Like there is all over the web, there’s been a lot of backchannel chatter on O’Reilly internal mailing lists about the iPhone. I thought I’d give a bit of the flavor with a few excerpts:
Brian Sawyer wrote:
I hate both that it’s carrier locked and that the carrier is Cingular, with which I have had a terrible relationship in the past that ended in a vow never to return.
I also wish the iPhone were offered as a standalone iPod with about half the features but much more capacity. I really wanted exactly this product as a 60GB video iPod, but the phone isn’t really an option for me right now. :-(
Brian Jepson added:
I ran across something else. This is pretty depressing:
“It’s not extensible by third parties, only Apple. The means at the moment no RSS readers, no Slingplayers.”
Phil Torrone replied:
naw,
its 6 months away, a lot will change. plus, part of the keynote said this…
“‘[OSX] let us create desktop class applications and networking, not the crippled stuff you find on most phones, these are real desktop applications.’ He’s quoting Alan Kay – ‘People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware.’ ‘So we’re bringing breakthrough software to a mobile device for the first time.'”
technically there are rss readers, since you can make widgets for it, id rather have someone have a MAKE app on their phone than a general rss reader – branding and all..
any hoo, 6m is a long time and apple isnt going to screw up, everyone is watching, closely.
So, how about you? Are you bummed like Brian and Brian based on what you’ve heard, or are you optimistic like Phil that Apple will get this right?