The IPhone is totally awesome oh my gawd thread

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 7:31 pm

PRBoom wrote:What cases are you folks using? I just ordered the Capsule Rebel from Switcheasy.com on Friday.

After going to their website and watching reviews I ordered the Switcheasy Capsule Neo. Good stuff.

http://switcheasy.com/products/Neo/Neo.html

Wilk5280 · Post by **Wilk5280** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:52 pm

Diablo25 wrote:
PRBoom wrote:What cases are you folks using? I just ordered the Capsule Rebel from Switcheasy.com on Friday.
Let me know how good that case is...it looks pretty nice. I have a Seidio one for my 3G and its ok...not as good as the one I had for my 1st Gen iPhone.

Got the case in the other day and forgot to come back here and let you know how I like it....sorry about that.

I absolutely love the case. However, had I known one thing I think I would have gotten a different color from the Arctic. With the Arctic there's a little bit of what looks like a watermark (for lack of better term) on the backside. This is something you would never even know about using black or one of the solid colors.

As for protection and feel I'm not sure it can be beat.

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:12 pm

I got my Neo yesterday and it is a very nice case. Very stable. I tell you what, you get alot of bang for your buck. You get the case (which is top notch), 2 screen protectors (which normally cost like $15 for a pack of 3) and a nice stand for watching videos with your iPhone. Impressive.

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 11:18 am

I was ready to get an iPhone, I mean in the store with the phones and money out ready to make the transaction. Suddenly the salesman tells me he can't give me the phones for the quoted $199, but they had to be $399 because we weren't close enough to the end of our contract. Keep in mind he had already quoted us the $199.

So I'm not happy, but no way I'm paying that price so I tell him to forget it. In their excitement to get a sale however, they had already deleted my old account. My plan had some special unlimited data plan on it that for some reason no one at AT&T knows about. The last time they messed with my account it took 6 months of calling them every time I got a bill for them to fix it.

Well, of course that plan is long gone, and no one can figure out how to get it put back. I tell them to just give me the iPhones for the $199 and we're all good. Well, apparently the Apple Police will come into their homes and beat them if they mess with the pricing at all, not even higher up managers I eventually talked to could do it.

What they could also not do was restore my plan, which was working perfectly when I walked into their store. The whole experience was unbelievable, as they kept trying to get me to accept lesser plans (both voice and data) because no one could put back what had just been there.

Finally while talking to one of their reps, and again hearing how they would be more than happy to give me less then what I had, I told them if they really wanted to help me, then they could waive the early cancellation fee on my account.

Done and done, and I now have an LG Dare with Verizon. AT&T is a crap company. I had friends who had already left them because of problems, and yet I held on even after my past experience, probably because I remember the old AT&T when I was a kid and in my mind somewhere I must have thought it was the same old company. In fack, the next day when I went to the store to get the district managers information, there were 2 more people having problems, one of them having a LOUD problem. And all the employees just stood there with deer in headlights looks on their faces.

The part that gets me the most is that they spent all of their energy trying to get a quick fix by offering me lesser plans, instead of actually trying to fix the problem and restore the original plan. Everyone I talked to acted shocked that I would not accept what they were offering. It's like going to a garage and having them remove your wheels, and then being shocked that you wouldn't take some roller skates instead.

The iPhone is a very cool device, but no way will I put up with this kind of crap just to have one. They could have gotten a sale and a more expensive plan out of me, instead they lost a customer for life.

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:42 pm

Grant, that's crazy. I've never heard of such a thing, & I have 5 friends who have all bought iPhones in various stages of their contract. Strange...

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:55 pm

As much as I absolutely hate At&t...I'll gladly put up with them for the 3G. Verizon still reigns supreme here in So. Cal, but At&t has significantly improved since I had them last (2001)...so all is not lost. LOL.

fiore22 · Post by **fiore22** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:53 pm

PRBoom wrote:
Diablo25 wrote:
PRBoom wrote:What cases are you folks using? I just ordered the Capsule Rebel from Switcheasy.com on Friday.
Let me know how good that case is...it looks pretty nice. I have a Seidio one for my 3G and its ok...not as good as the one I had for my 1st Gen iPhone.

Got the case in the other day and forgot to come back here and let you know how I like it....sorry about that.

I absolutely love the case. However, had I known one thing I think I would have gotten a different color from the Arctic. With the Arctic there's a little bit of what looks like a watermark (for lack of better term) on the backside. This is something you would never even know about using black or one of the solid colors.

As for protection and feel I'm not sure it can be beat.

PRBoom,

I noticed you are in Colorado and are with AT&T, my wife & I are also in CO and have considered switching from Verizon to AT&T. How is your service? Are you happy with it? Thanks!!

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:37 pm

I hated At&t when I went to colorado a few times for work. Mind you, it was up towards the Loveland/Fort collins area, so that may have had something to do with it.

fiore22 · Post by **fiore22** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:56 pm

Ahhh, I live in the Grand Junction area, about 4 hours west of Denver, moved here from Simi Valley, Ca with the wife, guess I should change my location. Sister-in-law goes to CSU up in Ft. Collins.

Hmmm, to switch or not to switch.

Wilk5280 · Post by **Wilk5280** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:17 pm

fiore22,
I can't help you out over there on the western slope man, sorry. I'm in Denver, Metro and don't have any problems. I was on Verizon prior to getting the 3G and the service was tops.

I just was a sucker (ie. meaning I just had to have it) for getting the iPhone and fortunately the service has been good. I guess that's to be expected in the city.

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:24 pm

For anyone that wants a case but carries their phone in their pocket like me, i back Boom's recommendation of the Capsule Rebel 110%%. I received mine last week and absolutely love it. It's slick looking and due to the skeleton clip it's very easy in and out of the pocket. Strongly recommended if you're looking around for a case.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:46 pm

RallyMonkey wrote:For anyone that wants a case but carries their phone in their pocket like me, i back Boom's recommendation of the Capsule Rebel 110%%. I received mine last week and absolutely love it. It's slick looking and due to the skeleton clip it's very easy in and out of the pocket. Strongly recommended if you're looking around for a case.

And if we're talking about cases...for those of you who are like me, and never worry about dropping the phone...there are two cases to check out. Macally Metro and the Power Support Air Jacket. Both are minimal in protection, but they will stop it from getting scratched, which is all I need. Couple either one with a Power Support Anti-Glare screen protector, and you have a case that adds VERY little bulk (about 1/3 of the Capsule Rebel) but still protects it from everyday wear. If you drop your phones, stay far far away though...they won't help in that regard. The Macally Metro (I've got black, the wife, white) can be had on ebay for like 15 bucks. It's genius.

kicko · Post by **kicko** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:23 pm

Db, i'll add to that i just got a SGP ultra thin case , similalr to the air jacket but i think its a little better, it comes in colors and it has a cut out for your apple logo. I got the case only for $12.

http://www.sgpstore.com/product_info.ph ... cts_id/276

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:06 pm

kicko wrote:Db, i'll add to that i just got a SGP ultra thin case , similalr to the air jacket but i think its a little better, it comes in colors and it has a cut out for your apple logo. I got the case only for $12.

http://www.sgpstore.com/product_info.ph ... cts_id/276

That's the thing that scratches the most! The Apple Logo. That's why I dig the clear Air Jacket. Covers it, yet you can still see it.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:23 pm

kicko wrote:Db, i'll add to that i just got a SGP ultra thin case , similalr to the air jacket but i think its a little better, it comes in colors and it has a cut out for your apple logo. I got the case only for $12.

http://www.sgpstore.com/product_info.ph ... cts_id/276

I got something very similar while I was in Japan last month, thin too but I do like the logo in this one.

kicko · Post by **kicko** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:37 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:
kicko wrote:Db, i'll add to that i just got a SGP ultra thin case , similalr to the air jacket but i think its a little better, it comes in colors and it has a cut out for your apple logo. I got the case only for $12.

http://www.sgpstore.com/product_info.ph ... cts_id/276
That's the thing that scratches the most! The Apple Logo. That's why I dig the clear Air Jacket. Covers it, yet you can still see it.

It comes with a clear protective sticker to prevent logo scratches. I have used for about a month and its not going to be an issue. Unless its the corner of a table or its an uneven rough surface its just not going to get scratched since the case raises it 1/29 " off the surface. You can check this review out, if you have never seen this guy... he is very good with reviews. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzXj8hG7DM @ about 15min he mentions rubber coating but the cases no longer come with the coating since it would flake off. I was sent a free replacement without the coating.

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:45 am

I'm in the market for my first smart phone and was wondering if you guys could give me some friendly advice.

My main "wants" for a phone are:

1. Something that I can easily listen to podcasts/music. Obviously, this is pretty standard on phones now. However, I should also consider that I do have a lot of music on iTunes/iPod Classic and therefore a transition to the iPhone would be pretty smooth.

2. Something that takes high quality pictures. I'm kind of a budding photographer and don't like taking my DSLR everywhere and would rather have a nice camera in my phone for those moments. How do you guys find the iPhone? Obviously, if I was going somewhere "special" I wouldn't rely on a 2 megapixel phone, but how is it for day to day stuff?

That's pretty much it - I have little to no interest in the 3G capabilities of phones, as I'm on the internet all day and don't really find myself in situations where I'd use it. Not much of a text sender either. Some of the applications look great, but they are not a "must" for me.

I really like the iPhone for its design, beautiful screen quality (especially for looking at pictures from my other camera) and useability. However, the camera thing (and somewhat crappy battery from what I've heard) are making me think twice.

How long do you think till a next version is released? (I could wait 6 months before caving in perhaps). Are there other great camera phones you guys have used? (Nokia N95?)

Thanks!

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:29 pm

1. Almost any phone can do this...the iPhone seems to be the best bet though as far as ease of use.

2. Without a doubt, stay away from the iPhone. The picture quality is horrendous. The BlackBerry Bold that I'm using now is significantly better and the screen resolution is the same, so the quality of pictures you see on the phone screen is equivalent. It also has a flash, and zoom capabilities if needed...something that is lacking on the iPhone.

I realized after using the 3G iPhone for about 5 months that it is really a novelty gadget. It's really an iPod with a phone tacked on. Sure, it's not a popular opinion, but it's mine. BlackBerry's OS is so much more refined as far as an email/messaging device goes. Not to mention I can easily go two days on a battery charge where the iPhone wouldn't even make it a day. Typing on the virtual iPhone keyboard never got much easier. I kind of plateaued and then didn't improve anymore. I went back to the BlackBerry qwerty and fell right into my old, fast, self.

It was a good run with the iPhone. I loved how i could keep it sync'd up over the air with my MacBook and MobileMe...but ultimately that wasn't enough to keep me on the iPhone. Too many shortcomings as far as business use went. It just seems like it's geared towards the mass market...it's just too bad the battery life and camera quality are so bad.

It definitely handles multimedia well though so if that's a big "want" then it definitely deserves mentioning that. It's just a matter of if you can deal with the shortcomings.

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:40 pm

Thanks db...appreciate the feedback.

It's a tough call....I'm definitely what you would call a "casual" phone consumer. No business use at all, very little texting and a sucker for bright displays/multimedia. Not to mention that the games look pretty nice (but maybe I need to ease up on the gaming, considering I get my fill at home).

Like most things in life, it's all about trade-offs...nothing is ever the "complete package".

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:56 pm

Well they released the original iPhone in June and they released the 3G the following June.

There's constant development around the chipsets used by smartphones. The road map for IMG, whose chipsets were used in the iPhone and iPhone 3G, is promising, as are the road maps for nVidia, AMD, TI, etc. Plus Apple bought an embedded processor company last year.

So there will likely be annual releases of new models.

As for iTunes, remember that the iPhone would have far less storage than the iPod Classic. You should be able to fit a ton of podcasts on it but video might tempt you. I loaded the digital copies of Wall-E and Dark Knight and they're taking up almost half the capacity.

Battery life and subscription costs are additional factors. I haven't listened to a lot of audio. Still use mostly my Nano for that, especially for places like the gym. But using some apps for awhile causes the battery life bar to drop noticeably. Honestly, they could have put in a bigger battery in there or make it swappable and it would still be as thin or thinner than any other smartphone.

It's at least $70 plus taxes a month, including unlimited data, unless your employer can get a 20% discount from AT&T for the monthly bill.

One of the main advantages is support. There are tons of accessories and for now, there will probably be more 3rd-party application support than Blackberry or Palm. Then of course there are the various accessories which are available.

Remote.app got me to buy an Airport Express to stream the iTunes library to another room. It's nicer than most Harmony remotes.

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:10 pm

Thanks wco...

Good to hear about the probable updated models...I'm pretty happy carrying my iPod classic to work for now and will likely wait for a newer version to take the plunge. I would kick myself if I paid $299 (here in Canada with a contract) for the 16Gig version only to see a new one released shortly after.

I also hadn't thought about putting a digital copy of the Dark Knight (for example) on my Classic. I know the screen is a bit small, but would be cool nonetheless.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:12 pm

There are rumors of a 32GB 3G version as well...probably in the next month or two. But then again, they may way to release the 32GB version when the 3.5G comes out (since 4G won't be ready assuming it comes out this summer).

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:14 pm

I am enjoying my 3G iphone for my multimedia purposes. One thing to help reduce battery use is to turn off the 3G data use, at work and on my travels I rely just ion WI-FI. The camera is average as mentioned, but what I like with Apple are the constant apps many of them free that add that extra to the iphone, whatever your need is.

As an example, I added a photo camera program for low lights situations where the original camera would just not work. Then you have apps for office use, multimedia and of course games galore.

Also if you know somebody that has a Fido account, you can use some of their points towards an iphone purchase.

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:42 pm

Update on the Dexter game that is coming only to the Iphone.

http://kotaku.com/5163222/hows-the-dext ... me-looking

According to the official update on the game, Dexter will feature "puzzle solving, stealth tactics, mini-games, and 'slashing' with the iPhone itself" thanks to the device's accelerometer

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:26 pm

I saw yesterday that the original developer of Earl Weaver Baseball is porting it to the iPhone. Just an FYI.