I just checked my stats, and I average around 500MB a month. I’m a pretty heavy user, and don’t have WiFi at home, so that sounds like a reasonable figure to me.
First, I’ll like to give you all hugs in answering my questions so quickly and informatively. You’re all too nice, and your input is MUCH appreciated.
Now, some explanations:-
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Yes, I live in HK and not in the US for now, so definitely not dealing with an AT&T or T-Mobile or other phone co. In HK, most celphone systems with internet access are based on 3G nowadays, so there’s that. (i have no idea what an EDGE system is, let alone what an android Google phone is or whether it’s available here. egads.) And my present phone plan has no internet service at all. I use it primarily to talk or text people only, as an orgnanizer, and to use it as a audio player (mostly because my phone has a rockin’ speaker, which is great to use for those boring work travels). Anyway, yeah, the iPhone is so darn pretty.
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Thanks for explaining the whole data thing for me. I will not be downloading large video/podcast files from my phone, just documents from work and whatnot at most, so I’m thinking the 500MB or even the 150MB should be fine with me. Though, for looking up things daily like plaxo or facebook, where there’s a lot of photos and images, would that run up the data by a lot? The good news for plans over here is that they do give very fair prices to overusage, and a cap at a max, so you can never run an insanely large bill one month.
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So, from what I gather, there’s really no use to the non iPhone plan for me, because Motorola E6 doesn’t have Wi-Fi or 3G capabilities. Ah, shucks. I was beginning to think to get that plan first. God, my phone sux.
Though it does have that nifty touch screen where I can make cute little drawings and read simple documents on. But I now text at maybe double the speed I used to on a regular celphone with what I now think of as the very solid T9 system. -
My contract with my present phone company expires early next year, and the reason why I’m thinking of switching phones even though I’m ok with my E6 is that most new contracts in HK (usually 1-2 years) usually comes with a very good discount price for certain phones (like the iPhone and the other ones I’ve mentioned). Otherwise, I probably would wait a bit longer/til my phone breaks to get a new one (preferably some newer model of iPhone or whatnot as well.)
The iPhone3G, I should mention is at an exorbiantly overprice HK$ 5400 (or ~US675!!! for a 8MB) at retail price. So, there’s no way I’ll be purchasing said phone without a plan. (There are also other plans that further discounts the phone, but the monthly prices for those plans are way more than what I’d like to pay for, unless I really have the need to have unlimited Data as well, which, from what you say, I don’t necessarily need unless I plan on using my phone as my sole connection to the web. Which, would I become addicted to using my phone in that manner? )
Anyway, under the plan, the iPhone becomes at a much more agreeable price of around US350. Still overpriced, but compared to other phones (like the ones in the list I wrote), the prices aren’t too different. Same with the blackberrys, the newer ones are generally around that price range. But, the iPhone is so darn pretty and easy to use. I’ve checked out some of them, and maybe one or two is somewhat comparable to the ease of use to the iPhone. The keyboard thing is a big issue, and for some reason, even if the size is the same/larger, other touch screen phones are more difficult to type in than the iphone, and believe me, I’ve had plenty of practice with my present phone.
- So anyway, I’m now thinking to sign on a shorter contract (6 months or less) with my present phone company, and see if better offers come up then with the iPhone/other phones/NEWER phones that are niftier. But at least thanks to you, I can at least understand what I’d be getting in the plans. Though, the inability to check things online on the go (other than carrying around my too big laptop, which is what I do now, sometimes, and is another reason why I’m thinking of getting an iphone), is problematic.
Perhaps instead, I should use my money and invest in one of those cheap small nifty laptops (ASUS EEE something series) instead. Those, I understand. And the price (around 300-400USD) is almost the same as the phone under the plan. But, did I mention, the iPhone is so darn pretty and easy to use?
Whew. I’m sorry, I think I’ve written some kind of a novel here on the topic of overpriced phones and extensive whining. Thanks for reading.
Anyway, Thanks again for everyone’s input, and not calling me a dumbass (outloud). Very much appreciated!! Happy holidays!
Excellent resource for both productivity app recommendations and entertainment:
Ok…I want to hear about apps. What are the apps that you can’t live without and why? Here are mine:
Utilities
AroundMe: Simply put: It tells you where things are near you. Hospitals, restaurants, gas stations. Sweet.
Twitterfon (although, truth be told I just installed Twitterfic to check it out)
Weather Channel: My wife loves this more than I do. Streaming video local weather updates? Awesome
Games
Galcon Lite: This game is straightforward and a good tactic and strategy exercise
Personal fave:
Adventure (Atari style) Yeah, my lawn. You’re on it.
There’s a roundup at allvoices that should be worth a look.
You had me at “Atari style.”
…the scary part is that I still know my way around in this game by heart. Crazy.
Some interesting tips on Cnet found here. Best one is how to make your own ringtone without having to pay .99 cents for it!
Ok, two updates:
Games - Tap Defense. I thought to myself “oh, I’ll just play this for five minutes” last night…three hours later I got that look from my wife
Just for fun - If you don’t have the iPhone lightsaber, then hand in your Geek card. It is so sweet. I can’t wait to show it to my nephew.
If you have a Mac, Garageband will export anything (except perhaps protected files) you create up to 40 sec to ITunes as a ringtone.
Thanks Solai, this is the best IPhone game I have scene. It is simple, quick, and fun yet still challenging. Great if you only have a few minutes or even a few hours.
I also just discovered a great free app called “Vlingo”. It lets you call your contacts, search the web, and update facebook through a voice interface. Its a little buggy - esp. with facebook - doesn’t always get what I said (but then you can choose to not post it) - but for calling people and searching it seems to work well.
I also like the Pandora radio app.
Ok, I just had a massive back and forth with my brother-in-law who had the awful experience of losing his iPhone and discovering AT&T nor Apple can do much at all to help you…you are on your own buddy.
Here is the collection of steps you can take to make your phone more secure:
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Write down IMEI # : [SIZE=2]
Settings\General\About\IMEI ([SIZE=2]
International Mobile Equipment Identity, “Your iPhone’s IMEI, or is a fifteen digit number that can be used by wireless carriers to identify your specific device”)
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Write down Serial # :
(good to have, not very useful when attempting to recover a phone) -
Enable auto-lock: Settings\General\Auto-lock. Granted, this does nothing for security by itself, but it does prolong battery life by automatically shutting off the screen which is a good thing
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Enable passcode (required after 15 minutes):
Settings\General\Passcode Lock\Require Passcode=After 15 min (other options: Immediately, 5 minutes, 1 hour) -
Enable erasing of iPhone after 10 failed attempts,
Settings\General\Passcode Lock\Erase Data=On -
Install Gadget track (still researching this, but apparently allows you to see in a web browser where your iPhone is…I’ll report more on this once I have tested)
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Sim card lock
What sim card lock will do is prevent people from making calls from your iPhone when they turn it on as it requires the pass code to unlock the SIM card. It will also prevent someone from removing your SIM card and sticking it into another phone to make calls as well as prevent easy transfer of all your contacts…so it is well worth it.
To enable SIM card pass code:
- Tap your iPhone’s Settings app
- Tap on Phone
- Select SIM PIN
- Tap Change PIN
- Enter the Current Password (for AT&T, the default is 1111. For other carriers check here)
- Enter the New Password, a 4-digit pass code that you can remember; re-enter it to confirm.
The next time you turn on your iPhone you will be asked to unlock your SIM. If you forget your PIN, you will need to contact your carrier to unlock the SIM.
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I have found an amazing app called, “Star Walk”. It costs 4 bucks, but basically what it does is triangulate where you are with the time and lays out the galaxy above you. You can click on each star and planet to get information on it, fast forward time to see what will be in the sky at any given time and lays out constellations. You can also search for specific things and it will show you were to look. I have yet to have a clear night, but I suspect this will be awesome.
EDIT: by the way I have made the first post a compendium of all the recommendations to date
When do we get copy/paste on an iphone?
For some reason, I jsut never got the appeal. I like my ipod with my ipod, and my phone with my phone. The Ipod touch I’d take, after this ipod dies maybe…I think it might be dead though already, this ipod
It’s funny. You’d think that without the “simple” copy/paste it’d be useless, right?
Man, this is so wrong that it’s hard to even explain. It’s not the form factor, the UI, or even the specific functionality that makes the iPhone magic. It’s the combination of all that – and the fact that it does what it does very, very well. Having owned, worked with, and even written software for handhelds for years, I can say one thing for certain: once you cross a certain level of complexity with a mobile device – by trying to be a do-everything solution – the device, well, sucks. (Witness: Windows CE PDAs)
The iPhone does email, web browsing, mapping, and voicemail like nothing else out there. Apps are now a huge bonus, allowing the phone to fill some other gaps as well.
In short, the iPhone isn’t a phone. It isn’t a PDA. It isn’t an iPod. Comparing it to these devices is like comparing apples, oranges, and Space Shuttles. If I had to best describe what the iPhone realy is, it’d probably be this:
The iPhone is a connection to the world – a portable terminal that allows you full-time access to the collective knowledge and consciousness of the internet. And it’s the size and shape of a phone (and works great as one), so you’ll always have it with you.
Ask Solai. He’s recently experienced this.
(…though I realize you probably only asked this question to bump post count. :))
Pretty much what Chuck said. Apple has realized that an iPhone is not a tiny desktop, and they’re not trying to make it into one. That said, you still can do an amazing amount of things with it. Like moderate forums, for example. 
Amen brother.
I’ve been accumulating several stories about how this little device has changed the way I think, handle certain situations and interact. I agree Em that the copy and paste is a slightly mind boggling gap…we are talking cutting edge 70s technology this whole cut and paste thing, but I strongly suspect it is tied to greater interface challenges.
Like anything else, you accept both the advantages and limitations of the item and decide whether or not it will ultimately be useful to you. I have found that this is a moot discussion when regarding the iPhone.