Hands on the iPhone, and History of iPhone?

Time.com was given some information about the development of the Apple iPhone. Of particular interest, especially to those who follow Apple rumors, is a tidbit about how the iPhone interface came to be. According to the author, "a few years ago" Steve Jobs noticed all the research money spent into Tablet PCs and had a team of Apple engineers working on a tablet interface with touch screen.

When they showed him the screen they came up with, he got excited. So excited that he thought he had the beginnings of a new product.

And so, the iPhone was born. What is interesting is that around this time, rumors of an Apple tablet had reemerged. Whispers of an Apple Tablet project began to resurface in late 2002 and peaked prior to Macworld SF 2003. No tablet came, but the description was an 8-inch multimedia device running Mac OS X. It appears that these rumors were likely true and based on this project.

Time's author as well as David Pogue had some one-on-one time with the device, and provides these additional details and observations:

- Can't download songs directly from iTunes Store
- Can't sync iPhone with a computer wirelessly.
- "Web speed was OKnot great, but OK."
- "Apple went through numerous iterations of the glass surface, trying to find one thats not too slick or too rough, or that shows grease and fingerprints too much. "
- "It feels amazing in your hand"
- "Typing is difficult"

According to Engadget, the iPhone is not open to 3rd party development at this time. Only Apple is providing (built-in) applications for the device.