milkypink [dot] net

or, Why I (Probably) Won’t Ever Buy an iPhone

• 1. Storage space. If, indeed, the iPhone is to be my ultimate all-in-one device, it needs to match up with my mp3 player storage expectations, which currently reside at 64GBs. “That’s unreasonable!” you say. But wait, there’s more!
• 2. Battery life. While I’m out, I listen to music nearly constantly, with the exceptions of plane takeoff/landing and some other small periods of time. On top of that, add cell phone data usage, possible calls (although not many, as I hate using phones for voice), and app/game usage and the battery really needs to last quite a long time. It’s not likely to. This is one of the biggest problems with all-in-one devices, in my opinion.
• 3. Multitasking. The iPhone (and indeed, the iPod Touch and iPad) cannot multitask. That is, it can’t run multiple apps at once. Yes, you can be on the phone and use an app, but you can’t run things in the background. I believe the argument against this was it would zap battery life (see above) but in the end, isn’t that the user’s choice? Except, with Apple, users don’t know best.
• 4. Ability to tweak. Apple enjoys being the ultra dictator of its mobile tech – they tell you what you can and cannot install and if you do anything to subvert this you are breaking the law, according to Apple, anyway. Certainly you put your device at risk if you choose to deviate from recommended settings and software, but this is your prerogative as a user. I certainly have no desire to brick my phone, but I’d like the option to install any program that catches my attention, not just ones sanctioned by Apple.
• 5. Physical keyboard. Admittedly this condition might go away if I got more used to on-screen keyboards, but right now I can’t imagine not having one in a pinch. Not to mention, using my phone of choice, I’m able to actually tilt the screen to view while still having access to a keyboard on a flat surface. It’s like a very tiny computer! (Well technically, that’s exactly what it is.)

In the end, maybe, somewhere, sometime, I may end up owning an iPhone. But it likely won’t happen in the next couple years.

Tags: apple, digi.tech, iphone

 

I’ve discussed before why the previous version of the iPod Touch wasn’t enough for me, but I still don’t own one, even though those requirements were met.

Why?

Because the Touch really ought to have a camera.

The more I think about this, the more it makes sense. Not only are companies sticking mp3 players into everything (including even tasers), but cameras are becoming ubiquitous. It’s true that smartphone companies need to make non-camera versions for people who work in high security clearance jobs, but every phone has the option to have one. Most computers and netbooks have built-in webcams, admittedly frequently pretty poor quality ones, but that’s beside the point.

Cameras are everywhere.
Including, as of Sept ’09, the Nano, which Apple introduced to a lot of confusion. Even saying it’s a Flip Mino competitor seems like a stretch to me.
Surely this is an affront to the more advanced Touch, which actually has the ability to utilize a camera in interesting ways via apps.
Why would a higher-end product get short shifted, while the entry-to-mid-level product stands out as actually getting an upgrade?

Theory one immediately brings one to think of another very similar Apple device, the iPhone.
To many, the Touch is just steps away from being an iPhone without the contract. Indeed, the insides are quite similar, minus the obvious difference of cellular capability and storage.
But the iPhone has a camera, and the Touch does not.
With the addition of a mic and speaker, the Touch inches closer and closer to being the contract-free iPhone many are wanting.
Why would Apple want to keep these two devices separate?
True, the iPhone is a pricier device, but most of the money spent on it actually goes to the carrier, not Apple (unless they are paying far more to Apple than I’m thinking). Would they really lose out so much?

Theory two popped up days before the announcement.
There was an issue getting the camera to fit/function properly. But why would there be such a late delay? Surely they would have worked out things much earlier, having planned the release date far in advance.
But technological mishaps are not always predictable, or easy to fix, so while a bit of a stretch, it’s plausible. And this rumor arrived just in time to make people feel very disappointed about the Touch receiving little to no improvements over the previous generation. The Nano getting a camera was just rubbing salt in the wounds.

Will the Touch get a camera in the next iteration?
I certainly hope so.
Do I need a camera in my mp3 player?
No, but the Touch is more than just an mp3 player – it is the gateway to hours of entertainment fueled by both music & movies as well as games & other apps.

I won’t buy a Touch until a camera is added (or, I suppose, my Gen5 iPod bites the dust hard – it’s chugging along, still) because I feel that if I do, Apple will finally add one right afterwards.
Tech is always advancing, so having the “newest stuff” as a condition only lasts about a month or less.. unless you have a lot of cash to burn (and I would note that such a method of spending is largely a waste), but when you can see an improvement coming (such as the storage upgrade), it is better to wait for it than to buy now and regret it later.

I look forward to the day when I can write up a review for an iPod Touch with a camera ♥

Please make it happen, Apple!

So, it’s been a couple weeks (more?) since I last updated this. I’m pretty sure “Sporadic Updates” would be my middle name, if I didn’t already have one.

Apple did release a 64GB iPod Touch, and I am tempted to buy it. However, because of all of the camera rumors (supported by a disassembling of the new Touch) I think I am ultimately still going to hold off. An image Zannah posted on plurk cemented my thoughts pretty well – making mention to the fact that Apple may be planning to just sell bunches of new Touches only to release one with a camera post-holiday season. (It isn’t as though such a thing hasn’t happened before – the 32GB Touch was released this way.)

So I’m going to wait. And even if one doesn’t come out post-holiday, it’s sure to have gotten at least a bit cheaper by then anyway… win-win really I suppose XD
Getting a new, more functional laptop is most important at the moment anyway. Ai is cute and everything but she has some problems…. and I’m probably working her too hard, realistically speaking. October is my target month, a little after Windows 7 has been released. After that point, it’s just a matter of good specs and the best deal.

In the meantime… I’ll occupy myself making jewelry.

Okay so it’s almost September.

Last time I remember, it was just the beginning of August.

There were, of course, a couple weeks of Family Time in there so that probably sucked up most of the month.



But, September! That is exciting.



If you are wondering why, then you probably don’t have an iPod and/or are not waiting to upgrade your mp3 player to one.



Finally, finally, finally! my desires for a 64GB iPod touch will be fulfilled. The iPhone has increased to 32GB, and on top of that, rumors are flying about the touch getting a camera (?!) and a microphone! I am so glad I waited XD

But I’ll post more about that when it’s released and I buy one, likely in the next couple of weeks.

Instead, I’d like to talk about my experience with my netbook-as-laptop-replacement so far.
In general, it’s not bad. I can still do all of my net stuff, listen to music, and work on creative projects. All good things.
However, there are one or two things that are really bothering me.
1) Video playback is subpar to impossible. Streaming is by far the best method for watching stuff, but even that is laggy.
2) Any form of gaming is pretty much impossible. Lately I’ve been missing the Sims, and wondering about The Sims 3, which, of course would not at all work on this underpowered machine.

So, it’s not perfect, and really, it’s not meant to be a permanent replacement. But I am reaching my limit.
Even though companies like Dell are offering free Win 7 upgrades, that’s not all I’m holding out for.
I’m waiting for technology to move just a little further, for deals to get just a little better, and to find a machine that really makes me feel completely confident that it’s what I want, and will want for the next 2-3 years (at a minimum).

Occasionally I’ll peak at company websites, compare configurations and prices, but nothing’s struck me as perfect yet.
The wait is feeling longer and longer, but maybe some new shiny tech will help tide me over for a while :D

Originally, I wanted my New Year’s Resolution for this blog to be one entry, no matter how small, everyday. But my year started off with a vacation, and I tend not to bring my laptop with me on trips anymore { it’s bigger than my last one, and the extra weight + size pushes me over the edge. for a 4 day trip, it was not worth it. } and I can’t really blog to here from my phone so I’m a little late in starting!
{ Maybe I’ll make five extra entries here or there to make up for it… XD }
So today! January 6th. Macworld keynote. The last Macworld ever, I think, since Apple is pulling out. Am I sad? No, not really. It isn’t as though Apple is going under, or disappearing. Just not planning to announce things in such a dramatic fashion anymore, and to be honest, what I’m waiting for will likely not be announced this month anyway. I’m also not an Apple fangirl, just a recent equal opportunist. After working with Macs in a multimedia computer lab setting, I became more comfortable with the interface, something I had previously completely objected to using. But all computers and operating systems have their flaws, not to mention individual applications.
The only Apple products I’ve ever owned have been iPods – the 4th gen photo after it was announced, and the 5th gen video, a year or so later. The reasons I didn’t look into iPods earlier were fairly simple:

- no color screen. I hate monochromatic screens, and this is the big reason I am not jumping on the kindle. I love to read, but I don’t want to be held back by black & white.

- battery issues. For a non-user-replaceable battery, it previously had a pretty bad track record for holding charge and overall play time.

- I was unclear as to how you could sort through thousands of songs on such a small interface, and this was due to my own disinterest to do research XD My first interactions with mp3 players (back in 1996/7 or so) had prepared me for a system that only allowed for less than 10 songs (usually) which meant sorting and organization was unnecessary. Even minidisc players (yes, I had those!) worked under the same principle, although you could easily swap out media for more choices. How could I deal with my entire music collection on one device? And why would I even want that?

Once I had it, I never wanted to go back. Playlists are fairly simple, and I’ve only recently discovered the ease of smart playlists. Genius playlists aren’t that useful for me, since it only really works well for songs that are in some iTunes store (international is okay, but other than that). I have around 45GBs of music currently, and this has kept me from upgrading to an iPod touch, despite the lure of apps. I’m not excited about a touch-only screen, I prefer buttons (reason #1 why I don’t own an iPhone), but in the end, apps win out over moving laterally to the Classic.

So I’m waiting. I have serious doubts that Apple will announce a 64GB iPod touch at this keynote. It wasn’t announced last year, just suddenly appeared for sale at the beginning of February. This is probably because it wasn’t a great technical step forward on Apple’s front – they just found a supplier of properly sized 16GB flash chips (the touch uses two flash slots while the iPhone only uses one, halving its storage capacity). I believe 32GB flash is just around the corner (if they aren’t already here!) so I’m holding off, patiently. I can’t wait until 64GB flash exists, however, so once the 64GB iPod Touch comes out, I’m buying it XD