NewtonTalk.net June 2009 archive: Re: [NTLK] [OT] New iPhones/iP

From: <Reilly001os_at_aol.com>
Date: Thu Jun 18 2009 - 02:32:30 EDT

Christian,
I'd like to address your distraction concerns first with my own experience. My iPod touch with its over all lack of program multi tasking and cell phone provides me an electronic environment as focused as a newt, assuming I don't have push/fetch notifications on (I don't) and I'm not running an IM app (I don't IM). As for the hardware keyboards, I wouldn't mind having one as it would serve the same purpose as my newt keyboard, heavy text input. I can touch type faster/more accurately than I can soft keyboard type or get the newt to recognize my scribble (should'a been a doctor). Before I stopped carrying my newt daily I got comfortable enough and fast enough with the hwr (or my newt just got to know me well enough :-) that I stopped carrying my newt keyboard daily and only needed it for VERY heavy text input. I'm not at that level with my iPod but may be some day. If I get better with the soft keyboard, the hwr apps ever mature or apple allows said hwr apps to replace the default soft keyboard system wide,
I probably wouldn't need a hard keyboard but I'd like the option. That being said I find the default soft keyboard (especially in landscape mode) fine for on the go use and wouldn't have an add on keyboard "permanently" attached as that would ruin the small size of the device which is one of the features I love. If I had one of the available iphone stylus I think I'd type almost as fast on the soft keyboard as with newt hwr as I got used to correcting my scribble on the newts soft keyboard lol (although admittedly my hwr speed is slow compared to many of you out there with nice penmanship) . I think the iphone keyboard would fill a roll similar to the newt keyboard for many users. As for apps/functions I think your underestimating the apps available based on the "flash" of the iphone/itouch as apple markets them and the current input method. I've found a very good notes app with easy text file transfer to computer, a very customizable database app that I've transferred a lot of my Newton note lists to (and e
xpanded on each list entry thanks to customized database templates) and pocket money is currently available too (which I have as well). I've also found a bunch of apps for todo and GTD which I'm still evaluating to see which fits me best. In fact, right now it seems that the number of useful apps is catching up with the games and fart joke apps so fast that the real problem isn't finding functions your looking for (with the exception of hwr to totally replace the soft KB) but choosing which app fits you best so you can get to putting your data in. It seems that developers are seeing through the "flash" finally and are discovering the real power of the platform even with apple trying to control and hamstring them at every turn. Or it could be the huge amount of money that can be made from the app store that's driving the app developers... everybody needs a new yacht this time of year! ;-D
Joe Reilly

* I'm running a stock iPod touch, jail broken ones get into even better apps without big brother interfering. My favorite I've seen is mini vmac for iphone which excites me not only because I like classic Macs but also because it reminds me Newton emulators may be possible too!
-----Original Message-----
From: Lord Groundhog <lordgroundhog@gmail.com>

Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:31:36
To: newtontalk@newtontalk.net<newtontalk@newtontalk.net>
Subject: Re: [NTLK] [OT] New iPhones/iPhone OS 3.0

~~~ On 2009/06/17 11:30, Jon Glass at jonglass@usa.net wrote ~~~

> ... Well, I know people who see and
> use their iPhone as a serious tool, and I know they will be wanting
> the keyboard. But you don't really need to bother trying to get it.
> That's your issue.

Of course it's my issue! Duh! It's what I do. That's *why* I'm trying to
get this: understanding how people are thinking about this is the point for
me. I might learn something about a better way to work, or at least learn
something about how other people work. As it happens your explanation is
reasonably useful although I'm still waiting for the iPhone to show that it
can do the serious things I need as well as be nice-looking.

BTW I have no "problem" with my serious tools being nice-looking, that's
part of why I use Macs (and yes, I do find my Newton "attractive" -- and
Lady Pismo positively drop-dead gorgeous. If my Pismo were a woman I'd be
in mortal danger). ;-) But I do want my nice-looking things to be
seriously useful to me. Perhaps we could say that my "problem" is that so
far I see the iPhone as being more versatile in terms of its bells and
whistles than it is in terms of its serious uses, and I have yet to see that
its serious uses include many things that I want to do, the way I want to do
them. (Not as catchy I know, but I think it's a more accurate
representation of my thinking.)

Actually, Steve Scotten's explanation also goes a long way for me,
especially when he talks about not having a lot of distractions from
writing. That's exactly what I like about writing on my Newt and why, since
I got my first 2100, I do so little on my MacBook or even my beloved Lady
Pismo. On the Newt, when I write, all I'm doing is writing, without
distractions. It's like having a special room or place away from
everything. And the physical cloistering seems to trigger a sense of being
mentally cloistered, so I just zone in on what I'm writing. So I can see
how Steve would desire that when he writes. But given the way the iPhone is
made to do all the stuff with SMS and the web as well as phone stuff, I'd
have thought the iPhone is no better for isolation than any other computer.
But his goal makes sense to me.

So thanks Jon and Steve. I still don't completely see why the iPhone is the
way forward, but at least I have a better idea of what you're thinking about
and looking for.

Shalom.
Christian

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

³Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from a Newton.²
-- what Arthur C. Clarke meant

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1ZzpdPJ7Zr4
(With thanks to Chod Lang)
http://tinyurl.com/29y2dl
http://www.diyplanner.com/node/3942

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