Sailplane pilots seem to have high techno-geek standings.
I have been watching with curiosity/amusement the
media frenzy over this device. Cell phones are quite
useful for many of us, and particularly for retrieves(when
we have coverage!).

So is this device clever marketing by Steve Jobs, or
is it actually creating a new niche for electronic
devices? I for one don't quite understand how someone
could get so excited about a cellphone. Are these
the pet-rocks of the digital age, or do the put current
cellphones and laptops out of business? Just curious.

"Stewart Kissel" > wrote in
message ...
> Sailplane pilots seem to have high techno-geek standings.
> I have been watching with curiosity/amusement the
> media frenzy over this device. Cell phones are quite
> useful for many of us, and particularly for retrieves(when
> we have coverage!).
>
> So is this device clever marketing by Steve Jobs, or
> is it actually creating a new niche for electronic
> devices? I for one don't quite understand how someone
> could get so excited about a cellphone. Are these
> the pet-rocks of the digital age, or do the put current
> cellphones and laptops out of business? Just curious.

I was with you re the "build it and they will come" issue i.e. what could be
so different about a stupid cell phone? But after having a look at the
short video on the following site it looks like to me that they have truly
produced an innovative product: http://www.apple.com/iphone/

Basically the touch screen appears very user friendly and is the single
biggest difference. Not sure that I want to be an ATT customer however.

In the mean time I'm just an old guy trying to get used to my new bifocal
contacts! That's as high tech as I get.

Casey Lenox
Phoenix

But it's APPLE... and not email compatible with a very large (mega
percentage) of most corporate email services.
I'll stick with Trio.. (Read Black Berry) (yes that is att also) and the new
Bluetooth Foleo coming out this summer.

BT

"Kilo Charlie" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Stewart Kissel" > wrote in
> message ...
>> Sailplane pilots seem to have high techno-geek standings.
>> I have been watching with curiosity/amusement the
>> media frenzy over this device. Cell phones are quite
>> useful for many of us, and particularly for retrieves(when
>> we have coverage!).
>>
>> So is this device clever marketing by Steve Jobs, or
>> is it actually creating a new niche for electronic
>> devices? I for one don't quite understand how someone
>> could get so excited about a cellphone. Are these
>> the pet-rocks of the digital age, or do the put current
>> cellphones and laptops out of business? Just curious.
>
> I was with you re the "build it and they will come" issue i.e. what could
> be so different about a stupid cell phone? But after having a look at
> the short video on the following site it looks like to me that they have
> truly produced an innovative product: http://www.apple.com/iphone/
>
> Basically the touch screen appears very user friendly and is the single
> biggest difference. Not sure that I want to be an ATT customer however.
>
> In the mean time I'm just an old guy trying to get used to my new bifocal
> contacts! That's as high tech as I get.
>
> Casey Lenox
> Phoenix
>
>

On 30 Jun, 22:38, Stewart Kissel
> wrote:
>
> So is this device clever marketing by Steve Jobs, or
> is it actually creating a new niche for electronic
> devices?

http://cache.gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/iProduct.gif

Ian

On 7/1/07 2:21 AM, in article
om, "Ian"
> wrote:

> On 30 Jun, 22:38, Stewart Kissel
> > wrote:
>>
>> So is this device clever marketing by Steve Jobs, or
>> is it actually creating a new niche for electronic
>> devices?
>
> http://cache.gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/iProduct.gif
>
> Ian
>
As a dedicated Mac user (I'd have nothing else at my house, and curse the
Windoze machines I am required to use at work), some would think I would be
a good candidate for standing in line for one of these things.

Just remember the First Law of Electronics Purchases: never, ever, buy
version 1.0 of anything (in the case of Micro$oft products, wait for version
3, at least). Remember the Newton? The initial product (accompanied by much
hype) really sucked. The final iterations were actually very good, but in
the marketplace couldn't overcome the early disappointment.

That stated, iPhone is looking pretty good, so far.

Bullwinkle

On Jun 30, 5:38 pm, Stewart Kissel wrote:
> Sailplane pilots seem to have high techno-geek standings.
> I have been watching with curiosity/amusement the
> media frenzy over this device. Cell phones are quite
> useful for many of us, and particularly for retrieves(when
> we have coverage!).

This general category of device has existed for some time. They are
called smartphones. Smartphones are a melding of PDA (personal
digital assistant) and cellphone technologies with internet
capabilities thrown in. Smartphones are, IMHO, the logical evolution
of these technologies.

> So is this device clever marketing by Steve Jobs, or
> is it actually creating a new niche for electronic
> devices?

Jobs has a pretty good track record of predicting and bringing to
market "new" technologies that people want and use. Ipod/iTunes,
personal computer user interface are notable. Btw, if your computer
is using Windows, then it is most definitely using "Macintosh"
technology, first promoted by Jobs in the early 1980s. The iPhone
will likely raise the bar for function and ease of use of smartphones.

> I for one don't quite understand how someone
> could get so excited about a cellphone.

It is not just a cellphone.

> Are these
> the pet-rocks of the digital age, or do the put current
> cellphones and laptops out of business? Just curious.

Current cellphones, quite likely especially as smartphone prices come
down. Getting e-mail and looking something up on the internet can be
very useful.

Laptops, not so sure. Time will tell.

Regards,

-Doug

"Bullwinkle" > wrote in message
...
> On 7/1/07 2:21 AM, in article

> Just remember the First Law of Electronics Purchases: never, ever, buy
> version 1.0 of anything ....

Amen!

Further, since most of us are on the far side of 40, the value of a 2"
screen is minimal unless we are prepared to use reading glasses - or an eye
loupe.

Bill Daniels

Bill Daniels wrote:
> "Bullwinkle" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 7/1/07 2:21 AM, in article
>
>> Just remember the First Law of Electronics Purchases: never, ever, buy
>> version 1.0 of anything ....
>
> Amen!
>
> Further, since most of us are on the far side of 40, the value of a 2"
> screen is minimal unless we are prepared to use reading glasses - or an eye
> loupe.

3.5" screen. It's vast compared to my cell phone (or iPod). It looks
like the font sizes are actually pretty large. The web browser can zoom
in to enlarge text and pictures. Very slick, but I already have a cell
and an iPod, and $600 buys a lot of tows.


Shawn

BT wrote:
> But it's APPLE... and not email compatible with a very large (mega
> percentage) of most corporate email services.
> I'll stick with Trio.. (Read Black Berry) (yes that is att also) and the new
> Bluetooth Foleo coming out this summer.

Apple is UNIX. Since when is UNIX not compatible with most corporate
e-mail (much of which is also UNIX)?



Shawn

Hey Guys and Gals,



Let's take this discussion off-line.



I think we should be able to ask these kinds of "off-topic" questions of
our colleagues and fellow pilots around the world. But I also don't
think this is the forum to discuss them.



One suggestion is to email any responses to the original poster and let
him moderate an email discussion between the interested parties.



Again, I very well may want to ask this august group off-topic questions
in the future... but let's not discuss them here.



My $0.02.



Larry

"zero one" USA

Bullwinkle wrote:
> Just remember the First Law of Electronics Purchases: never, ever, buy
> version 1.0 of anything (in the case of Micro$oft products, wait for version
> 3, at least). Remember the Newton? The initial product (accompanied by much
> hype) really sucked. The final iterations were actually very good, but in
> the marketplace couldn't overcome the early disappointment.
>
> That stated, iPhone is looking pretty good, so far.
>
A case in point. The initial US launch of the iPhone uses EDGE for data
transmission and the initial reports show it to be very slow - about the
same as using a POTS modem over a dial-up line.

Meanwhile the iPhone is due for launch in Europe within the next couple
of weeks. The Euro model offers 3G for data, something Apple said they
would not support when the American version was launched. Presumably
uses GPRS as its fallback when the 3G signal is poor. All other 3G
devices do that.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Jun 30, 5:38 pm, Stewart Kissel
> wrote:
> Sailplane pilots seem to have high techno-geek standings.
> I have been watching with curiosity/amusement the
> media frenzy over this device. Cell phones are quite
> useful for many of us, and particularly for retrieves(when
> we have coverage!).
>
> So is this device clever marketing by Steve Jobs, or
> is it actually creating a new niche for electronic
> devices? I for one don't quite understand how someone
> could get so excited about a cellphone. Are these
> the pet-rocks of the digital age, or do the put current
> cellphones and laptops out of business? Just curious.

Contrary to rumor, we are not introducing a new
iPhone-based avionics product next Friday.
Really.
Stop calling.

See ya, Dave "YO"

There are apparently a lot of issues with this version of the phone.
Check this out:

http://thomashawk.com/2007/06/activating-new-iphone-thus-far-is-pain.html




On Jun 30, 5:38 pm, Stewart Kissel
> wrote:
> Sailplane pilots seem to have high techno-geek standings.
> I have been watching with curiosity/amusement the
> media frenzy over this device. Cell phones are quite
> useful for many of us, and particularly for retrieves(when
> we have coverage!).
>
> So is this device clever marketing by Steve Jobs, or
> is it actually creating a new niche for electronic
> devices? I for one don't quite understand how someone
> could get so excited about a cellphone. Are these
> the pet-rocks of the digital age, or do the put current
> cellphones and laptops out of business? Just curious.

Trying to pull it back ON-TOPIC....
Has anyone flown with one of these things?
The propaganda shows that when you turn the unit on it's side, the
display rotates.
What happens when you use the I-Phone in turbulence?
Jim

And... If someone could figure out how to port some soaring software
to it, how well would it work as a cockpit display and user interface?

-Tom

"5Z" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> And... If someone could figure out how to port some soaring software
> to it, how well would it work as a cockpit display and user interface?
>
> -Tom

Tom......is there any Mac compatible soaring software? If so it may be
possible.

Casey

I wonder how many of us realized a few years ago how
much the digital devices of today would be in our cockpits.
What if we had a device that could log, photograph,
map, phone and display flight paramaters...and upload
them as well. Rather then carting around laptop, cell
phone, digital camera, PDA and flight computer.