iPhone Diary Day 5: It's the network
What a ride. The iPhone is truly an amazing device. It's more of a computer (or Macintosh 2 as Bob Snow calls it) than a mobile phone. Everyone wants to see it and play with it, but invariably the first thing they ask is "how much was it?" Granted US$600 seems like a lot to pay for a mobile phone, but it's not really a phone now is it? iPhone is more of a computer than a phone, but perhaps that's justification on my part?
One thing that really sticks in my craw today after another day's use is how lame the AT&T voice network is. I'm coming from Verizon Wireless, so I'm spoiled, I know, but come on! I have zero to three bars (out of five) of coverage in my office if I move 18 inches, and I'd call my coverage at home "spotty" at best. And don't get me started on EDGE. The AT&T network is a dog and even T-Mobile laughs at their coverage.
I've been missing a few of my trusty Treo applications since I've ported (teleported?) to iPhone. Specifically, I really miss:
- Standalone Software's QuickNews RSS client. This is somewhat obviated by actually viewing the Web pages that I read, but that's no replacement for RSS. A dedicated RSS client should be at the top of Apple's iPhone list right now.
- Tiny Stocks' excellent Highway Manager is great for logging my mileage when I fill my vehicle with fuel. How am I supposed to track my fuel economy now? I can't write to an Excel spreadsheet on iPhone (they're read only) and so is Google Spreadsheets. I guess that I could write the information into the Notes application, but that's not synced with my Mac (yet), so what's the use?
- I use Splash Data's Splash ID to store all of my account numbers and passwords on my Treo. I was like a fish out of water at the bank recently trying to find an account number. Perhaps Apple can port Keychain (with some killer encryption, obviously) to iPhone? Please?
- I'm sure that there will be more. Watch this space...
My other main concern with the Treo to iPhone migration has been syncing with Marketcircle's Daylite PIM/Contact Manager/CRM tool (by far, the best on the Mac, btw) which I use instead of Address Book. Daylite has addressed iPhone syncing in a beta version of Daylite 3.5.
If you're overly concerned about dropping your iPhone check out the PC Magazine's Stress Test video. They takes keys to iPhone's screen and drop it from about four feet onto a concrete sidewalk, several times.