Commentary
A "Generation X" Perspective: UTStarcom Pocket PC 6700 vs. Apple iPhone.
- by Rafael , January 22, 2007
I have come to the conclusion that no other single group of individuals in earth’s history had been and will be exposed to technology (access and creation) like generation Xers. I was born back in 1973, and I’m an Xer to the bone, in fact, I even carry one X with me all the time, I’m Me-X-i-can and yes, I still live with my parents, it is our trademark.
I was there, when the Atari 2600 came to life, the first apple computer, the first IBM PC for the public, yes indeed, what memories. We invented techno-dates (playing Atari or Sega games with our girlfriends, pure romanticism) The cell phone revolution was shaped around and for our needs; in fact, my first cell phone was a classic, the Motorola Brick aka “The Brick,†a cell phone and a weapon at the same time, 2 pounds of pure retro technology, for the same price.
Where I’m going from here? Well, I want to say that Mr. Jobs needs a more viable argument in order to entice Xers into the iPhone marketplace. At his presentation last week, he failed to bring data to the table. We Xers are skeptical by a genetic mutation. We know (Xers) that the iPhone is a joke and a copycat from a PPC and/or a PDA device.
Last year! Yes, last year, I bought an UTStarcom Pocket PC 6700, and it includes all the options, and more than those claimed by Mr. Jobs toward his iPhone. The iPhone has nothing to “revolutionize†the phone industry, give me a break. The PPC 6700 has been around for a couple of years; it was the first Pocket PC to have Windows 5 as an operating system.
The PPC 6700 or “Mini Brick†as I call it, is a piece of art from my perspective, it’s making my life so easy. Nowadays, my laptop (MacBook Pro) is a thing of the past, too big and retro. My PPC 6700 comes with Microsoft office, Outlook Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile, Pocket MSN, etc., etc. Also, it is Bluetooth enabled, Wi Fi, and the most important, of all the features, I think, a keyboard that makes the iPhone and Treo obsolete. Why? Because it is a keyboard where you can use your two thumbs to type more efficiently instead of a single index primitive typing option, and at night the keyboard turns on facilitating the typing process.
My PPC 6700 comes with a touch screen too, just in case you want to look “Giga†sophisticated in front of chicks, a Xers mantra.
The demonstration by Steve Jobs was clearly a demonstration for “only†apple iPod users. The i-joke, sorry, the iPhone (“i†for ineptitude), does not have the capabilities of the PPC 6700. Nothing new brought to the table, just another product aimed at exploiting the indoctrinated mono-mind of the apple consumer aka followers.
Below, a few questions for Jobs and his Clan:
Why not an accessible battery?
Where is the real keyboard?
Any memory slots?
Cingular aka AT&T?
Light for the camcorder and camera?
Stylus (in case I want to protect the screen)?
How long will it take for the screen to look like a sidewalk?
Where is the new apple design, it
looks like an i-pod?
June 2007?
Priced over 500 dollars (PPC 6700 $249.99 with a qualifying rate plan)?
Rates and option plans?
Cisco suit?
Rafael,
"Cisco suit?" Seriously? I think you're reaching a bit there.
I agree with the sentiment though. I was excited for about 3 hours after seeing the info for the iPhone because I'm primarily a Mac user, and I was wanting a PDA phone, but didn't want to go to windows to do so.
Then I found out that it could barely be called a handicapped PDA. Totally closed off to 3rd party software, no chat client in order to encourage users to sign up for a txt message plan, tied to Cingular, high initial price and high monthly rates. Yeah, it's a pain.
I'm now looking into the HTC Hermes, called the 8525 on Cingular's network. I'll wait for it on T-mobile because my monthly rates will be cheaper.
But realistically, our complaints aren't going to matter much. Because Apple has going for it something product specs can't compete with: branding.
The iPhone is going to sell like hotcakes simply because it's the hot new Apple product. Once people are in 2 year contracts with a phone that doesn't do all that much, they might be disappointed, but cognitive dissonance theory suggests that at the price they are paying, they'll convince themselves they're awesome for having the hot new thing.
"UTStarcom Pocket PC 6700" doesn't flow off the tongue. No silhouette dancers are reveling in its offerings. And that's what's really going to matter - the tech specs will only determine how much blowback Apple receives for an overpriced under-productive product. And they'll fix that by the third generation offering, when that blowback is going to hit.