[Chris Barylick]

There are those who love the iPhone, believe it to be incredibly useful and have made it an integral part of their lives. PC World magazine doesn't agree with these people. PC World's Biggest Tech Disappointments list for 2007 has just hit and while Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system ranked at the top of the list, Apple also came in between the publication's crosshairs with Mac OS X 10.5 and the iPhone. The handset, which was released this June, came under at number five on the disappointments list for its high initial price tag upon its release, touchscreen keyboard, lack of Flash support, reliance on AT&T and apparent moves by Apple to disable units that had been unlocked to function on alternate wireless carrier networks.

"Yes, we know. Sliced bread only wishes it were as great as the iPhone. And aside from minor flaws like a tiny touch keyboard and lack of Flash support, the phone itself is pretty terrific. But AT&T's broadband service? Definitely second-rate."

Windows Vista earned the most scathing criticism or the products ("Five years in the making and this is the best Microsoft could do?" PC World said. "No wonder so many users are clinging to XP like shipwrecked sailors to a life raft, while others who made the upgrade are switching back." Years overdue, and missing promised key components, Windows Vista seems to be disappointing customers as much for what is does have as for what it doesn't. Many Vista users have been complaining about extensive driver incompatibilities, hefty hardware requirements, and constant 'security warnings.'") while Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" came in at number eight with the publication citing wireless networking issues, administrator account problems and a file transfer bug:

"Maybe we just got spoiled by the iPod and iPhone, but the glow came off Steve Job's halo after this feline fleabag debuted. Within days of its release last October, Mac users reported dozens of problems with the new OS, some more serious than others," PC World said.

[Via PC World]

maybe PC World should stick to what it knows best...PCs.

I'm not saying the iPhone is perfect, and I own one, but it's pretty rock solid for a 1.0 device. For my needs, the iPhone's 'sluggish' web browsing works just fine. It's unfortunate that we live in an instant gratification world where people can't wait more than a 1/2 second for a web page to come up.

And Leopard? C'mon...most users have had minimal issues, and most 3rd party dev's came out with fixes before Leopard was released. I can think of at least 10 of my apps that, as soon as they were relaunched after the upgrade was finished, piped up, "An update is available..."

[exbusfish]

It is now a rag with virtually no editorial value. While I agree its assessment of Vista, I do not agree on the iPhone and Leopard. Yes, I own Macs and an iPhone, but run Vista, XP, and have owned many WM5 smartphones. To say that the iPhone is disappointing is hysterical. Compare it to its peers: Blackjack, Voyager, Blackberry, Treo, Sony Ericsson P990, etc. It is rock solid and in some instances cheaper!

As far as Leopard is concerned, it is cheaper, faster and better than Microsoft's new OS: Vista. No confusing licensing, activation or Genuine Microsoft verification BS. The annoyances with Leopard are nothing compared to how stable and functional it is.

PCWorld, I have been a loyal reader in the past. If that is how you want to sell magazines: I will not be buying your rag ever again.

STOP HATING AND GIVE SOME RECOGNITION TO THOSE THAT DESERVE IT.
flash and a small keyboard is just 2 NEGATIVES vs 100's of POSITIVES.
Does 2 negs. become the BIGGEST TECH DISAPPOINTMENT.
THEY NEED TO STOP DRINKING THE HATERADE !!!!!

Some times when I'm using my PowerBook with its AT&T Sierra Wireless card and I'm supposedly connected to a 3G network I get frustrated with the web downloads that I'll pull out my iPhone to continue the browsing because the pages load faster. Bottom line if you are waiting for 3G iPhones don't complain when your friends with 2.5G phones can load pages faster.

hey
i have an iphone and i love it, it is hands down the greatest gadget i have ever owned and its great. but apple's behavior at the time of release and following attempts at unlocking was inexcusable. you cannot prevent a consumer from unlocking phones in this country and honestly once you charge someone 600$ for something they should be able to do whatever the hell they want with it. by filling the iphone with restrictions apple alienated customers to make more than their fair share. and for $600 they could atleast include some comfortable headphones

Because it's in "PC" world, not in "mac" world. I don't have an iphone (I generally don't have a mobile phone), but I am satisfied with iphone.