iPhone: Comparison Chart From Tmo or it iPhone 4 Coming to Tmo

I don't want to get ahead of myself here but there is something I want to share with you. Tmo-News got a hold of what looks like a comparison chart between three of T-Mobile's top existing mobile devices and the iPhone 4 (except in the picture, it is that of the 3GS).

Now, that could be just what is it: a comparison chart. Or is it? It doesn't seem to be making any disparaging remarks about the iPhone. Rather, it seems to be playing up both the strengths of iPhone 4 and iOS4. The three devices also in the chart are myTouch Slide (lame because it's using two-year old tech), HTC HD2 (lame because it's using last decade's OS), and Garminfone (no comment because I honestly know nothing about it but welcome it to the market because more competition, the better).

As with other comparisons released by, say, Verizon, Verizon make sure not to make the iPhone sound good at all (like what "Droid does"). Not one single good thing about the iPhone at all.





Again here, the descriptions for the iPhone 4 could have come from Apple or ATT because they all sounded very good. Lots of Apps. New OS. Thinnest iPhone. Better battery life. Frontal camera. Better display than the other devices.

So, I submit this: this is not a comparison chart but a chart of a line-up of mobile devices that T-Mobile has and will have in the near future that includes the iPhone 4?

Why with the wrong pictures for the iPhone? My theory is that No one has been given the right marketing pictures (comparison chart or otherwise) of the iPhone 4. T-Mobile can't very well go to ATT and Apple's websites and rip off the pictures they need.

Also, to keep in mind. Most of Tmo-News' commenters do not think this is anything other than a comparison chart that really made some of them want to get an iPhone 4.

What do you think it is?

Note: This may well be just that, a comparison chart that was trying to be "fair and balanced" (take notes, Foxnews) and nothing more. Historically, folks unhappy with ATT have unlocked their iPhones for use with T-Mobile running on the slower EDGE rather than suffer through the network issues or whatever problems they may have encountered with ATT in the past (for me, it was bad coverage and worst customer services in the industry). Or, though not likely because of Tmo-News' connection, is that this is a fake chart to make us think the iPhone is coming to T-Mobile.

More at Tmo-News.

-- Post From My iPad

Mac-iPhone Update for October 9, 2008

With the Mac back in the news today.  Oh, sorry.  You heard right.  The Macbook is back to headline once again after ceding media and blog attention to its smaller mobile cousins, the iPod

Onxo Updates:

• Pole Position for iPhone 
• Can Apple make America read again?
• Need a better way to blog on the iPhone.
• Mac Hybrid
• Onxo on the best non-Apple Macbooks.
  
• Hand crank to charge the iPhone or iPod
• Podcaster via Jailbreak
• Onxo feels iPhone games should contain more depth.
  

iPhone-iPod Update:

• iSmashphone on iNotes for the iPhone.
• TUAW on Street View and special features for Japanese iphone users.  Emoji should have been on the iPhone to start with.  Next step, make it easier for people to read enovels and comics, Jobs.
• Touch Arcade on $10K prize for best iPhone/iPod game.
• Small Wave talks about App Store.
• iLounge on contract free iPhones in Mexico.
• Macworld  reports owners very satisfied with their iPhone despite problems.
  
• iLounge reports on iTunes store for Russia in 2009.  New Cold War is free market friendly.
• Indy Star reprints Bloomberg article on iPhone in biz.  MacDaily News reports first Japanese corporate customer.
• Keep an eye on this.  Judge allows lawsuit against iPhone ties to ATT to go forward.  Possible this may impact other devices and carriers.
• iPhone Atlas reports French Iron Man Blue-Ray copy has iPhone features.
• Macworld reports Norway demands Apple drop DRM.
  
• Apple Matters explains App Store as a prison.
  
• iPhone Atlas on take your iPhone overseas.

Mac-iPhone Update For October 6, 2008

We did not post a lot of Mac updates last week because there really was not a lot to write about and I don't want to waste your time for the sake of clicks.


Just to recap a bit from last week, Apple finally lifted their nondisclosure agreement for iPhone developers. I can't call it the right move.  It was just "a move" that really should have been done.  Apple really screwed up by not communicating with the iPhone community on this issues.


Also today, NDP stated the iPhone took command of the smartphone market with 17% of total units moved.  It's possible Apple has already broken through the 10 million mark it set for itself for total 2008 sales.


Onxo Updates:

• Pole Position for iPhone 
• Can Apple make America read again?
• Need a better way to blog on the iPhone.
• Mac Hybrid
• Onxo on the best non-Apple Macbooks.
  
• Hand crank to charge the iPhone or iPod
• Podcaster via Jailbreak
• Onxo feels iPhone games should contain more depth.
  

iPhone-iPod Update:

• iSmashphone on iNotes for the iPhone.
• TUAW on Street View and special features for Japanese iphone users.  Emoji should have been on the iPhone to start with.  Next step, make it easier for people to read enovels and comics, Jobs.
• Touch Arcade on $10K prize for best iPhone/iPod game.
• Small Wave talks about App Store.
• iLounge on contract free iPhones in Mexico.
• Macworld  reports owners very satisfied with their iPhone despite problems.
  
• iLounge reports on iTunes store for Russia in 2009.  New Cold War is free market friendly.
• Indy Star reprints Bloomberg article on iPhone in biz.  MacDaily News reports first Japanese corporate customer.
• Keep an eye on this.  Judge allows lawsuit against iPhone ties to ATT to go forward.  Possible this may impact other devices and carriers.
• iPhone Atlas reports French Iron Man Blue-Ray copy has iPhone features.
• Macworld reports Norway demands Apple drop DRM.
  
• Apple Matters explains App Store as a prison.
  
• iPhone Atlas on take your iPhone overseas.
  

Mac Update:

• There are some rumors flying about.  We won't be getting into it.  But one of them is feature specific in the sense that it's missing from current Macbooks.  A dedicated GPU.  Let's hope we see them finally in Macbooks.
• Esquire on Jobs and his legacy
  
• Computerworld on no need for Jobs.
• Net Applications on Safari growth - 6.65% for Safari, IE drops big time.  Include Chrome, Webkit share rises to 7.4% - striking distance of Firefox.  
  
• Net Applications on OS Share - scary thing, OS X within striking distance of Vista.  It will depend on Apple's plans but can happen.  Snow Leopard to gain Exchange support and we will certainly see Windows 7 delays.  Let's meet in 18 months.
  

iPHone Takes Pole Position

The buzz this morning is the NDP data point to a dramatic change in leadership in the smartphone sector.  Who are the top sellers?

1. iPhone
2. Blackberry Curve
3. Blackberry Pearl
4. Palm Centro

Here are some statistics to chew on:

• 30% of people who bought iPhones were new customers to ATT versus industry numbers 23% customers switchers
• 47% - nearly half of new iPhone owners came from Verizon
• 24% - nearly a quarter of new iPhone owners came from T-Mobile (I'll be staying with T-Mobile for the G1 experience)
• 19% of new iPhone customers came from Sprint
• 11% of smartphones sales were iPhone before iPhone 3G intro.  17% after iPhone 3G was made available.  About a 55% increase.
• NDP surveyed 150K customers for this report

Related links:

• Virtual Press Office
• Gizmodo
• Macsimum News:
  
• Cult of Mac:  
• Cult of Mac:  Numbers suggest big sales for iPhone.  A little analysis.
• BullCross:  Use of IMEI numbers to track iPhone sales (via MacDaily News)
• Macnn:  17% of smartphones now iPhone.

Analysis:  I'm glad.  For two reasons.  The new comer comes in and shake things up.  This time it's Apple.  Next time, it may be Android.  who knows.  For all these wireless giants who think otherwise, it's good to see them take it on the chins.

The second reason is that the humbleness is also being shared by Verizon and other wireless carriers.  Open your network, guys.  It's not about letting phone makers take control but let the consumers choose. Verizon can't wait for Storm to be in their stores.  Or can they?  Pricing is so secretly guarded it's making Apple look bad with all their recent product leaks.

Here's the bottomline.  The mobile and wireless market has changed dramatically.  All I've seen about "G1 openness" from T-Mobile, Sprint's fine prints, and Verizon trying to redefine their open network initiative are mere Orwellian double-talks.

Winners: All mobile warriors.

Mac-iPhone Update for October 1, 2008

You probably already know unless On Apple is your sole Mac and iPhone information but Apple withdrew their NDA.


And just as we wonder why they continued to implement the NDA, we now switch to why withdraw it now?  Their claim:  competition.  


But it does make sense since all their main competitors, including Android, is out on the market or soon will be.  There won't be any need for Apple to hold developers hush-hush.  Although, I just have to wonder though.  


Since anyone can download the iPhone SDK and have a peek around, what why would the NDA be an issue?  We had speculated on why the NDA was so important to Apple but we were right when we said it wouldn't go on forever.


iPhone-iPod Update:

• Yesterday, the biggest news was Adobe making a boneheaded announcement about Flash for the iPhone pending Apple's approval.  With the NDA lifted, Adobe should be able to say more about it.  No word.  Wouldn't bet in it happen unless Adobe makes a lot of concessions to Apple.
• Cult of Mac does not think Apple will close the iTunes store if the copyright review board decides to increase royalty to publishers.  Now Apple shutting down iTunes in Norway, that's another story.  
• CNet's take on the copyrights fee.
• RCR Wireless reports on CBS's iphone app and finds that news is in the eye of the beholder.
• iPhone Atlas on take your iPhone overseas.
  
• Phone Arena reports no LTE network on ATT for another 5 years.  Maybe we'll have the iPhone on WiMax or another network by then.  Don't think Verizon. They're sharing their next gen network with ATT.  And Sprint has been evil  with plans to be stingy with WiMax .
• Onxo feels iPhone games should contain more depth.
  
• 9To5Mac believes unlocked iPhone 3G is a way to get into China with accepting China Mobile's terms.
• Macworld  reports owners very satisfied with their iPhone despite problems.
  
• Mobility Today says Pay and Go iPhone available in the UK - will cost you.  But no contracts is very attrative.

Mac issues:

• Onxo on the best non-Apple Macbooks.
• Onxo on our "Mac Hybrid".
  
• Ars Technica on impending Snow Leopard releases.
• Applelinks provides an overview of Adobe's new suite of creative programs.
• MacObserver  on new GIMP, open-source Photoshop-like program.
• Macworld  reports Netflix will allow Mac users to view video by the end of the year.
• Appleinsider reports one in five laptops were Macbooks.
• Net Applications on Safari growth - 6.65% for Safari, IE drops big time.  Include Chrome, Webkit share rises to 7.4% - striking distance of Firefox.  
• Net Applications on OS Share - scary thing, OS X within striking distance of Vista.  It will depend on Apple's plans but can happen.  Snow Leopard to gain Exchange support and we will certainly see Windows 7 delays.  Let's meet in 18 months.

Mac-iPhone Update For September 30, 2008

The biggest news, although it's really a non-news, is an Adobe director announcing that a Flash player would be available pending Apple approval.

Just to chime in, I doubt it is the case and if we do see Flash on the iPhone, it will not be in the form that we are used to seeing on the Internet.

As with all things Apple, time will tell.  But don't hold your breath.

The other big news today is the availability of IBM's Lotus Notes available on the iPhone as a web app.  I'm glad for three reasons.  One is that now iPhone users have another enterprise mail option and the iPhone also becomes an option for 140 million Notes users. Secondly, this reinforces the iPhone's place in the enterprise.  And lastly, I'm glad develop on the Web front continues.

• TUAW
• InfoWorld - IBM had two customers participate in testing iNote Ultralight and they love the implementation.  However, they do wish that eventually, iNotes would become a standalone app.

Speculation before the release of iPhone 3G was that Lotus Notes would be incorporated into the iPhone instead of Exchange.  Either way, it's a welcoming news that IBM's subscribers now have a choice of using the iPhone.  Welcome, new iPhone mobile warriors.

iPhone-iPod Update:

• Onxo wonders if Flash would really come to the iPhone.
• CNet News on Apple shutting down iTunes.  Game of chicken with the copyrights board.  Macsimum News reports Apple may have to increase prices.
• Macworld reports owners very satisfied with their iPhone despite problems.
• Onxo feels iPhone games should contain more depth.
• The iPhone needs a better way for blogging.
• Taking your iPhone overseas ?

Mac Update:

• For the last couple of days, analysts tussle over whether Apple is doomed in light of the economic woes hitting Main Street mobile warriors.  
• Onxo on the best non-Apple Macbooks.
  
• Onxo on our "Mac Hybrid".
  
• eWeek reports Macbooks account for $1 of every $3 spent on laptops.  But feels Apple needs to reduce prices to capture more marketshare.  (Via Cnet )

Mac-iPhone Update for September 29, 2008

Once again, the dominant story in Cupertinoland continues to be the iPhone related issues. First, Apple, who has opted to remain quiet through this developer revolt (I rather think that Apple is up to something brilliant during this period of silence) about app rejections and outcries about NDA. Nevertheless, work continues to be made on the app store.

• Now, if you don't buy an app, you can't provide reviews.  Finally!
• A minor step back.  You can't simply find free apps with a click.  Someone will have to provide that link in a blog or something.  Why do that, Apple?  My guess:  trouble with revs from developers as everyone downloads mostly free apps.  
• Apps are now ranked by release dates, not app updates.

TUAW thinks there are specific reasons for this, depending on how you feel about Apple and the iPhone.

Posts on changes to app store:

• iPodnn 
• World of Apple 
• Appleinsider 
• Touch Podium
• Silicon Alley Insider 

The other major news is the 17% drop in Apple stock today.  Heck, if hedge funds can no longer short bank stocks, let's short tech stocks!  Morgan Stanley and RBC Capital both provided short-sellers with a gift in a double downgrade today.  However, Piper Jaffray thinks there is nothing to prove that Apple will suffer from a slowdown...yet. 

Here's the thing, Apple keeps opening up new stores.  If things are bad, then what the heck are they doing?!  Well, check out where they are opening these stores.  

iPhone-Ipod Update:

For those looking hard at the iPhone or iPod Touch but have hear a bit here and there about T-Mobile's G1, Macworld (via PC World) has some facts related to these two devices.  It sounded pretty fair to me.  (For the record, I am an iPhone user and has pre-ordered a brown G1.  Yeah, brown.  What the heck, right?)

• Apple Matters explains App Store as a prison.
• Macworld reports Norway demands Apple drop DRM.
• Touch Arcade on a new Kroll game.  I suppose I'll get nothing done tonight.
• Macnn on Spreadsheet, the app, for the iPhone.
• iPhone Atlas on take your iPhone overseas.
• Onxo thinks the iPhone is not a gaming machine yet.  We're at least a year or so away if the iPhone/iPod Touch ever comes to term as a serious portable gaming machine.
• Macworld feels Apple should reset App Store review.  I disagree with a do-over but I think those "one-star I'm not paying for this" review should be taken out at the very least.  In fact, do a simple database check and take out reviewers who did not buy the app they supposedly "reviewed".

Mac Update:

• Esquire on Jobs and his legacy
• Onxo on the best non-Apple Macbooks.
• Onxo on our "Mac Hybrid".

iPhone: Android Factors

You may know by now, Google has released G1, the first Android phone with partners HTC and T-Mobile.  For some quick notes about it, head on over to On Android for my thoughts and concerns.

Now, how does this affect us, iPhone and iPod Touch users?  Well, competition is good.  No doubt about it.  But for some Apple mobile warriors, should be concerned this new upstart will such up all the air in the room and make iPhone, for the first time in its short history, fight for the media lime light?

Not a chance.  Not yet.  The G1 is a good mobile device.  It's a platform device much like the iPhone is in that it's not a smartphone but a device built on top of a mobile platform.  Blackberries and Nokia phones are smartphones, phones with computing features.  Nothing more.

So, how does our competition look like?  Well, it's got a built-in compass.  A physical QWERTY keyboard.  Removable battery.  That's a big plus for me.

But as for the rest of the phone's features, it's very impressive for a first generation device.  And because it's got the Google name to it, it makes everything about Android a bit more shiny in the eyes of the media and maybe some consumers.

I'm sure Android has had Apple's undivided attention for a while now.  G1 is a first generation UI and technology.  It's not as polished as our iPhones.  It's second or third generation changes may not overtake the iPhone in ease of use and functionalities but maybe it's fourth or fifth generation devices might equal or overtake what the iPhone offers.

I know Apple is not going to be standing because of the competition and that's what's so great for us iPhone fans.

Now, in the short-term, Google has a lot of uphill battles to fight, particular with wireless providers it wants to partner with.  One, openness.  Android is not open as Google would like us to think.  T-Mobile has successfully cajole Google into locking out certain apps like VOIP.  Wireless providers like the control they have.  They've said as much.  Second, they're dealing with wireless providers, a cartel really, who has their own definition what "open" is (and likes to protect their revenue streams).

Third, Android will have to support multiple hardware manufacturers, technologies, and developers.  Microsoft has done this for years so it's not impossible but fragmentation is possible.  Google has a tight rein over Android but because of that, can you truly call Android open?

Apple is not shy about it's "walled garden".  And customers know it.  You and I do as well.  And where Apple has an edge?  Details.  And who commands it?

Steve Jobs.