To iPhone or not to iPhone...
November 9, 2007 6:02 PM Subscribe
That's not really the question, because I've already decided that I'll get one as soon as I can. However, to all iPhone-using members of the hive mind: I have some questions to ask you about the iPhone.
Quick backstory: I've lusted after the iPhone since its release, friend's brother got one for his birthday, I got to use it, and was sold on it after about ten minutes. I'm under contract with Verizon until May of 2008, at which point I plan to switch to AT&T for the sole purpose of owning an iPhone. (Well, that, and I've been unhappy with Verizon for quite some time now, but yeah.) Some questions arose that weren't answered in my time using the thing, though, so I figured I'd turn here for help.
Feel free to answer any or all of these questions as you're able to.
Regarding the service:
I'm planning to go with the $59.99/month plan as seen here. With taxes and fees and other things like that, about what does this actually come out to per month?
Are these minutes rollover minutes? I didn't see anything on the rate plans page that mentioned it.
How much more is it to add unlimited texts? I'd burn through 200 like nothing.
Does "unlimited mobile-to-mobile" include people with other carriers, or just AT&T?
How, exactly, does number portability work? Right now, I'm on a family plan with my parents, brother, and sister. Are they going to be affected in any way if I take my number with me?
How's EDGE? I used it a little bit, and it seemed to be fast enough for mostly-text pages, which is what most of my iPhone browsing would be. If it helps, I live on Long Island.
Regarding the phone itself:
What's the learning curve to become proficient with the virtual keyboard? I found myself hitting the wrong letter more than a few times, and while I imagine it's something that just takes practice, it would be nice to know how much practice I'll need.
Is it possible to set multiple numbers per contact, with one being the default? My old LG VX6000 handled this pretty well; my current Razr does not.
Regarding the device's scratchability (or lack thereof), do you use a case with your iPhone? If so, which one? If not, how scratch-resistant is it? (My phone lives by itself in my left front pants pocket.) It seemed pretty durable, but that was just from limited use with it.
And finally:
Is there something about the iPhone that makes you wish you hadn't gotten it?
Is there anything I haven't covered here that's worth knowing?
Quick backstory: I've lusted after the iPhone since its release, friend's brother got one for his birthday, I got to use it, and was sold on it after about ten minutes. I'm under contract with Verizon until May of 2008, at which point I plan to switch to AT&T for the sole purpose of owning an iPhone. (Well, that, and I've been unhappy with Verizon for quite some time now, but yeah.) Some questions arose that weren't answered in my time using the thing, though, so I figured I'd turn here for help.
Feel free to answer any or all of these questions as you're able to.
Regarding the service:
Regarding the phone itself:
And finally:
Best answer: what does this actually come out to per month?
It depends on where you live. For me, in Atlanta, it's about $9 extra in fees/taxes
Are these minutes rollover minutes?
Yes, it says so on the page you mentioned (look at the check marks)
How much more is it to add unlimited texts? I'd burn through 200 like nothing.
$10 for an extra 1300/month
$20 for unlimited
Does "unlimited mobile-to-mobile" include people with other carriers,
No, just AT&T
How, exactly, does number portability work?
You need to sign up for the new plan before you drop the old one, and talk to AT&T about porting your number. Sometimes this can be a painful process which takes days.
Also, I don't know if you want to only port your number to AT&T or others, but I am pretty sure both are possible.
How's EDGE?
It can be painfully slow if you have a low cell signal or if you're on a bandwidth-rich website. But it's usable.
What's the learning curve to become proficient with the virtual keyboard?
Once you get used to it, it's much faster than T9 or 10-digit text dialing, at least from my experience. You become skilled at knowing when to cancel the auto-suggest, and you learn which keys are problematic (particularly the ones on the edge).
do you use a case with your iPhone?
No, the screen is glass, so it never scratches (from my experience). I've been storing it in my pocket for a month, and it still looks brand new.
Is there something about the iPhone that makes you wish you hadn't gotten it?
I hate the 2 year contract, especially since I just found out I'm going to be leaving the country for 6 months.
posted by helios at 6:19 PM on November 9, 2007
It depends on where you live. For me, in Atlanta, it's about $9 extra in fees/taxes
Are these minutes rollover minutes?
Yes, it says so on the page you mentioned (look at the check marks)
How much more is it to add unlimited texts? I'd burn through 200 like nothing.
$10 for an extra 1300/month
$20 for unlimited
Does "unlimited mobile-to-mobile" include people with other carriers,
No, just AT&T
How, exactly, does number portability work?
You need to sign up for the new plan before you drop the old one, and talk to AT&T about porting your number. Sometimes this can be a painful process which takes days.
Also, I don't know if you want to only port your number to AT&T or others, but I am pretty sure both are possible.
How's EDGE?
It can be painfully slow if you have a low cell signal or if you're on a bandwidth-rich website. But it's usable.
What's the learning curve to become proficient with the virtual keyboard?
Once you get used to it, it's much faster than T9 or 10-digit text dialing, at least from my experience. You become skilled at knowing when to cancel the auto-suggest, and you learn which keys are problematic (particularly the ones on the edge).
do you use a case with your iPhone?
No, the screen is glass, so it never scratches (from my experience). I've been storing it in my pocket for a month, and it still looks brand new.
Is there something about the iPhone that makes you wish you hadn't gotten it?
I hate the 2 year contract, especially since I just found out I'm going to be leaving the country for 6 months.
posted by helios at 6:19 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: Oh, you can set multiple numbers for a contact, but I'm not sure about "default". If you click on the contact to dial, it goes into "detail" mode and you can choose the specific number you want to dial.
And to answer your last question - it's not the greatest phone on earth to use an an actual phone. The sound quality is mediocre, both listening and speaking. My previous phone (a Razr2 V8) was incredible in terms of call quality, so that was kind of a letdown. I don't regret buying the iPhone though, because it more than makes up for its flaws by being superior in other ways (iPod built-in, battery life, high-res screen, email/safari, keyboard, intuitive UI, etc).
posted by helios at 6:28 PM on November 9, 2007
And to answer your last question - it's not the greatest phone on earth to use an an actual phone. The sound quality is mediocre, both listening and speaking. My previous phone (a Razr2 V8) was incredible in terms of call quality, so that was kind of a letdown. I don't regret buying the iPhone though, because it more than makes up for its flaws by being superior in other ways (iPod built-in, battery life, high-res screen, email/safari, keyboard, intuitive UI, etc).
posted by helios at 6:28 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: I upgraded the SMS bucket to 1500 and my bill with taxes and fees and surcharges and whatnot comes to $80/month
Minutes rollover.
I think unlimited mobile to mobile is just to other ATT customers. But really, I don't pay much attention to the bill and who is on what network.
Edge is fine for sites like Metafilter and other text heavy sites. A bonus of iPhone not having Flash is that sites with a lot of Flash and ads aren't filled with crap. Still, I'll bookmark mobile versions of sites just to get the load times faster. I've had to spend some time in waiting rooms lately and being able to browse the internet to kill time has been great.
My iPhone isn't in a case and if I wipe off the glass with my sleeve it looks just as nice as it did the day I took it out of the box. I keep my phone in my pocket and although i don't do it on purpose, I sometimes stuff it in my pocket with my car keys. No scratches.
I've gotten pretty proficient using the keyboard, it really does learn your typing and the dictionary learns well. I've made long posts on website and longer emails on without much retyping. It would be awesome if it could cut and paste, but not yet.
There's nothing about the phone that I would make me undo buying it. I was reluctant to switch to ATT and getting into a contract... and having a locked down phone, but I haven't had a problem.
The only thing I don't like is the camera. It just sucks in low light. I was very spoiled with my Sony Ericsson K800's 3.2mp camera with a flash, burst mode, video, and many camera features. The iPhone's camera is like a turn of the century cameraphone. Again, it wasn't a deal killer for me, but it is the one weakness.
posted by birdherder at 6:33 PM on November 9, 2007
Minutes rollover.
I think unlimited mobile to mobile is just to other ATT customers. But really, I don't pay much attention to the bill and who is on what network.
Edge is fine for sites like Metafilter and other text heavy sites. A bonus of iPhone not having Flash is that sites with a lot of Flash and ads aren't filled with crap. Still, I'll bookmark mobile versions of sites just to get the load times faster. I've had to spend some time in waiting rooms lately and being able to browse the internet to kill time has been great.
My iPhone isn't in a case and if I wipe off the glass with my sleeve it looks just as nice as it did the day I took it out of the box. I keep my phone in my pocket and although i don't do it on purpose, I sometimes stuff it in my pocket with my car keys. No scratches.
I've gotten pretty proficient using the keyboard, it really does learn your typing and the dictionary learns well. I've made long posts on website and longer emails on without much retyping. It would be awesome if it could cut and paste, but not yet.
There's nothing about the phone that I would make me undo buying it. I was reluctant to switch to ATT and getting into a contract... and having a locked down phone, but I haven't had a problem.
The only thing I don't like is the camera. It just sucks in low light. I was very spoiled with my Sony Ericsson K800's 3.2mp camera with a flash, burst mode, video, and many camera features. The iPhone's camera is like a turn of the century cameraphone. Again, it wasn't a deal killer for me, but it is the one weakness.
posted by birdherder at 6:33 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: There is an iChat-like application that makes it look like you're chatting with another person over AIM. In fact, though, what you're doing is sending SMSes, one for every time you hit return. You can burn through 200 SMSes in 1 conversation. There is no native app to use IM protocols like AIM over EDGE and Apple keeps closing the doors on the people who develop websites to let iPhone users onto the AIM network. Presumably this was done to keep AT&T happy about their SMS revenues, but I think it's absolutely moronic and it is a dealbreaker for me.
posted by ikkyu2 at 7:02 PM on November 9, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by ikkyu2 at 7:02 PM on November 9, 2007 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Does "unlimited mobile-to-mobile" include people with other carriers, or just AT&T?
Just AT&T, to my knowledge.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:06 PM on November 9, 2007
Just AT&T, to my knowledge.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:06 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: My taxes/fees make my bill $66.21 with that plan.
EDGE: I think it depends on where you live. I live in Metro Boston and it's quite good. Of course, I've never had a 3G phone (went straight from a dinky little free-after-rebate Motorola to the iPhone), so it was pretty much a step up in every respect, but it really doesn't bother me. I find it more than acceptable.
Default numbers: mpls2 is correct... however, if you make someone a "favorite" contact you choose which specific number they're favorited under, and if you pick their name from the favorites list it dials that specific number.
Keyboard: I've gotten pretty good at it. I still make typos frustratingly often, though. The autocorrection is marvelous. Not 100% perfect, but the best thing like that that I've ever used.
Screen & Case: Beautiful, no scratches, no problems. It gets smudged, but it's easy enough to clean, and the screen is so bright that it's very hard to see the smudges regardless. I don't need a case, but I have a fairly run-of-the-mill Griffin leather clip one from the Apple Store that I got as a gift, and it's fine.
Dislikes: the missing features that are standard for phones of this class. If it had MMS, IM, and notes/to-do syncing, I would have no complaints. MMS is a small feature, but the way it's implemented (or non-implemented) on this phone is an utter embarrassment--it sends you to this AT&T "legacy phone" website, which doesn't even work over EDGE, with no link in the message, so you have to type in the temporary login/password they give you by hand. I usually view MMS directly on my Mac because it's not worth the hassle to view them on the phone. (And some people argue that there's no IM because AT&T wants text message money, but... if that's so, why did even my stupid little Motorola come with AIM installed?) It's frustrating that there have been four updates with next to nothing in substantial software features added. iTunes Wi-Fi is okay, but the most stable wi-fi connection I have is at home, where it just makes more sense to buy it on my Mac.
Gripes aside, I actually feel better about the purchase now than I did when I made it (day after launch). It's an incredibly nice phone, and the email alone has made it indispensable. The third party apps announcement, even though the actual development is a few months off, makes me feel pretty good about its future.
posted by Kosh at 7:06 PM on November 9, 2007
EDGE: I think it depends on where you live. I live in Metro Boston and it's quite good. Of course, I've never had a 3G phone (went straight from a dinky little free-after-rebate Motorola to the iPhone), so it was pretty much a step up in every respect, but it really doesn't bother me. I find it more than acceptable.
Default numbers: mpls2 is correct... however, if you make someone a "favorite" contact you choose which specific number they're favorited under, and if you pick their name from the favorites list it dials that specific number.
Keyboard: I've gotten pretty good at it. I still make typos frustratingly often, though. The autocorrection is marvelous. Not 100% perfect, but the best thing like that that I've ever used.
Screen & Case: Beautiful, no scratches, no problems. It gets smudged, but it's easy enough to clean, and the screen is so bright that it's very hard to see the smudges regardless. I don't need a case, but I have a fairly run-of-the-mill Griffin leather clip one from the Apple Store that I got as a gift, and it's fine.
Dislikes: the missing features that are standard for phones of this class. If it had MMS, IM, and notes/to-do syncing, I would have no complaints. MMS is a small feature, but the way it's implemented (or non-implemented) on this phone is an utter embarrassment--it sends you to this AT&T "legacy phone" website, which doesn't even work over EDGE, with no link in the message, so you have to type in the temporary login/password they give you by hand. I usually view MMS directly on my Mac because it's not worth the hassle to view them on the phone. (And some people argue that there's no IM because AT&T wants text message money, but... if that's so, why did even my stupid little Motorola come with AIM installed?) It's frustrating that there have been four updates with next to nothing in substantial software features added. iTunes Wi-Fi is okay, but the most stable wi-fi connection I have is at home, where it just makes more sense to buy it on my Mac.
Gripes aside, I actually feel better about the purchase now than I did when I made it (day after launch). It's an incredibly nice phone, and the email alone has made it indispensable. The third party apps announcement, even though the actual development is a few months off, makes me feel pretty good about its future.
posted by Kosh at 7:06 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: There is an iChat-like application that makes it look like you're chatting with another person over AIM.
This is a complete aside but I saw that feature and loved it on PalmOS for simple SMS. Well, not the paying per return bit, but the threaded conversation. I was thinking of an iphone or a PalmOS just for that. Then someone told me that Palm had implemented it for their Windows devices. Then I found that the CAB installs pretty painlessly on Windows phones and gives you threading. So that was nice.
posted by meehawl at 7:56 PM on November 9, 2007
This is a complete aside but I saw that feature and loved it on PalmOS for simple SMS. Well, not the paying per return bit, but the threaded conversation. I was thinking of an iphone or a PalmOS just for that. Then someone told me that Palm had implemented it for their Windows devices. Then I found that the CAB installs pretty painlessly on Windows phones and gives you threading. So that was nice.
posted by meehawl at 7:56 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: (helios, I think if you leave the country for 6 months you may be able to get out of your contract.)
I generally find EDGE fast enough to be useful, but often slow enough to be frustrating.
I have a rubber sleeve case. I originally bought it because it has a hard plastic peice that can clip on to protect the screen in situations where I might not be able to avoid something pressing or grinding against it. These days though I just use it for a little added grip, but I'm planning on ditching it because it has grown loose and flabby.
I'm still a little iffy on the keyboard, even after 4 months, but it works well enough. I find I type best if I can type with my index fingers in landscape mode.
If you aren't going to get an iPhone until May 08, and they haven't released a 3G version by then, I'd suggest waiting a little bit, because I think there is a good chance there will be a 3G version out by mid-summer.
One option is to sign up with AT&T and get a subsidized phone (which you can later sell or use as a backup), then, when the 3G iPhone is out, get one. Under the current terms, you 2 year would be restarted once you added the iPhone. Actually, you might want to take this strategy whether or not you wait for a 3G phone (assuming AT&T doesn't start subsidizing the iPhone).
posted by Good Brain at 8:02 PM on November 9, 2007
I generally find EDGE fast enough to be useful, but often slow enough to be frustrating.
I have a rubber sleeve case. I originally bought it because it has a hard plastic peice that can clip on to protect the screen in situations where I might not be able to avoid something pressing or grinding against it. These days though I just use it for a little added grip, but I'm planning on ditching it because it has grown loose and flabby.
I'm still a little iffy on the keyboard, even after 4 months, but it works well enough. I find I type best if I can type with my index fingers in landscape mode.
If you aren't going to get an iPhone until May 08, and they haven't released a 3G version by then, I'd suggest waiting a little bit, because I think there is a good chance there will be a 3G version out by mid-summer.
One option is to sign up with AT&T and get a subsidized phone (which you can later sell or use as a backup), then, when the 3G iPhone is out, get one. Under the current terms, you 2 year would be restarted once you added the iPhone. Actually, you might want to take this strategy whether or not you wait for a 3G phone (assuming AT&T doesn't start subsidizing the iPhone).
posted by Good Brain at 8:02 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: I'm planning to go with the $59.99/month plan as seen here. With taxes and fees and other things like that, about what does this actually come out to per month?
For that plan, expect to pay about $75 after taxes and fees. Furthermore, you might be surprised at the size of your first bill; expect to pay for one month + (1 regular monthly bill * number of days until next full month's billing period starts/30) + $36 activation fee. My first bill was on that plan, and I had 17 days in my first partial month, so it was $153.78.
Furthermore, I encourage you to sign up for the first plan that has more minutes than you'll be using. Overage minutes for the plan you've chosen are $0.45 each. My second bill was almost $200 higher, for just 400 minutes of overage, which was a very unpleasant surprise. I knew I was going over but I had no idea it was going to be a dollar for every couple of minutes. I immediately switched up to the next plan. Also, the plan you're thinking about doesn't give you unlimited nights and weekends. You might as well get one that does, don't you think?
Are these minutes rollover minutes? I didn't see anything on the rate plans page that mentioned it.
Yes, they're rollover minutes. I have about 200 built up now.
How much more is it to add unlimited texts? I'd burn through 200 like nothing.
$20. Or just $10 for 1500 more texts (which is what I have). My most recent total bill is $106.92, for the $79 plan + $10 for 1500 texts + taxes and fees. I consider this just about reasonable. It's definitely not a bargain, but I'm OK with it.
Does “unlimited mobile-to-mobile” include people with other carriers, or just AT&T?
Only AT&T. If you also have an AT&T landline and DSL, and you add an iPhone plan to it, they'll also give you free calling to all AT&T landlines.
How, exactly, does number portability work? Right now, I'm on a family plan with my parents, brother, and sister. Are they going to be affected in any way if I take my number with me?
There's no reason for them to be affected.
How's EDGE? I used it a little bit, and it seemed to be fast enough for mostly-text pages, which is what most of my iPhone browsing would be. If it helps, I live on Long Island.
It's awful. Really really poky. God, I hate it. But the fact that you're using it on an iPhone basically softens the sting. It's slow, but so what? Would you rather be using some Windows Mobile miscarriage on a 3G network? Get your iPhone and be happy. When you're on WiFi it's really fast, and when you're not, for instance you're in a car or whatever, you WILL get the information you need. Typically you're not trying to watch YouTube or surf the net in your car, you're just looking for the place you're going on Google Maps. It'll be slow but tolerable. I rate the speed of EDGE a C+. Or as Good Brain said above, “fast enough to be useful, slow enough to be irritating”.
What's the learning curve to become proficient with the virtual keyboard? I found myself hitting the wrong letter more than a few times, and while I imagine it's something that just takes practice, it would be nice to know how much practice I'll need.
You'll just keep getting better all the time. I mean, I was already really fast with it on day 3, but I'm still getting faster almost four months later. My favorite tip is to internalize the fact that iPhone doesn't take the action till you've released the button. So sometimes when you make a typo your brain knows it before you've let go of the key…just don't let go, and slide your finger over to the right one! Bam. Also, allow yourself to rely on the autocorrect, it's really uncannily good. If I start typing some long word and I've got three letters wrong already, I just keep going and pretty soon the autocorrect notices me screwing up and fixes it for me.
Is it possible to set multiple numbers per contact, with one being the default? My old LG VX6000 handled this pretty well; my current Razr does not.
Yes. iPhone's handling of this is very smooth. The default is very simply the most recent number you used. So if you tap a person's name, it will dial the last number you used. If you tap the triangle arrow thingy to choose a different number to dial, that's what it'll dial next time. I like this because it behaves like real objects. If I put a glass down on a table, it'll stay there. It won't be somewhere else the next time I enter the room because that was the default I'd set. The default is whatever my last action was.
Regarding the device's scratchability (or lack thereof), do you use a case with your iPhone? If so, which one? If not, how scratch-resistant is it? (My phone lives by itself in my left front pants pocket.) It seemed pretty durable, but that was just from limited use with it.
I bought one of the InCase cases from the Apple Store along with my iPhone. I stopped using it after the first week and the second time I dropped it when it wasn't in its case. The damn thing is really durable. I now just carry the phone naked in my pocket with keys and random crap, and nothing bad happens to it. I gave the InCase thing to the next new iPhone owner in my circle of friends, to prevent him from wasting $20 buying his own case and then not using it. He's now going to give it to the next person he converts…it's kind of funny. I did get the screen protector, because aside from protecting the touchscreen, it makes the glass feel smoother and silkier to the bare fingers, and increases the pleasant tactile sensation of using the phone. I recommend it to you.
Putting the lie to my previous proclamation that the phone doesn't need a case, I did recently buy another one. But not to protect the phone. I bought it to look stylish, because I saw it at the coffeeshop, asked its owner about it, and immediately had to have one. Handmade leather. Nice stuff. Be patient, it'll take them a few weeks to make yours. Vaja cases
Is there something about the iPhone that makes you wish you hadn't gotten it?
No way, are you nuts? It's my favorite belonging, my little helper, and a marvelous wonder.
Is there anything I haven't covered here that's worth knowing?
Uh…I assume you know most commonly-known facts about the iPhone, but here goes. MobileSafari crashes a lot. There's no Flash. There's no Java. Apple's Bluetooth headset looks sexy, but it has this weird effect: the people you're talking to can hear everything around you better than you can. Also, if you lose the earpiece, you have to re-buy the whole $129 kit even though you already have the charging dock, cable, etc—Apple won't sell you just the earpiece. Get a third party Bluetooth headset that will dampen out background/environmental noises, both for the quality of your phone calls and for your own privacy. The component/composite cables for playing video on your iPhone on any TV are a must-have, in my opinion. Apple has incredible customer service for iPhone issues: just walk into a store and ask to see a genius about your iPhone. Odds are they'll fix your problem on the spot by replacing your hardware. One time, a friend who travels for a living had a problem with his bluetooth earpiece. He didn't have a receipt or anything because he was on the road. We called the Apple Store and told them the problem. They said come right in (no having to make a Genius Bar appointment like you do for Mac issues). We showed up about an hour later, and some guy met us at the door and said “are you the guys who called about…”–this was not the girl who had answered the phone. They escorted us to the Genius Bar, switched out his hardware for a new unit, and sent us on our way within five minutes. It made us feel like rock stars. As I remarked to my friend at the time, “When's the last time you felt really, really good after dealing with a manufacturer's return/warranty service process?”
posted by evariste at 9:59 PM on November 9, 2007
For that plan, expect to pay about $75 after taxes and fees. Furthermore, you might be surprised at the size of your first bill; expect to pay for one month + (1 regular monthly bill * number of days until next full month's billing period starts/30) + $36 activation fee. My first bill was on that plan, and I had 17 days in my first partial month, so it was $153.78.
Furthermore, I encourage you to sign up for the first plan that has more minutes than you'll be using. Overage minutes for the plan you've chosen are $0.45 each. My second bill was almost $200 higher, for just 400 minutes of overage, which was a very unpleasant surprise. I knew I was going over but I had no idea it was going to be a dollar for every couple of minutes. I immediately switched up to the next plan. Also, the plan you're thinking about doesn't give you unlimited nights and weekends. You might as well get one that does, don't you think?
Are these minutes rollover minutes? I didn't see anything on the rate plans page that mentioned it.
Yes, they're rollover minutes. I have about 200 built up now.
How much more is it to add unlimited texts? I'd burn through 200 like nothing.
$20. Or just $10 for 1500 more texts (which is what I have). My most recent total bill is $106.92, for the $79 plan + $10 for 1500 texts + taxes and fees. I consider this just about reasonable. It's definitely not a bargain, but I'm OK with it.
Does “unlimited mobile-to-mobile” include people with other carriers, or just AT&T?
Only AT&T. If you also have an AT&T landline and DSL, and you add an iPhone plan to it, they'll also give you free calling to all AT&T landlines.
How, exactly, does number portability work? Right now, I'm on a family plan with my parents, brother, and sister. Are they going to be affected in any way if I take my number with me?
There's no reason for them to be affected.
How's EDGE? I used it a little bit, and it seemed to be fast enough for mostly-text pages, which is what most of my iPhone browsing would be. If it helps, I live on Long Island.
It's awful. Really really poky. God, I hate it. But the fact that you're using it on an iPhone basically softens the sting. It's slow, but so what? Would you rather be using some Windows Mobile miscarriage on a 3G network? Get your iPhone and be happy. When you're on WiFi it's really fast, and when you're not, for instance you're in a car or whatever, you WILL get the information you need. Typically you're not trying to watch YouTube or surf the net in your car, you're just looking for the place you're going on Google Maps. It'll be slow but tolerable. I rate the speed of EDGE a C+. Or as Good Brain said above, “fast enough to be useful, slow enough to be irritating”.
What's the learning curve to become proficient with the virtual keyboard? I found myself hitting the wrong letter more than a few times, and while I imagine it's something that just takes practice, it would be nice to know how much practice I'll need.
You'll just keep getting better all the time. I mean, I was already really fast with it on day 3, but I'm still getting faster almost four months later. My favorite tip is to internalize the fact that iPhone doesn't take the action till you've released the button. So sometimes when you make a typo your brain knows it before you've let go of the key…just don't let go, and slide your finger over to the right one! Bam. Also, allow yourself to rely on the autocorrect, it's really uncannily good. If I start typing some long word and I've got three letters wrong already, I just keep going and pretty soon the autocorrect notices me screwing up and fixes it for me.
Is it possible to set multiple numbers per contact, with one being the default? My old LG VX6000 handled this pretty well; my current Razr does not.
Yes. iPhone's handling of this is very smooth. The default is very simply the most recent number you used. So if you tap a person's name, it will dial the last number you used. If you tap the triangle arrow thingy to choose a different number to dial, that's what it'll dial next time. I like this because it behaves like real objects. If I put a glass down on a table, it'll stay there. It won't be somewhere else the next time I enter the room because that was the default I'd set. The default is whatever my last action was.
Regarding the device's scratchability (or lack thereof), do you use a case with your iPhone? If so, which one? If not, how scratch-resistant is it? (My phone lives by itself in my left front pants pocket.) It seemed pretty durable, but that was just from limited use with it.
I bought one of the InCase cases from the Apple Store along with my iPhone. I stopped using it after the first week and the second time I dropped it when it wasn't in its case. The damn thing is really durable. I now just carry the phone naked in my pocket with keys and random crap, and nothing bad happens to it. I gave the InCase thing to the next new iPhone owner in my circle of friends, to prevent him from wasting $20 buying his own case and then not using it. He's now going to give it to the next person he converts…it's kind of funny. I did get the screen protector, because aside from protecting the touchscreen, it makes the glass feel smoother and silkier to the bare fingers, and increases the pleasant tactile sensation of using the phone. I recommend it to you.
Putting the lie to my previous proclamation that the phone doesn't need a case, I did recently buy another one. But not to protect the phone. I bought it to look stylish, because I saw it at the coffeeshop, asked its owner about it, and immediately had to have one. Handmade leather. Nice stuff. Be patient, it'll take them a few weeks to make yours. Vaja cases
Is there something about the iPhone that makes you wish you hadn't gotten it?
No way, are you nuts? It's my favorite belonging, my little helper, and a marvelous wonder.
Is there anything I haven't covered here that's worth knowing?
Uh…I assume you know most commonly-known facts about the iPhone, but here goes. MobileSafari crashes a lot. There's no Flash. There's no Java. Apple's Bluetooth headset looks sexy, but it has this weird effect: the people you're talking to can hear everything around you better than you can. Also, if you lose the earpiece, you have to re-buy the whole $129 kit even though you already have the charging dock, cable, etc—Apple won't sell you just the earpiece. Get a third party Bluetooth headset that will dampen out background/environmental noises, both for the quality of your phone calls and for your own privacy. The component/composite cables for playing video on your iPhone on any TV are a must-have, in my opinion. Apple has incredible customer service for iPhone issues: just walk into a store and ask to see a genius about your iPhone. Odds are they'll fix your problem on the spot by replacing your hardware. One time, a friend who travels for a living had a problem with his bluetooth earpiece. He didn't have a receipt or anything because he was on the road. We called the Apple Store and told them the problem. They said come right in (no having to make a Genius Bar appointment like you do for Mac issues). We showed up about an hour later, and some guy met us at the door and said “are you the guys who called about…”–this was not the girl who had answered the phone. They escorted us to the Genius Bar, switched out his hardware for a new unit, and sent us on our way within five minutes. It made us feel like rock stars. As I remarked to my friend at the time, “When's the last time you felt really, really good after dealing with a manufacturer's return/warranty service process?”
posted by evariste at 9:59 PM on November 9, 2007
Response by poster: This is already more thorough than I'd hoped. Thank you all for the answers so far.
A few quick things to reply to:
Yes, it says so on the page you mentioned (look at the check marks)
Well...don't I feel dumb...
There is an iChat-like application that makes it look like you're chatting with another person over AIM. In fact, though, what you're doing is sending SMSes, one for every time you hit return. You can burn through 200 SMSes in 1 conversation. There is no native app to use IM protocols like AIM over EDGE and Apple keeps closing the doors on the people who develop websites to let iPhone users onto the AIM network. Presumably this was done to keep AT&T happy about their SMS revenues, but I think it's absolutely moronic and it is a dealbreaker for me.
I tested Meebo on my friend's brother's iPhone, and it seemed pretty nice. Trillian Astra also has an iPhone interface that looks pretty nice, although I didn't get a chance to try that one out. Either way, the amount of time I'd spend IMing someone when I'm not at my computer doesn't figure to be very much.
If you aren't going to get an iPhone until May 08, and they haven't released a 3G version by then, I'd suggest waiting a little bit, because I think there is a good chance there will be a 3G version out by mid-summer.
I had said that originally (also, that I'd wait until it had more memory and a GPS), and I'm guessing that by the time I'm done with my Verizon contract there will be a 3G iPhone (I could see this being announced at MacWorld, the same way the iPhone was), but if I wait until the perfect Apple product comes out, I'll never get one. So we'll see what the iPhone landscape looks like in May.
Furthermore, I encourage you to sign up for the first plan that has more minutes than you'll be using. Overage minutes for the plan you've chosen are $0.45 each. My second bill was almost $200 higher, for just 400 minutes of overage, which was a very unpleasant surprise. I knew I was going over but I had no idea it was going to be a dollar for every couple of minutes. I immediately switched up to the next plan. Also, the plan you're thinking about doesn't give you unlimited nights and weekends. You might as well get one that does, don't you think?
At first, I was pretty sure I'd go for the $79.99 plan. However, I went back over the last year and a half's worth of cellphone bills, and I've never gone anywhere NEAR the allotments for the $59.99 plan. When I'm home, I almost always use the house phone, and I really only use my cell phone as a phone on occasion when I'm out. Most of my conversations are done via SMS, with an occasional call that doesn't last more than a few minutes. I think I'll be okay with the $59.99 plan; if my phoning habits change drastically between now and May, I'll reconsider.
Putting the lie to my previous proclamation that the phone doesn't need a case, I did recently buy another one. But not to protect the phone. I bought it to look stylish, because I saw it at the coffeeshop, asked its owner about it, and immediately had to have one. Handmade leather. Nice stuff. Be patient, it'll take them a few weeks to make yours. Vaja cases
I have a Vaja case for my iPod. Love it. If I decide I want a case for my iPhone, I think I'll get a Vaja again. Which one do you have, evariste?
posted by phaded at 11:30 PM on November 9, 2007
A few quick things to reply to:
Yes, it says so on the page you mentioned (look at the check marks)
Well...don't I feel dumb...
There is an iChat-like application that makes it look like you're chatting with another person over AIM. In fact, though, what you're doing is sending SMSes, one for every time you hit return. You can burn through 200 SMSes in 1 conversation. There is no native app to use IM protocols like AIM over EDGE and Apple keeps closing the doors on the people who develop websites to let iPhone users onto the AIM network. Presumably this was done to keep AT&T happy about their SMS revenues, but I think it's absolutely moronic and it is a dealbreaker for me.
I tested Meebo on my friend's brother's iPhone, and it seemed pretty nice. Trillian Astra also has an iPhone interface that looks pretty nice, although I didn't get a chance to try that one out. Either way, the amount of time I'd spend IMing someone when I'm not at my computer doesn't figure to be very much.
If you aren't going to get an iPhone until May 08, and they haven't released a 3G version by then, I'd suggest waiting a little bit, because I think there is a good chance there will be a 3G version out by mid-summer.
I had said that originally (also, that I'd wait until it had more memory and a GPS), and I'm guessing that by the time I'm done with my Verizon contract there will be a 3G iPhone (I could see this being announced at MacWorld, the same way the iPhone was), but if I wait until the perfect Apple product comes out, I'll never get one. So we'll see what the iPhone landscape looks like in May.
Furthermore, I encourage you to sign up for the first plan that has more minutes than you'll be using. Overage minutes for the plan you've chosen are $0.45 each. My second bill was almost $200 higher, for just 400 minutes of overage, which was a very unpleasant surprise. I knew I was going over but I had no idea it was going to be a dollar for every couple of minutes. I immediately switched up to the next plan. Also, the plan you're thinking about doesn't give you unlimited nights and weekends. You might as well get one that does, don't you think?
At first, I was pretty sure I'd go for the $79.99 plan. However, I went back over the last year and a half's worth of cellphone bills, and I've never gone anywhere NEAR the allotments for the $59.99 plan. When I'm home, I almost always use the house phone, and I really only use my cell phone as a phone on occasion when I'm out. Most of my conversations are done via SMS, with an occasional call that doesn't last more than a few minutes. I think I'll be okay with the $59.99 plan; if my phoning habits change drastically between now and May, I'll reconsider.
Putting the lie to my previous proclamation that the phone doesn't need a case, I did recently buy another one. But not to protect the phone. I bought it to look stylish, because I saw it at the coffeeshop, asked its owner about it, and immediately had to have one. Handmade leather. Nice stuff. Be patient, it'll take them a few weeks to make yours. Vaja cases
I have a Vaja case for my iPod. Love it. If I decide I want a case for my iPhone, I think I'll get a Vaja again. Which one do you have, evariste?
posted by phaded at 11:30 PM on November 9, 2007
I'm on the $60/month plan: $40 voice. $20 all-you-can-eat-data. More minutes than I can use, rollover doncha know.
Trust the keyboard. I have looked over my old IM messages sent while wicked drunk and am astounded at how I flew over paragraph sized missives with nary a typo. I'm certain it's auto correct feature, unlike other phones that look for misspellings, use geography (what keys were you close to?) as the yardstick.
Case, schmase. I've been carrying mine in my Levi's pockets, sliding it across bars, letting it rattle of of amps, rolling over itin my sleep-nary a scratch. The thing is hardy.
Probs? The camera sucks. cCn't send pictures. Can't move files. Can't use it as a bluetooth drive (ouch) or modem (double-ouch). Still, it just rocks. I do so much so fast. I've looked up chords on a gig, flipped it sideways, put it on my music stand, and got through a song in a pinch. cool.
posted by sourwookie at 12:57 AM on November 10, 2007
Trust the keyboard. I have looked over my old IM messages sent while wicked drunk and am astounded at how I flew over paragraph sized missives with nary a typo. I'm certain it's auto correct feature, unlike other phones that look for misspellings, use geography (what keys were you close to?) as the yardstick.
Case, schmase. I've been carrying mine in my Levi's pockets, sliding it across bars, letting it rattle of of amps, rolling over itin my sleep-nary a scratch. The thing is hardy.
Probs? The camera sucks. cCn't send pictures. Can't move files. Can't use it as a bluetooth drive (ouch) or modem (double-ouch). Still, it just rocks. I do so much so fast. I've looked up chords on a gig, flipped it sideways, put it on my music stand, and got through a song in a pinch. cool.
posted by sourwookie at 12:57 AM on November 10, 2007
Just to add to sourwookie, it can send pictures via email, just not via MMS text.
posted by shinynewnick at 7:00 AM on November 10, 2007
posted by shinynewnick at 7:00 AM on November 10, 2007
You can't send SMS to multiple recipients
No bluetooth keyboard, or anything except headsets
No listening to your music with a bluetooth headset
No flash, java, 3rd party apps (yet)
No ToDo list
No syncing of notes
No RemoteDesktop/VNC (except with a hack)
No customizing sounds (except with a hack)
No video with the camera
No scratches.
The speaker volume is lousy.
I still love mine, it's the best phone I've ever owned, and I'm used to getting a new phone every few months.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:54 AM on November 10, 2007 [1 favorite]
No bluetooth keyboard, or anything except headsets
No listening to your music with a bluetooth headset
No flash, java, 3rd party apps (yet)
No ToDo list
No syncing of notes
No RemoteDesktop/VNC (except with a hack)
No customizing sounds (except with a hack)
No video with the camera
No scratches.
The speaker volume is lousy.
I still love mine, it's the best phone I've ever owned, and I'm used to getting a new phone every few months.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:54 AM on November 10, 2007 [1 favorite]
phaded-I linked to the one I got (the iVolution holster). I like the red with the white stripe. For some reason it reminds me of something related to the early days of aviation, I think it's really classy.
posted by evariste at 4:15 PM on November 10, 2007
posted by evariste at 4:15 PM on November 10, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
- I don't use the keyboard that much, but I definitely don't "trust" it, like Apple wants me to. I punch each letter carefully, and I still make mistakes (and I have relatively small fingers).
- It is possible to set multiple numbers per contact, but there is no concept of a "default" number on the iPhone... you always have to pick the one you want to call when you select the contact.
- You can't really scratch it... it's mostly aluminum and glass
- There are minor annoyances, but I thoroughly love my iPhone.
posted by mpls2 at 6:12 PM on November 9, 2007