Apple iPhone.

Hello, fellows.

Carphone Warehouse has launched the sales of iPhones this weekend. When I got to the office on Monday morning, everyone around was laughing and teasing each other: "Have you got iPhone?". Not because everybody wanted to buy one but because we had had a discussion earlier about its price and long expensive contract with O2. However, one of my colleagues bought one and he allowed me to "play" with his iPhone. I have to say that it is amazing device. Not in terms of "what" it can do, but "how". iPhone has all "bells-and-whistles" which appeal to common consumer: looks good, plays video, audio (of course) and has access to the Internet using fully functional browser. O2 contract you have to sign during purchase allows "unlimited usage of the Internet" but I was told that if your traffic goes beyond 300 MB then O2 can become a bit picky. The quality of video is outstanding. My iPAQ 4705 does not have the same fps despite its powerful 625 MHz CPU. I guess video-subsystem in iPhone is more powerful. The interface has "x-factor" and allows use of "gestures": you can use thumb and pointing finger to zoom in/out moving finger and thumb inward/outward. I believe usual person does not need anything else therefore iPhone probably will be successful if... the price drops. It is still too much - £269 on a £35/month contract. People got used to "free" phones on expensive tariffs. But I can be wrong, let's wait and see.

Yours sincerely,
Rustam.