What’s wrong with the iPhone?

I was second in line at the Apple store in Boulder to buy the iPhone on launch day. I've been using every aspect of it since, and I've found things I'd like to see changed with the first update.

Instant Messaging
Whether it was at the insistence of AT&T, or that Apple just ran out of time, iCaht is the main thing I'd like to see added. I know I can forward my IMs to SMS, but that isn't the point. The experience isn't the same. I've been trying for days to do it, but for some reason AOL's verification process fails every time.

Tethering
This was a feature that I used only occasionally with the Cingular 8125, but it was those times that made the feature priceless. If you're unfamiliar with the term “tethering” here, it means the ability to use (via Bluetooth or USB) a mobile phone as an internet access point. You connect the phone the EDGE network, then tell your laptop to use that connection for internet access. So in the middle of a park, you could get to the internet on your laptop using the phone's internet connection.

To-dos
This is a biggie. I use iCal's to-do lists frequently. The Cingular 8125 and The Missing Sync managed this beautifully. The iPhone has no concept of to-tos at all. None.

Video Codecs
I subscribe to several video podcasts and normally view these on my Apple TV. The iPhone can't play several of them even though it is touted as having video iPod features. One great thing about the video podcasts that do get to the iPhone is that the iPhone will play the audio track alone. It sees the podcast as a podcast and makes no distinction when playing it. Very nice.

True widgets
I would really like to be able to access the battery widget that shows when you're charging the phone. I'd like a wifi signal strength indicator, and several other widgety displays. Given that the Stocks and Weather “applications” are widgets, would it really be that hard to replace their icons with a Widgets or Dashboard icon that you would then use to get to that stuff?

The keyboard
Special note to Blackberry keyboard users. If you start using the iPhone with the “it doesn't have physical keys so I can't possibly like it” point of view, you're not going to like the keyboard. I came from the mother of all mobile keyboards and I like the iPhone's just fine. I'd really like to see a globally available horizontal keyboard though, not one that is only available from Safari.

Flash
Flash is a mainstay on the net. As much as it has annoyed me in the past, modern implementations are actually useful. CNN video, Google Video, etc. are Flash based. Since this is a new CPU architecture for Apple, I'm willing to let that one slide. As a matter of fact, I'll bet that Apple will be the porting Flash to the iPhone, not Adobe.

There you have it. My summary of some of the things I'd like to see fixed on the iPhone. Thoughts? Comments?