iPhone, no accessories needed

Bill Palmer runs iProng, a site dedicated to iPods & iPhones, but mostly it's dedicated to the accessories for those devices. We had some Facebook back and forth about my contributing some columns to iProng and I've been thinking about what to write.

I've had way more than my fair share of iPods. Big ones, small ones, and ones with video too. When it came to the iPod, some accessories were necessary. For one, they weren't that durable. Dropping them was not a good thing. And the screens scratched very easily, which could be problematic especially if you planned on watching any video on them.

So I tried out my fair share of protective coverings. I settled on the JIO action jacket for the 80GB video iPod. Although it doesn't get much use anymore because when the iPhone is in the charger, I go with the Nano. The Nano has a slip-on rubber cover from JIO, and if you drop it will bounce.

So along comes the iPhone, the greatest gadget ever designed in the world if you would like to listen to music, watch video content (I watch tv shows on it more than I watch YouTube) browse the web and your e-mail all on one device. Oh yeah, it's also a telephone.

While I know there are accessories for the iPhone and I did try the clear acrylic case w/kickstand that makes it easy to prop up your iPhone for watching video, I nixed it. It adds too much bulk to the form factor. Generally when I'm carrying my iPhone, it's in my front pocket and it's a great form factor; much better than the 80GB iPod. Though the ability to easily prop up the iPhone for video display is nice, and though it does look very, very pretty in the clear acrylic case, I didn't find that any of that made it worth the extra bulk in the front pocket.

I have been successful in MacGuyvering solutions for propping the device up for video. If I am out and about and have 30 minutes to kill and feel like watching the latest episode of Entourage and I'm at a bar or eating, there are all kinds of improvisational ways to prop the iPhone up. And if I'm not actually needing my hands for anything else, just holding the device and looking at it works amazingly well. I've had my iPhone for over two months now and I am still amazed by how well it renders video and how much I enjoy watching it on a 3.5" screen.

Protective coverings? Well I could get the case that's pretty much the equivalent of what I have for my Nano. I sometimes think I ought to because I am prone to drop a phone. But having already dropped it three times at least, I conclude it's terrifically more durable than the iPod. Also, I like the way the basic iPhone looks, black on the front, silvery metallic gray on the back. I don't really want to cover that up.

What about protecting the screen you say? Well, I know about protecting screens that need protecting and I'm a big believer in that. This devices screen doesn't need any protection though. There are all kinds of membranes and whatnot that you can buy to protect the screen, but it's like a glass coffee table. It doesn't scratch. It's had keys and coins rattling around in my pocket bounce against it – it doesn't scratch. If you examine my iPhone closely you will see that there are some small scratches on the metal that borders the screen. You have to look hard though. So while there are plenty of screen protectors for sale, it's my opinion that they are an absolute and complete waste of money.

The rest of the accessories? Well, I haven't seen (or therefore used) any 3^rd party ear buds that have a built in microphone. I'm not sure any exist. One of the greatest improvements for me by going to the iPhone is that if I am increasing the likelihood that I'll be deaf by age 60 by listening to music full blast through the ear buds, at least if I get a phone call I know it! In the old days pre 6/30/07, when I was a poor schlub with an iPod and a cell phone, if I was listening to music full blast and I got a call on my cell phone, even if it was on vibrate, guess what happened? If you guessed: nothing because you had no idea you were getting a call at all, you guessed correctly.

With the iPod I tried many 3^rd party headphones and always went back to the default headphones that came with the iPods. I thought their sound quality the best. They have durability issues, but for what many "high quality" third party buds cost you can get five of the Apple issued versions. I have already had to replace my ear buds for my iPhone once already due to a defective clicker – the mechanism built into the microphone that allows you to pause, forward to the next song, and if you're so inclined answer the phone should you receive an incoming call. I chalk this up to a defect rather than a durability issue, and either way I got my under warranty replacement buds no questions asked.

The accessory I want doesn't exist. It's essentially the standard issue ear buds that are wireless. I suppose it would have to have a little loop to be sort of like a necklace. It will be a hot item when it's invented. Yes, I'm aware there are stereo wireless headphones available, but they are not ear buds. I don't want bulky things on my ears. The Lt. Uhura look was cool in the 1960's, and I know that for many high powered "look at me!" types, the Bluetooth style earpieces just wreak of that "I'm so fabulous and important!" look they are going for. But it's not for me. I am fabulous, but not in that way. The other wireless headphones I've seen are of the full-on earmuff style. No thanks. I'm waiting for the wireless buds, and I'm sure someday when Apple can figure out how to make them without sucking the life out of the battery much faster, I'll get them.

The rest of the accessories to me involve fashion. I am not a fashionista. I have nothing against fashionistas, I just am not one. Apple has made huge inroads with the fashion conscious crowd though. When I went to the Apple store in downtown San Francisco late one Wednesday night to get the replacement ear buds mentioned above, the thing that struck me was the mix of the crowd. It wasn't the Apple fanboy geek set. It was a mix of normal people and fashionistas and a smattering of fanboys.

There are all kinds of ways to decorate your iPhone, but I think it's plenty pretty just as it is. I do think some of the laser art people have done on the backs of the phone is pretty cool though and I can think of one practical use for that: identification. A lot of people where I live already have iPhones. While I have yet to walk off with the wrong iPhone, I could see it happening. I don't know that laser art would work out any better than having your own custom wallpaper (which I do), but it's something to consider.

As for writing for iProng, if Bill Palmer wants stories about the best ways to get video on to the phone, or some really nifty web sites that have cool as hell iPhone implementations, I can think of much to write about. But when it comes to accessories, the iPhone just doesn't need any.

Being Pushed towards Mac

(for those with the fortitude, click to enlarge)

My TVbytheNumbers.com partner in crime and long, long, long time Apple/Mac enthusiast Bill Gorman sent me the following picture. I'm not sure if I'll be able to hold out until the new Apple Store near me opens. The situation under my desk makes the Dell in this picture look...clean.

Marc Cuban vs. Steve Jobs: Who ya Got?

The problem with my love of sports and shows like ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn is love of creating “the contest”. Your team vs. my team, with the ensuing smack talk (your team sucks, my team rules!). I’m 45, and it never gets old for me. And I’m OK with this because sports is one of the few places this should happen. I don’t think it’s good that this same emotional nature, including all the smack-talk seems to drive the political arena as well.

When it comes to Mark Cuban and Steve Jobs, my answer is: BOTH. I pick both. If I could only pick one, sorry Cubes, I gotta go with Jobs but, dude, he invented the iPhone, maybe you’ve heard of it!? (indeed, I am lamenting the outing of Fake Steve Jobs!) I use my iPod/iPhone much more than I watch any HDTV, HDNet or otherwise. But I don’t have to pick just one here, so I pick both. They both announced some new products this week.

Apple announced its new line of computers including a sweet 24” iMac. I am not historically a user of Apple computers, but I have been leaning towards buying one when the new Apple Store opens up on Chestnut Street about 5 blocks from where I live in San Francisco. It’s just an elegant machine and all the issues I had with the Mac vs. PC debate years ago are no longer issues for me.

The only ding against the iMac I have at all is that there aren’t more options and it’s not very customizable. It apparently doesn’t come with a high end video card and that’s disappointing. If you want an iMac with a high end video card, too freaking bad: you can’t have one. You have to buy a Mac Pro, and that’s way more computer (for way more money) than I need (or need to spend). I like the elegance of the all-in-one iMac, but I am big into video applications on my computer and am disappointed there aren’t more options.

Mark Cuban recently announced Ultra HD Video on Demand, which, according to a write-up in Variety:

Cuban is offering it to DirecTV, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Verizon and other cable-network distributors as a snob-appeal add-on to Cuban-financed and -distributed films that show up, for free, on his 24/7 HDNet Movies on the same day the pics open in theaters.

A shout out to Variety write John Dempsey because the phrase “a snob appeal add-on” will forever be etched in my vernacular! I have not been in love with the movie theaters and their $10 ticket prices for some time. Ultra HD aims to bring you theatrical releases sometimes even weeks before their theatrical releases at a retail price of $12.95-$19.95 depending on the movie.

I find this pricing extremely reasonable and I wonder years from now if these types of services won’t pummel the movie houses. Sure, for one person it’s more expensive, but add a second person in your living room and it’s either cheaper or competitive. If there are four people in your living room, it’s a fantastic deal, especially when you factor in the “you got to see it first!” aspect. There’s definitely something to be said for snob appeal add-ons. I hope the studios like this model and that it takes off rapidly.

Cuban is ahead of Jobs on this front, but those of you who have read any of my screeds on Apple’s Four Steps to Total World Domination know that I believe getting stuff from iTunes on to your big screen is a part of that plan. If that’s true, ultimately Steve Jobs and Apple will be offering the same type of thing as Ultra HD.

Over the long haul, unless Cuban somehow beats Jobs to the punch with some easy way of getting that UltraHD movie onto my iPhone/iPod, I think Jobs will win this contest. But it’s not clear to me yet whether several years from now when Apple TV is no longer a “hobby” whether Apple will do deals directly with the studios or just cut a deals with offerings like Cubans. If I have to guess, I am guessing Apple will cut the deals directly with the studios itself, but my guessing is often wrong.

Update 10:26 PDT: I just saw this poll on the Motley Fool and was a little sad because I don't need to buy any of them, but things are looking good for Cuban if this sentiment can be extrapolated to the rest of the world:

Which item do you need to buy right now?
Plasma screen, high definition TV
(6296 votes - 40%)
Computer
(3569 votes - 23%)
Washing machine
(1875 votes - 12%)
iPhone
(1875 votes - 12%)
Air conditioning
(1992 votes - 13%)

Mission Accomplished: I have an iPhone

My faith in Apple is not misplaced, but after 44 years having any faith at all about how smart people are, including myself sometimes, is pretty misplaced. At about 7:40 for reasons I won't bore you with I wound up with a couple of hours on my hands I hadn't anticipated so I thought let me get up to the AT&T store on Union St. before it closes @ 8 p.m.

I arrived at about 7:50p and there was a small line, maybe 7 or 8 people. There was someone from AT&T in a greeter role and I asked if I would get in before the store closed. He advised me that they were supposed to be open until 10p.m. and that I would be taken care of. I was stupid in that I didn't stop to ask if they had any phones. A couple of minutes later someone smarter than me came by and DID ask that question. Guess what? They didn't, the line was for people wanting the phone direct shipped to their home. Who stands in line for 15 minutes for stuff they can do on the Internet in 2 minutes? The 7 or 8 people in front of me, that's who.

It's a mistake thinking people think like me. A mistake I shouldn't ever make again. As fate would have it, I saw the rare empty cab coming in my direction and I saw that as a sign from God. I hailed it and went downtown to the Apple Store.

They had a gazillion phones and I was in and out of there in 2 minutes. I spent more time walking the few blocks from the Apple Store to the Westin St. Francis hotel to get a cab. I was home by 8:28 p.m. and the whole thing door to door with 2 cabs and being a fool for waiting 3 minutes at the AT&T store was less than an hour.

There was a frenzy at the Apple Store. There were dozens of -- I guess I'd just call them Apple cultists. They weren't there to BUY the phone, they just wanted to hear all about it from Apple spokespeople. I find it...strange, but definitely a good thing for Apple.

I did not escape the frenzy completely unscathed. When I got outside the Apple Store a tourist with his girlfriend asked "Please, please can I just take a picture of the bag, the whole thing is so amazing, you're so lucky!!" What was I going to say? So I let him. And realizing the truth of it, that I am in fact lucky as hell, I was feeling generous and asked him if he wanted to take a picture of the box. He did.

If you can believe it, I'm putting off my own picture taking, activating and getting my TV (and this time LIVE TV too) on my iPhone until tomorrow.

The Apple Store experience was really easy. I can't wait until the new store opens up on Chestnut St., only a few block walk away. Getting V2 of the iPhone will be an even easier.