Wednesday, June 17, 2009

A dilemma for iPhoners, or those that want to be

The new iPhone 3.0 software is out for existing users and it is good. The internet moves faster. You can cut and paste. You can turn the phone sideways to type email (finally) and there's a neat voice recorder now included that allows you to leave a tape recorder at home. It all works seamlessly, like many Apple products, and all of a sudden I'm not hearing so much about the Palm Pre anymore.

The new software, combined with a Mobile Me account from Apple, allows you to track where your phone is at any time. You can even have it display a message and/or beep to help you find it.

If need be, you can even wipe its data remotely, removing all your emails and sensitive information.

This was a brilliant addition.

But here's the thing, there's a new iPhone coming this week and it does everything better.

The battery lasts longer. The camera is sharper and autofocuses. It also takes video, which the current phone does not. AT&T is making it harder on current users by widening the window for available plan discounts to get the new phone for as low as $199 (16 gig version) if they re-up for two years.

Now, users whose contracts won't expire for three more months are eligible.

If you're thinking of jumping and getting a new iPhone, the new version is $199 or $299 (32 gigs). The current iPhone is now $99, and with the new software, it does everything better than any other smart phone out there -- except the new iPhone 3GS.

And one of the biggest bugaboos about the current model is battery strength. It ain't good. The new model improves on that -- greatly.

So what are you guys going to do? Stand pat, enjoy the new software and wait on the next iPhone revision, which would probably be more of a quantum leap than this; or go grab a 3G-S now?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmm, I think I would def get the Iphone 3g s; however for those who have the iphone 3g already, analysts say that it isnt a quantum leap. But I do agree with you about getting it because the battery life is way better compared to the original iphone 3g. Thankfully, apple now sees the need to incorporate copy and paste. Tethering is nothing knew; finally they see a need for this technology. Now, how would you compared this to say the Nokia N97, thats a good comparison seeing that it just came out as well.

an Informed User said...

you must be getting paid by Steve Jobs, or have never tried the Palm Pre, if you think the iPhone does everything better.
Give me a touchscreen WITH a keyboard any day over just a touchscreen. And if you say you don't mind the touchscreen w/o a keyboard, why don't you throw away the keyboard to your computer and just work w/ a touchscreen there? you know it's not convenient and you're just making excuses...

Also, how do you change your battery? Oh, i know, you send the phone away for and pay out the nose for it.

But at least Apple is supposedly making it possible to run more than 1 application at a time. Heaven forbid you ever wanted to multi-task...

Anonymous said...

Having just gotten my 3G in Oct of 2008, I did the research with both at&t and apple before whipping out a pen and/or the credit card. As the article stated, the discounted window is actually pretty limited. I wanted the 32gb and at a minimum it was going to be $600. I want to step up to the next level but it will be at least another 4 months before i even think about it (and definitely not without the subsidized price). I don't feel to cheated, maybe by then the bugs will be worked out of the first models.

Anonymous said...

My husband has an IPhone that is 6 months old. I finally bought one 2weeks ago. And low and behold, Apple comes out with the 3G-S. I'm hatin' life, right? Nope. For a $20 restocking fee, Apple will trade my 3G for the 3G-S. This time tomorrow, hopefully I'll be half way through my batter on my new IPhone. Ain't life grand! Sorry DH. I'll let you play with mine, if you're a good boy. Love you!

Anonymous said...

I purchased my iPhone when it was first released in 2007 thinking that if I signed a two year agreement that something cool would come out to replace it in June 2009. Hello, 3G S. Yes, it has been tough slogging around on Edge for the past two years but I can wait until Friday for my upgrade.

For those who purchased a 1st Gen iPhone and then ran out and bought a 3G right after it was released, you're going to get no sympathy from me that you have to pay more. Next time think a little or lay down the dinero if you absolutely HAVE to upgrade.

Anonymous said...

I waited and purchased the 8GB iphone 3G this past December for $200. That was after several people in my office paid $600 and then $400 for the iphone. I love my 3G iphone. Sure the 3GS is faster more storage but I'll wait until that one comes down to.

I'm updating my 3G right now and can't wait to use the new features.

I've used flip phones, blackberry's and the iphone and I can say the iphone is by far the best there is out there.

Unknown said...

AT&T is one of the few iPhone 3G S carriers in the world that does not offer tethering and may not ever. They also do not allow MMS on the 3G S. Besides the "cool" factor, why would I want this device (at least from AT&T). I would rather hold out for another year until the iPhone is available on competing networks or use a Blackberry.

(Source: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-06-16-iphone-att-3gs_N.htm)

Anonymous said...

The best thing about the new iPhone S 3G is that it does not require AT&T (the worst service provider in North America!).

I am going to buy the Verizon version on Saturday because it will have More Bars in More Places! I can't wait!

I wonder of any of the Apple executives that made the AT&T deal used their service prior to the deal. If they had, the carrier would have been different.

I HATE AT&T WIRELESS!!!

Anonymous said...

to mike at 6:22am
check out www.9to5mac.com and read how you can enable tethering. search the comments and find the one about e-mailing a att.mobileconfig file to your phone, and installing it. it enables tethering

eddie704 said...

I still have my original iPhone 2G running on t-mobile. I've had MMS, video recording, and tethering for over a year...no need to upgrade or switch to AT&T for me.

Anonymous said...

I'll stick with my G1 running Android. It has a touchscreen and keyboard, voice dialing, cut and paste, video recording and all the other features that are now finally coming to the IPhone. Also, most of the apps are free since the operating system is open source!

Anonymous said...

at+t's service is of poor quality. Verizon offers better coverage and customer care