We understand your excitement about the iPhone and iPod touch. We felt much of the same excitement when we wrote about HP Palmtops in the 1990's and about Windows-based PDAs and smartphones since 1997. After all, mobile computing is inherently personal because these small, smart devices are always with us. They become an appendage that magnifies our brain power and entertains us. These small computers allow us to stay in touch with family, friends, and business associates; they also let us access a vast storehouse of human knowledge.
However, we've never seen anything like the iPhone phenomenon!
Why the world-wide enthusiasm? Because Apple got an
awful lot right with the
iPhone. Its vibrant screen, ease of use, connectivity options, powerful Safari browser, automatic updates, and App Store brilliantly solved many of the problems inherent in handheld computing. The fun and intuitive nature of the iPhone and iPod touch lowers the usability barrier and makes these pocket-sized computers accessible to more people. 
Enter Smartphone magazine's iPhone Life
Lots of things have changed in the magazine industry since we published our first mobile computing magazine 24 years ago. Most importantly, the Internet is now the dominant source for information for mobile users. Is there a place for paper media in this fast-changing iPhone world? We think so, and assume you do to.
Magazines contain engaging, graphically compelling, well-written and well-researched content. Limits in space mean only the best content gets published. And, of course, magazines are physical. Many of us enjoy picking up, highlighting, and dog-earing a paper magazine. We put them down and pick them up again and again. We read them in bed, in comfortable chairs, on planes and trains, in bath tubs, and in waiting rooms. Many of us simply prefer paging through a print magazine over onscreen reading.
Making iPhone Life stronger
You can make the magazine and our online site better by spreading the word, subscribing, advertising, contributing content, helping other iPhone users online, and giving us feedback.
iPhone and iPod touch users: Tell others about the magazine. Subscribe rather than buying each issue off the newsstand. All subscriptions run through 2010, the length of most AT&T contracts. To subscribe, visit SmartphoneMag.com/2010.
If the iPhone has become your hobby or even vocation: consider contributing online and in the magazine. Notice that the majority of content in this issue was written by volunteer experts and professionals in various fields. In addition to the magazine, we are creating a strong online presence with help forums and daily news and reviews. We are looking for avid iPhone users to blog and to help moderate our forums. If you communicate well and enjoy sharing your knowledge with others, check out SmartphoneMag.com/iphone/share.
Software and accessory vendors: Tell us about your product. Our magazine and Web site will do its best to cover as many of the top software and accessory products as possible. An effective way to get covered is to interest one of our volunteer bloggers or magazine contributors. For more on this, visit SmartphoneMag.com/iphone/getpublicity.
You can also advertise in the magazine. Advertising allows you to control your message, brand your product, and raise your company's visibility. Readers spend money for this magazine to learn more about the iPhone and to read the advertisements. Print advertising has prestige and permanence that you want to associate your product with. Finally, it will help you differentiate your product from the over 1,000 titles available in the App Store.
Apple Employees: Use this magazine to educate your customers and potential customers. Help make this magazine available in Apple stores, AT&T stores, and the iTunes store. Give issues away to your best customers, to others at Apple, and at events. Contact me at hal@thaddeus.com.
For advertising opportunities contact
Marge at marge@smartphonemag.com
Everyone: Visit us online for the latest news, reviews, tips, and help (SmartphoneMag.com/iphone). Also, be sure to give us your feedback. We will have a place for your input on our iPhone Life forums, or contact me directly at hal@thaddeus.com.
