Information on the run

How useful is the iphone for journalists? Imogen Neale from infinitelyirregular.blogspot.com investigates with her iGeek diary.

 

 

Week one & two:
I couldn’t make it stay logged into my gmail account. I even went online and looked at Apple’s version of ‘iphone gmail for dummies’. No luck.

I did find wordpress2, twitter and the New York Times applications though. What’s more they were free. Just click on the ‘install’ icon then when you next sync your iPhone to your iTunes they are loaded on.

I rang Vodafone about my Gmail. They gave me a special iPhone number. Apparently us iPhoners get priority service.

Hopeful, I rang the 0800 number. Stink. They told me to go into a Vodafone shop to get some practical assistance. I did. The very lovely, very chipper guy who’d actually sold me the phone, didn’t have a clue.

He sent me to the company charged with making the iPhones do their thing. The iPhone guy wasn’t there. He only works till 4pm and it was 20 minutes past.

During this time I’m also working at the Manukau Courier. Lots of people ask if they can push its buttons and play with the camera. I don’t think they were convinced.

Things I’ve come to love about the phone:
It’s an iPod. It’s easy peasy to store contacts. In fact, if you want to feel loved, a quick scroll through your rolling contact list (which rolls on and on and on) is good medicine.

Week three:
Still no gmail but I take consolation with the camera. I also start hating the fact it doesn’t have a video camera though. What’s with that? What sort of multimedia tool doesn’t have a video camera?

Over the week the iP doesn’t really add anything to my journalistic endeavours. I did take some photos for a story when the photographers were all busy. My efforts weren’t appreciated though and the photographer went back to get the shot.

Before I left I spent the day with Labour list MP for Papakura Dave Hereora; having morning tea at Middlemore with the Service and Food Workers Union and judging young business awards at Manurewa High.

If nothing else (and I did take lots of photos without getting in people’s face) I love the fact my iP lead one 16-year-old to say “cool phone Miss.”