I'm not an Apple fanboy/adopter by any means. I don't own a Mac (though I'm finally starting to get the urge), nor an iPhone, and I didn't even own an iPod until a couple Christmases ago. I have to give Apple props though because they can make their products look so freaking cool that you feel like you're missing out on something if you don't own them. I keep seeing the commercials with iPhone apps and couldn't help but wonder if these apps will change the way we use the web. I think that the answer is emphatically yes. We've already discussed in class how blogging may eventually become obsolete as we move more towards mini-blog content such as Twitter. I would also venture to suggest that cell phones will be replaced by mobile devices. As more and more devices pop up such as the iPhone, the Google phone, and the heavily anticipated BlackBerry Storm, it seems as though the future will be dominated by Internet-ready mobile devices with touch screens. Even without flying cars it finally it feels as though we have some of the cool stuff the Jetson's have to play with in their futuristic space world.I think one of the coolest apps I've seen in an iPhone commercial is Urbanspoon, the one that helps you find a local place to eat using criteria such as type of food, price range and neighborhood. My friends would vouch for me on this one because making choices on where to eat off-campus is one of the most perplexing decisions a college student faces. Check it out:
So yeah, I give Apple props because they're wearing me down and as soon as I escape from the plight of being a broke college student, I will probably buy a lot more of the cool stuff that they have to offer. I know that at the very least the use of mobile apps will become mainstream as people no longer have the option of buying a regular phone. Think about it, remember when it was cool to have a camera phone because it wasn't a standard feature? You'd be hard pressed to find one without a camera these days and I think the trend will continue with mobile devices as they become more of a commonplace in society.
Update: Why oh why must the people of Apple torment me so? Why must they brainwash me into wanting a phone that I don't need by dangling cool features in my face? As I was publishing this post (which leads me to believe Steve Jobs is spying on me), I saw another commerical for another cool iPhone app. This one which is even cooler than Urbanspoon is called Shazam. For music lovers this should be quite a treat...
This really is brilliant marketing though... "That's the iPhone. Solving life's dilemmas--one app at a time."
6 comments:
I love the Urban Spoon application. It was the very first thing I put on my phone when I got it, and honestly its more like a toy than anything else. My friends ran my battery down constantly playing with it.
I think you have a good point about all these applications and how we use phones and the web... I love my iPhone but I probably make 10 calls a week on it. Instead I write at least 10 emails a week, text like 50 times (a day!), surf the web when I'm bored, download tons of applications (that I remove in a few days), etc. And yet its a PHONE that I hardly use it for calls!
I'll be interested to see where we are in 5 years on all this...
Oh I-Phone Apps, how I love and loathe thee at the same time. I don't even have an I-Phone myself but my boyfriend does and I tend to download more apps for him than he does. For instance he is going to Spain in a few weeks and without him knowing I researched and found two apps he should have that are free, one is a translator and one is a quick reference Spanish guide.
Urban Spoon is a godsend for us too because we are so indecisive about where to go for food most of the time and sometimes I just don't feel like looking through my Fearless Critic guide or on the internet. It is my instant gratification.
I personally own a mac computer, but have never bought into the hype of the iphone. Yes, it's cool looking and 'totally futuristic' but to be honest, I don't see the functionality purpose that it serves as a phone. I have my computer for everything from games to translating, to emailing etc. My phone is used for calls and texts and that's all I really need. Perhaps that means I'm behind on the times, or maybe it just means I'm complacent and content where my online footprint rests.
My friend used shazam at a concert we were at. (The band was a cover band). I have to say it was a little annoying, as most Iphone users are. (I kid.) But we did find out who sang what song...so I guess it's useful.
Urban spoon rocks!!! I must admit that I'm really impressed with this apps. A huge thanks for posting this interesting topic.
coolest apps for iphone
Thanks for the comment Stacy. Although I only posted a few entries in this blog for a college class, it was interesting to comeback and read what my thoughts were four years ago and compare them to how it actually played out :)
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