While Apple recently released its soon to be smash iPod Nano (a super thin and small music player that holds 1,000 songs), it also released news of the first iTunes capable cell phone. So far, it’s very unimpressive and here’s why:
Motorola’s $250 ROKR E1 phone feels as thick and clunky as pre-2000 cell phones and is only capable of holding 100 songs. The speculation circulating is that Apple set this limitation so as to not cannibalize its extremely lucrative iPod line. Another main disadvantage is the use of older USB technology (USB is what connects the phone to your computer allowing it to copy songs from iTunes). Sure this is the only phone that works with the widely popular iTunes music service, but it takes approximately an hour to transfer 100 songs to the phone. The same transfer using an iPod takes no more than a few minutes.
As is often the case with newer technologies, convenience is supposedly the justification responsible for all these disadvantages. Apparently consumers are so excited to consolidate their electronic devices that losing performance and functionality isn’t a problem. Hopefully future generations of this technology consolidation will get it right.
