Buzz about iPhone (圖)

PORTSMOUTH -- Ever since Apple's Steve Jobs introduced his new iPhone at the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco Tuesday, multi-taskers around the country and the world have been abuzz with anticipation.

That's because the iPhone effectively marries the attributes of music/movie players, mobile phones and personal computers, all with a 3.5-inch wide touch screen, Jobs claims.

To show off the versatility of his new product, Jobs demonstrated its virtual keyboard and taskbar and displayed the iPhone's ability to play music and movies. To punctuate his demonstration, Jobs used its fully functional Web browser to search for the nearest Starbucks, then phoned the coffee shop and laughingly ordered 4,000 lattés, presumably one for each of those present at the demonstration, according to reports from The Sacramento (Calif.) Bee.

The idea the iPhone represents has generated a good deal of conversation in print and electronic media since the Expo. There are those who see it as a major innovation, and others who see it as simply another step in the evolution of personal communication/entertainment devices.

"Many people are starting to carry around two or three things (such as cell phones, music players and electronic organizers)," said Collin Ware, of the University of New Hampshire's Center for Coastal and Ocean Management. "If the device does what it is designed to do and does it easily, there is no doubt there will be a desire for it."

M.J. Shoer, chief executive officer of the Jenaly Technology Group Inc. in Portsmouth, said that on first blush, all the hype surrounding the iPhone appears to be part of the ongoing battle between people who love Macs and those who swear by PCs. He called that conflict a modern version of "a holy war" to those who fight it.

Shoer said there was nothing revolutionary about the technology used in the device and pointed to a number of other products on the market that have many of the same capabilities as the iPhone. Specifically, he mentioned the "Chocolate" cell phone that has an MP3 player, and so-called "smart phones" that can play videos.

However, he said, while the iPhone's capabilities may not be a breakthrough, the device may be revolutionary in how it's used.

"What may be a real advancement is the functionality -- how you operate it," he said. The device, for example, allows users to quickly switch between its functions -- as illustrated when Jobs searched the Web, then promptly called Starbucks.

Shoer said the iPhone has all the "hallmarks" of a great product, but some drawbacks as well.

"It's pretty pricey," he said, noting the device is slated to sell at almost $500 when it is finally released for mass consumption in June. "I doubt we will see it embraced by the business community. It will probably be primarily a consumer product."

Shoer did not see businessmen and women giving up their BlackBerrys for the iPhones, but he said products such as the Sidekick, which is popular with kids who love to text-message, will be adversely impacted.

Both Ware and Shoer were clear that all the information and opinions circulating now, just a few days after the iPhone's introduction, are speculation.

"No one has had his hands on it other than Jobs," Shoer said. "It will be a few months until the (specialty computer) magazines have a chance to take a look at it and give their opinions."

Whatever those who might eventually use the iPhone may think, Wall Street investors seem to love the device. The Chicago Tribune reported the price of a share of Apple stock soared by $7.10, or 8.3 percent, following the product unveiling. The closing price per share that day was $92.57.