[BubbaJudge]

my contract comes up in a month and i am so sick of the crapass razr i have, i know the iphone is still first gen and you have to go with at&t for 2 years but i really want a nice portable web device and something kinda neat and i really like the touch screen idea. i am not big into listening to portable music so the itunes restriction doesnt bother me.


anyone have any thoughts or advice before i do this?

any good blogs on the phone?

thanks

[JakL]

I haven't been there in a long time, but I used to go to HowardForums for all my cell phone needs...

I've been thinking about an iphone too, but I'll wait until they have a 3G model (sometime later this year).

[mr meany]

I got an iTouch for xmas and I love it. I did not get an iPhone because I use a business phone and it would make no sense for me. It works flawlessly and the web browser is first class and actually very usable. The video is very clear and the sound is great.

I would get the iPhone if you're thinking about it and you will not be disappointed.

Dan

[BubbaJudge]

thanks for the help guys

[Iron Monkey]

iTouch YES...that's an HTC product, and it's an upgrade, if you will, to the Mogul/6800. More memory, touch-screen only (no physical keyboard. Many Mogul/6800 users who upgraded like it. We IT folks who HAVE to have a keyboard can't live without the physical keyboard.

Run from the iPhone. It's an iPod with a phone. You cannot replace the battery...you have to ship it off to Apple if the battery goes out (that can take 2-3 weeks). You can't put ANY customizations (other than those that Apple sells), as Apple will brick your phone.

Finally, the iTouch is about $200. You know the price of the iPhone. Did I mention that there are customizations for both the Mogul/6800 and the iTouch to make 'm both look/feel like an iPhone? AND you can walk into a store and pick up accessories? And play music the same way?

Have a nice day.

[mr meany]

My iTouch was $400 and although that does simulate the GUI the one piece of software that really is slick is the WiFi and Safari web browser (which oddly it was not shown). I have used Microsoft mobile software for a long time and I does not have the feel of the iTouch. As usual MS is a bloated POS. Plus you gotta love they have to have extra buttons on the front.

Again Apple sets the standard and everyone try to emulate.

[Iron Monkey]

Agreed, but the one thing you get with the Micro-crap is the ability to hack it to death.

As an example, SPB's Touch Interface, which includes news, picture-dialing, weather, etc, has been created by a separate group. I'm not paying a damned thing for a ton of add-ons.

On top of that, several people 'round the globe have already pulled the ROM and chopped it to death, removing all the vendor garbage and including some of these great tools. Granted, you have to keep a backup of the default vendor ROM in case you have to take the phone in for service, but that's a small price to pay.

Apple does lead, I'll never question that. What do I question is Steve Jobs' insistence on proprietary....it bit him in the ass before, you'd THINK he'd keep things open now. If he won't, the Chinese who manufacture his stuff will (and do....black-market tech goods are available everywhere in China....for about 1/3 the price and, frankly, tend to be better).

China pnwz us all.

[GHOSTDOG]

I would never use a windows mobile based phone again, it is a POS. I have had around 7 or 8 of them through work and each and every one of them has been a complete load of tosh.
Slow, buggy, crash ridden, bad battery life and poor interface.
The sad thing is, while I had a top of the range windows mobile XDA several years ago, I also had a cheap Treo 600 i bought from Ebay for my own usage. The Treo blew that, and every other WM based phone I have had out of the water. Unfortunately, Palm are steering away from Palmos and havent made a decent phone since the 650.
Can you beleive that the last windows mobile phone I got didnt even have a keylock or a repeatable alarm clock?? I had to download software to provide functionality that comes FREE on a £50 phone out here. Smartphone my ass Granted though, this was the cut down version not the full fat windows mobile, but still.

[Vasanni]

Bubba I've had an iphone since launch day and love it. Send me a pm ill take you out for a beer if you want to mess around with it for a while.

[Nozero]

All I have to say is:

No Backlight.

[BubbaJudge]

Vasanni, on Jan 20 2008, 10:15 PM, said:

Bubba I've had an iphone since launch day and love it. Send me a pm ill take you out for a beer if you want to mess around with it for a while.

thanks for the offer man, but we'll just have to meet and compare, because i just popped for 2 iphones and and a blackberry 8700c

[CallyWood]

I've been waiting since launch day to get my hands on one, but they still haven't launched in Canada. It's some big conspiracy as to who's going to be the provider. Rogers has been slated for almost a year now, I believe, but it's still a big secret on the part of apple.

'course, i'm still a little irritated, with our dollar being at par, that apple.ca still has inflated Canadian prices.

If you guys and gals down south didn't know, parity has been a huge issue here, because retailers everywhere have had to cut into their profits because Canadian consumers are demanding the American prices.

[Iron Monkey]

I'd forgotten Apple opened a store (first in Kentucky) here..they had rows and rows of iPhones (limit 3 per customer ).

It's interesting, the size is nice 'n all...but I feel locked into a path with the phone. Maybe I misunderstand how it operates. It seems like you start an app (say, Safari), and the only way to switch to another app is to press the main button. That's all fine and good, but how do you go back to your app? And how, if you're in Safari, do you switch to the address book, for instance?

It's neat, but I can't live without my keyboard

Tho' I'll admit if I can find a Terminal Services/RDP client for MacOS, I'm buying a MacBook. Hmm...figures...I guess Bill really did shuffle funds into Apple. Guess I'm getting a Macbook!

Darn...guess I can play too

[GHOSTDOG]

RDP for MAC: http://cord.sourceforge.net/

I will be getting an iPhone before too long. The tariffs on o2 (the exclusive network out here) have just got better so the deal looks that bit sweeter.

There are a lot of iPhone haters out there, but dont let them put you off. Go and have a play with one and you will like it im sure. The SDK is released during february which means 3rd party apps will be a reality at last
An RDP client and a full Ipsec VPN client will hopefully follow not too far behind.

[Iron Monkey]

Yeah, but where's the keyboard? Half of what I do I gotta have a keyboard. I can't punch my way through one of those display keybaords.

No worries...a Macbook's definitely in my future...ahh.

[GHOSTDOG]

Its quite easy to use actually. Mainly because it gives you feedback when you have hit a button, which is where most touch screen keyboards have failed!

[Iron Monkey]

GHOSTDOG, on Feb 1 2008, 03:20 PM, said:

Its quite easy to use actually. Mainly because it gives you feedback when you have hit a button, which is where most touch screen keyboards have failed!

I'll admit my Mogul hesitates at times, but this isn't due to the screen, it's the *(&@#$*& Sprint ROM. One day, when I have the time, I'm yanking it and throwing the ALLTEL ROM (which has received rave reviews from users). That's the part I like...kinda like Linux, you can customize the hell out of these Winblowz phones. I'm waiting for a decent Linux release!

Incidentally, I'm not intentionally trying to badmouth the iPhone...I think it's a great idea. I just don't like the restrictions. I did see an article stating 25% of all iPhones are unlocked (non-AT&T service). AT&T can go rot in hell.

[GHOSTDOG]

When I get one I will be Jailbreaking it, assuming nobody has hacked the SDK by then

The Ipod Touch also looks tempting now with a 32gig version. Decisions decisions !

[BubbaJudge]

3 days into owning one and they come out with the 16gig, thank you, may i have another, grrrrr


so now my dad and i own the 16's and apple dinged me for 40 buck restocking fee on each

i already love this phone

i already hate apple and at&t

[GHOSTDOG]

Tell us more dood

I cant decide now. 32gig touch or 16gig Iphone. I really like the idea of always being connected to the internet so it may have to be the iPhone. Problem is that they are saying a 3G version will be out this year....
How is edge on it? I have only tested one on wireless.

[BubbaJudge]

edge isnt all that bad really, and i find i am already using this phone alot to surf. if you can manage to find a wifi the phone is superfast. we tested side by side against a dell dual core inspiron 9400 on the same wireless network and the iphone beat it. all i can figure is the safari browser just kicks ass.

beyond surfing, i am using all aspects of this phone, and i never used anything on my old phones, and i havent even installed music or apps yet

the gui is superb on all the pre installed apps

call quality is night and day better than my razr

battery life seems to be 3 days, and that was with heavy use, recharge time 60-90 minutes


as to the G model, latest i heard was their is a problem with fitting the G cchip into the existing form factor and its battery usage is horrendous


even Rip, who told me i would regret buying one, and is not an apple fan at all, now says he would buy one in a second if he didnt have to go with at&t

for people outside the US were finding another another provider for an unlocked iphone is much better, it seems a slam dunk to me.

i would have unlocked mine if it was only me, but since part of the point of me buying these was to give my dad a retirement gift, i went with at$t

[GHOSTDOG]

I went into the o2 store today and spent 30 minutes or so playing with one again. This time it was edge only and it seemed pretty usable really. Yes, the page loads were slow but it is perfectly adequate for those "in a pinch" moments.
You are right about the apps though and the phone in general. It all feels so slick and navigating around it just makes you smile as you do it. I just dont get that with any other phone.

And also, when you watch those apple ads when they navigate around the UI and you think "no way is it that quick". Wrong, it *IS* that quick. I was bowled over by the fluidity of it all.

[Iron Monkey]

Crap, now I get to eat some crow (pass the Frank's, please...it makes anything taste better ).

Was at the Apple Store today checking out the various Macbooks, and toyed around with the iPhone & Touch...I gotta say, they've really improved it.

I agree with RIP, AT&T is the deal killer. AT&T has (documented) the SUCKIEST support out there. Even with all their acquisitions, the cell phone support people are ASSHATS galore. GAH.

[GHOSTDOG]

Bought mine yesterday. Couldnt be happier so far. Going to attempt to Jailbreak it today for some custom apps

[BubbaJudge]

GHOSTDOG, on Feb 10 2008, 07:27 AM, said:

Bought mine yesterday. Couldnt be happier so far. Going to attempt to Jailbreak it today for some custom apps

Oustanding!