AT&T expands iPhone distribution; AmTech on Dell; West 14th

[AppleInsider]

AT&T's control of Cellular One is bringing the iPhone to new corners of the US, including Alaska. And Dell's venture into retail is unlikely to dent Apple's influence in retail, according to an investor note from American Technology Research.

AT&T begins iPhone push in Cellular One territory

AT&T has begun the process of converting former Cellular One territories into satellites of its own network, the carrier announced today.

The action is the first such visible change for subscribers to the regional provider, whose parent Dobson Communications was bought out by AT&T on June 29th, the same day the iPhone was released in the US.

The formal step not only converts 200 of Cellular One's stores across 16 states but will also bring AT&T's phones to these markets.

The iPhone is no exception, AT&T says, and will make its first appearance in Alaska: Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau will be the first to receive the Apple cellphone for the northern state as of this Sunday.

AT&T is expected to complete transitioning Cellular One customers and stores in 2008.

AmTech: Dell's Best Buy move unlikely to shake industry

Dell's move into Best Buy is welcome but may not disrupt other major players in retail, says American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu in a new research note.

Although the decision to start sales in a major electronics-oriented retail chain has "long been anticipated," the presence of Inspiron and XPS systems at retail is not expected to generate enough revenue to challenge other companies who have mastered retail -- including Apple, HP, and Sony. Dell's early ventures into retail have also largely been lackluster.

"Our sources indicate that Dell's success in retail could be characterized as 'modest' at best and immaterial to its financials," Wu says. "We believe doing well in retail will likely prove more difficult to execute than the bulls [in the stock market] would indicate."

Apple's Chinese iPhone deals struck?

Apple has cemented some of its plans for the iPhone's release in China, according to a statement by an executive from handset retailer D.Phone.

Company vice president Chen Jingsheng claims that the nationwide store chain will carry the device in the country and that the release will be timed near the beginning of the Spring Festival holiday, which begins February 7th. China Mobile will be the carrier, the D.Phone official says.

However, the report contradicts reports from both inside and outside the country which claim that Apple and China Mobile have fallen out over questions of revenue sharing.

Local analysts argue that D.Phone's announcement may be a pressure tactic to earn a concession from China Mobile.

Palm falls short on income due to delayed mystery device

The inability to launch an unnamed product on time was the key to Palm failing to meet its income expectations, according to the company's preliminary financial results delivered this week.

Likely part of the company's Treo smartphone line, the mystery device is reportedly responsible for Palm's income for the latest quarter dipping well below expectations, tumbling from $380 million to $350 million.

West 14th Street Apple store opening coverage

Apple is debuting its third New York City retail store tonight, at West 14th Street. ifo Apple Store is providing running coverage for the event, including photos.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[cinerama]

WooHoo. iPhone in Alaska. Normally the last to receive anything, even behind Canada. It will be sold Sunday afternoon at three places in Anchorage.

[solipsism]

It's an understatement that Dell is "unlikely" to shake industry with the Best Buy venture. This is a desperate move to stay above water to offset some sales of Windows PCs. Mostly by HP. Good luck Dell, you'll need it.

[GQB]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The iPhone is no exception, AT&T says, and will make its first appearance in Alaska: Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau will be the first to receive the Apple cellphone for the northern state as of this Sunday.

How does the touch interface work with ice-encrusted fingers, btw?

[cinerama]

Originally Posted by GQB

How does the touch interface work with ice-encrusted fingers, btw?

Ice-encrusted fingers? Not a problem. We just hard wire a 9 volt battery under each arm pit for the extra juice needed to get through the ice crystals!!

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by cinerama

Ice-encrusted fingers? Not a problem. We just hard wire a 9 volt battery under each arm pit for the extra juice needed to get through the ice crystals!!

From Apple's website - iPhone - Tech Specs:

Environmental requirements
Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)
Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Doesn't Alaska occasionally get below 32F/0C (not to mention it's mountains)? It would be interesting to see, what, if any cold weather complaints crop up from the "Land of the Midnight Sun" and "The Last Frontier".

[Dreil]

Those are more 'guidelines' than they are rules. I've operated my iPhone in the mountains at 11,000+ feet and it does fine. The worst that would most likely happen is the battery life decrease significantly. Also, you'll probably be keeping the phone at a warmer temperature than the outside air, so that really shouldn't present as a huge issue.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Dreil

Those are more 'guidelines' than they are rules. I've operated my iPhone in the mountains at 11,000+ feet and it does fine. The worst that would most likely happen is the battery life decrease significantly. Also, you'll probably be keeping the phone at a warmer temperature than the outside air, so that really shouldn't present as a huge issue.

They are rules though - that's what they'll support. All it really means is that if you go outside that, you're probably on your own.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by solipsism

It's an understatement that Dell is "unlikely" to shake industry with the Best Buy venture. This is a desperate move to stay above water to offset some sales of Windows PCs. Mostly by HP. Good luck Dell, you'll need it.

Absolutely right, Dell are doomed I suspect. I think Michael Dell should sell the company and give the share holders at least some money back ... well someone had to say it

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by Dreil

Those are more 'guidelines' than they are rules. I've operated my iPhone in the mountains at 11,000+ feet and it does fine. The worst that would most likely happen is the battery life decrease significantly. Also, you'll probably be keeping the phone at a warmer temperature than the outside air, so that really shouldn't present as a huge issue.

Remember the climber Chris Bonnigton using his Apple laptop on Everest many moons ago (I think it was Everest), Apple should arrange for AT&T to rig up a communications link and replicate that feat with an iPhone. It would make for a great ad.

[anantksundaram]

Seems like the Korean and Japanese 3G snobs will have to wait a while for their iPhones..... ah, the indignity of China getting it first!

[Swift]

I think Apple stores should offer Dells. Only, put them in the back of the store, make sure the display units are broken and not connected to the Internet, don't allow your staff to be educated about their features, and raise your price. Some might call this payback for years of Apple being in the national remainder bins. Actually, it is. :o)

[reg]

I was using my iphone at a football game on Thursday night. Temp was 21 F at the stadium. No problems. It was in an outer pocket and was out for starting calls and getting web updates and surfing. Now that I have a good pair of gloves there are no problems operating the phone. My ski gloves did not work when I tried them so this was my fix. Now life will be great when we get voice dialing.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by reg

Now life will be great when we get voice dialing.

That is the iPhone's biggest failing. I had really thought -- back on June 29 -- that they would have had that functionality by now.

[NOFEER]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

That is the iPhone's biggest failing. I had really thought -- back on June 29 -- that they would have had that functionality by now.

people talk about gps, 3g, flash, mail, but without voice dialing i just can't see me getting one. how in the world they could NOT include this is simply big time dumb it should be a simple software upgrade....doesn't need hardware change does it......to me the lack of this simple feature defines "lame"

[addabox]

Originally Posted by NOFEER

people talk about gps, 3g, flash, mail, but without voice dialing i just can't see me getting one. how in the world they could NOT include this is simply big time dumb it should be a simple software upgrade....doesn't need hardware change does it......to me the lack of this simple feature defines "lame"

Yeah. I had thought about even starting a thread.

What's the holdup? We know voice dialing isn't that hard to implement, given the limited dictionary involved and the brief vocal training required. All the parts are there. It makes no sense-- there's this huge functionality enhancement that's trivial to do, and Apple does nothing?

I can only imagine that Apple wants some kind of elaborate voice navigation, so they won't do simple voice dialing till you can voice surf, or something.

[iCarbon]

Ok, I know this is totally off topic, but the article on the AI homepage titled "MacMall offers huge savings on iMacs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros" is kinda weirding me out....

first of all, when did AI become an advertise-first news outlet (seems like a risk to journalistic integrity), but really, considering apple's reluctance to allow anyone to have sales, it is somewhat justifiable as news.

The bigger thing is that there is no discussion forum attached -- when I try to log onto the "discuss" button, I am denied permission.

whats going on?

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by addabox

Yeah. I had thought about even starting a thread.

What's the holdup? We know voice dialing isn't that hard to implement, given the limited dictionary involved and the brief vocal training required. All the parts are there. It makes no sense-- there's this huge functionality enhancement that's trivial to do, and Apple does nothing?

I can only imagine that Apple wants some kind of elaborate voice navigation, so they won't do simple voice dialing till you can voice surf, or something.

I hate to say this, and I could be off-base on this, but I think it's going to take some sight-challenged person to bring a lawsuit under ADA for Apple to step up to the plate on making voice-dialing happen.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by iCarbon

Ok, I know this is totally off topic, but the article on the AI homepage titled "MacMall offers huge savings on iMacs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros" is kinda weirding me out....

first of all, when did AI become an advertise-first news outlet (seems like a risk to journalistic integrity), but really, considering apple's reluctance to allow anyone to have sales, it is somewhat justifiable as news.

The bigger thing is that there is no discussion forum attached -- when I try to log onto the "discuss" button, I am denied permission.

whats going on?

Who cares if this is off-topic. I was wondering the same thing!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

I hate to say this, and I could be off-base on this, but I think it's going to take some sight-challenged person to bring a lawsuit under ADA for Apple to step up to the plate on making voice-dialing happen.

On a buttoned phone I could see a potential lawsuit but sense the iPhone is a tactile-free device the iPhone would be unusable by seeing impaired individuals, even if there was voice dialing.

However, it makes Apple add this functionality then by all means litigate.

[Kishan]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

From Apple's website - iPhone - Tech Specs:

Environmental requirements
Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)
Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Doesn't Alaska occasionally get below 32F/0C (not to mention it's mountains)? It would be interesting to see, what, if any cold weather complaints crop up from the "Land of the Midnight Sun" and "The Last Frontier".

I see plenty of people outside with iPhones in these places...



For my sake, I hope that the operating temps are a bit conservative...

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by Kishan

I see plenty of people outside with iPhones in these places...



For my sake, I hope that the operating temps are a bit conservative...

Brrrr! Baby it's cold outside! Let's hope you are correct about operating temps, be they guidelines or rules, so our friends in Alaska, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis etc. will experience full iPhone functionality at all times.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

Brrrr! Baby it's cold outside! Let's hope you are correct about operating temps, be they guidelines or rules, so our friends in Alaska, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis etc. will experience full iPhone functionality at all times.

In part, it's probably conservative, but I think it's partly because the inside of the phone itself probably doesn't get to those temperatures, it's usually in some form of protection, in a pocket and so on. It's different than setting it outside for an hour and expecting it to function right away.

[Cynder]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

From Apple's website - iPhone - Tech Specs:

Environmental requirements
Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)
Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Doesn't Alaska occasionally get below 32F/0C (not to mention it's mountains)? It would be interesting to see, what, if any cold weather complaints crop up from the "Land of the Midnight Sun" and "The Last Frontier".

Many of us have had them since the June introduction so they really aren't "new" to Alaska.

So far, mine has held up very well through a cross-country move then back. Not to mention backpacking, hiking, mountain biking and... XC skiing. The iPhone rocks, just don't use it in Canada or Rodgers cell network charges you 30-cents for each time it checks email or sends data - ouch!.

I'd say if your phone's core temp drops below the real problem is that the battery is frozen and you shouldn't have left it in the car overnight. Keep it in contact with body heat or in a place that is climate controlled....the same as any other cell phone.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by iCarbon

Ok, I know this is totally off topic, but the article on the AI homepage titled "MacMall offers huge savings on iMacs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros" is kinda weirding me out....

first of all, when did AI become an advertise-first news outlet (seems like a risk to journalistic integrity), but really, considering apple's reluctance to allow anyone to have sales, it is somewhat justifiable as news.

The bigger thing is that there is no discussion forum attached -- when I try to log onto the "discuss" button, I am denied permission.

The "discuss" link is gone now. It's a newsvertisement or advertorial or something like that. It's probably for the people that block AppleInsider's pop-ups and other ads. It looks like all the links are referral links too, through some service I've not heard of before.