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Editorial: Taking the iPhone 3GS off the job market

engadget.com — We don't work like this on our computers -- why does Apple think we want to work like this on our phones?

Who dugg this? Made popular Jul 10, 2009

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  • mlrigsby, on 07/10/2009, -6/+42I use my computer for work. I was never under the impression that my iPhone would replace my work computer. It serves a completely different set of purposes.

    Why can't he use a laptop from his hospital bed? Most hospitals have wifi.
  • Eminemdrdre00, on 07/10/2009, -1/+30Dugg for being an article that actually originated from Engadget!
  • ChromaVita, on 07/10/2009, -5/+33Who thought doing serious work on an iPhone would be a good idea?
  • redtapemedia, on 07/10/2009, -5/+27It has a processor, ram and storage, and runs programs... how is it not a computer again?... OH you mean not a DESKTOP computer.
  • imnojezus, on 07/10/2009, -10/+29Meh.

    Reviewer gets used to a device, and gets cranky at another device that isn't like it. I (along with half my office) use our iPhones at work without issue, and I'm a former Blackberry user. Yes, there are some things to get used to, but the payoffs in terms of usability have been pretty fantastic. Granted, I can't speak to the network quality in NYC, but just because one guy can't get reception in a doctor's office in Manhattan is hardly reason to damn the whole platform.
  • BlackSheep882, on 07/10/2009, -0/+17I know I can't believe Steve Jobs liver is replaceable but my iPhone battery is not
  • AWBoy666, on 07/10/2009, -0/+16I switched from a Bold to a 3GS the day it came out. I don't necessarily regret it, but it has certainly hampered my mobile productivity. I basically felt like I changed from having a fully functioning copy of Outlook in my pocket to a partially functioning version of Firefox. The productivity declined while the fun level went up.

    The lack of multi-tasking makes things incredibly difficult. Take, for instance, if you need to copy and paste two parts of a URL together (say a post number at a forum) and then Tweet it. In order to do that, I have to open the safari app, go to the address where I want to replace the number, close it, go to mail, copy the number, close it, go back to Safari, paste in the number, copy the new URL, close Safari, open Tweetdeck and paste the combination into a tweet. If TweetDeck could run in the background, I wouldn't have to use Safari at all, but since it can't, if I need to interact with another program at all (which I frequently do), I have to close TeweetDeck to do it which makes the workflow awful.

    We multi-task incredibly on our desktops. We are built to do it. The iPhone needs to figure out how to accomplish that ASAP.
  • martian, on 07/10/2009, -12/+27Summary of this article: Waah, my phone is not a laptop.

    Pretend discussion between Joshua T and Steve J:
    J: Waah, my phone is not a laptop
    S: Okay, we're making it bigger
    J: Waah, it's too big
    S: Okay, we're making it smaller again, but with a fold-out keyboard
    J: Waah, it's too complex

    .. and so on
  • BossKey, on 07/10/2009, -3/+17The keyboard issue would be so easy to fix. iPhone already has Bluetooth, I already own the very slim and packable Apple Bluetooth keyboard. The obstacle: Apple says I can't pair the iPhone and their own Bluetooth keyboard.

    And to those of you who say "IT'S A PHONE," as a rather new iPhone user I have to say, the specs and capabilities of thing are a whole lot closer to the wireless computers I've used, and the phone functionality is rather minor. There's a whole lot more data going over the wireless than voice calls.
  • WiseWeasel, on 07/10/2009, -1/+13His criticisms are valid. Multitasking is sorely missing for tasks like keeping up with different chats, sites and emails, etc.

    The Colloquy IRC client in particular is a sub-optimal implementation of IRC on the iPhone, however, because it disconnects you from the server when you quit the app. An ideal implementation of IRC for the iPhone, given its multitasking limitations, would keep you logged in through some (hopefully trusted) 3rd party service, log the channel's posts while you're not running the app, and display all the posts you missed once you launch the app again, optionally sending you a push notification if someone sends you a PM. This would resolve much of the issue he's having with switching between apps and IRC.

    As for notifications, he's totally right that Apple's implementation sucks ass. They're disruptive, annoying, and not at all practical for any kinds of large volumes. Here's hoping that's one of the features fixed in iPhone OS 3.1.

    That being said, he totally does come off as a bit of a drama queen and a douche. It is possible to do some real work on the iPhone in a pinch, provided you're using apps that take the OS's shortcomings into account in their design.
  • krystalo, on 07/10/2009, -17/+28The iPhone has never done well in anything business related. BlackBerry FTW.
  • KaivenTor, on 07/10/2009, -2/+13Wow, some of you Digg commenters are just full of piss and wind aren't you? The article makes sense, it's an opinion about the downsides to a platform that while it's not touted for work specifically, it tends to get touted as some sort of lifestyle whatever, so the criticisms are valid, even if they're not what you want to hear.

    As machines and technology get smaller and more portable, the idea of doing actual work on a cell phone is going to continue to be an evolving and advancing concept.
  • guruboyguru, on 07/10/2009, -10/+20This is pretty much how I feel whenever I use an iPhone. Tapping that on-screen keyboard more than a few dozen times has always gotten on my nerves. I think Apple would accept this editorial's conclusions, but they wouldn't tell you that.

    If you want to be productive, pack a laptop.
  • scottydawg, on 07/10/2009, -0/+8I think the arguments between paul and that other guy are more interesting then the article. Its good to know since everyone at work keeps asking about iphone and when we are going to support it.
  • antoniuk, on 07/10/2009, -6/+13tl;dr?
    Translation: "I suck at understanding it's a ***** phone"

    that being said, my 3gs with vpn, rdp, ssh, and telnet has allowed me to remotely admin servers where my WM phone never did.

    Anyone trying to type out any emoblog spam on a phone deserves what they get.
  • guruboyguru, on 07/10/2009, -0/+6He does mention how it compares to other operating systems.
  • scottydawg, on 07/10/2009, -1/+7They have a toaster app for that...
  • Subduction, on 07/10/2009, -3/+9Psst - I've done entire presentations on my AT&T Tilt.
  • BossKey, on 07/10/2009, -0/+4Its processor and graphics are more powerful than the first two laptops I owned.
  • StanleyKoolPrik, on 07/11/2009, -1/+5Porn?
  • Zomgondo, on 07/11/2009, -1/+4All Apple devices are the best (device type) ever made!!!! Buried for inaccuracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111111111111
  • csmith7502, on 07/11/2009, -1/+4Because people try and claim it's a "smart phone" when it is not. I can complain because I had the Iphone 3g as a primary phone along. It seems the majority of current iPhone 3g/3gs users upgraded from regular flip phones that just did calls and texts. I had a real smart phone before my iPhone and went back to a real on after.

    I agree with the article. Before I sold my iPhone I purchased a netbook for something in between my laptop and my iPhone. Now that I went back to a real smart phone I rarely travel with my netbook.

    I know I will get down voted for not bowing down to the all mighty iphone, but it's the truth from my perspective. It's a cool phone, music player, and web surfing tool. Beyond that it's just eye candy.
  • Dipsomaniac, on 07/10/2009, -3/+6Apple didn't design, market, or sell it as just a phone. Why are people dumping on the guys trying to use it like Apple says it's good for?
  • mcfriendly, on 07/10/2009, -4/+7I'll give you $25 for that piece of junk.
  • Catchpen, on 07/10/2009, -0/+3WM has multitasking but I believe this is the very reason it's so damn buggy. If I close everything running in the background it will last longer than a day before I have to pull the battery/reset.
  • rodbro, on 07/10/2009, -0/+3how many wpm?
  • Subduction, on 07/11/2009, -0/+2Researched it (what research there was - most of it was from my head) and wrote it - not much graphics involved.
  • mobilehavoc, on 07/10/2009, -3/+5Definitely...Pre has raised the bar on multitasking and UI slickness. Going back to an iPhone really shows how dated the iPhone UI is.
  • HentaiJeff, on 07/11/2009, -1/+3you don't know what my name actually means, your opinion is less relevant. Not to mention you lied about calling apple, diminished battery life is like a red flag for a repair for us. try again *****.
  • inkswamp, on 07/11/2009, -1/+3I agree with this article, and I'm really upset that the iPhone doesn't also work as a rectal thermometer.

    The author clearly needs to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jETv3NURwLc
  • inactive, on 07/10/2009, -6/+8Yes, I'm not mentally retarded.
  • Khast, on 07/10/2009, -1/+3...for everything else...there's jailbreak.
  • SScottAZ, on 07/11/2009, -1/+3So digg is blasting this guy for thinking the iPhone should/could be more than a "game phone"?

    Let me know when it becomes more than a toy.
  • eTron, on 07/10/2009, -5/+6I use my iPhone for personal and business use. No issues here. It has replaced a laptop for me. I'm not going to code a website or do graphic design on it, but that's why it's called a phone. A phone with plenty of additional quality features than any other phone out there. If one app isnt what you are looking for... well theres an app for that! Had blackberrys and windows mobile devices in the past. Have yet to use one that feels like more than a phone with horribly designed features and interface. They try, but they've still got a way to go.
  • nelsenbrazill, on 07/11/2009, -1/+2yeah.. when I had battery problems with my 1st gen iPhone, I brought it back to the apple store and had it swapped out for a new one immediately, no questions asked.
  • tattokris, on 07/12/2009, -0/+1probably didn't fit in his pocket.
  • mlrigsby, on 07/10/2009, -0/+1Fair enough, but they might not have 3G either.
  • inkswamp, on 07/11/2009, -1/+2Why can't you believe that? The difference is that if your iPhone died, nobody would give a *****.
  • SeveringGecko, on 07/10/2009, -1/+2Coming from a person who used to use a palm pilot as a laptop replacement, the one area that the iphone fails at is being a laptop replacement. With 3.0 allowing devices that can connect to the iphone i hope that someone will release a portable keyboard and apple will allow some multitasking so i can go without the laptop at times.

    Just kinda sucks that i cant import a document mailed to me to another app like docs to go and edit it, get something like that set up and i would be a lot happier!
  • ToastPop, on 07/10/2009, -4/+5I've gotten used to the iPhone keyboard since the launch of the 3G. I would challenge anyone using a Blackberry or Android to a typing contest, and I bet you anything I'd be faster AND more accurate. And while everyone complains about lack of a physical keyboard, an on-screen keyboard is what allows me to type so quickly, your fingers begin to quickly glide across the screen. It just takes getting used to and might be hard to accept for those used to physical smartphone keyboards.

    As for multitasking, it's really not a valid issue anymore in my opinion. Perfect example, Beejive IM app. It constantly keeps me connected, sends me push notifications, and if I need to close it at all, it is intelligent enough to bring me back to the exact state I was in when I closed the app (something many intelligently designed apps do). So my Beejive experience on iPhone is then identical to IM on other phones, except my battery isn't draining because of a useless background process running. Push notifications is a great solution from Apple, start using it and you will realize how unimportant a background process running really is as long as the application is designed intelligently enough. This is especially true on the 3GS, where closing and reopening apps takes no time at all, it feels like they've been running all along anyway.
  • sushaantu, on 07/13/2009, -0/+1This article has finally convinced me not to buy an iPhone.
  • inkswamp, on 07/11/2009, -1/+2You did the entire layout, all the graphics, research, writing and planning on the Tilt, or do you mean you just displayed it?
  • petard, on 07/10/2009, -2/+3You would challenge and you would lose. There is absolutely no way that anyone who has spent equal time with a physical and a virtual keyboard would type better on the virtual one.
  • pingless420, on 07/11/2009, -0/+1Fascinating story.
  • inactive, on 07/11/2009, -2/+3He's right about multitasking, but wrong about the keyboard. Once you get use to the virtual keyboard, it's very easy to use and no more "fat-fingering". Took me a week to get a handle with it and a month to get comfortable with it. I'm only talking about the landscape mode.

    While I agree about the lack of multitasking support, there is the jailbreaking option available to use apps like Backgrounder.
  • HentaiJeff, on 07/11/2009, -2/+3as a Tier 2 iphone agent in apple care I don't think you did, we would have setup a repair easy. That said my mogul even kicks the 3gs' ass.
  • nelsenbrazill, on 07/11/2009, -3/+4I'm sitting on a professional film set, and literally everyone here has an iPhone, so.....
  • inkswamp, on 07/11/2009, -1/+2Did it ever occur to you that smart phones had failed to catch widespread consumer interest prior to the iPhone because most people don't really want their phone to be a miniature laptop? I don't doubt what you're saying about other phones having far more features, but it seems to me that Apple did here what they always do--removed all the overly complicated crap people really didn't use and made the product more accessible to a wider audience. That, in turn, appears to be igniting a lot of interest and attention in a market segment that had very little before. Just like the iPod, which was also derided by a lot of computer geeks as "not a real music player" when it first came out.

    So just because it doesn't meet your demands doesn't give you license to redefine what is or isn't a "real smart phone."
  • scottydawg, on 07/10/2009, -1/+1Depends on the size. I know of hospitals in rural areas that do not even know what wi-fi is.
  • Antialias, on 07/10/2009, -5/+5I think what he really should be saying is that ANY of these smart phones aren't really to the point that you can replace your desktop. Apple has designed the iphone to be used the way you would expect to use a mobile device, in short bursts. You aren't meant to sit for hours with the iphone writing your term paper or coding html. Even with multi tasking and a physical keyboard the experience would be pretty bad. Someday I'm sure we'll have devices that can give you a "desktop" like experience from a small handheld but people complain about trying to work for long perionds on a netbook let alone a device 1/4 the size.
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