In Quotes___________

On Perserverance:

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."
- Jim Ryun, track athlete and former congressman

Exec Tech Tools___________

Apple announces the iPhone

During his Macworld 2007 keynote in San Francisco, Steve Jobs unveiled the much anticipated iPhone.

It will end up being three devices in one: a cell phone, a wide-screen iPod with touch controls, and an Internet communications device. Cingular (soon to be AT&T) is the sole carrier. It won't be available to consumers until June, 2007.

The 4GB model will cost $499 and the hefty pricetag of $599 will accompany the 8GB version (both require a two-year contract).

True to form, Apple made a phone with a smooth design and an innovative interface. Say goodbye to traditional cell phone buttons--this phone is all touch screen, all the time.
The "smart" screen is one of the coolest things about this gadget. It shifts automatically to a landscape orientation when you start to play a video. One giant touch screen controls the phone, and no stylus is needed. Use your fingers to type messages and e-mails on an onscreen keyboard.
Another interesting innovation is the voicemail system. Rather than forcing you to call your voice mail and waiting to browse through multiple messages to hear the one you want, Visual Voicemail displays all the messages you have in a list, similar to an e-mail in-box. All you have to do is select the message you want and listen away.

Beyond the music player, the iPhone runs on Mac OS X and promises a 2-megapixel camera, a photo-management tool that rotates the display for landscape photos (like with videos), support for Google Maps, conference calling, a speakerphone, and text and multimedia messaging. Connectivity options also look promising with stereo Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, POP3 and IMAP4 e-mail, and a Safari Web browser.

It isn't all good, though. There is a rather short, yet relevant, list of concerns. First, there's the possibility of real problems with the touch screen (scratches and finger grease anyone?) Secondly, not everyone is going to want a somewhat bulky convergence device, when most people are completely satified having a tiny phone and seperate music player. And finally, the price is a bit steep for a phone, no?

But all in all, it looks like it has promise. And we may all be typing our emails right onto the screens of our phones from now on...at least we will if Steve Jobs has anything to say about it.