Apple has launched a small web application that will let customers check up on iPhone availability at its 164 national retail stores. The Apple retail availability tracker allows iPhone seekers to select their state of residence and then will display a list of Apple retail stores with iPhone availability indicators.
If there is a green dot next to your local Apple store, then iPhones are in stock. A red dot indicates that iPhone availability is negative. This simple system is a great way to see iPhone availability without trouble. It is an incredibly user-friendly system that can be used by almost anyone.
Unfortunately, however, Apple plans only to update the tracker system on a nightly basis. This, therefore, means that shoppers might want to supplement the information available on the site by placing a call to the local Apple store just before making the trip. This will ensure iPhone availability and save time and hassle.
A separate section of the Apple retail availability tracker website also informs the iPhone shoppers on how to “get the most out of the iPhone,” offering lists of free workshops that cover the basics of the iPhone and beyond. In addition, the Cupertino-based company notes that its One to One members will have easy access to private tutorials on everything from how to sync their iPhone with iTunes, to receiving and sending email and surfing the web. Reservations for these One to One tutorials can be made up to 14 days in advance.
The iPhone retail availability tracker is a great tool made by apple. Informing all potential shoppers on where your product is available is a great idea. Shoppers will be more much more willing to buy products if they know that when they go to buy the product, it will be available.
Availability Itself
IPhone availability, though, has not been a huge concern. IPhones have been widely available for all buyers. It has not been too difficult for a desiring customer to find a store with iPhone availability. The quantity of phones available has stayed relatively the same since the release of the iPhone. Also, buyers have not been incredibly fast in purchasing iPhones.
It seems that many are willing to wait for the price to drop and for the bugs to be worked out. Therefore, Apple doesn’t plan on raising the output of iPhones in the very near future. IPhone availability is good, and buyers are happy. Shortages have not been a concern at all.
11.10.08
iPhone Availability Tracker
Labels: Apple iPhone Applications
at 23:46 0 comments
10.10.08
iPhone’s Missing Features
Though the Apple iPhone is a great device with many awesome features, it has many deficiencies that need to be brought up. Things like third party support and carrier choice are just some of these. If these deficiencies were corrected, the iPhone would be one amazing device. This, however, is unlikely to happen. Following, though, are some of the Apple iPhone’s missing features.
Third Party Support
One of the biggest iPhone features that’s missing is third party support. Apple has made the iPhone a walled garden. Third party applications can not be installed. Apple claims that it’s for security reasons but it’s commonly believed that they’ll eventually bow to public pressure and release an SDK and allow certain applications in. There is, even so, always the “browser hole”.
Browser Plug-Ins
The iPhone has terrible support for browser plug-ins such as flash and javascript. This was kept mum in the early stages of development, but has recently come to light. Better plug-in support for the Safari browser would make for a much more useful device. This is one of iPhone’s features that is missing.
Carrier Choice
Being forced to be locked to Cingular with a 2 year contract is a bit of a sad point of the iPhone. Many locations around the nation aren’t even supported by Cingular. If Apple allowed for the iPhone to be used with more carriers, it would impress the public greatly. It’s just another iPhone feature that’s missing.
Phone and Data Price Plans
This iPhone feature that is missing is a common worry for potential buyers. Cingular could easily use phone and data price plans and take advantage of early adopters with crazy, expensive price plans.
Removable Battery
The lack of a removable battery in the iPhone is a huge potential problem in emergency situations and when traveling. The only upside to this situation is that all iPod 30-pin dock connector accessories will work. This, however, is an import iPhone feature that is missing.
Front Facing Camera
Although most people don’t really care about the 2 mega-pixel camera on the back of the iPhone, it is disappointing to find out that there isn’t a camera on the front. This would be a perfect feature for video chatting, which, although, would be limited by the iPhone’s lack of 3G, would work great over WiFi.
Calendar Data Input
Just like on the iPod, the iPhone’s calendar is read-only and must be synced from a Mac. The iPhone has a keyboard. So, why doesn’t Apple make the calendar accept input?
Over the Air
Over the Air downloads from the iTunes Store. It stands to common reason that Apple would want to sell music over the air. It’s underlying knowledge, however, that it’s a contractual limitation. Apple must amend their agreements with all of the labels to allow for OTA distribution.
Labels: Apple Iphone Features
at 00:31 0 comments
3.10.08
Iphone GPS Could Be In The Pipeline And Is Not Currently Available
Iphones are the new rage that everybody must own is it a student, teenager or even office goers. Since it helps stay in touch while on the move, it is a very handy gadget that in today’s high tech world, one simply cannot do without and with a number of benefits that one gets by owning an iPhone it is hardly surprising to see almost everyone having one on hand. And, given that now it is possible to keep track of oneself with an iPhone, there is every reason why one should opt for iphone GPS when it does become available.
Has Special Benefits In Emergency Situations
GPS or Global Positioning System requires satellites, earth monitoring stations and also a GPS receiver such as a future iphone GPS and all the separate components work together very well with satellites that orbit the earth sending signals that are easily processed by any iphone GPS unit providing a number of advantages to users. It first and foremost helps keep in touch with others and is especially useful in case of mishaps and also emergencies.
Thus, if one were to have an iphone GPS unit one could easily dial 911 in an emergency situation and get help immediately as authorities are able to determine your location and respond in a timely manner. So, if you want to remain safe and also stay in touch with others, it would be a good idea to purchase an iphone GPS unit when it does become available and use it to also ensure that you can keep pace with society as it moves from one innovation to another.
Though the Apple iphone GPS is not a reality it is nevertheless available with the Nokia N95 which is going to set this device apart from others including Apple’s iPhone and which will be sure to provide an experience quite unlike what you would have otherwise have got.
What is important when considering iphone GPS is that its speed is up to par as there is nothing quite as annoying as having a GPS that takes ages to load and run? This is especially important given the fact that an estimated, it is believed, two billion users have used GPS enabled services in more than two hundred countries around the world and with facilities like international roaming and better digital quality it is setting the standards for communication for mobile phone users throughout the world.
So, even though the Apple iphone GPS is not available with current iPhones, there is reason to believe that it may be in development stages and it could be in the pipeline in the not too distant future.
Labels: Apple Iphone Features
at 00:32 0 comments
2.10.08
Examining the Apple Iphone
There is much on the news these days about the Apple Iphone. Considering the fact that the sales of these phones were stratospheric makes the advancement of the Apple iphone an incredibly newsworthy event. There is good reason for this because the purpose of the iphone is to combine a series of separate media and communications items into one package: the mobile phone, email, widescreen iPod, etc.
This makes the item quite an attractive package as not only do the technological advances of the iphone make it quite the convenient product, but it also proves to be a highly cost effective product as well. After all, instead of having to purchase separate items all one has to do is purchase the iphone. This will clearly prove to be a cost saver right off the bat.
Of course, despite all the media attention to the iphone many people are unsure of what it is actually that the iphone can do and what the value of the iphone actually is. This is not the fault of the media as reporting on the advancement and sales of the iphone does not include extensive, 20 minute public relations explanations of the phone. As such, it becomes important to perform additional research in order to understand the purpose and value of the phone. This then begs the question as to where to go for information.
The Primary Source of Apple Iphone Information
Probably the best place to go if you are looking for information on the Apple Iphone would be to head to the Apple Iphone homepage. (Please see http://www.apple.com/iphone) The reason for this is pretty obvious: the website is loaded with all the comprehensive information that is necessary for understanding what the product does. In fact, the site also contains a fairly comprehensive video presentation that details the iphone in great depth. The presentation of the Apple Iphone in a multimedia fashion also provides a quick and easy manner in which to understand the product. It was a wise move by Apple to present such a media presentation for all to access. It definitely shows confidence in the product.
One Caveat
If there was one caveat to mention in regards to reading about the iphone on Apple’s website it would be the fact that Apple is only going to present the product in glowing terms and from a sales perspective. As such, the presentational will be purely informational in nature which is fine to a certain degree.
Labels: apple iphone
at 22:47 0 comments