I was so prepped to use my new iPhone on my trip to DC this week, to navigate to my hotel, to keep up on emails from the client—basically, to be a road warrior on steroids.
I emerged from the Metro, ready to find my hotel on the "Maps" feature. Only, I got “No Service” for a signal. Come on, I'm in the center of Washington, DC. I walked a little ways down the block. Still no signal. I turned the phone off and restarted it. No signal. This trip just got a lot more interesting.
A block later, out of the shadow of the George Washington University Hospital, I got my four bars back.
What I love, and didn't expect to: the email function. I spend a fair amount of time in airports, but I usually refuse to pay for wireless unless it's urgent. Every airport seems to have a different plan, and it annoys me to no end. Today I got off the plane and turned on the phone, and viewed an updated schedule for my shoot tomorrow and the location for our breakfast meeting. I was able to call the client, before she left for the day, to confirm that I was current with all the latest goings on. Without having to fire up the laptop. Or wait until I got to the hotel to do it for free (as if, half the time). This is going to change my life.
What I wish worked better: the email function. Why can't I select 20 messages at once and delete them? Why can't I organize them in folders, and sync it with my laptop?
What I miss from my old phone: the clock. Really. I'm used to using my phone as a pocket watch. I glance at it to know what time it is. Now I have to push a button. I can't wear wristwatches—the watchbands give me a rash. Oh well.
Another thing that bothers me—it's a slippery little devil, this iPhone. I feel like it's going to slide out of my hand like a wet fish. I felt the same way about the Macbook, which is why I put self-adhesive plastic grippers on the base. I may want to look for something like that for the phone.
Just one more. The "flick" feature is really cool. Flick your finger up the screen, and the webpage scrolls the opposite direction. It's totally intuitive. Except it's precisely the opposite motion you use when scrolling a webpage on the Macbook skating rink. I'm now mixing them up, doing the wrong thing on each device.
Welcome to the right coast. I hope you were able to get home before the ice hit us. What a mess! Best wishes on the new gadget. My wife has the iPod touch and we got her a case that wraps around it. Everything is accessible but it has a good grip. It does make it thicker but it will also absorb some shock if it falls.
Posted by: Beau Harbin | February 13, 2008 at 07:54 PM