Tumbleweeds outnumber punters, as UK iPhone's First Night flops

"That went by the wayside when companies figured out they could be just as profitable by taking small steps for man. ;)"

Never more evident by this country's inability to come up with alternative, cost-efficient fuel technologies.

I understand that concept, I just don't agree with it. IMO that concept has led to our country as a whole, to being extremely complacent with mediocre technology and we have fallen behind a few countries, at this point, in the ability to be competitive with the leveraging of technology on the consumer and business fronts.

I am not saying wait forever, but I am saying wait longer than we have been waiting on the average, and reward companies for providing more than mediocre changes in new features. Basically, the more any company offers with their products or services per iteration, the more we should be investing in those companies vs. supporting companies that are, basically, nickel and diming for menial improvements per iteration. What ever happened to GIANT leaps for mankind? That went by the wayside when companies figured out they could be just as profitable by taking small steps for man. ;)

Once again, you fail to understand a fundamental principal when it comes to any type of consumer product - "wait and wait and you may be waiting forever". My point is that the iphone in its current state has brought a lot of people exactly what they wanted in a phone, an easy to use interface, no hassle connection to the web, email (the way it should be viewed), a great multimedia device,etc. So your logic only holds true for individuals like you or me that really have specific needs or wants in a product. For individuals like my wife, my cousin, Steve, or anyone else that has purchased an iPhone and continues to use it everyday, any shortcoming (or what YOU and I may consider shortcomings), are outweighed by what the iPhone has brought to the table for them. In this case, waiting would not serve any purpose but to lose out on the time they could be enjoying the device.

If you at least agree on that point, then then I think we have both reached a common ground regarding the issue of "consumer advocacy" and "enjoying" a product for what it brings to your particular lifestyle.

Over and out. :)

"Yeah, we demand lower gasoline prices, we demand no fare hikes on the NYC MTA, we demand alot of things. We also demand HP ship a state of the art PDA on time, you can demand all you want does mean you are going to get it? No."

I do not disagree with you here, but this is a red herring as I am not talking about simply demanding something based on expression. I am talking about taking actions, actions that affect a companies wallet in the market place, not government sancioned tolls, or specific individual desires from a specific company (although there is plenty of evidence that holding out works on individual companies as well.) Case in point, Apple hit a wall with consumers that were willing to pay $600.00 a pop for the iPhone. The market spoke, most people who had not purchased the iPhone were concerned about the price. Subsequently, in an unprecedented 2 months, Apple lowered the cost of the iPhone by $200.00 to appease market demand. It has worked before in numerous other occasions in other industries, and it works now. More often than not by making it known what it is a market is willing to pay for gets that market what they want. Yes.

"02 Germany as stated above, expects demand to be high and is concerned about product shortages. I guess the Germans have low expectations just like "slacker" Americans. (shrugs)."

We will see how that one pans out too, don't forget that UK had the same high expectations.

"Some pretty respected industry journalists, tech reviewers and such have accepted the iPhone for what it is and the breath of fresh air it brings to the table."

First of all, anyone hacking the device is not "accepting" the iPhone for what it is as marketed, intended and waranteed by Apple which is not the same as accepting it as a device that can be hacked. For what the device was marketed, intended and waranteed by Apple, it really is STILL overpriced when purchased with a contract. Without a contract it appears to be competitively priced.

"However, in order for v2 to even come to the table, V1 has to do well. I don't forsee any company, let alone Apple continuing in the competitive pda/smartphone/cell phone market if a given product is not received well by the marketplace whether it be the US or abroad."

You are contradicting yourself, by your standards you should be purchasing the iPhone v1 NOW, so that you can ENSURE that v2 comes out. lol Your original instinct to hold out until v2 is more on target with what I am talking about. That will ensure that Apple creats a device that meets the demand. If a company is becoming wealthy from putting out a minimum level of features on their initial device, then where is the incentive to not string the market along by providing upgrade devices with minimal added new features? Case in point WM6 from WM5? There is none, holding out for a better device makes the mfrs create better technology. It does not make them quit making technology. lol I am not talking about attempting to make a company go bankrupt on a line of device, just not allow them to be rewarded for mediocrity and complacency by giving them unprecedented gains in earnings in return.

Yeah, we demand lower gasoline prices, we demand no fare hikes on the NYC MTA, we demand alot of things. We also demand HP ship a state of the art PDA on time, you can demand all you want does mean you are going to get it? No.

As for the Euro anticipation of the iPhone and the reality of "opening day", I think the "hype" was tempered by the fact the device has "calmed down" and has been on the market (albeit only the US for some time now). 02 Germany as stated above, expects demand to be high and is concerned about product shortages. I guess the Germans have low expectations just like "slacker" Americans. (shrugs).

Fact of the matter, the iPhone is a 1st generation product from a company who has made their first foray into a very competitive market and has done well with it has offered to the buying public. On contrary to your belief, not every iPhone buyer was a "mindless lemming" who doesn't expect much from their technology. Some pretty respected industry journalists, tech reviewers and such have accepted the iPhone for what it is and the breath of fresh air it brings to the table.

All in all, I am part of those who have "not purchased" because I demand more. That's why I am waiting for iPhone v2. However, in order for v2 to even come to the table, V1 has to do well. I don't forsee any company, let alone Apple continuing in the competitive pda/smartphone/cell phone market if a given product is not received well by the marketplace whether it be the US or abroad.

You have to be kidding me right? Even the Architecture student who was supposedly the 1st person in the UK to legitimately purchase the UK iPhone stated that he had thought there would have been more people. According to him there were around 40 people in line. Hmmm....me thinks Getting information from a biased site, maybe not the best source.

No, the article that Chris put up appears to be dead on, the hype did not work anywhere near as good as it did here, nothing new there.

"Maybe your angst should be directed more to the US network providers have still yet to provide ubiquitous broadband coverage via be it EVDO, HSDPA, or even wimax. What good is having a 3g chipset if it doesn't work where you live, work, or play?"

Do not confuse consumer advocacy with anxiety or anger as it were (angst means anxiety not anger). My observations are based on the facts which are quite conclusive, and have been dead on since the beginning of this iPhone e/de-volution. Here's the trade-off a nicer UI with internet speeds that are 2 to 7 times slower than current top speeds in US. In UK you are talking about giving up speeds that are 10 to 36 times faster than EDGE! lol Give me a break.

Good for UK, demand better, get better. It is so simple and yet so many sheople don't get it. We as consumers have more power than those who provide products and services would care for you to be aware of. I mean just look at JN's stance on this "What good is having a 3g chipset if it doesn't work where you live, work, or play?" It is no good, that is why you purchase devices which have EDGE and/or 3G as opposed to just buying EDGE only devices, so they see where the interest of their markets are. They will give you what you want, you just need to make it known that you want it. Consistently settling for mediocrity, and accepting mindwashing enabling statements regarding a lack of ability to affect change, just leads to continued mediocrity.

Suggesting that we have to take whatever the market gives us is ludicrous. We do not live in a tyranical dictatorship, why act like you do? I mean if what JN is suggesting were true then back in the 70s we would have NEVER received automobiles with better mileage because the auto mfrs were not making them. Wrong, they saw the demand and lack of sales due to the same old same old and started making more automobiles with better mileage.

It's simple demand better, get better.

Good news for Apple, so I guess this story may not represent the reality of the situation. Sounds like O2 Germany is expecting high demand too.

http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?newsid=19637&pagtype=samechandate

Maybe your angst should be directed more to the US network providers have still yet to provide ubiquitous broadband coverage via be it EVDO, HSDPA, or even wimax. What good is having a 3g chipset if it doesn't work where you live, work, or play?

Still waiting for 3G to reach the extra mile or so need to reach my home in NYC.

LOL, well at least they did not buy into it the way we did here in US. Good for UK, don't believe the hype!

I think the fact that folks in the UK do NOT settle for underwhelming technology and known limitations for the sole purpose of an upgrade path is a large part of why their per capita technology level is higher than over here in US. In addition, the end result is that they get the way kewl technologies released there way before over here. (E.g. faster network speeds, kewler mobility products etc...)

Bottom line is, demand better and you get better.