iPhone or alternative? Help and advice please!

raathistle

raathistle

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Chris
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apologies if this is in the wrong place.

I am seriously considering the iPhone as my next choice, however searching for unbiased reviews and comparisons has made my brain ache.

I'm looking for advice on what the main failings of the iPhone are and what the best competitor offerings are. For those who turned down the iPhone in favour of another, what was the main point that drove you away?

i've been looking at this for ages and I can't seem to make up my mind, I like what I've seen and played with on the iPhone but not using it properly I can't tell what it would be like day-to-day

Help me please
 
I'm loving my iphone - and if you use a mac as your computer of choice you'll get a lot more out of it - particularly if you have a mobileme account as this will allow all your personal email to be pushed to the iphone. I run 3 personal email account plus my work Microsoft exchange account from the phone.

Add to that the fact the new software update 3.0 is coming in the summer with many great new features (and some they should have had from the start such as copy and paste!!!) and you have a pretty neat device.

You can buy a 16gb iphone from carphone warehouse for 50 odd quid at the moment.

The downside of the phone? O2 network coverage is not great in my area (then again I live in the Peak District where all phone coverage is ropey)

Other than that - I can't fault it
 
If you can wait til around July, the new iPhone should be out. Which is going to be a lot better - if the rumours are true!

I've got an original 8GB iPhone since day 1, and it's the best phone i've ever owned, even if it has it's downsides, such as 2MP camera, no MMS (until OS3.0) no BT file transfer etc.

Lots of the software issues are going to be solved with OS3.0 though.
 
Briefly - I have the iPhone 3G. Before buying, I tried the LG Viewty and have since tried the LG new touchscreen.

In my opinion (which yes I know is Bias!) the iPhone knocks their socks off. It slots into your day without creating major waves - but you will get so used to being able to check email anywhere, have music, videos, games and big apps etc. I recently took just my workphone on a journey and was suprised how many times by habit I went to check my email!

For me it is the app store that really makes the iPhone really stand out against competition. The LG's can check email, have games and browse internet etc but it is the whole wealth of apps available by itunes such as Twitter, Facebook, Monopoly :) etc etc that make it a winner. The other winner in my view is the quality of the hard ware - not to mention the wealth of accessories such as docks etc available.

It does have its drawbacks - no mms, copy n paste etc etc these are all well documented. They are however going to be included in the next firmware update. The only question is if o2 will allow the iPhone to be used as a tethered device to your laptop for mobile internet.

One last point - the rumor mill is spinning that there is going to be a new iPhone released at some point this year. There have been several indicators in the US such as price drops and commitment free purchasing - see linky.
 
For those who turned down the iPhone in favour of another, what was the main point that drove you away?
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I was strongly considering an iPhone for a while at the end of last year but went for an ericsson C905 in the end. In terms of function, you get all the same things but in very different ways. The Ericsson is far faster at just about everything, has a really usable camera and satnav.

The apple has much quicker data input and higher gadget value.

In the end the main thing that steered me away from the apple was it being just too geeky. :lol: and that there wasn't one owner that wasn't having at least one major problem with it.

I'm sure in the not very distant future, the iPhone will be the standard style of device.
 
I'm not having problems with mine, but then I run very few apps on it.

It's great to have a cutdown portfolio on so you've always got photo's to show.
Brilliant as a movie player/music player.

Typing on it is great as well.
 
I've had both the original and the 3G iPhone, and am a registered iPhone developer so have the 3.0 Beta running at the moment.

Since getting the iPhone, I no longer use any of the PDA's or indeed the Blackberry. All this is served through the main on the iPhone, including both work and personal e-mails. The one limitation the iPhone has over the Blackberry type devices is it does not cache the whole e-mail, so needs to re-download from the server if you want to read more than the first page of text. The benefit is, it if far, far better at rendering attachments.

Calendars, invites etc, work as you would expect, so no problems there, and with 3.0 you can sent invites from the iPhone too.

3.0 brings with it a number of improvements that are well documented elsewhere, and I'm not going to discuss the detail because of the NDA, but just to say, they nicely round off the phone.

The major downside of the iPhone is the simplicity with which it integrates with the App Store and the iTunes store - you'll end up spending a fortune on apps and music when you're bored!
 
68lbs said:
That Dazzajl's one cheeky mutha!
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Yup. :D

But at least I can send a text without looking like I'm pleasuring a small hand held rodent. ;);)
 
It's all been said already and I :love: my iPhone 3G having also had the original my son now uses and rates very highly... :D


Can't wait for the new upgraded firmware and the possibility of changing phones to another iPhone just for the sake of having a new one... :naughty:


BUT... :thinking: ... if you want one and there is a new one coming my advice would be to hang in there and go for it complete with the new firmware once it hits the shelves... :thumbs:


Good luck whatever you end up with... ;)



I hope you enjoy it if it's not an iPhone... :shrug: ... if it is you will enjoy it so no need for the luck wishes... :D





:p
 
Furtim said:
The major downside of the iPhone is the simplicity with which it integrates with the App Store and the iTunes store - you'll end up spending a fortune on apps and music when you're bored!
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:agree:
And yet also I keep browsing the TP for sale when bored too! :lol:

Serious though - if you are choosey when getting apps you can try most of the good ones for free in lite versions before buying. There are a few I love though and cost - Real VNC, Monopoly and Bejewelled :)
 
iPhone user here...I'd have to say its the best smart phone I've ever used, just looking forward to OS 3.0 this summer to extend its functionality further. If I was buying now though I'd hold on for a couple of months given the much rumoured next gen iphone.
 
sepulchre said:
If I was buying now though I'd hold on for a couple of months given the much rumoured next gen iphone.
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Not wanting to sound like a geek (well I am one) but many of the features rumoured to be on the next gen iphone will have extra functionality for some US AT&T services. It looks to me like there is nothing really significant for UK users - so it may be prudent to take advantage of the current drop in price ahead of the new phone - most suppliers don't have high stocks of the current 3G model so they won't be around forever.
 
I've had an iPhone for less than a week now and struggle to believe how dire the battery life is. I've taken a call of less than a minute, composed one SMS an achieved approximately 24 hours from a full charge. I've just turned off wi-fi to see if it results in a significant increase.

Maybe I'm just pining for my Nokia 6210 which gave me about six days on standby.
 
Al de Man said:
I've had an iPhone for less than a week now and struggle to believe how dire the battery life is. I've taken a call of less than a minute, composed one SMS an achieved approximately 24 hours from a full charge. I've just turned off wi-fi to see if it results in a significant increase.
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Yep - turn off wi-fi - turn off bluetooth and don't use location services unless necessary. And of course charge/sync every night if possible!

I've got a nokia 6310i somewhere that was last charged in 2001 and still has some power left!! - can't get it to sync with my ZX81 though.
 
Al de Man said:
I've had an iPhone for less than a week now and struggle to believe how dire the battery life is. I've taken a call of less than a minute, composed one SMS an achieved approximately 24 hours from a full charge. I've just turned off wi-fi to see if it results in a significant increase.

Maybe I'm just pining for my Nokia 6210 which gave me about six days on standby.
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It depends what you do with it! My wife's original iPhone will last a minimum of 5 days on standby, allowing for the occasional call or game of Trism.

My iPhone 3G will just about last a full 24 hours of constant 'business' use - 3G / WiFi / Bluetooth all on, reading emails continually throughout the day, 20 + calls of various lengths. I use my phone as my alarm clock, so I've just got into the habit of plugging it in to charge overnight each night.

If I know I'm going to be out and about for a few days and have not bought the charger to the hotel, I turn off WiFi, Bluetooth and potentially 3G (just leaving GPRS active), and I can get 2-3 days out of the phone (still checking e-mails and making calls, albeit less often).

What I have found is that occasionally, when you install an app, you can get a badly coded one, and that can chew through battery life like there is no tomorrow. You can tell if this is the case as typically, the back of the phone will be warm to touch as the application is running the CPU ragged.
 
Al de Man said:
I've had an iPhone for less than a week now and struggle to believe how dire the battery life is. I've taken a call of less than a minute, composed one SMS an achieved approximately 24 hours from a full charge. I've just turned off wi-fi to see if it results in a significant increase.

Maybe I'm just pining for my Nokia 6210 which gave me about six days on standby.
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LOL - I had a 6210 before my iphone, one of the reasons I stuck with it for ages was not charging it.

BUT - I easily get a couple of days of normal use out of it. Just been away for the weekend and not charged it from Friday until this morning (but it was very low). Just get used to plugging it in briefly once a day, or get a small stand charger for the desk/bedroom etc.
 
Ive walked past the o2 shop so many times, then gone back looked at it and walked out again so tempted. BUT i am holding out for the N97 (that claims will be better) but as you know, nokia's symbian software allways seems buggy at the start. Although ive had my n95 8gb now for 20 months with NO issues what so ever, best fone ive had.

My bro has a itouch and i play with that and then think i want an iphone, but i have realised i want want because of funny games and apps for it, not for the phone use, and no mms, crap camera, no copy and paste and other "phone features" that let it lacks are putting me off. And like i said, with my current nokia not letting me down, im waiting out for the n97.

Cheers
Andy
 
nigelcampbell said:
Not wanting to sound like a geek (well I am one) but many of the features rumoured to be on the next gen iphone will have extra functionality for some US AT&T services. It looks to me like there is nothing really significant for UK users - so it may be prudent to take advantage of the current drop in price ahead of the new phone - most suppliers don't have high stocks of the current 3G model so they won't be around forever.
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The problem is of course nobody actually knows for sure what the next iPhone will have in its feature set, rumours are it will have a higher resolution screen, video recording and calling the later via a front facing camera, greater storage capacity, better battery life, HD output to TV etc etc.... But given the fact that a new iPhone is pretty certain for a summer release I'd hang fire just now and wait to see what comes along around June/July time rather than tie myself into an 18 month contract with what could be an old albeit very capable iPhone.
 
gibbon said:
Ive walked past the o2 shop so many times, then gone back looked at it and walked out again so tempted. BUT i am holding out for the N97 (that claims will be better) but as you know, nokia's symbian software allways seems buggy at the start. Although ive had my n95 8gb now for 20 months with NO issues what so ever, best fone ive had.

My bro has a itouch and i play with that and then think i want an iphone, but i have realised i want want because of funny games and apps for it, not for the phone use, and no mms, crap camera, no copy and paste and other "phone features" that let it lacks are putting me off. And like i said, with my current nokia not letting me down, im waiting out for the n97.

Cheers
Andy
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N95 is a great phone. No point changing if you're happy and it'll only be a slight upgrade.

6210 to iphone was a HUGE upgrade for me :D
 
I got the iPhone last week.

It's absolutely brilliant, does everything I wanted it to do and a lot more. The App Store has a growing range of very useful apps, games and other fun apps.

I put all my photos on there as well so I can show people on the go.

I highly recommend the iPhone.
 
nigelcampbell said:
Yep - turn off wi-fi - turn off bluetooth and don't use location services unless necessary.
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And then turn the brightness right down so you're squinting.

Of course the better way to save battery, is to not even use your phone - ever! - pretty much what the dire battery submits you into doing anyway.....
 
I love the iphone, and to give you an idea about me, I'm one of those that must have a new phone before my contract has run out, I have always been a fanatic of nokias and love them, had n95, n95 8gb, n96 and from those i still prefer the iphone.

The ui is brilliant and the large screen a joy compared to phones with smaller screens,

Yes the fact that it doesn't support bluetooth very well is annoying and the mms is a joke, for now.

I also found the lack of copy and paste annoying, but since i jail broke it I now have that functionality.

Like others have said the next firmware release will sort out most of the issues that i don't like about it.

I think all in all you will be sore pushed to find another device that works as well as the iphone in the current market.

The best thing I like about it is the Maps app, open it enter what your looking for and its there laid out for you in little map pins, click on a pin and see telephone numbers etc.

Best thing to do is go 2 an o2 store and have pay around
 
I fount the keyboard too small to text for my big sausge fingers.
My wife has a F700v,its a lot easier but not as much fun.
Really all boils down to what you want to use it for.
 
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