iAnger and iRage

What is it about overhyped product launches - such as that of the Apple iPhone - that brings out the rage and anger in people? That divides consumers into opposing camps of sycophantic fanboys and sneering cynics?

Most angry Apple fans have a point, actually. It would seem that the company’s choice of sole network agent for the iPhone (in the form of AT&T) was rather problematic. It couldn’t deal with the activation volumes. It even closed up shop over the weekend following the most anticipated Apple product launch ever. Sound like a telco you know? And yes, without activation the phone is pretty useless. (Or not.) If you hope to get one in South Africa one day, expect the same problem.

This guy thinks AT&T angered Steve Jobs, but I doubt Mr Jobs had to wait a weekend for AT&T to activate his phone.

Besides, he appears to be too busy suing some poor sod in the UK who wrote an iPhone skin for Windows Mobile devices, so they look more or less like this. I mean, who’d take anyone seriously after doing that? It’s just sad. Aren’t the lawyers busy enough with DVD Jon anyway?

After the launch, Apple sprung a little surprise. To replace the battery - even if the phone is still under warranty - you’d have to send the phone in for “repair”. It will cost in the region of R600 ($79 plus shipping) to do so, according to The Australian. The part isn’t user-serviceable, unless said user has a soldering iron. But then, your warranty, which doesn’t cover your problem, would be void. Really, what masochistic idiot solders a battery into an electronic device? You’re just asking for verbal abuse.

Some of us won’t be laying a finger on an iPhone for a while yet, because there’s just no way on this interweb-connected super-globalised earth that anyone can do a worldwide rollout in less time than it takes to circumnavigate the globe in a leaky square-rigger. (Other than Microsoft, who last performed the feat in 1995. The last time anyone noticed, at least.)

But fear not. Thanks to a Belgian fellow named Bram van Damme, you too can see exactly what it’d be like to own a device that doesn’t have a stylus to scratch the surface, but relies entirely on repeatedly touching a smooth, shiny surface for proper operation. His fun little Flash application even supplies a cleaning cloth, which is thoughtful.

Now, are you happy that you didn’t have to shell out R4 200 to be part of this madness? Imagine, if you saved that money, you could throw in the price of a suitable cellphone contract, the activation fee and a new iPhone battery, and splash out on the over-priced Sony PS3. At least that way you can vent your frustration playing Resistance: Fall of Man. As a perfect combination of work displacement and anger management it is highly recommended. In fact, it’s second only to blogging about the iPhone.