iWant

It's Friday, so I get to write about personal technology. Apple promises the iPhone G3 will be twice as fast as and half the cost of the original model that's barely a year old. iWant it. Soon, I'll be walking into the local Apple store for a trade-in.

For baby boomers, the iPhone is sleek and cool and a million miles ahead of the giant "mobile phones" we began carrying around 20 years ago. Back then, we were excited at the thought of ordering pizza from the car, for delivery straight to the park. In a wild advance in technology since then, I recently used my iPhone to access an online rubric to score an Internet course design while joining the evaluation team meeting via an extra cell phone. I could have done it all on the iPhone except that I'm accustomed to computing on two screens and that's essentially what I was mimicking in attending the meeting. Did I mention that I did this from the side of the highway because of traffic that prevented me from getting to the office by the appointed hour? Did I mention that my colleagues chuckled at my technology juggle because they've done the same in airports and train stations? Did I mention that I never go online while actually driving?

I am not represented in Apple's advertising, but I'm a user. iPhone and MacBook Pro at present. But I've been through mini Mac and other previous wonders. And, yes, there's still the video iPod that I insist on maintaining for air travel. I keep several G films on it, for the occasional loan to very young passengers near me. (I'm the sort of traveler who gets asked to sit next to the child flying alone.) If I keep the video iPod, I don't have to share my iPhone.

What I love about the iPhone:

• scrolling action in the calendar
• intuitive symbols for phone features
  
• highly readable SMS text
  
• intelligent keyboard
  

Not everyone likes the intelligent keyboard, which requires touching letters with your finger tip. Until you practice and get your speed up, it's slower than the traditional button keyboard. But that's what I like about it. I like being slowed down and stepping away from my QWERTY habits. (I do wonder who will serve up the first DVORAK option in miniature—ah, I just googled "mobile Dvorak keyboard" and got my answer. It takes some iTapTap and I won't be doing it, but you can check Richard Kasperowski's May 2008 blog for guidance.)

What I worry about:
Will Apple have an idea about what to do with my current unit?
Will my Contacts transfer to the G3 without a hitch? Calendar, too?
Will the G3 sync perfectly with my MacBook Pro?
Will the missing first iPhone confuse the sync?

PC to MAC ratio: Most of my computing is on PCs, which number three at home and are not to be confused with Tom Bold's three. In leaving a university post this year, I will leave a couple there, so my PC to MAC ratio has been pretty steep. I have envied colleagues who have led the MAC life completely. I'm more in the fan category, using MAC products as complements to my work. But I am a serious fan and finding iPhone more than just a complement.

© 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. The content of this blog or related web sites created by Mary Bold is not under any circumstances to be regarded as professional, legal, or medical advice. Or education advice. Or marital advice. Or even a tip.