I should be writing for Time

Time published an error-plagued article on the new iPhone (bold mine).

With the old iPhone (which ran on AT&T’s Edge network) on one side and the new one (which runs on AT&T’s 3G network) on the other, Jobs loaded a photo-heavy Web page at nationalgeographic.com. It took 21 sec. on the 3G phone, versus 59 sec. on its predecessor. (While 21 sec. may be slow compared with the near instantaneous access on a high-speed wired desktop computer, the AT&T Edge network is the state-of-the-art wireless system in the U.S.)

In the same paragraph, the author shows the limitations of AT&T’s Edge network compared to the 3G network while saying “the AT&T Edge network is the state-of-the-art wireless system in the U.S.”  If the AT&T Edge network is “the” state-of-the-art wireless system, why did the 3G network push data three times as fast?  If the author meant to make the claim about the AT&T 3G network, it would still be shaky.  What criteria is this statement based on?  Geographical coverage or data speed?  If it’s based on data speeds, Sprint and Verizon’s EVDO networks blow AT&T away.

Jobs said the new iPhone has already sold 6 million units, and analysts expect Apple to blow through the company’s estimate of 10 million units sold worldwide by the end of 2008.

The “new iPhone has already sold 6 million units?”  The new iPhone has sold exactly zero units.  It comes out July 11.  The old iPhone sold 6 million units, Sherlock.

There are always inaccuracies floating around about the iPhone, I just didn’t expect to find them at Time Magazine.  Next time, use an author who knows what an iPhone is.

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