Infoworld takes a somewhat different view of Windows Phone 7.
Today seems to be the embargo date for outlets with Windows Phone 7 Preview handsets:
I’ll admit I’d be curious to spend a little time with a Windows Phone 7 handset (once they’re shipping - the previews are software-only on a not-for-sale Samsung device). In general the previews are pretty positive - however there’s also recognition that Windows Phone 7 GM needs to be exceptionally refined at 1.0 to make any headway in the competition with Android and iPhone 4.
A great piece on CrunchGear on how all the early iPhone 4 reviews completely missed the iPhone 4 death grip.
Wired’s previously-mentioned feature on the relationship between AT&T and Apple is now online.
I’ve spent the entire weekend away from the whole ‘Antennagate’ saga - trying to avoid much of the collective whinging from Friday’s Apple press conference - however over lunch I decided to watch the 30 minute stream from Friday. Before I go any further, I should say that I’ve experienced issues with the antenna in the iPhone 4 when in areas of weak reception. It’s not something that’s actively impacted my use of the device, and whilst I welcome Apple’s offer of a free case the whole press conference left something of a bitter after-taste.
Despite the ridiculing iPhone 4 Antenna song introduction, the presentation started off well - concise and tactful acknowledgement that some things hadn’t gone according to plan, with stats and examples. However as the show rolled on it’s as if Steve’s anger at the proverbial shit-storm that the media has built around the antenna issue started to show, particularly at the offer of aforementioned free case.
I have no problems with Apple offering “just” a free case for my iPhone 41: I’ll be claiming my Bumper to help with the weak-spot coverage. However, Steve’s retort of ‘OK, so we’ll just give out these cases’2 was thrown out there with such venomous contempt that the message quickly soured from ‘we’re just wanting to make you happy’ to ‘why the hell should we have to give you a case?’. Jobs was very obviously angry, perhaps understandably so given his firm belief that the iPhone 4 is so incredible.
Unfortunately, that single moment of contempt towards users who have experienced issues with the iPhone 4, certainly didn’t affirm my belief that Apple just wanted to make right on the (localised3) issues with the iPhone 44.
As Daniel Jalkut wrote this afternoon:
Now that Apple is on top again, Jobs seems to be losing that knack for inspiring fans. He’s turning into a sore winner. He defensively chides his own customers for holding their iPhone 4 “the wrong way.” He tersely defends questionable Apple practices in one-liner email responses. He spins the truth in that barely plausible manner that used to be celebrated as the “reality distortion field,” but now comes off as purposefully dishonest and manipulative.
At times whilst watching the stream, that’s exactly what it felt like.
I am, however, curious about the 30th September deadline for claiming a free case, especially if Apple decide to discontinue the free cases. ↩
I’ve paraphrased and boldened the text to try and convey the tone of Jobs’ delivery. ↩
Faruk has an excellent piece (particularly regarding the laughably linkbait-fueled coverage in the media). ↩
For all my negativity over the delivery of the message (and that’s my only grievance with Friday’s presentation), Apple’s media frenzy included some stunning photos of their test facility. ↩
Great YouTube find, courtesy of Jeff Rock.
Turns out no matter how you hold the Nexus One, it gets discontinued after six months.
Early on when an AT&T representative suggested to one of Jobs’ deputies that the Apple CEO wear a suit to meet with the AT&T board, he was told “We’re Apple. We don’t wear suits. We don’t even own suits”.
Tom Taylor hits the nail on the head.
You’ve either shipped, or you haven’t. You’ve either poured weeks, months or even years of your life into bringing a product or a service into the world, or you haven’t.
If you have, you’ll know what I’m talking about. You’ll have flicked a switched, cap deploy‘d, or flipped your closed sign to open, and just waited – holding your breath for whatever happens next.
And at that moment everything that’s wrong with it suddenly comes into sharp focus. All your copy is terrible, 30% of the features don’t do what people want, and another 30% aren’t actually useful. All the stuff that you forgot to include, let alone everything you dropped because you just didn’t have time.
You hit refresh on Twitter search a thousand times, waiting for someone to say something. You leave comments on blogs to say thanks to people who liked your offering, and you force yourself to close the browser window on those that don’t.
If you’re lucky, enough happens. Enough sales, enough users, enough nice words, that it all seems worthwhile.
I’d say this post pretty much sums up the 18 months I spent learning Cocoa touch, and bringing Happening to the App Store. To quote Buzz:
Real artists ship.
If Michael Arrington is calling you out for shoddy journalism and linkbait, you have a problem.
© Nik Fletcher 2010 ~ Contact
