Guess I'll be getting an iPhone this summer

[Cleo]

The iPhone

Looks like what I've been waiting for although it is a bit bigger then I would like and it looks like it only works with Cingular which would kind of suck since I'm with T-mobile.

[Simon]

I feel the same way about having to leave Sprint after having them as my cell carrier for 10 years. But that's definitely a compelling reason to switch to Cingular.

Time to look into creating some adult podcasts for that new widescreen mode.

ADDED: It'll be interesting to see how adult websites look on the integrated Safari browser. The example of zooming in to read the NY Times made me think about how nicely some blogs will work on that screen too.

[Cleo]

I think the main reason that Apple went with Cingular is that they have the high speed Edge technology and also the features like visual voice mail have to be supported by the carrier and Cingular agreed to work with Apple on this.

I had actually thought of getting the Cingular card for my laptop in order to get high speed internet on the go. I imagine with this phone your laptop will be able to use the phone via Bluetooth for an internet connection.

[cd34]

well Cleo, if you want, buy it, and I'll put my sim card in it and you can see how it works. In fact, I'll give it a good home until you switch to Cingular.

Also note that the first version doesn't support 3g, so, even though Cingular has a 3g/edge network, that phone can't support it.

Also, Cingular is a little like AT&T and refuses to turn on certain features on their phones -- even though the phones can support it. My older nokia had an IRDA modem -- my laptop could connect to it, it could dial the number, but, as soon as it realized it was a data call, the phone would immediately disconnect. I was willing to pay for the airtime and it took about 3 weeks for Cingular to finally admit that while the phone was capable, and their network was capable, they turned off that feature and weren't going to enable it.

[Simon]

I've been using this LG slider phone with Bluetooth to do that for the last two years so that's definitely a 'must have' feature as far as I'm concerned. Without that it'd be like being back in 2004.

--
(I meant to use this link since the one above is just a photo)

[Jim]

Not quite the concept phone they had earlier this year but still nice. All my Children are on my family plan with cingular and they have been due an upgrade. We decided to wait until after Christmas to see what's new. I kind of wish I didn't wait. I did buy my lovely wife a Dolce & Gabbana Razr so she should be set for the next year at least.

On a different note. Doesn't verizon suck for not using sim cards? My Daughter's boyfriend uses them and he has to pay $10 to get his phone book transfered over when he gets a new phone. And, he actually has to call to get one activated if he buys it online.

[Jim]

Originally Posted by cd34

Also, Cingular is a little like AT&T and refuses to turn on certain features on their phones -- even though the phones can support it. My older nokia had an IRDA modem -- my laptop could connect to it, it could dial the number, but, as soon as it realized it was a data call, the phone would immediately disconnect. I was willing to pay for the airtime and it took about 3 weeks for Cingular to finally admit that while the phone was capable, and their network was capable, they turned off that feature and weren't going to enable it.

Didn't Cingular and At&T merge their cellphone services a year or so ago? They did something because the day they did, all of a sudden my Cingular phone had reception where it never did before.

[Cleo]

Originally Posted by cd34

Also note that the first version doesn't support 3g, so, even though Cingular has a 3g/edge network, that phone can't support it.

From
http://www.apple.com/iphone/technology/specs.html
GSM Quad-band (MHz: 850, 900, 1800, 1900)
Wireless data Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) + EDGE + Bluetooth 2.0

I've been doing a lot of text messaging lately so the QWERTY soft keyboard is something that really sounds great to me.

[Jim]

I just saw that they are going to be priced reasonably as well. $499 for he 4gig version and $599 for 8gigs.

I am due for a phone. The one I had dropped out of it's clip in the middle of a road and I had to kick it across the street so it didn't get run over.

[Cleo]

Here is some more info about the phone.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/01...hone/index.php
http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/01/...nveils.iphone/

And some high rez photos of the software and hardware
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2371
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2370

[swedguy]

Wow! I like!

When they make it with 3G and you can get an Invisible Shield for it since I scratch everything up, I'll get one. It's way sexy looking

[cd34]

Originally Posted by Jim

Didn't Cingular and At&T merge their cellphone services a year or so ago? They did something because the day they did, all of a sudden my Cingular phone had reception where it never did before.

AT&T Wireless sold their network to Cingular. Cingular had the largest TDMA Network -- AT&T Wireless had a TDMA/GSM Hybrid. At that point Cingular used AT&T's TDMA and Cingular's TDMA and allowed calls to roam across either -- building their network very quickly. Of course, Bellsouth which owns Cingular was just purchased by AT&T, so, Cingular again becomes an AT&T property.

Originally Posted by Cleo

From
http://www.apple.com/iphone/technology/specs.html
GSM Quad-band (MHz: 850, 900, 1800, 1900)
Wireless data Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) + EDGE + Bluetooth 2.0

I stand corrected. The first reports I saw of it claimed EDGE not supported in version one. We'll see if Cingular supports it out of the gate -- they have a long history of not supporting the 'cool stuff' until the cool stuff is already implemented by everyone else.

[cd34]

and cingular is supporting Edge out of the gate.

[dareutwo]

I'll be sticking to my Non laptop Non cellphone world for another year at least.
Beside not having coverage without paying 150.00 a month, I'd probably use it once a month.

Though new gadgets are always cool. As soon as I move from 8 tracks to cassettes, I'll get a laptop

[DJilla]

Though I thought the i-phone pretty darn cool, I've got to wait for something that runs MS and is on US Cell. They're testing a Motorola unit now and though I've called everyone I know to try and be a tester apparently they only do testing in a little town in Wisconsin and another little town somewhere else. Have to wait to maybe the second quarter or later.

The only thing I'm dubious about the i-phone is the touchpad instead of buttons. These often turn out to be notoriously difficult to use and one is always pressing the wrong screen button or your nails are too long or you can't see the screen contrast enough in some lighting. Have to wait to see one up close.

Smart move though. I wish Apple all the luck in the world as it transforms the company. I honestly never thought they'd be able to pull it off.

As AT&T gobbles up all its old children again... does anybody remember in the old hacking days when they first came out with that new world like logo? Didn't we used to call it the "death star". Seems truer than ever now.

[tickler]

Originally Posted by dareutwo

I'll be sticking to my Non laptop Non cellphone world for another year at least.
Beside not having coverage without paying 150.00 a month, I'd probably use it once a month.

Yeah, I've almost convinced myself to get something with worldwide roaming just for internet access.

[Cleo]

Time magazine has some additional info about the phone including some of its drawbacks.
http://www.time.com/time/business/ar...575743,00.html
- Can't download songs directly from iTunes Store
- Can't sync iPhone with a computer wirelessly.
- "Web speed was OK—not great, but OK."
- "Apple went through numerous iterations of the glass surface, trying to find one that’s not too slick or too rough, or that shows grease and fingerprints too much. "
- "It feels amazing in your hand"
- "Typing is difficult"

[kenny]

That phone is shaped weird and would bother me trying to use it.

They need to shape it like a phone not a big calculator.

I know there is bluetooth but I really don't see why that is suppose to be so special. You still have to wear that ear thing.

On another note was the ear thing with the wire so bad?

[Cleo]

Originally Posted by sleeper

I know there is bluetooth but I really don't see why that is suppose to be so special. You still have to wear that ear thing.

On another note was the ear thing with the wire so bad?

The phone I have now, Sony Ericsson K750, has Bluetooth and I use it all the time with my Jabra headset. I've been using a Bluetooth headset for years. No more catching the cord on something and ripping the headset out of my ear or worse.

[kenny]

Originally Posted by Cleo

The phone I have now, Sony Ericsson K750, has Bluetooth and I use it all the time with my Jabra headset. I've been using a Bluetooth headset for years. No more catching the cord on something and ripping the headset out of my ear or worse.

I have been using a thing that clips on my ear for probably 10 years now.

I also have a cellphone with bluetooth and I swear it is no different then the wire piece in quality or preformance.

The phone is right there with you regardless.

I have never ripped the wire out.

Then again I'm not usually playing baseball of dancing while on the phone

I remember first hearing about bluetooth I didn't know what it was and thought it was going to be some cool thing. Then I saw it and was disappointed because I've been using similar technology forever now.

The first thing that popped in my head when I first saw bluetooth was "I already have this and the wire is no big deal"

To be honest I hardly ever use the headset/earpiece thing either.

It's usually not a big deal for me to just grab the phone and manually hold it to my ear.

You know like the way our ancestors use to do it.

Thats why personally I don't see the big deal with bluetooth. Cord or wireless your phone still has to be right there so whats the big deal?

Kind of like computer mouses I have never had a actual problem with a cord and it makes no difference to me if the mouse has a cord or not.

[Cleo]

I guess you don't wear earrings or have long hair.

On a side note I do use a keyboard and mouse with a wire.

[docholly]

My pal Joe is at MacWorld and shot some pretty rocking stuff.

Products & Floor at MacWorld It's kind of interesting to see them when they are not in an ad..

[kenny]

Originally Posted by Cleo

I guess you don't wear earrings or have long hair.

You're right I don't

[Lot]

I think it's a very big tool, don't know about its functions but at the first sight it's just big..

[Cleo]

Lots of questions answered here. Looks like Chris was correct that it does not support 3G at this time.
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/...ked-questions/

The Ultimate iPhone Frequently Asked Questions
Wow. Predictably, the torrent — and I do mean torrent — of iPhone commentary from the citizens of the Web is practically outflooding spam this week. Most of it comes from people whose shirt fronts are practically drenched in drool. Plenty is negative and bitter.

Another huge category is iPhone questions. Never mind that many of these questions either (a) have been answered by Apple, either on its elaborate, interactive Web site or the free video of Steve Jobs’s speech, or (b) come from people who fantasize about fitting the iPhone into their own particular wish lists.

(My favorite sarcastic comment, which was a response to these responses, which were in response to my last blog entry: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, but can you use it underwater? And can you recharge it using solar power? And does it have an optical scanner that detects your eyeball movements so that you merely have to look at a name in your contacts list and blink in order to choose and call him? Apple, you have a long way to go…”)

Anyway, here it is: the ultimate iPhone Frequently Asked Questions list, complete with answers.

ANSWERS TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS:

Can it be used with anything but Cingular? –No.

Is it an “unlocked” phone, so I can use it with a carrier other than Cingular? –No.

Will there be a non-Cingular version? –Not within the first two years.

Can I put my T-Mobile SIM card in it instead of Cingular? –No.

But what if I keep asking? Then will it be available beyond Cingular? –No.

Can it run Mac OS X programs? –No.

Can I add new programs to it? –No. Apple wants to control the look and feel and behavior of every aspect of the phone.

Does it run programs from Palm, Symbian, Windows? –No.

Does it connect to iChat? –No.

Does it have games? –No.

Is it ambidextrous? –No.

Does it have GPS? –No.

Voice recognition? Voice dialing? Voice memos? –No, although this could change by June when the phone ships.

Does it get onto the HSDPA (3G) high-speed Internet network that Cingular has rolled out in a few cities? –No. But Steve Jobs said a later version of the iPhone will — once there’s enough HSDPA coverage in this country to justify it.

Does the Web browser support Flash or Java? –No.

Will it play music over Bluetooth? –Unknown.

Can you change the battery yourself? –No. You’ll have to send the phone in to Apple for battery replacement, just as with the iPods.

Can it open Word and Excel documents? –No. (Steve Jobs says it can open PDF files, though.)

Can you use it one-handed? –Yes, for some functions. But overall, it’s less convenient than on a phone with physical keys.

Can I make a call while driving a car? –Not as easily as on a regular cellphone with programmed speed-dial keys. (Besides–MUST you?)

Does the camera record video? –Not yet. Apple may add this feature by June.

Does it connect to standard iPod accessories like car docks and speaker systems? –Yes!

Does it work overseas? –Yes. It’s a quad-band GSM phone, meaning you can use it in almost any country (for an added fee, of course).

Is there a Verizon version? –NO!!!!

Will they make a non-cellphone version–a widescreen touch iPod? –Nobody knows. Apple doesn’t leak product info until it’s good and ready.

That scrolling through lists thing is glitzy, but what if I have 3,000 names in my address book? –There’s also an alphabet “index tab” down the right side of the screen, so you can jump to another spot in the list.

Is there a calendar? –Yes.

Will it sync with Outlook? –No.

What about airplane use? –It has a airplane mode (wireless off), just like any cellphone.

Won’t the screen get smudgy? –It does, but you don’t see it except when the screen is off. The one I played with was pretty streaky, but wiping it on my sleeve cleaned it completely.

Who on earth would buy this thing? –Obviously not people who ask this question. But that’s OK–there’s no requirement that everyone buy the iPhone. More for the rest of us!