I too am lambasted by the incredible uberness of the iPhone. It is one incredible piece of technology. I once had the top of the line cell phone, the Cingular 8525. It eats blackberries with a side of envy and a big scoop of pwn. But the iPhone has taken that away with its slick new user interface and amazing web browsing capability. So how does it compare to the once great 8525? Here’s a chart:
| Feature | 8525 | iPhone |
| Memory Expansion | Micro SD | None |
| Video playback | Yes | Yes, but higher quality |
| Keyboard | Qwerty and On screen | On screen |
| 3G Network | Yes | No |
| Screensize | Small | Large |
| Finger Pinch | No | Yes |
| World Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Memory | 64MB (more with SD expansion) | 6-8GB |
| CPU | 400MHz Intel | ? |
| Modem | It can be used as a modem for your PC or laptop through USB/Bluetooth | ? |
| Browser | IE | Safari |
| Tilt Sensor | Pull out keyboard | Just tilt |
| Camera | 1.3MP | 2MP |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| MP3 | Yes | Yes |
| Music Subscription Service (napster) | Yes | No |
| Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Picture Contacts | Yes | Yes |
| Games | Yes | Yes |
| Terminal Services | Yes | No |
| Sync with Exchange | Yes | Kinda |
I’m sure there’s some more features I am missing. My phone may not be as cool as the iPhone, in fact it doesn’t even compare. So what’s the point of all this? I have been enjoying the benefits of the iPhone without the slick new interface for a long time. Do I wish I had a slick new interface? Hell yeah. But I’m not going to give up 3G either. Honestly, Cingular’s Edge network is horrible and that is the deciding factor with me. I also can’t use terminal services to fix servers on an iPhone. I imagine there is a way to install Microsoft’s remote desktop for Mac on it, but I’m not positive. I also need to be able to sync with Exchange for tasks, contacts, email, etc. So for me, the iPhone would be silly. It would be cool, but I’m not 16 any more and cool isn’t that important.
I hope Microsoft comes back with a nice response to the iPhone. Even without the finger pinching, at least a bigger screen and better resolution, along with better web browsing like on the iPhone. But I can live without all that for now and I don’t feel too bad about it. My phone is still impressive even if it does look like it was made in 1989, thanks to the stylish new iPhone.