I really dislike the iPhone. Not because its technically inferior to other devices (although, if you take away the flashy interface, it really is) but because of the attitude of most of the people that have one.

For many its their first experience with a modern computing platform. Smartphones have generally been primarily business products used by management or high ranking sales staff. So when a pseudo-smartphone like the iPhone comes along, many people are amazed by the device and what can be done with it. What they fail to notice is that everything they can do on their iPhone, I can do on my Nokia E71 and E90. In fact, I can do even more than the iPhone allows with both my two devices. For example, turning my Nokia device into an ad-hoc Wifi access point to share my 3G data connection so my iPod Touch can access the internet via wifi when I’m out and about. You can’t even tether your laptop to your iPhone via Bluetooth without jail breaking it first, let alone any device via wifi.

I am very much a Nokia guy. I’ve been using S60 smartphones by Nokia since the very first release of the Nokia 7650 in 2001. Since then the only non-Nokia, non-S60 phone I’ve owned was a Motorola L7 SLVR which annoyed me with its limitations.

Some of my friends (who shall remain anonymous) are Blackberry fans for their own reasons. Others (who shall remain voiceless, moderated and anonymous) are Windows Mobile fans. But I cannot think of a single person that isn’t family (and thus I have no choice in the matter) that owns an iPhone and that I have wanted to stay in the same room with for extended periods. Invariably they all think their phone does something unique, or they have some new application they found and want to show it off.

What is funny is when you show no interest at all, or are less than impressed by anything they show you. Its as if its a personal affront against them, and hurts their feelings. Then, when you pull out your own phone and show it doing the same things theirs does, instead of admitting that they may not be so unique as they thought, they turn it into a competition. “Well can your phone do this?”

Enough is enough.

I am tired of being polite to people with an iPhone. If you own an iPhone and pull it out to for any reason other than to quietly use it for your own information or enjoyment, you will immediately be blacklisted. That means I will avoid you, I will ignore your calls, I will generally ignore you. And the only way you can redeem yourself is to get over the novelty of having an iPhone and stop waving it in everyones face whenever you take it out of your pocket. Its a phone. Its not even a true smartphone. Its capabilities are pretty lacklustre and the latest app you found on the App Store is not interesting to me in the slightest. I don’t go around showing you ever app I installed on my iTouch or my own phones. I use them, I appreciate them myself, but I definitely don’t shove how great they are down your throat every time I take it out of my pocket.

What do I think you should do with your iPhone? Here’s a little video that might give you an idea.

Seriously… Turn it off and get a real phone.