Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice

I resisted the urge to title this, "What cell phone are you using tonight?"

The situation is this: I have lost my cell phone and need a new one. Up until now, I've been content to use very basic phones. However, I am pretty sure I want to get an iPhone, for many reasons:

* I've never owned an mp3 player, and now I want one of those.

* There are some really handy medical apps for the iPhone. Using epocrates and others at work would make me more efficient, and it would allow me to write off a portion of the phone costs on my taxes.

* Well, everything else cool that the iPhone can do, like make me a synthesizer genius.

The only reason I hesitate to get an iPhone today is that I hear that new phones will be released this summer. Some friends have told me to wait because of this or that technical reason that I can't recall right now.

Whatever. The people that I really trust for advice on all things technical populate this forum. So, my trusted tech advisors, I ask you:

1. What's the deal with these new phones? Are they worth waiting for?

2. Is the iPhone good as a phone? I guess an alternative would be to get an iPod touch and a dumb phone, but then I get to carry two things in my purse, I mean briefcase.

3. What web sites are good for the n00b to check out such things? A friend recommended engadgetmobile.com and cNet.

Thanks in advance, Brain Trust!

2. There's no such thing as a good cellphone. You'll have to carry around a landline. Megaphones are a close second.

Oh, crap. I wasn't paying attention to my post count. It's too bad that that's the dumb post which made me an axiomite.

At the next meeting of the Brain Trust, I think I have to crack some heads.

So, does that give you tenure in the Brain Trust, or something? That might explain some things.

I thought the Brain Trust was disbanded, or at least eternally on vacation.

I'm planning on getting an iPhone for Jessica, but I'm waiting to see what Apple announces during the keynote address on June 8 of the upcoming WWDC conference. I anticipate new models with twice the storage as the current models and a faster processor. They should go for the same prices you see now. A little less likely, by my reckoning, is an "iPhone lite".

Maybe. One very important thing to keep in mind that the iPhone 3.0 software will almost certainly be available as a free upgrade to existing iPhone 2.x owners. So if you buy an iPhone 3G *today*, you'll probably get to experience a great deal of what iPhone 3.0 will offer - software wise. That's what they did with the iPhone 1.0 -> 2.0 update. Hardware-specific things obviously won't be supported, but the software improvements should be.

Here's a recap of the 3.0 software improvements.
http://gizmodo.com/5171796/iphone-30-os-guide-everything-you-need-to-know

or here


As far as hardware goes, there are a few rumors there too, of course. A better camera, more memory, a faster processor, improved battery life, and a built-in compass (in addition to GPS) are about the 'best' rumors I've heard for the July '09 iPhone 3.0 release. Though there are others - an OLED screen is a more marginal rumor.

http://www.appadvice.com/newiphone.html

Personally, I probably won't be buying a new one in July because even with the anticipated new features, I don't think it'll be enough of an upgrade on the hardware side. I'm really quite content with my iPhone. The 3G one is working great. And even after two years, the original one is still going strong (holding a charge as new, no problems with the screen, ports, etc). And like I mentioned, I'm sure that the spiffy software upgrades will be a free update for me and my measly old iPhones.



I say yes. I have both an original iPhone (which my wife now uses), and I have an iPhone 3G, 16GB. As a phone, they both work quite well. No problems with either phone-to-the-head calling or with my JawboneII bluetooth headset. Voice quality is just fine. Great even. No different than a landline for me. The only reason we still have a landline is because we need it for our DSL. I've never had any problems of missed calls or garbled calls. I've had a few dropped calls over the years, but at the same rate that I've had with every other phone I've ever had. I guess that AT&T's network is just pretty good everywhere I've been. My only complaint would be that the speakerphone volume is only just loud enough at the max volume. Too quiet to really use.



Endagadget is good. cNet, not so much. I haven't read anything really worthwhile from cNet in years. Maybe it's just me. If you can filter through the chaff, there's a lot of info over on HowardForums.com . Lots and lots of posts regarding just about any question that anyone's ever had about nearly any kind of cell phone imaginable. Yeah. A lot of info. Some good, some bad, but a ton to wade through.

Good luck!

Hey, thanks a lot for the detailed answer, PeterC. I just realized that the release for the next phone could be a lot sooner than I was thinking, as it seems that a week from tomorrow, at WWDC, the unveiling will take place, with phones shipping in July, as far as I can gather via the web.

I hadn't realized that OS 3 would be a free upgrade, so really the hardware and memory become the "now or later" issue.

Thanks again!

I think we should give PeterC a raise. He does nice work.

Yes, indeed. I'm doubling his salary.

Thanks. Just trying to help out.

At least, the upgrade *should* be free for existing iPhones. I haven't seen any proof one way or the other though. But if Apple charges iPhone 1.0 & 2.0 owners for the 3.0 upgrade, that would be a first. My iPhone 1.0 with the V2 software functions identically to my iPhone 2.0 with the V2 software, except for the 1.0 not having a 3G chip.

It is likely that the iPod Touch upgrade to 3.0 *will* come at a cost, as the 1.0->2.0 upgrade wasn't free ($20 maybe?).

As we get closer to mid-July, the rumor sites will become more and more active. Just this morning there's something new...

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/06/leaked-photos-show-new-iphone-hardware-autofocus-compass/

Looks like the compass & improved camera are more or less a done deal. Now that *could* pose a difference from past iPhone updates, as those are not insignificant hardware updates. Existing iPhones obviously can't be given a compass or an autofocusing 3.2mp camera.

Another thing to keep in mind with iPhones is that if you're buying from AT&T, you will have to agree to a 2-year contract (just like you do with every phone). However, one aspect that isn't sometimes mentioned is that unlike any other contracted-price phone, with the iPhone you can upgrade to a new iPhone mid-contract at the reduced, new-contract price. In other words, you pay $199 today for an iPhone 2.0 w/ 2 year contract. In 6 months, if you decide you want an iPhone 3.0, you *should* be able to waltz into your nearest AT&T store and buy an iPhone 3.0 at the discounted (probably $199) price, even though you're still under contract from the original purchase.

This is different from most phones, where if you wanted to upgrade to something else while under contract you'd probably have to pay the non-contract price, which is usually considerably more expensive than the 'new-contract' price. You just end up with a new 2-year contract at the time of sale. Then you could turn around and sell the iPhone 2.0 for probably more than you paid for the new one.

Now of course, AT&T and/or Apple could change this policy. If they do, they're going to have a lot of ticked off iPhone customers, as this was the policy for V1 -> V2 iPhone upgrades.

And of course, since you're an LOLcat lover..

http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/11/11/iphone-app-for-taking-cheezburgers-to-go/

Sweet.

There *is* an app for everything!

Peter, I think you just sealed the deal for JP!

No no, it's just ice cream.

Hmmm, what happened to the cherry on my ice cream?

Too funny!!

I had a very old Samsung for several years that died couple of months ago. I was going to buy the cheapest phone available but instead bought the iphone 3G on my wife's insistence. She had a Treo and had recently changed over to iPhone 3G trough her company. I am happy with the iPhone overall. Occassional dropped calls in an area can be potentially addressed by switching off 3G (through settings -> network) and changing to 2G, according to AT&T. 3G apparently uses more bandwidth for internet and less for voice than 2G. Two issues I find with iPhone is that the speaker volume at max setting is barely enough to hear someone on the other end if there is ambient noise as in outdoors. Secondly, it should come with a protective case. I bought an Otterbox Defender which is very nice and sturdy but adds a little bulk. I like the GPS, camera, internet access, e-mail, weather aspects of the iPhone a lot. There are myriad apps available that I have not explored yet. As a phone, ironically, I think it's just OK.

I declare a conflict of interest so I'll keep this as neutral as I can.

Here is an interesting article by a tech editor who just can't decide. Soooo, it obviously won't decide for you either, but I found it interesting how he compares the best and worst of several of the most popular smart phones in his quest to find the one to rule them all.

Alll I wanted was....

Also, Google for articles on the Palm Pre. I thought Palm was dead but this product is producing a lot of rumor and chatter.

In the end, the temptations of the IStore being sooo full of dollar store apps for the Iphone makes it a hard one not to choose. Like choosing a receiver, it should depend on your priorities.

That's a pretty good article, Murph. I agree with the author.

The Palm Pre certainly has a lot of hoopla going for it. I used to love Palm's, but their lack of innovation turned me off to them. The Pre's all-new though, so it should hold promise. The major problem with it (for me) is that the only carrier for it is Sprint. I had Sprint for a while a few years back, the customer service was so lousy that I do not intend to ever go back.

The G1 is a pretty slick device too, and T-Mobile's customer service is top notch. Better than AT&T. Again, from my experience. The problem with TM is (for me!) the coverage area. In several places where I needed a phone, T-Mobile had no service and no roaming agreements - so zero phone service, which is pretty much unacceptable. Still, if I had to give up my iPhone, the G1 is where I'd be. Even if I had to buy one unlocked for use on AT&T's network.

I've used a lot of these devices. From the Sharp Zaurus ZR-5000 back in Junior High (yeah, really... I didn't get many dates...), an old Apple Newton, to a couple of Psion's in High School, to an original Palm Pilot as I went through college, to standing in line at my local Best Buy for a Compaq iPaq, then a whole torrent of devices as I've "grown up". WindowsMobile PDA's, Blackberries, Treo's, Linux Sharp Zaurii, etc. I haven't used every one of them, but I've used enough to know what works and what doesn't (again, of course, for me). Yes, I have a PDA problem.

For me, the iPhone is the best one yet. It "just works". It's the first device of it's kind I've ever had that didn't leave me with a, "yeah, but it can't do X" feeling. It does not really feel like a 'compromise' device, like every other PDA I've ever used has. And I am not an Apple fanboy, really, I'm not. But I have to give Apple credit on the iPhone - they did a nice job.

Voice quality is on par with anything else, the email works well, and the web browsing is far superior to anything else I've ever used. That's the holy trinity for me. The app store and the integration with iTunes is just icing on the cake. It's not even that expensive, compared to the $500+ that I have spent on other devices.

It's not perfect. For email and text messaging, Blackberries are still king. I don't mind the on-screen keyboard of the iPhone, but if you've really got to bang-out an email, a Blackberry is superior. Push email is still kludgy on the iPhone, where it's darn-near perfect on a BB.

And Google integration is far superior on the G1. Push GMail is probably the one feature that the iPhone lacks that is an irritation for me.

Good luck!!!

I'm a gadget hound. And for full disclosure, I'm an Apple fanboy. Some of my work 'requires' that I be a fanboy...but I honestly like Apple gear, DRM and Apple tax be dammed.

During the past 10 years, I've had various phones including the Treo 600, Nokia candy bar, Blackberry 8700c, Blackberry Curve 8310, iPhone (1st gen), and now iPhone 3g.

I've had both iPhones from launch and last year lost my iPhone 1.0. Went back to my 8310 until the iPhone 3G came out. I have to admit, going back to the Blackberry made me realize how much better RIM is at text and email, as stated before. iPhone simply isn't close. If you want an all around entertainment device with a full breadth of apps, true iPod capability, video player, etc the iPhone can't be beat. That being said, you have to live w/ the crappy 3G coverage of ATT (for now). I live in Silicon Valley and work in Santa Clara, CA. Those of us w/ iPhones struggle to get a consistent 3G signal. Google and you'll find that's true in SF, NYC and almost every metro area. ATT's 3G coverage is horrible, Verizon is WAY better. BUT, I NEVER had coverage problems when using my Blackberries. RIMs simply have better antennas and hence better coverage. Now it's not only the iPhone's 3G radio that's to blame. I just came back from 3 weeks in the Philippines and their 3G coverage makes the US look pathetic. I could get 5 bars in places where there wasn't even a hot shower for hundreds of miles. So much for capitalism and free choice in America...

iPhones are also not for everyone. My wife HATES my iPhone. She can't type on it and for her, the GUI is not intuitive. She inherited my 8310, which she LOVES, and I'll probably upgrade her to the Blackberry Bold. IMHO, the Bold (right now) is probably the best smartphone.

If you want an iPhone, wait about a month. There may be an announcement at Apple's WWWDC next week but I doubt it. My guess (and it's an unbsubstantiated guess) is that Jobs will present it at as a new product upon his return to work. Count on next week to provide the official release of iPhone 3.0 SDK which should have some slick features.

I used to LOVE Palm. I had several Palm Pilots and even helped them work on a few, up through the Palm Lifedrive. I've seen vids of the Pre and know that there's some old Apple guys working on it. It's a GREAT phone, has a lot of the things that the iPhone is missing. It goes on sale this Sat and if it was on ATT, I'd consider dropping my iPhone for it. But I don't want to switch to Sprint.

Google made a valiant effort with the G1. And the latest Cupcake update makes it better. However, I think it's got a ways to go before it's a great phone.

Okay, I'm pretty much a cheapskate/luddite in this area, so my experience may not be highly relevant.

I still like Palm. My phone is a Palm Centro, and it meets my needs better than anything out there.

My deal-killer requirement is the ability to synchronize with MS Outlook (at the desktop level) WITHOUT an expensive data plan.

I still can't find anything else that does it better.

Nobody does it better
Makes me feel sad for the rest
Nobody does it half as good as Palm
Baby, you're the best....

If you love your Palm so much (snicker, snicker), why don't you marry it?

Great. Thank you SO much for that. Now I have Carly Simon stuck in my head.

Okay, I deserved that. But not the Carly Simon.

Ah, I missed the part about websites/info.

These are what I follow on RSS:
Engadget (including their sister sites for Mobile and HD)
Gizmodo


Engadget (including mobile and HD) has about 3 audio podcasts. The main Endgadget podcast is well done. The mobile one is OK. Gdgt is run by the founders of Endgadget and they are VERY smart. I also like Gadgettes and Buzz Out Loud. They're entertaining as well. GeekBriefTV also has some interesting stuff once in a while.

Thanks, all!

Once again, the Axiomite Brain Trust (TM) comes through. I'm going to wait for the next-gen iPhone and get one after my move to Georgia next month. Augusta, GA doesn't have 3G yet, but may get it - or the new upgrade (4G?) coming after it - within the year, according to my tech friends in the area.

Sounds like a good plan.

I was recently poking around on the Howardforum thread regarding AT&T 3G deployments. There were a couple of posts regarding Augusta, GA. Someone said that AT&T's 3G service was up and running the week before this year's Masters. So they may have 3G going already.

Last Post on this page.

And a news bit...

http://entrepreneur.com/PRNewswire/release/117660.html

Wow, awesome, I feel like the kid who has the smart guy in class do his homework for him. You rock!

Cause I know you want to but don't feel you should Lolcat your own post....

No problem. I lurk around over there from time to time. Hoping in vain to see an announcement that 3G will be coming to my area soon.

And since I'm a golfer (or better, I pretend to be one), Augusta obviously has special meaning. Because of that, the little nugget of info about their 3G status got stuck in the grey matter somewhere. Don't think that I'm some 3G psychic for everywhere.

Hey, I like to memorize area codes and airport codes, so it'd be cool if you were.