A couple days ago, our own John Biggs got an iPhone and immediately started forwarding e-mails to the rest of us from the device. John’s not known for writing much in his e-mails in general, so when the forwarded mail started arriving with the signature “Sent from my iPhone” it was all the more noticeable. And for some reason I got angry at the sight of those four words.
The iPhone still has an exclusivity to it. In fact, John’s the only CG staffer that has one as well as our Audiofile writer Mike Kobrin, and they’re both loaner review units. Was it jealously then that I felt and not anger? Perhaps a little, but this was beyond simple gear envy. More over it was the pomposity of the statement. It’s like saying “I have $500 for an iPhone and you don’t, so suck it!” (It’s true, I don’t.)
Here’s the problem I’m having, though: For years I’ve received e-mails with the signature “Sent from my BlackBerry” and have never once gotten bunched up about it. I really can’t afford one of those either, but I never took owning one as a status symbol. More like something some poor bastard got saddled with because their job expects them to be constantly reachable. I also took it as an excuse for the brevity of e-mails, as if to say “I care so much about getting back to you that I’ll send you this brief e-mail now and get more in depth with you when I’m on something that requires less thumb dexterity.”
However the iPhone, at least for the time being, is a statement of status. (Something we, the tech writers of the world, no doubt added to with the constant and continued coverage of it.) And I didn’t take the “Sent from my iPhone” as an excuse for brevity, I took it as “Look at me! I got an iPhone!”
So what say you, readers? Am I just jealous of the iPhone haves ’cause I’m an iPhone have-not or is it truly obnoxious to receive an e-mail signed “Sent from my iPhone?”
UPDATE: In case you want to adjust that iPhone signature. (Courtesy of tuaw.com. Thanks Les!)
I doubt it, but since I know you well enough I’d say it had more to do with Apple’s audacity than your jealousy. Although I must say I can’t rule it out!
It’s the whole concept of Sent from a/Made with a/Look I got a Apple/Mac/iPhone that is getting ridiculous. It’s the same as someone using a program to upload an image or update their blog and having that application impose itself upon users with their little “Look at me!” tag.
Is there any reason to constantly remind people you are using an Apple product? Why do people feel the need to plaster their personal belongings with the white Apple decals they so cleverly put in all their boxes? Why do people need to care what you’re using?
Why?
It does mean you suck, sorry, but “sent from my iPhone” and “sent from my Blackberry” are as different as “your cute” would be coming from your Mom or coming from Angelina Jolie.
I really is a challenge to your manhood and everything you hold special. It’s his way of saying that your not qualified to talk about the biggest piece of Crunch Gear to hit the market ever and he is
Truth is…he must be stopped. Killing him is not an option at this time, but keep this as a backup plan in your back pocket. Pointing out that there really is nothing innovative that Apple has created while making the iPhone and that everything about it is either stolen or bought from elsewhere is pointless as he has likely already been overcome by the secret fumes that the iPhone emits. You are basically screwed. Even if you buy one now you will always have less experiance operating the iPhone.
Good luck
Chuck
Sent from my Gen2 iPhone alpha test unit.
Josh,
To avoid the iPhone envy blowback you speak of I immediately deleted the signature on mine when I unpackaged it.
Receiving “Sent from my Blackberry” still bothers me though many of my coworkers own one. For me it signifies, “I had enough time to write out a sentence in response to your design concerns but I don’t feel like actually calling you to discuss your questions.”
Don’t stress as much about these little things, you’ll end up healthier ignoring them whether it’s jealousy or not.
Create a custom signature saying “I don’t care that you have a fucking iPhone, so stop telling me about it.”
I couldn’t agree more with with, I had a little heated debate about this myself with my colleague this morning.
Bottom line. It’s LAME. No one cares if you sent it from your iPhone. It’s yet another way the Apple Fan boys can think they are special. And Apple can just use them as marketing / advertising TOOLS.
And btw anyone willing to pay $500 for a phone that is LOCKED to a single carrier, sign a 2 year contract, and ignore the fact that it falls short in so many basic areas – No removable battery, no MMS, no AIM, no 3rd party apps, no SD slot, no 3G, no video recording…I could go on and on. Anyone wiling to turn a blind eye to that and reward Apple and att by buying it rightfully deserves to be “tooled” by Apple Inc.
wow, this place is starting to stink! I dont think I have read an idiotic statement like this in a long time. no, I do not have an iPhone, but posts like this garbage are uberlame. Im leaving.
SSI – which post is idiotic, I am not sure which above post has anything but truth. Artin’s seems to be the most right on
When everyone around you seems to be an idiot, it is much more likely the opposite is true.
hey mr. tech writer, ever heard of a charge card?
above all though you really need to suck it up and stop being a jealous lil bitch :)
You’re dead-on. iPhone pretentiousness is ridiculous. I’d write more but I’m going to throw up the doughnuts I just ate. -Bandit
Sent from my iPhone: Yeah, I’m that pretentious bastard. You wish you had the jack to get one, but you blew all your dough on Harry Potter books, hoping to score a profit on eBay. Hell yeah you’re jealous, and I’m a bully — but I’m a bully with an iPhone, beeotch.
i totally agree! blackberrys were pretty much a business tool at first and have only recently gained popularity with the general public. the iphone on the other hand is pretty much what you said ‘a status symbol’. it’s overhyped and overpriced (although it does look nice) there are many phones out there that work better and still look good.
course…maybe i’m just jealous too
(sent from my rotary phone)
Josh, I hope this post snags you a loaner unit. :)
Sent from my 5×5 cubicle.
Ahhhh angry Josh. I like angry Josh. I feel your pain about the iPhone signature. Then again, I’m angry when I read any of the signatures that include the name of your mobile device. It’s just free advertising for the company. Isn’t it enough that we just shelled out a ton of cash for your phone now you want us to advertise for you too? I don’t think so!
I personally find it obnoxious. Not as bad on emails as it is on flickr streams tho. I’m not saying it’s not a cool phone, because it is. I am saying that you really don’t need to rub in the fact that you have one to those of us that don’t.
sent via smoke signals
nice to see that everyone here isn’t bashing the iphone ( I love my baby) it’s great and I have had no problems, I would never do the whole “sent from my iphone” thing what a douche bag, people are hating on it b/c they can not afford it plain and simple it sounds snobby but it is the truth! all those techy people keep coming up with the lamest reasons why it sucks, yeah keep telling yourself that hope it’s working ha ha
This is the default signature. I don’t think people mean to brag but most people don’t change the defaults on anything tech they own. This is why vcr’s blink the time, why wifi routers have no passwords, why xp backgrounds are a hill with blue sky. The folks aren’t pretentious just average.
Hallo,
sorry, but you are fucking jelauos bastard! “Sent from my iPhone” means “Sorry for my spelling mistakes and for non-formated text”. Im sorry for you and hope you will be also able to get an iPhone very soon ;)
Best Regards