Forum Moderators: bakedjake
Will they both work with regular wifi? How about if the wifi requires you to login? As far as the web browser on the 8525, is it anywhere near as good as that of the iPhone?
And then of course there is the consideration of the iPhone's touchscreen keyboard, which, who knows what will happen with that...
Any input is helpful
I'm certainly not an Apple or iPhone fan, but I doubt you will find a better web browser on any phone at this point - wait 6 months, though, and I'll bet you'll see ones just as good everywhere.
In any case, the numerous iPhone fan and rumor sites will probably give you more information than you are going to get here.
Think carefully about what you want to use it for. The iPhone may turn out to be ideal for viewing web sites. Probably not so cool for anything requiring interaction. It's going to severely disappoint it's young target demographic that is constantly texting.
You may be better served by a small notebook computer and an aircard, and/or a notebook tethered to a phone via Bluetooth.
I suppose I'll just have to wait, and demo the iPhone when it comes out, in comparison to the 8525.
doubt you will find a better web browser on any phone at this point - wait 6 months, though, and I'll bet you'll see ones just as good everywhere.
Please have a look at the new Opera Mini 4:
-http://www.operamini.com/beta/demo/
Sometime later this year E-TEN will release the Glofiish M900, which will have a VGA screen as well as slideout qwerty keyboard in a device about the size of the 8525. I hope then I'll finally have the PDA I've been waiting years for.
You have lots more options with Cingular/AT&T than just the 8525 and iPhone. You can find any unlocked GSM PDA phone and stick your SIM card in there, and it should work fine. If you're using mostly text and email, then how about the Blackberry 8800 or similar devices?
[edited by: Rehan at 9:38 pm (utc) on June 19, 2007]
Also, the wifi-capable Blackberry 8820 will probably be released in the next few weeks, likely from AT&T.
The reason I ruled out the blackberry and other of the smartphones is that I really want to have WIFI to avoid paying the data transfer costs (an extra $20/mo)
Rumor is that you won't be able to purchase an iPhone without a data plan, or that the WiFi won't work unless you purchase a data plan.
I think that in any case, if you are sweating $20/month, you aren't an iPhone candidate.
My own WAG is that iPhone buyers will get some special deal on the data plan that they will be required to purchase. I think that the slower EDGE was selected to make over-the-air access unattractive, and so iPhone users will seek-out WiFi nodes as an alternative to their slow, discounted data access. I'm not familiar with AT&T data plans - I think they charge for traffic? I'll bet the iPhone plan doesn't charge for traffic, so that might be the "special deal".
I think it's a huge mistake that Apple/ATT are keeping so mum about details until the actual release date. The lines on the 29'th are going to be of epic proportions and move slowly, as they will have to explain the terms of the calling/data plan to everyone, (whether they want to hear it or not - can't be too careful about class-action lawsuits!), a large percentage of the people in line will be new AT&T customers who will have to have credit checks run, etc. etc. etc.
People will be walking out, because they changed their mind, had credit denied, etc. triggering panic as people in line think they have run out of iPhones when they see people walking out iPhone-less.
What a mess!
I can't wait for it to be launched so it can prove how cool it is or flop. Then maybe everyone who sees my current smartphone (samsung i730) will quit asking - "have you seen the iphone - it looks so cool..."
I just want a phone that is wifi capable...that's all i want in life.
While I don't wish you to get some horrible fatal disease, I can't help but think of how happy you'd make the Make A Wish Foundation:
"Oh, fudge, another kid that wants a flying pony! OK, next... Put this one on the top of the list, all he wants is a phone that's Wi-Fi capable!" ;)
According to one of the iPhone rumor sites, the switch between EDGE and WiFi will be "automatic". I wonder just what this means? Surely, it doesn't mean that it will automatically connect to any open node? If so, I can see the lawsuits coming already.... (Both from the node owners and from iPhone owners whose phones got infected - though the latter is impossible, right?)
While the technology is interesting, I doubt very much that it will be perfect, considering this is Apple's first attempt at a phone. It's a huge risk to buy the phone without knowing how well it works. If anything, I'm going to wait a few months and see how everyone else feels about it, and what errors come from its use.
The phone is packed with a lot of features that try to make desktop computing obsolete. It seems neat, but I think the novelty value will wear off quickly and we'll just go back to using our regular desktop computers within a month or so of getting the phone. Why browse the web from a phone when your computer is usually only a few minutes away?
I'm also concerned about repetitive stress injury - overuse of phones instead of computers will lead to way more injury than just computer use does.
Those are my reasons. I'll probably just go with the 8525.
- no removable memory
- no replaceable battery.
I currently have a SamSung i730 (which is getting long in the tooth). I swap memory cards on it often because they swap with my two digital still cameras, my video camera, and even an older pda. There is a SD slot on my desktop at home, at work, on my phone, and even on my laptop. SD memory is my favorite "sneaker net" data pack mule. I have atleast 20 gig in SD memory laying around here.
I also have three batteries for my phone. One extra one is small enough to carry in my wallet. That is alot of security when you are parked at a conference for 8-10hrs working on email.
If I were an iPod junkie, I could see how the iPhone would be attractive. Who wants to carry multiple devices?
There are some inconsistencies between reviews that still make things unclear, but one thing that that struck me is the bizarre feature omissions:
- Still unclear whether it has voice dialing or not. Mossberg seems to say yes. Other journalists say no. Did they get different versions? Apologists say this is a good thing - people will be forced to pull over to the side of the road to dial. No, they won't. They are going to still do it - but with more difficulty than ever - while driving. And do a little browsing on the side while they are stuck in traffic.
- No A2DP (stereo Bluetooth). This is particularly bizarre, given the heavy promotion of it's "iPod" capability. Of course, the iPod doesn't have Bluetooth at all (and should). Maybe this is why - they couldn't have the iPhone upstage the iPod. But I don't know of a phone with music capability being sold today that doesn't support A2DP. Er, except for the iPhone... How ironic!
Perhaps in the future when you see somebody with wires dangling from their head we will think - how retro! - an Apple fan!
(BTW, A2DP works a LOT better than hands-free profile - presumably because of buffering. I have a pair of Motorola S9s, and (with a high-power Bluetooth adapter on my PC) I can go anywhere in the house with them with no dropouts and no scratchies. Too bad you can't use A2DP for phone calls - for calls, A2DP headsets drop-back to hands-free. FWIW, I'm returning the S9 for a Sony DJ-style DR-BT50. I don't like the back-of-the-head design of the S9. Can't lay back on the sofa with them on. And the handsfree quality really sucks. But I'd still recommend them highly for mobile music listening - with a phone or the non-existent Bluetooth iPod... The DR-BT50 is clearly suitable only for home use, unless you don't mind looking like a REAL dork. The S9 is quite unobtrusive).
- You can't use music as a ringtone. Some reviewers have wryly referred-to this as a big plus.
- The camera doesn't do video. Again, nearly all camera phones today do.
- No MMS. (Multimedia messaging). So, even after you take a still picture, you can't send it another phone. Oh, you can take it home and sync the pictures to your PC, though. (I assume you can also upload pictures through the browser? Webmasters note - here's a business opportunity - web to MMS gateway for iPhone users.)
- Activation via iTunes. You go to the store, get the phone, take it home, then activate via your iTunes account. (Creating one if you don't already have one.) OK, this will shorten the lines, and explains how they can get away with hiring 2,000 untrained college kids to handle the surge. Apple will deal with customer problems via their web site, phone, etc. Hope they have ramped-up support! Another bizarre mis-feature! Consumers are used to walking out of the store with a working phone - not hours of hassle just to get basic functionality.
Any AT&T or Apple stores in American Samoa?
