safari also includes built-in Google and Yahoo! search. iPhone is fully multi-tasking, so you can read a web page while downloading your email in the background over Wi-Fi or EDGE.

Multi-touch:

iPhone features the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse. It’s an entirely new interface based on a large multi-touch display and innovative new software that lets you control everything using only your fingers. So you can glide through albums with Cover Flow, flip through photos and email them with a touch, or zoom in and out on a section of a web page — all by simply using iPhone’s multi-touch display.

Intelligent Keyboard:

iPhone’s full QWERTY soft keyboard lets you easily send and receive SMS messages in multiple sessions. And the keyboard is predictive, so it prevents and corrects mistakes, making it easier and more efficient to use than the small plastic keyboards on many smartphones..

Watch the video demo:

... Its really worth a watch

Official Website: http://www.apple.com/iphone/phone/

Guys, i m waiting fr this phone as i m true apple fan.. Dunno kno whn it ll launch in India.. Any suggestions/feedback.. Can anyone import it for me.. N yeah, cost is around $ 500.. Approx. INR 20,000-23000.. But worth.. What say?

Its definitely a must buy for me when it will be launched in India....

Apple has set a target of selling 10 million IPhones within 2 years and i think they will achieve it definitely ...

its definitely worth buying

[petar 15]

The grapevine goes that Wipro & HCL are talking to apple for distribution of iPhone in india.

but apple is said to be particular abt timeline. So dont expect Official iPhone in asia before 2008

[Sadikk 301]

The grapevine goes that Wipro & HCL are talking to apple for distribution of iPhone in india.

but apple is said to be particular abt timeline. So dont expect Official iPhone in asia before 2008

No worry "HUM HAI NA"

Expecting mine in mid july if at all they unlock it, for their customers.

Finger crossed.

[petar 15]

Sadik bhai ...

Keep a tab of it on Puremobile.com

They claim to be selling unlocked iPhones without any contract. No prices mentioned but shipping rates are given. Status:-Pre-order.

[Kunal Hemrajani 1]

First review of the iPhone ... some lucky journos got their hands on the devise and see what they have to say

* The mobile version of OS X or whatever it is the iPhone runs takes up 700MB of the device's capacity.

* There's no way to cut, copy, or paste text!

* No A2DP support.

* Sorry, music can't be used as a ringtone -- even if it's just a raw MP3. No additional ringtones will be sold at launch.

* On a PC the iPhone syncs with Outlook for calendars AND addresses!

* It supports Exchange in some capacity, according to Walt, but he doesn't exactly say how.

* Pogue again confirms document file reading -- but not editing -- for PDF, Word, and Excel (only).

* Adobe Flash support is officially out. It's just not in the browser. Neither is there any other kind of embedded video support.

* It will take snaps, but won't record video.

* Oh, and no MMS. And sorry, no voice dialing, either.

* Contact groups can't be emailed as contact lists.

* Apple sez between 300-400 charges the iPhone will lose battery capacity

* Apple can (and supposedly will) be rolling out periodic updates -- no surprise there.

* Battery life is, somehow, almost as mind-blowingly good as Apple claims for calls, music, and movies.

* As we suspected, users are prompted with lists of WiFi networks if you're not nearby a trusted hotspot. We've seen this on other phones, and we're afraid this would get friggin annoying.

* It's said to be very scratch resistant. The facade both front and rear apparently just doesn't pick up marring like regular iPods do.

* Voice quality is said to be good -- not great.

my view the phone's featureless ... all hype no show

but it wil get better in da future..

hope for da best..

[petar 15]

Thats the magic of marketing my friend..

[tanveer 59]

please mention the source for such reviews as well.

[petar 15]

iPhone has opened up with mix reviews.

the main disappointments for many is -

Bluetooth is restricted to Headset usage only .(guess it might be hacked later on)

No MMS.

NO video recording on camera.

Sealed battery - not user replacable. (guess iPod users already know it by now)

All said and done - its selling like hot cakes...

[Kunal Hemrajani 1]

oh..tanveer..

sowi i 4gt to put the link..ere it is..

LINK

n c da apple phone dissected ERE..

Edited July 1, 2007 by Kunal Hemrajani

[coolrajiv 1]

Apple sold about 525,000 iPhones at Apple and AT&T Inc. stores in the first weekend since its June 29 launch, according to anaysts.

The weekend stats are in and Apple has sold half a million iPhones in the first weekend. Selling 500,000 units of any product during its inaugural weekend launch is big.

According to Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, that's exactly what Apple's iPhone managed to pull off. After originally expecting Apple to sell "only" 200,000 iPhones on Friday and Saturday, he's now estimating that Apple sold a half-million iPhones from start of sales at 6pm on Friday until close of business on Sunday even with supply issues at AT&T store.

According to their survey, 95% of buyers purchased the 8GB model with 50% of all buyers making the switch from another carrier to AT&T. Great news right? Maybe, but in a potentially worrying trend, Apple is showing a marked decrease in iPhone availability at their retail locations this morning. While stores showed a 100% iPhone availability (they don't break it down by 4GB and 8GB models) on Saturday which dropped to 84% on Sunday, Apple's retail channel is showing a further decline in availability for Monday across Apple's brick and mortar retail business. In particular, Californians not living in San Francisco will have a tough time locating the device with 34 of 36 stores bleeding red on Apple's retail locator site -- a potential supply problem especially if AT&T shops remain void of product.

The iPhone, which combines a phone, Web browser and a music player, went on sale on Friday.

Wow Apple sold more than 5 lac mobiles in just 2 days.

Long live Apple what a marketing plan ... really its just amazing

This mobile phone will be as popular as Motorazr

[Sadikk 301]

I have very strong feeling that this phone is just a hype not real machine.

lets see user reviews flowing in in sometime.

[tanveer 59]

IS that a surprise?

When there is so much media hype, what do you expect?

didnt reliance also make some record with one of the classic?

by the way Aap ka suroor has had the biggest opening of 2007. what can we make of it? it will beat sholay?

Initial sales were expected to be big, there was no doubt about it. Once people use it for a longer period will we be able to see how much they liked it.

[coolrajiv 1]

IS that a surprise?

When there is so much media hype, what do you expect?

didnt reliance also make some record with one of the classic?

by the way Aap ka suroor has had the biggest opening of 2007. what can we make of it? it will beat sholay?

Initial sales were expected to be big, there was no doubt about it. Once people use it for a longer period will we be able to see how much they liked it.

Yes its a surprise HOW U WILL SAY ??????? Well they were hoping to sell 2 million Iphones in 2 years time and going by the trend i think they will achieve it in just 2 months now thats damn good man .... its not just hype on which they r thriving its a product made by apple and products which APPLE THE BIG DADDY makes remember Ipod , Machintosh and Imac and Mac OS this r not just ordinary things its a marvel ... those who use Apple products they just stick to it for LIFE ... and u will understand after 2 months what iphone is all abt ........ & rest assured even u will say ohh man wooooooooooooooooooooo what a terrific mobile iphone is

[petar 15]

IpHOne sales have already Crossed 700000 as per some report. it may cross a Million by coming weekend itself.

[coolrajiv 1]

IS that a surprise?

When there is so much media hype, what do you expect?

didnt reliance also make some record with one of the classic?

by the way Aap ka suroor has had the biggest opening of 2007. what can we make of it? it will beat sholay?

Initial sales were expected to be big, there was no doubt about it. Once people use it for a longer period will we be able to see how much they liked it.

Another thing when you make comparison do it phone vs phone

Dont compare a mobile phone with a movie

For record as petar just mentioned they have already sold 7 lac mobiles in just 5 days that itself is mind boggling its an achievement none can boast of....

Marketing bolo , hype bolo fact is Iphone is selling like hot cakes

Fact is that I will certainly buy Iphone no matter what reviews this mobile gets

Any issues that people has complained abt iphone Apple will certainly iron out all those things when they launch the Iphone version 2 & 3 ....

[petar 15]

yea... i got information from a person in motrola. advise is - wait for VERSION 2 or Updated iPhone.