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LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
#261974 05/31/09 04:57 PM
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medic8r Offline OP
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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!


Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.
Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
medic8r #261975 05/31/09 05:02 PM
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2. There's no such thing as a good cellphone. You'll have to carry around a landline. Megaphones are a close second.

Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
CV #261976 05/31/09 05:03 PM
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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.

Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
CV #261977 05/31/09 05:04 PM
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medic8r Offline OP
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At the next meeting of the Brain Trust, I think I have to crack some heads.


Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.
Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
CV #261978 05/31/09 05:06 PM
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 Originally Posted By: CV
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.

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


Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.
Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
medic8r #261979 05/31/09 05:07 PM
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I thought the Brain Trust was disbanded, or at least eternally on vacation.

Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
medic8r #262028 06/01/09 01:02 AM
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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".

Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
medic8r #262032 06/01/09 02:13 AM
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 Originally Posted By: medic8r

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


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. ;\)

 Quote:

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.


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.

 Quote:

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!


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!

Last edited by PeterChenoweth; 06/01/09 02:20 AM. Reason: Fixed Links

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Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
PeterChenoweth #262038 06/01/09 03:56 AM
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medic8r Offline OP
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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!


Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.
Re: LOLcat lover seeks cell phone advice
medic8r #262039 06/01/09 04:04 AM
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I think we should give PeterC a raise. He does nice work.


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