Well, here is my obligatory iPhone post. Put simply, much like with the Nano, I fell in love with the device well in advance of purchasing it. I was familiar with some aspects of the iPhone – the touch screen, web browsing, large viewing screen, etc. But, I had not spent hours and hours dissecting its features, capabilities, and reading blog after blog post about it. I really don’t have the time or the interest to do that. I did a little bit of initial research and reading just to ensure it didn’t have a fatal flaw, i.e. I watched digg and reddit since the iPhone launched to make sure it didn’t get the exposure the XBOX 360 did.
For a while, I had delayed getting the iPhone (I kind of like to build the excitement into an irrational explosion of impulse waiting for the exact right trigger) Oh yes! And my good friends at Sprint provided just the event necessary. I won’t get into the torrid details, but, let’s just say after getting off the phone with a less than helpful tech rep in an unnamed Eastern Asian country, I logged onto Apple’s website and ordered one. Thanks much Sprint!
The iPhone arrived early Wednesday right after I got back from the gym so I didn’t have time to play with it before heading to work. Wow! It was so much like Christmas Eve. Waiting! Waiting! Waiting! Just wanting to open that one present under the tree that you knew was exactly what you wanted. Bummer, the activation process that night caused me delay – I needed a credit verification number from AT&T. A trip to the store, confusion on the clerk’s part and another delay in using my iPhone. This was the only blight on the whole experience.
First a confession, I AM not a gadget freak! I have been using computers since I was a little kid and to me they and other electronic rig-am-rol are simply tools for getting the job done. I would be much more satisfied with every electronic gadget if it came with a standard interface – i.e. a nice command shell. Alas, the world is run by idiots! I can barely operate my newly acquired digital camera. I hate reading the manual, I hate learning the layout, I hate learning what all of the special buttons and modes are. I feel the same way about phones. I knew the iPhone would be the right device for me and I was so right!
Except for the wooden ball and eye transplant I swear I am in minority report. The interface is incredible and super easy to use. I love the touch screen. I love flicking away web pages, I love flipping through the weather in different cities. Although I was dubious of the pinching maneuver to zoom; it is one of the most expressive and natural metaphors I have found for zooming ever. This device was made for human beings! (Maybe not as well as the command shell, but close). Next, to my NEWEST favorite feature, when I was showing Jay the web browsing and picture display he said,
“Show that in landscape”
“I don’t know how”
“Just rotate the iPhone!”
“WOW! WOW! WOW!”
That is so freaking smart – it’s like turning a piece of electronic paper and the image adjusts for the orientation of the paper. Genius! Steve Jobs may be a self-absorbed, megalomaniac of an empty soul; but, I must say he is a genius of design.
Anyway, all of this serves a purpose. After seeing what was done for facebook by optimizing for the iPhone, we are very impressed and will definitely be launching an iPhone optimized version of the website to allow ease of ordering from the iPhone. So, rejoice your magical Pizza 2.0 order wand is coming! Stay tuned… I’ll be sharing what I learn along the way, along with tips, techniques, and sample code to help others.
Know any other good iPhone optimized sites?
Know any good sites with iPhone development information (really looking for blogs or posts from developers who have built 3rd Party websites that are optimized for it)?
Having any stories about personal enlightenment ala the iPhone you would like to share?
Have any thoughts on ways we good make a good iPhone optimized ordering site?
I got mine the weekend they came out. And I still find cool new things.
Google's got some very optimized iPhone stuff - gmail and google reader particularly. I hear Amazon's working on one.
Posted by: Tina Marie | August 19, 2007 at 01:44 AM
Hey there! Glad you're enjoying the phone. Several people have been having problems. Have you had any yet?
Just a heads up, if you haven't yet, you'll probably want to switch your AT&T account over to online billing. Here's a how-to: http://www.iphonealley.com/tips-and-tricks/switch-to-online-billing-save-five-trees
And hey, I see you're trying to make a mobile site? Sounds sweet! I co-run an iPhone site, and we could probably help with that kinda stuff. You should try posting in our forum. There are a lot of people that do that kind of thing there, and we'll do what we can to help too.
http://www.iphonealley.com/forums/
Posted by: Ed Kirk | August 19, 2007 at 03:20 PM
Thanks for the tips Ed. I switched to online billing this afternoon. Your forum looks quite useful.
Posted by: Michael Webb | August 19, 2007 at 06:43 PM