So I’ve always felt myself to be on the cutting edge. When the next game console came out, I got it. When the greatest handheld gaming device was released, I was there. Every 6 months I would upgrade either my Mac or PC. Yes, I use both.
When it comes to phones, I tried to keep up as well. Back in ‘96 I was workin with a job shop that made it’s own deliveries. With pickups called into the office, we felt it necessary to have the newest thing in communications. At the time it was this real cellular phone weighing about 10lbs. It was shorter than a loaf of bread and had the handset you’d find on the old rotary dialers, with the spiral cord. If I remember correctly, charges were a buck a minute. Needless to say we used it sparingly.
Then I had one of those brick type cellulars that you could hold in one hand but would be a workout for any call over 5 minutes.
But the world of cellular shrank after that, so to speak. Phones became pocketsized. Of course, that still meant it was about 5 – 7 inches long, maybe an inch thick, but boy you would be 1 of 10 around with it. You were cool.
Then the flip phones showed up. Half the size and thickness. Weren’t those great. You could have one in your pocket and no one would really notice.
But still, those phones really did one thing…make phone calls. Sure some would hold up to 100 names and numbers. Some had a calendar. Maybe some even had a game or two. Remember breakout on the Motorola 5150 phone?
Fast forward to today and you have phones you could hide in a closed fist. A big fist but still. Phones have mega organizers, cameras, play music, get and send email and yes, make phone calls. They have more computing power than the first computer I used nearly 24 years ago and probably the first Mac I used 4 years later.
Ahh, those were the days. I’ve got half the pixels on my iPhone as I did on that first Mac Plus. I definitely have more colors. If you consider a monochrome screen color. 
But what really makes these phones today so awesome, IMHO, is the extensibility. You can download apps to give your phone more things to do. How cool is that?
When I bought the first gen iPhone last year, I had been using Treos for a couple years, 600, 650 and then the 680. Like I said, I try keeping up with technology.
I loved the Palm Treos. That was the first time you had a developer world behind it pumping out app after app after app. I had to think long and hard before I made the decision to go iPhone. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Mac guy. I make half my living working on a Mac. I’ve had just about all the models too. Heck, I still have a working Apple Newton 120, the original iBook with the handle, a wall street PowerBook and a dual processor G4 tower, besides the 17″ dual core 2 MacBook Pro. I love Macs. But man, my Treo apps. What am I gonna do without them.
But I gave in. I dropped the full amount for the 1st Gen iPhone. Thanks for the $100 Apple store GC Steve. I was the BMOC around the office. I was cool again. My apps…whaaaaa! Don’t get me started on those “web” apps. Yeah right, on Edge? Give me a break.
So here we are, about a year later and we got apps on the iPhone…yayyyyyyy! I’ve got my SplashID back, that I oh so missed. I’ve got my Facebook app, direct connect Twitter app, my iTunes remote controller, my own radio station programming, and eReader for all those pdbs I’ve bought. I know where my friends are, they know where I am. I can find 100 restaurants within the 25 mile radius that surrounds me. I’ve got my Koi Pond and Cowbell. And yes, I’ve got PhoneSaber.
Everyday I’m trying out something for free from the app store. Not all make the A-list but I do it because I can.
The apps for me push the iPhone to the top of the list amongst the players. Aside from the fact that I can do all my email, play music, organize my life, map my route, surf the web, check the weather, keep an eye on Apple stock and of course, make a phone call. Oh yeah, did I mention 3G?
There is not a device with as many features, so much extensibility, and the ability to turn heads. And it just feels good in my hand.
Well, it might sound like I work for Apple, but I don’t. I’m just a tech guy that has fallen in love, again, with tech outta Cupertino. Thanks Steve.
Till next time, fly free, fly straight.
[ t ]
