In the above you state:

"After releasing the iPod in 2002, Wired writes that CEO Steve Jobs began to notice the variety of devices that people would carry with them in day-to-day activities – such as a cell phone, BlackBerry, and MP3 player."

Since the iPod was released late 2001, did you mean to put the comma after iPod or did you mean 2001?

Thanks.

...wasn't science in terms of direction, but the execution is of course apple's forte... Challenging assumptions of how people actually use things is of course key - I bought a RAZR & nothing really worked well - it went back within a day... So much of what gets produced seems poorly designed either the victim of somebodies ego or a profit motivated shortsight or some entrepreneurial lawyership - people will pay for good design...

The main reason most product suck is that companies still rely on focus groups. These inevitably come down to one persons opinion, usually some know-it-all bigmouth that convinces the others what he/she likes is best.

Thanks for pointing that out.

What my brain was thinking and my hands were writing turned out to be two different things ;)

Cheers.

I hope everyone reads the actual article. There is a lot more info in the 4 page Wired article than in this summary.

If the iPod was released in Sept 2001, early 2002 could be "soon after".

Over-The-Air Calendar, contacts, todos. Free me from the cradle!!!

"The expense and secrecy that Apple underwent seemed to pay off in the end, both for the company and the entire wireless industry...."

That's because, as CES has shown us, the entire bloody industry is full of copy-cats and companies with no imagination, never mind the ability to properly execute.

iPhone is the first device that actually makes me feel as if I'm living in the 21st century. We don't need flying cars: just well thought out devices.

"Formerly, wireless companies revolved around snookering users into signing long contracts..."

This hasn't changed at all. In fact it's even worse now with the iPhone. By placing such a desirable device behind the shackles of a 2-year contract, with no promise of unlocking the handset after any given period (unless it's legislated by law), they're setting a very consumer-unfriendly precedent.

Apple is no doubt selling boatloads of iPhones (h***, I have one) and carriers and handset manufacturers will think that with a flashy device, they can hoodwink customers into even more draconian contracts.

The iPhone is definitely a revolutionary and amazing device worthy of praise, but the business strategy around it differs only slightly from what it was before; and it does little to benefit the consumer, and in some respects is even worse.

I eagerly anticipate the day when we have open wireless networks that are nothing more than what ISPs are today. No exclusivity and no contracts.

There was no way I was going to go back to AT&T. I really wanted an iPhone, I would pay for an iPhone, but not at AT&T's price or service.

First and foremost, it's a phone. If I can't get a good signal, it doesn't work.

I went with a semi-cheap phone as all the iPhone copies are bad copies.

Open this thing up, Apple!