scriptygoddess

February 6th, 2008 at 5:35 pm

As an owner of an iPhone since the very first day I'd say "absolutely go for it"! Especially now that Apple has the 16 gig models out (if you think you'll never get into movies watching on the phone, the 8 gig is just fine).

I love mine – yes, syncing on the Mac. BUT – of what I have heard it is no problem on the PC, the only thing you need is to install iTunes (which you already might have).

I am used to PDA hell since the Newton times and sync'ing has always been a big issue for me. I still have my Palm but use it less and less, just a few games left which I like and my GPS module… for all else it's now the iPhone.

If you've ever tried finding something like movie times or a location on a cell phone you must know the agony which goes along with that. Using the iPhone is the total OPPOSITE of that and it is plain amazing how maps and contacts and websites all work together.

So, even as a Mac user I'd say "don't hesitate"

2 | sterling | bizlift blog

February 7th, 2008 at 10:28 pm

iPhones are hot. I'm getting one as soon as a faster data option is available (like Sprint offers).

PDA phones are no problem for me…maybe because guys have bigger pockets? Love my HTC 6800 (Mogul), I can shell into my server remotely. But iPhones are much sexier.

3 | Owen

February 9th, 2008 at 9:22 am

I too am thinking about getting an iPhone. My current cell phone plan still has a year to go, so for the interim I am thinking about getting an iPod touch so that I can have the best of both worlds.

4 | Jennifer

February 12th, 2008 at 9:41 am

I looked again at one in a store the other day and I'm pretty determined to get one now. The guy in the store showed me some cool features I wasn't aware of – like the way it stores text messages like a chat session – where you can see what someone wrote and then your response – and then their response… And apparently you can view voicemails like emails, where you can skip over one and choose the specific one you want to listen to (instead of the system playing ALL voicemails). And I did the pocket test – and it fits VERY easily into my pocket – it's actually THINNER than my current phone! The only bummer: even though Verizon started hounding me to get a new phone and sign a new contract a few weeks ago – my contract isn't actually up until APRIL! So I'll have to wait until then. It's tempting to just get it now (I could be playing with the phone RIGHT NOW RIGHT NOW!!!! Seriously, though? I have counted numerous times I could have used that phone to check email, get directions, etc. since I saw it. I really could use it NOW!) Still, I don't want to be paying double for mobile phone service between now and then… I'll just have to wait. /sigh

5 | Brian

February 16th, 2008 at 5:15 pm

I got my iPhone last week. I can't be happier.
It is the best phone I've ever had, which doesn't say a lot because my last one was a piece of crap.

If you so decide to get one, which I would recommend, it would be in your best interest to get a case and a screen protector. I got the anti glare screen protector and not only does it help prevent glare and scratches, but it also reduces smudges and smears from your fingers.

Best of luck to you!

6 | Tim

February 21st, 2008 at 11:04 am

Don't know if you're still in search of input or if you have bought. Here's my two cents:

One, I bought my iPhone last August mostly because it had a real browser and the biggest screen that could still fit my pocket lightly. I'm actually able to work one of my businesses using the phone.

What I discovered, however, is what you discovered with your brother's phone. What a beautiful object, from the shape and the weight to the buttons to the keypad. It's an amazing design. I have/had the same response as I did to my first Apple computers in the 1980s. Wow.

Two, what you're really buying is a platform. The Safari browser stinks (it crashes a bit, for me at least, and it doesn't display Flash) and the mail software is basic (effective, but basic). However, I bought my iPhone because I know Apple will improve on anything they didn't get right at launch, stuff like the browser, building out the email app, and so on. And I'm sure third party iPhone software will start to appear later this year. So buying in 2008 still gets you in on the ground floor for this "platform."

The only reason to wait would be if you wanted a GPS chip in your phone and you believe Apple will add one to the iPhone. I wanted a GPS chip until I used the Google Maps feature in the iPhone: it works just fine and there are no real privacy issues like with a GPS chip (although you have to turn the iPhone's Airplane Mode On to be truly off the grid).

The best part of my iPhone: I can listen to music, the phone will ring, the music shuts down gracefully, I get the call, I hang up, the music comes back up where I left off. The second best part is the iTunes button, being able to hear a song in the real world, look it up on iTunes, then buy it.

Finally, if I could have 1 minute with Steve Jobs I'd beg him to can the Safari browser development, put the Safari developers on iPhone projects and send money to Firefox for licensing. It's really the weakest part of the iPhone and browsers are 1993 era technology. Surely the Safari programmers would love to work on iPhone apps?

Hope that helps.

7 | Kevin

April 15th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

Howdy. I found your site from google because you had a fix for a CSS problem I was having at work. Thanks for the cool & helpful blog!

I'd been bitching for years about having to carry around my iPod, camera, and phone as separate devices. However, when iPhone came out, I was like – bah! I'm not going to be an uber-hipster early adopter (although i generally am with Apple – I have hung on to my original white bulky iPod with the moving click-track wheel, for posterity sake). Plus, I do NOT want a $45+/month contract with AT&T – I don't make cell calls that much; I'm perfectly happy with my cheap-ass pay-as-you-go T-Mobile account.

Now that you can easily unlock them, though, I finally broke down and bought one, followed the unlocking steps (I used Pwnage), popped in my T-Mobile SIM card, and voila. With this method, however, you don't get visual voicemail (you have to check your messages the old fashioned way), and it can't get on AT&T's crappy EDGE data network, of course, but wifi, calling, and texting works fine.

Generally, I'm very happy with it! I love how it moves so gracefully between playing iPod music, watching video (you can rent and buy movies on iTunes now too), being a phone, playing chess, taking pictures and video, using the extensible Books and weDict dictionary apps.

Syncing with your PC's calendar and contacts is smooth. The "Info" tab on your iPhone screen in iTunes gives you a choice of which PC personal apps you want to sync your phone with in several categories: Contacts, Calendars, Mail Accounts, and Web Browser bookmarks.

It fits nicely in the pocket. It even fits in most of the little right-hand side mini change-pockets in my jeans.

Some complaints:

– iPhones don't support MMS yet, so no picture or video messages. I guess apple expected you to email them over EDGE. I've seen some rudimentary 3rd party MMS apps, but they require a data network like EDGE or wifi, so that doesn't do me any good when i'm not near a hotspot.

– you have to plug it into your usb port to sync. It'll be a lot cooler when it syncs via bluetooth or wifi. Also would be nice to be able to share an connected PC's internet connection via bluetooth or usb.

– you can't plug just any headphones into it because the slot is too little. Belkin and some other 3rd parties sell an adapter, but… argh! Earbuds don't really work for me because my earholes are the wrong shape, or something, so I need in-ears. I found a cool Plantronics one with a little mic wire coming out of the left earplug. It makes me look like a geek, but I don't mind.

– it needs to be 3G-ready. COME ON!

To Tim: Third party iPhone apps are already out there. Check out "Installer for iPhone". Apple doesn't need to send money to Mozilla for FF licensing; that's not how OSS works. Indy Moz developers will finish iPhone FF when they feel motivated to do so. They're already working on it.

8 | randy

May 9th, 2008 at 7:59 pm