some interesting iphone developements

The fact you are no "fanboy" of iPhone doesn't make you wrong... it's the fact you posted incorrect information that makes you wrong. <- How's that for a statement.

I think the topic was about displaying nautical charts on an iPhone... and you said "iPhones are bad because they are made out of cardboard and Steve Jobs owns a Porsche...." (I paraphrased)

PS: My experience in the mobile space is more than "developed an app for a few devices"
 
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wkearney99 said:
OK, tell me what I got wrong. Coverage? I tested the AT&T signal on the water and in various anchorages around the Bay. Well, from the Choptank and points north. It stank.

The iPhone stuff, well, that's perhaps way off topic for this forum. But having actually done software development for portable devices I'm quite familiar with what is and isn't possible or worthwhile about most of them. And your experience is, what?

Hey, if I'm wrong, I'd be glad to have someone enlighten me. But just because I'm no fanboy of your beloved toy doesn't make me wrong, nor you right.
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The "iPhone stuff" is the topic of this thread. To dismiss this and change it to at&t vs whatever completely misses the point.

You have done software development for the iPhone? so you must know what it's capable of and what it's not capable of. My experience is actually owning one, not playing around with a friends hacked one for a week. I've also registered as a software developer and have the SDK. You can download it too and see for yourself. I'm sure with your extensive knowledge of Cocoa programming, you could get the thing to work. Heck you might even be able to come up with something useful that your phone can't or won't do.

(edited to take out the not so nice things I said)
 
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Give him a break guys, I think he owns a Four Winns :huh: Show me a phone with the same capabilities and ease of use as the I phone and I'll buy it. It just doesn't exist, yet.
SB
 
TurtleTone said:
The "iPhone stuff" is the topic of this thread. To dismiss this and change it to at&t vs whatever completely misses the point.

You have done software development for the iPhone? so you must know what it's capable of and what it's not capable of. My experience is actually owning one, not playing around with a friends hacked one for a week. I've also registered as a software developer and have the SDK. You can download it too and see for yourself. I'm sure with your extensive knowledge of Cocoa programming, you could get the thing to work. Heck you might even be able to come up with something useful that your phone can't or won't do.

(edited to take out the not so nice things I said)
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Hmm I might have to check that SDK out, although I don't own an iphone or any apple product (just not a fan) as a software developer I'd be interested in seeing what it had. Just because I don't own apple products doesn't mean I won't write some piece of software and use it to make some money (I'm no fool)

Anyways I really like the idea of being able to make VoIP phone calls via the iPhone and even the iTouch (they must be jailbroke) seems that could come in handy for the other VoIP stuff I have going on.
 
You don't need an iPhone with the SDK, it comes with a simulator that you can test and run the software with. I personally suck at programming but I have the SDK and got it for free. Now what other phone developer does that kind of thing? Last time I heard, there were over a million people with the software, that's a lot of people. Someone would surely come up with some good boating software?!?
 
TurtleTone said:
You don't need an iPhone with the SDK, it comes with a simulator that you can test and run the software with. I personally suck at programming but I have the SDK and got it for free. Now what other phone developer does that kind of thing? Last time I heard, there were over a million people with the software, that's a lot of people. Someone would surely come up with some good boating software?!?
Click to expand...

Well I checked it out, and the SDK requires Mac OSX so true it doesn't required an iPhone but it requires you have a Mac, oh well the SDK download is 1.36 GIG which is flippin huge so saved the pain of downloading that I even had some ideas that might of been pretty cool.
 
The brilliance of the iphone is not what it does, but HOW it does it. As a former user of RIMs and Treos etc, while those devices CAN do most of the things the iphone does, none of them do it well enough to make you actually WANT to use it. Except for maybe corporate email on the RIM.

That doesn't mean its going to replace my raymarine. But I have used the google satellite maps and the "where am I" button in unfamiliar waters as you can easily see shallow areas based on the water color. You just have to orient yourself in conjunction with your GPS as its only maybe 1/10th of a mile accurate. I need to get my display updated with the platinum maps so I can get that on my GPS.

I am not a fanboy. I refused to get an ipod because it could only use itunes, and my creative zen was better for both music and video. But when I played with the iphone I decided to give it a shot. After owning it for 6 months or so, I think its perhaps the best electronic device I've ever bought. Maybe the best *product* I've ever bought.

The other day while in an unfamiliar city, I needed a signal meter to dial in a sat TV. I pulled up radioshack.com, typed in a keyword, scrolled through the products, found the item number, tapped over to google maps "find me", tapped the search function, typed in radio shack, it popped up 4 or 5 of them, tapped the closest one, it pulled up the address and phone #, tapped the phone number, it automatically called and I asked if that part # was in stock. It wasn't. Tapped the next closest radio shack. They had it. I tapped directions, and it showed me the best way there, including the fact that there was a major traffic jam on the freeway, so I avoided that. It was all so seamless that afterwards I did a Neo like "whoa...." moment. My wife was also speechless.

Another example.... Been looking for a used Porsche 996 as I miss my old one, saw a dealer off the freeway in the same unfamiliar town with a few out front, name of the place was "premier" something or other as I only caught a glimpse. Thought about turning around. Instead, I tapped maps, then "find me", typed "Premier", up popped "premier auto salon", typed that pin, up popped the address, phone #, and website, tapped the website. Saw an "inventory" button, tapped it. Scrolled through to see two porsches. Aw.... both are tiptronic transmissions. Ugh. I'll pass.

The new iphone will reportedly have GPS, as well as 3G, and lots more memory. I will be first in line. In addition, the iphone is rapidly stealing share away from RIM and Palm and Windows Mobile devices, and Gartner Group just reclassified the iphone as a recommended device due to its forthcoming full exchange support.

The end result for me is that I finally caved in and bought an ipod, and my next home PC will probably be a mac. And I will definitely buy the next iphone.

-Dave
 
i don't know dave...I think I will be first in line... ok, well you can be first in line in Tx, and I'll be first in line in Fort Lauderdale...Apple makes great products to use, and the new Iphone when it comes out should blow away blackberry and any palm or windows based "smart" phones out there. I have the Apple TV which is very cool and have it hooked up in the cabin in the boat to show on the new 26" HD LCD I put in a few months ago...got rid of the PC and have an IMac 24" which is the best computer I've used..and can' wait to toss the Blackberry away and use the Iphone. Hopefully it will be out either in June or July....

Barry
 
Given the exclusive requirement of using AT&T, and their demonstrated lack of effective data coverage, it's really moot point what features the phone does or doesn't have. There's always something 'new' coming but with the 5 year exclusivity plan with AT&T for the iPhone you're just not going to get effective coverage with it on the water. AT&T's the weak link in the chain and I can't imagine the fringe market of boaters is going to be enough for them to spend the considerable sums of money to fix it.

When you have connectivity it's got great features, but for me coverage is far more important. Look at it this way, other phones can get better software, but who's going to pay to build a better network? Not Apple.
 
I'm on my boat with my POS phone responding to your stupid post while talking to my mom. Oh look, apple stock is up $5 today, 2mph breeze coming from the west, we just hit low tide by the way. Oops my calendar just notified me I have to make a call to Italy before a client goes to sleep, I think I'll make a skype call to save a few $$$. Gotta run.
 
Wow, and I thought my Nextel direct connect was hi-tech......say hello to Mom for us.
 
wkearney99 said:
Given the exclusive requirement of using AT&T, and their demonstrated lack of effective data coverage, it's really moot point what features the phone does or doesn't have...
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I'll side with Mr. Kearny on this one. I've been a fan of Apple computers since 1986 (well - except for the time when Gil Amelio almost ran 'em broke)...because they've always had superior software and very stylish hardware over windows machines. The iPhone appears to be a direct extension of that effort.

However, the ATT move was not good for me at least...I happen to live in the sliver of northern Ohio that has no coverage, no partner, no connectivity..nothing. They won't even let me buy an iPhone with my address. Hard to believe in this day and age a major telecommunications company has still has gaping holes in its coverage in reasonably populated areas.

I find it hilarious to watch all of those ATT commercials where the guy is parked along side a field doing internet work with his wireless card - boasting all the time about how he can get work done anywhere with ATT...BS - ain't no way that field is anywhere near my house. In any event...don't plan on using your iPhone w/ nav software get you to Put-In-Bay -- won't happen.

Anyways...either I wait another 4 years...or they build a half dozen towers...looks like 2012 I'll finally get my iPhone :smt009
 
wkearney99 said:
...with the 5 year exclusivity plan with AT&T for the iPhone you're just not going to get effective coverage with it on the water.
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Glad to know you've boated all over the coast of the US and beyond checking this out for us. And here I thought getting all those bars of service in the middle of corpus christi bay and the nearshore gulf was a GOOD thing. Come to find out, its all a sham. Thanks again. Next time out, my useless iphone is getting chucked overboard.

I don't trust people who use generalizations. Every single one of them is wrong 100% of the time......

-Dave
 
. . . and some of the criticism comes from the same crowd that hounded me for preferentially using my cell phone as a communications device on the water over my VHF radios.

Yes, I will ALWAYS use my cell phone over my VHF if I can. . and only if I can't will I resort to the two VHF's (one fixed antenna, one handheld).
 
People were hounding you because of your stupid financial and political views... not because of your lack of VHF radio skills... keep it straight.
 
Gee Dave, go learn how to actually read what people post before you start bullshi**ing yourself about "trust".

I made it clear my coverage experience was in a particular area. Glad you've had success in yours. Oh, and be sure you're testing data services, not just voice. Coverage and speed will vary quite a bit between the two when you're in poor service areas. I had 5 bars 'signal' plenty of times and it wouldn't make calls, let alone get data services. This on two different phones and data cards. It wasn't like I didn't make a serious attempt to make it work. I despise Verizon and was not at all interested in leaving AT&T. But coverage rules the day for me, not just gee whiz phone features.

Some coverage areas as certainly better than others. Around here isn't one of them.

Unfortunately being tied exclusively to AT&T for the next four years there's no choice available to customers around here. By that time it's likely quite a lot of changes will have developed in the market. Both in radio coverage and software. If a better coverage solution emerges and it's on the iphone then it'd certainly be worth considering. Right now it's a bad choice for folks in quite a few areas.
 
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