When the iPod Touch appeared, I must say that it did look good but after reading a story by Gizmodo, it doesn't look good any more!
Gizmodo's article "Apple iPod Touch Calendar Can't "Add" Appointments: Why, and What's Else is Being Crippled?" absolutely caught my attention. In their article, they indicated that Apple has removed the ability to add events in the iPod touch's calendar. That's right, you can't add appointments! Why would you even buy the device?
Gizmodo has a couple of screen shots showing where Apple has removed the words "entering calendar events" from its US features page. You get to see the before and after and then you have to start to wonder ... about Apple.
I can fully understand Apple removing the CSR Bluetooth chip to make the iPod touch cheaper than the iPhone. It's a cost-saving measure, and they owe to their shareholders to save money and increase profits. But taking a line of code out of a program to make some people buy the iPhone is a dodgy and surprising move by Apple. It may be normal for Redmond, but certainly not for Cupertino. As with shareholders, they also owe their customers some respect.
And yes, it's Apple's choice and they can do whatever they want as a company. However, these practices are quite different from what Apple has been doing in the past with all their products, including Mac OS X vs Mac OS X Server. Segmentation is fine, but having a phone and EDGE and SMS and Bluetooth built in in the iPhone is enough feature differentiation to justify the current $100 price gap. Why limit a simple piece of software and risk customer alienation?
When the iPod Touch appeared, I must say that it did look good but after reading a story by Gizmodo, it doesn't look good any more!
Gizmodo's article "Apple iPod Touch Calendar Can't "Add" Appointments: Why, and What's Else is Being Crippled?" absolutely caught my attention. In their article, they indicated that Apple has removed the ability to add events in the iPod touch's calendar. That's right, you can't add appointments! Why would you even buy the device?
Gizmodo has a couple of screen shots showing where Apple has removed the words "entering calendar events" from its US features page. You get to see the before and after and then you have to start to wonder ... about Apple.
I can fully understand Apple removing the CSR Bluetooth chip to make the iPod touch cheaper than the iPhone. It's a cost-saving measure, and they owe to their shareholders to save money and increase profits. But taking a line of code out of a program to make some people buy the iPhone is a dodgy and surprising move by Apple. It may be normal for Redmond, but certainly not for Cupertino. As with shareholders, they also owe their customers some respect.
And yes, it's Apple's choice and they can do whatever they want as a company. However, these practices are quite different from what Apple has been doing in the past with all their products, including Mac OS X vs Mac OS X Server. Segmentation is fine, but having a phone and EDGE and SMS and Bluetooth built in in the iPhone is enough feature differentiation to justify the current $100 price gap. Why limit a simple piece of software and risk customer alienation?
Dunno... maybe if you wanted it as a media player? I agree it sucks that they are disabling features in the Touch that actually costs them work and money to do so, and alienates the customers further. But the homebrew scene will restore this functionality, and more, don't worry. I hope. I will wait for the first homebrews to come out.
Who cares? I certainly don't. I am using the 100 buck credit to pick up a 16gb touch. I will be a great replacement to 4gen iPod which I only use in the car anyways. When I am home I can surf using the Touch instead of lugging the laptop around. Calendar appointments? That's what I have a WM device for.
Who cares? I certainly don't. I am using the 100 buck credit to pick up a 16gb touch. I will be a great replacement to 4gen iPod which I only use in the car anyways. When I am home I can surf using the Touch instead of lugging the laptop around. Calendar appointments? That's what I have a WM device for.
Since you carry multiple devices, this may not be an issue to you, but for those users who only carry one device (or maybe two - a cell phone and a multimedia device), this could be a problem. Seems rather shortsighted to me. Why have a contacts application at all on a device if it is not possible to fully use it? Either delete the application altogether or make the application fully functional.
julie
__________________ Julie (aka Prof Julie at the HP IPAQ and the Microsoft Windows Phone forums| Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices | Mobility Site Moderator | Judge, Smartphone & Pocket PC Best Software Awards 2007 & 2008 | visit my blog: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. | To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Since you carry multiple devices, this may not be an issue to you, but for those users who only carry one device (or maybe two - a cell phone and a multimedia device), this could be a problem. Seems rather shortsighted to me. Why have a contacts application at all on a device if it is not possible to fully use it? Either delete the application altogether or make the application fully functional.
julie
While I agree with you about either enabling or deleting the application, you must remember that even the 4g iPod and earlier had contacts and calendar information. I bet you can count on two hands, then number of people that actually used it. No, this is not a big deal, most people will buy this device for multimedia aspects and the added features just short of the iPhone. I doubt very highly the PIM application of this device will be missed.
Anyways, like Homebrew mentioned, someone will find a way to unlock the functionality. Perhaps it will be Apple, just like they continue to unlock iPhone hidden treasures.
I think it's important to remember that the Touch is not meant to be used a PIM device, nor a PDA. It's a media player, pure and simple. The iPhone is their first foray in to the arena of devices with multiple functions, and they don't want to risk multiple product lines on their first venture into this space.
Needless to day, however, the "dev" community will most likely create a workaround rather quickly to the crippled functionality. It's just a matter of time.
Xerloq, I understand your point, but why confuse the issue and put the pim app there in the first place?
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Because then you wouldn't have to buy propreitary cables...
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