Google’s 2001 retro-search tool has provided endless amusement over the past few weeks. None so much as the image at right, which is the “iPhone 2,” released by InfoTech in mid-1999 and reviewed on StreetTech by Gareth Branwyn.
And yes, it was a comical Internet landline phone, featuring full QWERTY keyboard. Like today’s iPhone 3G, it featured a touchscreen, Internet access, e-mail, and location-based services. Also like today’s iPhone 3G, it improved on significant shortcomings in its predecessor, by adding a better keyboard, higher data speed, and better speaker-phone sound quality.
And, eeriest of all, it had notable areas that needed improving. There was no “Forward” browser button, no “Find” function, and, hilariously, no Cut, Copy, or Paste features. In many ways, it’s exactly like today’s iPhone. Just, you know, totally janky.
Some things never change, apparently.
Thanks, Jwester!
Written by Pete Mortensen on October 7th, 2008 with no comments.
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From Juicy Couture, the people who made terrycloth sweat suits hot, come three iPhone jelly cases in bright pink, blue and yellow with logo tags.
Hopefully some of the butter-fingered celebs who made Juicy famous will protect their iPhones with these, declaring “iChoose Juicy,” instead of “assistant go get me another phone” to the world.
$55 for a set of three. Available for pre-order.
Written by nicole_martinelli on October 6th, 2008 with no comments.
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Nearly a third of iPhone users switched carriers in order to buy the Apple touch-screen phone, researchers said Monday. The news comes as the iPhone leads smartphone sales between July and August.
Some thirty percent of U.S. smartphone buyers switched carriers to AT&T in order to purchase an iPhone in that period, market research firm NPD Group announced.
That compares to the 24 percent industry average for smartphone buyers.
Almost half (47 percent) of those new AT&T customers came at the expense of Verizon Wireless. Twenty-four percent of iPhone users were T-Mobile subscribers, while 19 percent switched from Sprint, according to the report.
T-Mobile had already lost subscribers to the iPhone, NPD analyst Ross Rubin told Cult of Mac.
“Sprint may have been helped by the Samsung Instinct, which has been marketed heavily compared to other touchscreen devices,” he wrote in an e-mail. Rubin also said Sprint has boosted its customer service capabilities after losing subscribers in 2007.
Apple was the best-selling smartphone between July and August, its marketshare jumping to 17 percent from 11 percent. RIM’s Blackberry Curve and Blackberry Pearl followed at the second and third spot with Palm’s Centro rounding out the top-four.
Whether Apple can retain the top position depends on how well the T-Mobile G1 handset is received and what effect iPhone connectivity problems had, the NPD analyst said.
The launch of Apple’s lower-priced iPhone 3G help cut prices for smartphones across the board by 26 percent. Smartphones were priced at $174 compared to $236 a year ago, according to NPD.
Written by Ed Sutherland on October 6th, 2008 with no comments.
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When Apple CEO Steve Jobs announces fiscal fourth quarter iPhone sales later this month, a few industry analysts could be red-faced. An effort by iPhone owners points to Apple selling more than the 5 million a consensus of experts had predicted for the three-month period that ended Sept. 30.
In addition, the data could lend support to Jobs’ claim 10 million iPhones would be sold in 2008.
The new numbers are the result of a volunteer effort to track the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, a 15-digit ID used to trace the number of units produced in 2008. The 9,190,680th iPhone was made Sept. 29 and sold Oct. 5, according to a database of IMEI compiled by the Apple Finance Board of Mac Observer.
Combined with the 2.42 million iPhones previously sold, the total number of iPhones sold surpasses Apple’s goal of 10 million for 2008.
How much credibility do analysts give the figures?
“I would say I would believe it,” Ken Dulaney, a Gartner analyst, told Cult of Mac.
“I think given the new device, the expansion into other territories, it was going to do well.”
In September, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster and others projected Apple would sell 5 million iPhones during the fourth quarter. Munster did not return requests for comment on the new data.
Written by Ed Sutherland on October 6th, 2008 with no comments.
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The iPhone 3g arrived in Russian stores Friday. They cost a pretty ruble — 23,000 and 27,000 or about $900 and $1,000 for the eight and 16 gigabyte versions — causing some early adopters to spend as much as they make in a month on the gotta-have-it handset.
Retailers weren’t expecting long lines, though. Apple resellers are using a don’t call us, we’ll call you approach, asking potential buyers to leave contact details.
“We already have more than fifty people on our list, so it is better to leave your number and we will call you when your phone is ready for pick up,” he said. Most dealers, such as Evroset and Svyaznoy are also accepting advance orders.
This is a good thing, since temperatures in Russia are already brisk and wet.
Videos show a few very subdued customers waiting in bank-like settings for their new phones.
Although the arrival of the 3G version was sufficiently hyped (as per the “iSoon” billboard above) retailers don’t expect a stampede because uber-early adopters have already bought them on the gray market…
Sales expectations for the former U.S.S.R. are 3.5 million handsets by the end of 2009.
Via Moscow News
Written by nicole_martinelli on October 6th, 2008 with no comments.
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