I’m like Fleck and prefer a laptop for travel, especially because of the high roaming charges in using Cdn phones in the US.
Indeed. I have a generous roaming package through Telus for voice for the U.S. but even then I have to watch it when I am traveling in the U.S. it can get used up quickly. The whole roaming things is a bit of a scam if you ask me. If I added email onto that - I am sure it would be way more costly.
Most places I stay have free internet, so I pick up emails in the evening when I get to my hotel. I don’t work in a business where instant response to email is required. In most cases getting back to a customer within 12 hours or less, is fine. They know that if they need to get in contact with me right away, the cell phone# is the one to call when I am on the road.
So I tried to be diplomatic and “test drive” both the CrackBerry and CrAapple’s iBrick over the last few days. I weighed the pros and cons, considered ST advice, did a little cost/benefit analysis (i.e., Verizon’s “New Every 2” discount plus the online discounts versus Apple’s $0 discounts), factored in the fun vs. business considerations and even thought about the convenience of getting another flip phone for free and saying “screw it all” and sticking with the laptop, desktop and Internet only when I r-e-a-l-l-y need it. Decisions, decisions…
Just sunk waaaayyy to much money into an iPhone…change…let’s see if it’s worth it.
First, no one making the touch screen phones are able to come close to matching the iphones design. Also the browser on the iphone is unmatched. If you use an imac or macbook, they work well together. For example, if you have Mobile Me you can have all of your calendars and emails “pushed” to your device. Although, Apples use of the term “push” is overly generous as it takes a few minutes to refresh. The app store for iphone and its ipod functions are great. Honestly, I like the fact that apple products work very simply with each other…its a closed system but it works.
That said, I have a blackberry curve that i love. My main reason I got the BB was becuz in my area, att has notoriously bad coverage. I can’t tell you how many times i have had my friend with an iphone borrow my phone to make a call because they couldn’t get a signal. Blackberry works really well with exchange, push email, great texting etc… the browser is not great but it is tolerable. Personally, I prefer using ical, which I use both at work and home, so I got the Mobile Me, so it syncs my calendars where ever I am at. I use pocket mac to sync my blackberry and ical together-although I do have to connect it with a usb cord. I think in a year I would be plenty happy with a BB Storm - this seems like it is going to be the best competitor for the iphone, but right now it is still a bit buggy and even the CEO of BB admitted they cut some corners just so they could release by black friday. Give it 6-8 months i will probably forgo my dreams of an iphone for a BB Storm. Also, the support for Blackberry products with mac sync/calendar programs has improved a lot in the past year, making the need for an apple phone less necessary.
I have to say that having been issued a Blackberry 8820 for work, I quickly came to appreciate what it did well for me. I can keep track of work stuff when away from the office for a few days with relative ease.
I liked it so much that when it came to get a new personal phone, I ended up getting the new Blackberry Storm. The Storm is Blackberry’s entry into the touchscreen market, a kind of a crossover from the “business” Blackberry to the “fun” iPhone.
I love being able to track my email anywhere. I have several email accounts and I can keep them all separate.
It has a 3.2 MP camera (iPhone has 2.0)
It shoots video (iPhone does not)
I can send pictures via text message (iPhone cannot).
It doesn’t have the cool “app store” (iPhone does).
It doesn’t have the “pop apple” that apple products do.
It comes down to personal choice…what do YOU look for/want in a mobile device. Pick the features you want, find the best device that meets that criteria in a price range you can afford.
As a long time Verizon guy, the BB Storm is great.
One thing I don’t like about iPhone is if you’re driving and get a call, you need to swipe a finger across the ‘answer call’ bar, not just press it and that makes it a two-handed manouver which makes it a pain, and dangerous, to take calls on the road. It’s possible that a bluetooth with iPhone would be easier to answer.
One thing I don’t like about iPhone is if you’re driving and get a call, you need to swipe a finger across the ‘answer call’ bar, not just press it and that makes it a two-handed manouver which makes it a pain, and dangerous, to take calls on the road. It’s possible that a bluetooth with iPhone would be easier to answer.
Correct on the bluetooth / iphone combo. I’ve got a Garmin Nuvi 760 GPS that links to my iphone. Incoming call details are shown on the garmin screen, and I either touch the ‘Answer’ button or the ‘Ignore’ button. I never have to touch my phone to make or receive calls in the car.
One thing I don’t like about iPhone is if you’re driving and get a call, you need to swipe a finger across the ‘answer call’ bar, not just press it and that makes it a two-handed manouver which makes it a pain, and dangerous, to take calls on the road. It’s possible that a bluetooth with iPhone would be easier to answer.
That is because you are suppose to use a bluetooth headset when you are driving. The click of a button is all that is needed (in my A3, the click of a steering wheel button.)
No problem, any other safety tips you need to know?
Kidding aside, bluetooth headset either on you or in the car makes it so much easier to receive calls. On my A3, the phonebook is available through the steering wheel controls and the phone numbers appear on the dash instrument which makes it easy to place or accept calls. You can even talk to the car to place calls which is kinda of cool. Motorola makes a sun visor bluetooth receiver which allows you to make calls using voice commands.
So I tried to be diplomatic and “test drive” both the CrackBerry and CrAapple’s iBrick over the last few days. I weighed the pros and cons, considered ST advice, did a little cost/benefit analysis (i.e., Verizon’s “New Every 2” discount plus the online discounts versus Apple’s $0 discounts), factored in the fun vs. business considerations and even thought about the convenience of getting another flip phone for free and saying “screw it all” and sticking with the laptop, desktop and Internet only when I r-e-a-l-l-y need it. Decisions, decisions…
Just sunk waaaayyy to much money into an iPhone…change…let’s see if it’s worth it.
Mahalo, folks.
So, five months later, how do you like your iPhone? Did you make the correct decision?
I have a killer rate plan with T-Mobile, but I played with an iPhone 3GS a few days ago, and I am considering getting one. I love the touch screen and everything it can do. T-Mobile service is good where I live, and their customer service is good, but their phone selection sucks. I am still undecided, however, because many people say that AT&T service sucks, and it is much more expensive each month. Any thoughts, STers?
T-mobile is coming out with their version of the phone. Same here, I have good T-mobile coverage and rate but want the 3g phone and doubt that the T-mobile version will be all that.
T-mobile is coming out with their version of the phone. Same here, I have good T-mobile coverage and rate but want the 3g phone and doubt that the T-mobile version will be all that.
Which phone are you referring to? I’m not sold on the Google phones - existing G1 or rumored new ones. There is a Windows Mobile Phone called the Touch Pro 2 that is supposed to come out in July - full touch screen, with slide out keyboard. I just wish the AT&T’s exclusive on the iPhone would end, so I could get one for T-Mobile. I could obtain an unlocked one now, but the 3G data won’t work.
