Here are a few thoughts that popped into my mind as I was watching the iPhone tour video:
- Can’t start typing a number or a few letters to place a call (either you select from the address book or you remember the full phone number).
- Visual voice mail rocks.
- Touch screen is good for many more activities than I thought (but I suspect, still terrible to type text).
- Overall, it’s quite striking to see how the UI (and the entire demo) downplays typing. Quite a contrast compared to how much typing is used in iTunes or search on Mac OS. For example, if I want to add the picture of Sarah Young to her contact info, I would start typing “y o”. With the iPhone, you have to scroll through your address book (lucky him, there is only one entry in the “y” category, what a coincidence!).
- Is it possible to buy something from the iTunes store from the phone? (not shown in the demo, so I’m guessing not).
- Good handling of the headphone/music/incoming call activity.
- Safari: “renders just like on your computer”. Honest.
- Web page zooming is cool.
- Google button!
- The typist doesn’t seem to make any mistakes with the keyboard. I’m still a bit skeptical about that, but we’ll see. Good to see they have spelling correction (and nice demo with the thumbs).
- Claims Gmail access… Probably through POP… lame.
- Can check email automatically.
- Maps looks awesome. With traffic! (network access too fast to be true, though). The turn by turn instructions don’t seem to do text to speech, unfortunately.
- “There are many ways you can customize your iPhone”… as long as you choose black.