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Smartphones: there is no contest
Along with the Motorola Droid and the Palm Pre, we now have the Google Nexus One as a competitor to the iPhone. Billshrink.com has posted a lovely chart of comparative costs of each. I would like to add a thought or two to the analysis.
The clear advantage Apple has over the competitors is iTunes and the App Store, in which the company completely controls the distribution of content. What everybody seems to forget is that iTunes and the App Store isn't just for the iPhone. I submit, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that the iPod Touch is almost as much a smartphone competitor as the iPhone, it's just that nobody acknowledges it.
To turn the iPod Touch into a phone, all that is need is a Skype account, a microphone and a WiFi signal (which isn't everywhere, but is ubiquitous enough). I have used my iPod Touch to make telephone calls several times around my house with little to no difficulty. If Apple really wanted to blow the competition out of the water, it would introduce an app that could tether any competing smartphone for Internet access.
Granted, the total cost of ownership for an iPhone is slightly more than the competition (depending on the competition), but not prohibitively so and the user experience is much richer. The real money for all those iPods and iPhones sold is in iTunes. All these smartphone makers would do better to remember that, as none of them have yet introduced a viable competitor to that online store.
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That's a great a great application we have there. Using iPod touch as a phone. What i want to know is " do you think Apple can really completely blow out other competitors?" I believe other competitors are also working on their apps too.
I have been a fan of Smartphones. I already downloaded here the show "The Bachelor".This kind of program would insult the intelligence of potted fichus and in fact most contestants on the show have less personality than potted fichus. Hopefully, no one on the show has ever had children, because the thought of these people passing on their genes is a bad idea from a Darwinian standpoint.
Hm interesting idea about forgoing cell phone service in favor of just piggybacking over the Internet - you are right it's amazing that no-one has done that yet! It wouldn't kill cell phone companies as having Internet access EVERYWHERE is quite convenient, but some people could save a lot of money this way.
And agreed - the other phones need to either figure out a way to make something better than an iPhone or DRASTICALLY reduce their prices, otherwise the iPhone is far superior. To me, it's the best tech gadget I ever had!
Hey BradT - I want to write you an email about something but can't figure out how to message you. Could you email me at ray.wenderlich@gmail.com sometime? Thanks man :]
Hi Ray.
I can be reached via Whats On iPhone. I believe the e-mail is BradT@whatsoniphone.com.
--Brad
"If Apple really wanted to blow the competition out of the water, it would introduce an app that could tether any competing smartphone for Internet access." Well, that's what I do, but the app is on my smartphone, not the iPod touch. I tether using the program Joiku Spot on my Nokia, and it makes my phone it's own little wifi hotspot, then I can connect the touch using wifi.
I think im going to check that out, since the lack of coverage lately with AT&T has forced me to consider Verizon for regular cell phone access.
I was actually trying some other WiFi-creation instructions I found online this morning but had to stop because my version of Windows Mobile lacks the Internet Sharing application.