Having been a rebel since my earliest memory, I have always tried to differentiate myself from the crowd. It has lead me through a fairly exciting life full of interesting people, amazing places and some great experiences. However, there is one thing that I can firmly state was a poor choice. Not getting on the iPhone train sooner…
Being a Web Designer, I have used Apple Macs quite regularly, but I have always chosen to own a Windows based PC or Laptop, mainly due to the price. I am tech savvy and can put a damn fine PC together for very little money, and my latest hardware matches up to a Mac Book Pro and cost 1/3 of the price. I have always resented the high price tag of Apple products, and when the first iPhone emerged, this was no exception. The minimum contract was £40 (I think) and the handset cost money as well. In a time when most phones were available free on reasonable contracts, this seemed ludicrous. Those who liked Apple got an iPhone. Everyone that had an issue with Apple got something else. Sadly, I was the latter. I had a Sony Ericsson, the a Samsung Pixon, and man I feel like I got cheated. My foolish view of Apple clouded my usually good judgement and I went for the lesser product. Why do I feel like this now?
I have had it for about a month or so, and in that time, it has become closer to me than some of my long time friends. When they are not thee to hang out with, iPhone has a fun app to play with. When I need to get some information quickly, iPhone delivers quickly and easily. When I embark on a journey, one of my many custom playlists is there to provide just the right ambience, and if I haven’t made one for the occasion, Genius Playlist knocks me one up sharpish. When I am on the train and I realise I forgot to upload changes I made to a website on my laptop, I switch on Tethering, and my iPhone kindly shares its data plan with my laptop via blue tooth, it doesn’t even request a cable, or to be removed from my pocket. When I want to check a shop is selling something at the best price, iPhone bar code scanner app checks the whole internet to let me know if it’s a rip off. When I am heading out of the office to meet friends for dinner and I realise it’s the end of the month and funds are low, iPhone is there to tell me what is nearby and what offers they have on, as well as what other people thought of the service. When I ran the London 10k and I wanted to let my sponsors share the experience, iPhone was there to film it for me as I ran, as well as edit it on iMovie and upload it to YouTube before I even got home…
As with all your best friends, it isn’t without its flaws. Its battery doesn’t last long. Notice I didn’t say its battery isn’t very good? that is because I am sure it is fine for regular phone use, but if you worked as hard as my iPhone does for me every day, you would be out of energy a lot faster than if you carried on as usual. Every spare second I have on my own involves me calling, emailing, searching, Facebooking, Foursquaring, Street Sparking, Google Mapping my way to meet my real life friends. iPhone makes these things so easy. The antenna issue? It exists to the point that I can make the bars go down, but I have not yet dropped a call other than in the place that every other phone I have ever owned dropped a call, the dead zone near my house and on the train near Rickmansworth.
I think about all the time I could have had before when I was slumming it with my K800i or my Pixon. Google maps on Pixon? it would give me my location within 500 metres. iPhone? give me pin point accuracy and moves as I move in the direction I move, finding that obscure address has NEVER been easier.
So I want to say thank you iPhone 4, you have made me realise that sometimes it is ok to go with the crowd, because sometimes they are right.
