Brian Caulfield from Forbes obviously didn't get the memo from the iCabal that iPhone criticism is not allowed. That said, he hits most, but misses some:
Imperfections [with the iPhone 3G] still lurk, in spite of Chairman Steve Jobs' maniacal attention to detail. Even before its release, there are some niggling issues--some minor, others major--that make the iPhone a mere gadget, just like any other. Just ask those pesky bloggers:
The Cost
Do the math you find out and the iPhone will cost $160 more over two years than the original iPhone because AT&T put together a pricier data plan for the phone to help it subsidize the up-front cost of the handset.
Two things here. First, don't ever quote the "fiends at Gizmodo" if you're looking for credibility. I cut out the quote to spare you the stupidity.
Second, while the cost is actually closer to $40 more over year years not counting SMS, this is a silly complaint. Virtually anyone who didn't buy an iPhone earlier because of the price will be just fine with this sort-of price increase. The much lower upfront cost helps matters greatly.
No Flash
The iPhone still doesn't support Adobe's Flash technology, which means many multimedia-rich sites remain off limits.
Eh. I agree this is too bad, but it's not a deal breaker.
A more important issue: The iPhone 3G's camera still has no flash either. That's a bigger issue, and one that can't be rectified by a software update.
No Replaceable Batteries
There's no easy way to crack open the new iPhone's sleek case to pop in a battery.
I agree this is a weak spot. That said, the iPhone battery is surprisingly durable. Over the past year, the iPhone's reliance on EDGE has been a much, much bigger problem than the battery.
Video Recording
Please. I mean, please.
Let's get a decent still camera in there first. I'd love to just be able to carry this thing around instead of this and a camera.
No Cut-And-Paste
The inability to copy a chunk of text and paste it into another application has baffled geeks since the iPhone's introduction last year.
Sure. Has it baffled you too? Or are you just gauging the reaction of the blogosphere and relaying it to people who are presumably too busy to do their own research? :)
No Multimedia Messaging Service
This might be the most interesting example of what makes the iPhone quirky
So ... This is a weird one.
If someone sends you an MMS message, the iPhone's SMS application will tell you about a Web site you can go to view it, which would be nice if you could a) click on the link and go there, or b) cut and paste the information to do it manually. You can't do either. Doy.
Bonus: No Voice Dialing
[This is] the one feature makes the BlackBerry, with its nubby little plastic keyboard, usable on the road.
That and the Exchange compatibility and keyboard,I'm guessing. Good call though.
But here's the thing. You're missing the number one problem.
AT&T 3G is Barely Available Anywhere in the US!
Oh well.