Contact entering taken off the Touch??

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/breaking...y-and-whats-else-is-being-crippled-297994.php

I just read an article stating Apple has removed the ability to directly enter contacts and possibly other information into the Touch. Supposedly the reason is to further differentiate the Touch and iPhone and help iPhone sales.

This is horrible in my opinion. This is like MS making 5 different versions of Windows. There's no cost difference or other justification for doing this, but it's going to limit the use of the device.

I feel like Apple is making some really bad decisions lately.

I believe it was the Calendar events entering that's disabled. Apple still claims contacts can be entered.

What bothers me about this is that, initially, the multi-touch feature page touted the QWERTY keyboard being able to "enter calendar events, or add contacts." Recently, they removed the "enter calendar events" part, after many have already ordered the Touch.

I personally don't find this to be much of a problem. The Touch and iPhone have practically the same operating system. So porting the iPhone applications over to the Touch should be no big deal. If you really want a full calendar, just replace the one on the Touch with the one from the iPhone.

Granted, this isn't something average Joe can do, but at least the option is there for the willing.

I tend to agree. I can understand leaving bluetooth out, I guess, since it could be used to connect the Touch to a cell phone for Internet and thus really interfere with iPhone sales, but to to cripple software ('agendaware'?) is just bad form. The missing speakers flummoxes me altogether.

Between the hobbled calendar and no email and no speakers, Apple is crimping my interest. Hackers will take care of software deficiencies, but I expected Apple to not make me rely on hackers to use the product as would be expected.

Believe me you are not missing much with the speaker delete.

I guess I can see the point of keeping a measured amount of separation between the touch and phone. If you look at the mini or iMac, etc. there are always a -few- things that separate the price points. Memory, Superdrive, HD space, processor speed. I see the touch "deficiencies" as the same deal.

No iPod has had built-in speakers, so it's not like Apple is taking out a feature that was there in previous models. Plus, like savagehenry said, it's a good thing there are no speakers on the Touch. Could you imagine a bunch of people playing their music through the speakers at the same time, especially in a confined space like a bus or a train? That would be ridiculously annoying.