AfterTek

The debuting of Apple’s multipurpose iPhone was the talk of the tech world last week because of its advanced features and design and also for the dispute over its name. The device combines the functions of a mobile phone, an iPod media player and a wireless Internet communicator behind a touch-sensitive screen. A day after Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs took the wraps off iPhone, Cisco Systems sued for trademark infringement.

But whatever it’s called, what impact will Apple’s iPhone have? Jason Snell got a chance to try the device in a briefing at the Macworld Expo and wasn’t disappointed. “Steve Jobs and Apple have obviously been very emboldened by the success of the iPod, and I think Tuesday’s keynote was a bold statement that Apple believes they really do have a game-changing product a world-changing product, I think they would say,” he said.

“I did get to hold it for 10 or 15 minutes. As impressed as I was by the concept of it, I was far more impressed by actually having it in my hand. The screen is incredibly bright. The touch screen is extremely responsive. The software was incredibly smart about figuring out what I was trying to type.

“I think there’s no doubt that this is a potentially fantastic product. The question is going to be, what are the details that we don’t know? What’s the acceptance going to be, given that it’s going to be kind of expensive, and you’re going to have to make a two-year commitment to Cingular to get it? There are those kinds of questions.”