AT&T releases the first iPhone ahead of the official launch sked
By Ruben Francia
While investors are very excited about the upcoming launch of the iPhone and Apple is putting most of its energies into the June release, AT&T has released what appears to be the “first iPhone in Texas” ahead of the official launch schedule.
Stan Sigman, CEO of AT&T Wireless (Cingular), a graduate from West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) in 1970 was the recent commencement speaker at WTAMU in Canyon, Texas.
During the occasion, he presented the president of WTAMU, Dr. O’Brien, with what he claimed was “the first iPhone in Texas.” Dr. O’Brien even held the iPhone up for the crowd to see at the ceremonies.
The presentation was captured in a video taken from a Treo. The sound is a bit hard to follow but you can hear the bit about the iPhone if you listen carefully.
The event clearly indicates that iPhone hype is starting to kick in full gear. With the launch of iPhone, expect to see a lot of coverage from your televisions and favorite internet sites for the next month or so.
iPhone isn’t “perfect”. Though it is a sleek looking gadget, it doesn’t offer Office support, for example. Microsoft has even said that iPhone is not good enough for business and enterprise users. But knowing Apple, iPhone will surely evolve after its release to give users the next level of online experience.
In fact, at the recent shareholder meeting in San Francisco, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs disclosed that the company is still struggling to decide if third-party developers will be able to create software that will run on the iPhone. It’s a decision Apple “is wrestling with,” according to Jobs.
If Apple decides to allow third party developers in the “mix” to create applications for people to “personalize” their iPhone device to fit their needs, iPhone has a much better chance of succeeding in the “business” market. And iPhone may even become a “cool toy” we all might want to try.
Related:
Entry was posted
on Sunday, May 13th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
under 
Print This Post
Read more entries by Ruben Francia.
Stumble It!
May 13th, 2007
You got it right guys, but what I’m really trying to say is this: iPhone doesn’t have the email capabilities of a Blackberry. But like I said, iPhone will surely evolve after its release to give users the next level of online experience.
May 14th, 2007
This is so right. After all if Microsoft says something, you can always take that to the bank. . . . Of course you cannot cash it, but that is a different story. : -)
Lets see, has Microsoft ever said something that was wrong?
Longhorn release date??
Longhorn delayed release date??
Vista functions available???
All the FUD programs that Microsoft never released??
The iPod will never sell.??
The iPhone is overpriced and has NO keyboard so is useless to business.??
Of course we all know that Microsoft is the BEST software on the planet (MS says so!) and everything developed by MS will be your best choice (Plays for surely, Zune, etc…).
“iPhone isn’t “perfect”. Though it is a sleek looking gadget, it doesn’t offer Office support, for example. Microsoft has even said that iPhone is not good enough for business and enterprise users. But knowing Apple, iPhone will surely evolve after its release to give users the next level of online experience.”
So, given the sources quoted and relied upon by the author in this article, I think we can take what they say to the bank. :-)
elder norm
May 14th, 2007
The iPhone is a computing platform. Just because the software has not yet been written to perform the same functions as a blackberry doesn’t mean that it never will. I wouldn’t bet that the iPhone will not add additional functions in the future that can be upgraded on already sold iPhones. This ship hasn’t even left the yard and people are declaring that it can’t sail.