Japanese "Hate" For the iPhone All a Big Mistake 327
MBCook writes "AppleInsider has posted a great article explaining that Wired's story about Japanese iPhone hate was completely false and has been edited at least twice. The comments in the article were recycled and taken out of context, with those interviewed blogging about the mistakes. The piece then goes on to analyze the iPhone's standing in Japan, as well as some of the major factors working for and against it. At last it points out that the Wall Street Journal tried the same myth of failure just after the phone's launch in Japan, recycled from a myth the year before, pushed by a research company with a possible anti-Apple agenda."
Re:Everyone hates congress too (Score:5, Interesting)
An aside on the death of print media. (Score:3, Interesting)
Oh woe is me! How will we ever survive if all print media dies from the internet? Where will we get our hard-hitting, guaranteed-factual news from then? /Yes, I know Wired isn't a newspaper.
Re:Everyone hates congress too (Score:5, Interesting)
Why would I intentionally saddle myself with a phone that has fewer features - ALOT fewer - than my current Softbank model? A model that's 1.5 years old now?
The reason I bought it was that it had one feature that actually worked, unlike other phones -- a web browser that didn't suck. I had been waiting for that for a LONG time.
Wired Blatant Errors (Score:5, Interesting)
This shows just how shoddy WIRED stories are fabricated and sensationalized. I can't help but take that into account in reading future WIRED stories. WIRED credibility is seriously called into question by such blatant errors which articles source denies.
comparing prices of xPhone apps (Score:5, Interesting)
$344 of actual examples of popular Windows Mobile apps included on the iPhone:
-Dashboard: WorldMate Pro $75 "world clocks and weather forecasts, flight and travel information"
-real email client: Pocket Informant $25 "replacement for Pocket Outlook on the Pocket PC"
-real web browser: none seem to exist.
-real contacts: Photo Contacts PRO $30
-Photo browser: Imageer $15
-iPod: Pocket Player MP3 player $20
-Movies: Pocket DVD studio $30
-TV: HandiTV $20 "watch TV from mobile devices"
-Dial up networking: PDANet $34 "use your mobile as a modem!"
-Calculator: Revolutionary Calculator $30
-Touch screen type input: Full Screen Keyboard $10
-PDF: PDF Reader $25
-Notes: List Pro $30 âoeManage your notesâ
Wow... I had no idea windows mobile apps were so expensive! I just got a touch recently and have about 20 apps installed on it, all but three of which were free. The three I bought were $0.99, $1.99, and $2.99. The most expensive app I saw while browsing was an incredible VNC client that does everything plus makes breakfast, for $24.99. over 1/2 the apps in the above list are more expensive than that.
Does MS get some insane cut on the apps or what? Why are they so incredibly more expensive?
Now we can look back at the comments... (Score:2, Interesting)
Why Americans Hate the P905i (Score:4, Interesting)
No, bigot, Japanese houses suck. (Score:2, Interesting)
I'd take a Japanese-built house over an American-built one any day.
See, there is a cultural bias! That would prove my point. I mean, American houses are built larger, last longer, have central heat and central air, larger bathrooms, working bathtubs, often have fireplaces, features which Japanese houses tend to lack, and you want the Japanese house, because you are a bigot. Like I said, there is a cultural bias there and that's why we can't have free trade.
But you need to read on:
http://www.debito.org/?p=2111 [debito.org]
In Japan houses are built to last 30 years, at most, and have generally no resale value. They are more consumer items, like cars are in the USA.
Re:I have to ask (Score:5, Interesting)
Agreed. I went to Japan expecting it to be time travel. They would be flying around in cars miles above the city, teleporting from place to place, and tentacles would be all over the place just like deer or squirrels in the US.
The WIRED article intentionally promotes this false view of japan. In reality, I didn't find anything in Japan we don't have in the US. A few niche items (like the R4 card for the DS) are easier to find in Tokyo than in the suburbs of the US. But it would be just as easy to find in a major city like New York or Chicago.
So of course the article is claiming the iPhone is hated in japan (false) and the reason is because they have such great amazing phones (false) that Americans won't see for a decade.
If the second premise were true, I could see that being reason for US consumers to care about the Wired article. Why buy an iphone if some crazy awesome japanese phone will be arriving in a couple months?
Fortunately for Apple, that isn't the case. I didn't think Wired was this trashy, especially reading about the dishonest quotes that were preserved (in some form) despite the complaints.
Re:Everyone hates congress too (Score:3, Interesting)
Yes, but the Japanese web is mostly designed for use with crappy cellphone browsers, so it already sucks. Because their phone company charged by the minute, no one used dial up internet back in the day, but their cellphones were really good, so everyone used cellphones. So, their web has always had the assumption that your browser sucks built in.