It’s remarkable how Apple has been getting away so well with every of its audacious propaganda, be it the 3 models of iphones launched in a row to compete with each other, or then an overfed one they called the “ipad”. And with every success, it seems that Apple has quite conveniently assumed the whole world to be going dumber by the day (which apparently does not seem entirely wrong looking at every third person carrying a slice of their fruit), and decided to boast on bringing “a change, again”.
Yes I am talking against the iphone4… which as per Apple “in so many ways, is first”. And indeed it is, but more than what they prophesize in, it is a beacon for the creative wizards of the advertizing world who always wanted to enchant their audience by camouflaging the product.
For those uninitiated innocent souls who are yet ignorant about the iphone4, here’s a quick run-up in comparison of its so called unique features.
- FaceTime: Now this is supposedly iphone’s new video calling feature, with a front facing camera for... (You guessed it right,) videocalls! But c’mon Apple, leave aside the feature, even the name sounds copied (or should I diplomatically say… inspired!). According to Apple’s site “People have been dreaming about video calling for decades. iPhone 4 makes it a reality”! Guys … ever heard of Nokia & Samsung who have been manufacturing dual camera phones since exactly the same decade you are talking about!
- Retina Display: Wow! So attractive does the name “sound” with its contextual “visionary” terms, this seems worth a “look”. With a multimillion color display, the company seems to envisage on providing HD graphical content. This would have really brought about a difference, only if they would have upgraded their 3.5” screen with a 60” television connected to a blu-ray player playing a $99 disc!
- Multitasking: Well, I don’t know if I should even be writing about it... But if they can... I feel no less embarrassed! The 1st phone I remember ran multiple applications on a symbian platform had started selling even before 1/399th of today’s mobile population got to know what a cell phone was or did... and they came up with it now?
- 5MP camera with Flash and HD recording: The only thing I can say here to its design maestros is “Better late than never fellas... We all learn from our mistakes... Keep trying… and who knows, one day you too can beat Sony & others who have just launched what.. a 12MP autofocus Dual LED Xeon flash cam!”
- And yes of course there are apps for everything that you never needed but made to realize how you must have them, may be this upgrade has one for doing the dishes as well!
- Last but never the least (as a matter of fact, the root the evil) talking about Steve's “Only I must know what I cook ... If you like it, pay $800 and eat it… if you don’t, pay $800 and I’ll make you eat it! ” policy of theirs, even the “Tech Specs” page on their site does no better than a glossy catalogue shouting out loud “Don’t ask Why Me… just stay stupid & Buy Me!” attitude of theirs.
Lately, I have been writing about the flipside of IT and how this sacred art has been corrupted with the malice of mis-marketing, but more disappointed than the guys advocating it; I am with the rest of the world who are yet not able to free themselves from the spell they have been casted into. It’s not that I am accusing anyone of the “love thy iphone” community, but it’s more of a humble request to “see what you believe… just don’t believe what you are made to see”
So please… The next time “I phone” … don’t just blindly pick it up!- Sarthak
