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iPhone takes center stage at Oscars

updated 03:30 pm EST, Mon February 25, 2008

iPhone at Oscars

Apple's iPhone took center stage at Oscar night when political comedian Jon Stewart, who served as this year's host, used the handset to watch 'Lawrence of Arabia' during the event. Stewart, who joked about how great technology is, watched the movie and even commented on how the flick was better in wide screen. Stewart's mention of the iPhone during the Oscars stands as testament to the device's popularity in the U.S., where the device flew off shelves to leave every Apple and AT&T store empty handed in all but two states during its launch weekend. [photos courtesy of ZDNet]

by MacNN Staff

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Eldernorm
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Joined: Sep 2007

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02/25, 03:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
Hmmmmm its scary

Yep, its scary.... and yet reassuring at the same time.

Apple developed a product that shook up the industry and became an icon in only 6-8 months. Its nice to see that American companies still have the power to innovate and shape the world, even if most of our CEOs do not. :-(

en

testudo
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02/25, 03:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
OMG!!!!

He mentioned the iPhone! He mentioned the iPhone!!!

How come we didn't here how Chuck on "Chuck" has an iPhone?

And this is not a "testament" to its popularity. It's more a testament to it's 'knowability' (or whatever you want to use as the term for 'a lot of people have heard about it'). Someone making a reference to OJ Simpson wouldn't be a testament to his popularity, but people's knowledge of his existence.

But, really, did anyone actually see the Oscars? I didn't even know it was on until 11:30 (although I only would have watched it for the entertainment value, so fast-forwarding on my Tivo would've taken only 45 minutes).

Guest
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02/25, 03:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
Um

It was a diss of the iPhone (kinda). The joke was on the absurdity of watching widescreen cinematic epics on such a tiny screen.

testudo
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02/25, 03:52pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: hmmm it's scary

Bear in mind the iPhone is built on the iPod line of success. Apple had the iPod cachet to push the iPhone to it's stellar heights (almost as amazing as 4 million phones in an 140 million phone market is considered stellar).

The iPod itself, however, took several years to settle into 'icon' status.

So, keep this in mind when MS releases the Zphone. They won't be starting from scratch, so they'll be able to build on the enormous popularity of the Zune and skyrocket right up there to (insert your own ridiculously low number here)...

testudo
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02/25, 03:54pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: um

Was it also a diss on the Oscars itself, such that he could actually watch that entire epic quicker then it takes to applaud themselves on how great Hollywood is?

Guest
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02/25, 04:05pm | report spam | close Reply |
no such thing

as bad press.

climacs
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02/25, 04:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: um

well, speak for yourself, testudo, I watch the Oscars every year and I think it's a fantastic celebration of the cinema, perhaps the greatest artistic innovation of the last 100 years.

Daniel Day-Lewis totally deserved his Oscar for "There Will Be Blood" (though I still think PT Anderson is highly overrated). Of course it's fun to snark on the wardrobe choices. That woman who wrote "Juno" - holy cow honey, this is the Oscars, not some emo-goth night club - dress appropriately!

Guest
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02/25, 04:14pm | report spam | close Reply |
Testudo

Do you have a life?

Guest
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02/25, 04:14pm | report spam | close Reply |
widescreen is better...

the funny thing is that he made it look like the movie changed orientation when he rotated the phone to enjoy it in 'widescreen.' the iPhone only plays movies in the orientation so he was watching the movie sideways at first.

not that he was actually watching a movie at all.

ptkdude
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02/25, 04:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
Widescreen

He wasn't watching anything on it. At first he was holding it vertically. All video plays horizontally on the iPhone. When he rotated it horizontally, it would have been upside-down, as he was holding it with the home button on his left instead of on his right.

vasic
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02/25, 04:23pm | report spam | close Reply |
was it his_

I have no doubt that the iPhone that John Stewart pulled out of his pocket was actually his own (i.e. that he paid for it).

Leave it to Apple to always get free press no matter what glamourous event there is.

Guest
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02/25, 04:47pm | report spam | close Reply |
And Steve got a mention

Yes, that was a good moment. I had to rewind and show my wife (who otherwise had little interest in the Oscars).

The next award after the iPhone demo was for Animated Feature. Ratatouille won, and the winner thanked Steve Jobs (among others). So Steve sure enjoyed those few minutes of the Oscars.

coffeetime
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02/25, 08:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
iPhone showoff

Oscar is not the only one. There are other sitcoms show using iPhone or iTouch.... just like how every cast in every movie using MacBook.

bhuot
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02/25, 08:51pm | report spam | close Reply |
testudo - leave troll

"How come we didn't here how Chuck on "Chuck" has an iPhone? "

Probably because Chuck is not in Apple's market segment.

"And this is not a "testament" to its popularity. It's more a testament to it's 'knowability' (or whatever you want to use as the term for 'a lot of people have heard about it'). Someone making a reference to OJ Simpson wouldn't be a testament to his popularity, but people's knowledge of his existence."

The knowability is the direct effect of its popularity, Just because you hate Apple, doesn't mean everyone else does. The popularity of the iPhone is 75% which is unheard of in consumer electronics. About half of those signing up for the iPhone are new customers to AT&T and many are paying huge penalties to leave their carrier before their contract is ended.

"But, really, did anyone actually see the Oscars? I didn't even know it was on until 11:30 (although I only would have watched it for the entertainment value, so fast-forwarding on my Tivo would've taken only 45 minutes)."

Well I didn't watch the Super Bowl either - it doesn't mean it doesn't get a big audience

For those 2% who want features that would make the product unlikeable for the other 98% of the market, Apple doesn't need you and catering to you almost destroyed Apple -move along - we don't need your negativity Testudo.

bhuot
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02/25, 08:54pm | report spam | close Reply |
bs testudo

"So, keep this in mind when MS releases the Zphone. They won't be starting from scratch, so they'll be able to build on the enormous popularity of the Zune and skyrocket right up there to (insert your own ridiculously low number here)..."

You can be one of the few that buys one. Microsoft has lost in money every market except operating systems and office suites where they already have a monopoly. They can't even sell Xboxes and they were always strong in games. They can't seem to even give away their Zunes.

vri2i
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Joined: Nov 2003

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02/25, 10:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
oscar's iPhone

He was really checking his email ! no doubt his iPhone was hacked so it would show mail in a horizontal view.

Oh...I get - it a double makes a postive ?¡ ®

bluejammm
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Joined: Jul 2006

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02/25, 10:33pm | report spam | close Reply |
It was Joke! JUST a joke

C'mon people, it was just one of his many props for each joke that he did. I like John Stewart but I thought he did a bad job. Re: Testudo...I actually look forward to his amusing rants but he screwed the pooch on this as many other subjects. I love the Oscars and the artistic media that it celebrates.

vri2i
Forum Regular

Joined: Nov 2003

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02/25, 10:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
Couldn't Find Oscar

I scanned the channels several times and couldn't find the Oscar's, was it on a major network ;) I would love to see iphone take center stage at the Oscar's...off to search You Tube. ®

V0ID
Forum Regular

Joined: Nov 2001

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02/25, 10:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
paid advertisement

What are you people talking about?

Yes it was Jon Stewart's iPhone... Apple _gave_ it to him, along with cash no doubt, to promote it. It's the same with any TV show or movie with Apple products. It's called paid product placement.

chas_m
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Joined: Aug 2001

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02/25, 11:09pm | report spam | close Reply |
Stewart

I have no idea if the iPhone used was Stewart's own, but yes, he has one (as does everyone of any import on TDS or CR). I don't know if he paid for it or if Apple gave him one, but I should think the latter. If Steve Jobs ever goes on a talk show, it will most likely be TDS.

PS. TDS is almost the only reason I haven't sold my television.

Guest
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Joined: Nov 1999

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02/26, 07:19am | report spam | close Reply |
re: mr.mouse

"Anyone who thinks that an analyst publishing a report is price manipulation is either stupid or naive" You don't work in finance either, do you? Or you must be young in the job then. Of course every "analysis" is not aimed at price manipulation. But it *does happen*. If you don't believe it, you are naive too. By the way, extremely favourable analysis could also be just "manipulative"...

testudo
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02/26, 11:36am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: testudo

The knowability is the direct effect of its popularity, Just because you hate Apple, doesn't mean everyone else does. The popularity of the iPhone is 75% which is unheard of in consumer electronics.

I don't hate Apple. But knowability isn't related to popularity. Everyone knows Microsoft. I wouldn't say they are popular. George Bush is known probably by 99% of Americans, yet has a 30% popularity rating.

About half of those signing up for the iPhone are new customers to AT&T and many are paying huge penalties to leave their carrier before their contract is ended.

OK, so what? They've only sold 4-5 million phones worldwide, which is really low on total phone sales. You make it sound like that 75% is equating anything to its sales, yet wouldn't one expect, then, 75% of all phone sales be the iPhone? And how many of that 75% have heard of it but don't like it (yes, there are people out there who have said "Doesn't do what I need it to do. Too hard to use for certain tasks. Too limited. Etc.")

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iPhone takes center stage at Oscars

updated 03:30 pm EST, Mon February 25, 2008

iPhone at Oscars

Hmmmmm its scary

OMG!!!!

Um

Re: hmmm it's scary

Re: um

no such thing

re: um

Testudo

widescreen is better...

Widescreen

was it his_

And Steve got a mention

iPhone showoff

testudo - leave troll

bs testudo

oscar's iPhone

It was Joke! JUST a joke

Couldn't Find Oscar

paid advertisement

Stewart

re: mr.mouse

Re: testudo

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iPhone takes center stage at Oscars

updated 03:30 pm EST, Mon February 25, 2008

iPhone at Oscars

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Hmmmmm its scary

OMG!!!!

Um

Re: hmmm it's scary

Re: um

no such thing

re: um

Testudo

widescreen is better...

Widescreen

was it his_

And Steve got a mention

iPhone showoff

testudo - leave troll

bs testudo

oscar's iPhone

It was Joke! JUST a joke

Couldn't Find Oscar

paid advertisement

Stewart

re: mr.mouse

Re: testudo

Login Here

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