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One Week On: Delighted or Disappointed?
- Thread starter CD3660
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MattyMac, you're not the only one that's concerned about being overly concerned on the iPhone. As soon as it gets older I probably won't care about it, but right now i'm overly cautious...I got an incase rubber thing on it and the crystal clear ifilm on it
I just love this device, it's the best phone I have ever owned.
There are a couple of things that need improvement and the iPhone will be perfect.
There are a couple of things that need improvement and the iPhone will be perfect.
Completely delighted.
Phone - Best phone I have ever had. I don't use MMS or Bluetooth so that is a non issue for me. They keyboard kicks all amounts of ass. I can type almost as fast as I can on that as I can on my MB keyboard. Text messaging is awesome and Safari is sick! I actually have a reason to use the web browser on here and same with my e-mail. I'm not a hardcore e-mail user so the junk mail filter isn't a huge issue to me.
iPod - I've been waiting since late 2005 to get a new iPod and I always held off on buying a 5G video because I knew they were going to release an iPhone at some point in time and I am more than happy that I waited. I have all my iTunes music on it and I still have around 500 MB left for pics, software updates and so forth.
And I forgot about YouTube...among others. that is awesome too. And I will also be buying generation 2 the day it comes out as well. Best $600 I have ever spent.
Phone - Best phone I have ever had. I don't use MMS or Bluetooth so that is a non issue for me. They keyboard kicks all amounts of ass. I can type almost as fast as I can on that as I can on my MB keyboard. Text messaging is awesome and Safari is sick! I actually have a reason to use the web browser on here and same with my e-mail. I'm not a hardcore e-mail user so the junk mail filter isn't a huge issue to me.
iPod - I've been waiting since late 2005 to get a new iPod and I always held off on buying a 5G video because I knew they were going to release an iPhone at some point in time and I am more than happy that I waited. I have all my iTunes music on it and I still have around 500 MB left for pics, software updates and so forth.
And I forgot about YouTube...among others. that is awesome too. And I will also be buying generation 2 the day it comes out as well. Best $600 I have ever spent.
Totally exceeds my expectations. I love my iPhone! It has led me into new areas which I had not explored before: synchronizing all of my computers, using Bluetooth with my car's GPS navigation system.... All I can say is, WOW!!!!
Makes my keyboard + tablet seem clunky now
The one thing that makes me realize how much I just ENJOY using this, is that when I go to use my desktop or laptop I get bummed because they're not multi-touch!
Using touch screen seems so natural and intuitive -- it's a wonder that it hasn't been used on a larger scale outside of the airline, restaurant, grocery and banking industries. Those are about the only places I regularly run across them.
I've been wanting a multitouch tablet and keyboard for the last couple of years, it seems the iPhone will speed that along.
This little sucker looks to be a real paradigm shifter. (Now if it was just a little smaller and came with iChat and a cool wristband, Dick Tracy would have nothing on us...)
The one thing that makes me realize how much I just ENJOY using this, is that when I go to use my desktop or laptop I get bummed because they're not multi-touch!
Using touch screen seems so natural and intuitive -- it's a wonder that it hasn't been used on a larger scale outside of the airline, restaurant, grocery and banking industries. Those are about the only places I regularly run across them.
I've been wanting a multitouch tablet and keyboard for the last couple of years, it seems the iPhone will speed that along.
This little sucker looks to be a real paradigm shifter. (Now if it was just a little smaller and came with iChat and a cool wristband, Dick Tracy would have nothing on us...)
I am totally delighted. I had a battery issue (complete drain over night with a good charge) but I haven't had that occur again. Other than the low sound output of the earpiece and the distorted speaker on the bottom it is the most amazing thing. The thing that I love about it the most is that it is the game changer. And I can't imagine how any other company will catch up--similar to ipod and music.
I am loving it. I haven't had any crashes *knock on wood* and works very well. Once in a while I notice it being a little sluggish but not bad.
I am still very annoyed that I can't accept calendar invites from the phone and I _NEED_ to be able to change my SMS alert tone. Otherwise, I am gonna have to get a beeper for work
I am still very annoyed that I can't accept calendar invites from the phone and I _NEED_ to be able to change my SMS alert tone. Otherwise, I am gonna have to get a beeper for work
My iPhone is one of the best things I have ever bought. It's really extraordinary.
Having Google Maps a tap away, when you're out and about = extraordinary.
Actually having a good portion of my music, podcasts, and videos without bringing my iPod = exciting.
An easy to use phone that sounds good = awesome
Super Simple Email Anywhere = Breathtaking
Safari on the go =Convenient
Not any serious complaints. An amazing product.
Having Google Maps a tap away, when you're out and about = extraordinary.
Actually having a good portion of my music, podcasts, and videos without bringing my iPod = exciting.
An easy to use phone that sounds good = awesome
Super Simple Email Anywhere = Breathtaking
Safari on the go =Convenient
Not any serious complaints. An amazing product.
Disappointing to say the least
I purchased an iPhone for my partner who is deaf. I was told by a salesman at the Apple store that the 4 GB model would be ideal for a deaf person because they would not require the additional storage capacity for audio files. He also said that it was a great device for deaf people because of the internet connectivity. I looked over the available plans and saw that three data plans were available which were comparable in price to my partner's T-Mobile Sidekick data plan, so I bought.
After setting it up and going through the installation process, we were only given options for voice plans and the data plans were apparently only available for existing customers to add to their current voice plans. I looked at the rate card again and noticed, in small print, that these plans were available for "existing customers" but without further explanation. I called AT&T and spoke with a supervisor who told me that the least expensive option would be to get a "pick your plan" for $29.99/mo. and add the $20/mo. data plan with 1,500 messages. He advised to enter 9s for the social security number in order to get the "pick your plan" options. We did that, and to our surprise the plans he told us about were not there -- the cheapest plan was $49.99/mo. with no SMS allowance, and a 200 SMS for $10/mo. and unlimited SMS for $20/mo. extra. The activation experience was absolutely ridiculous, and the way the data plans are advertised is misleading. We ended up with a "pick your plan" with 200 SMS for $59.99/mo. -- double the $29.99/mo. rate we were paying for the T-Mobile Sidekick data w/ unlimited SMS plan.
Minutes after activating the phone, we quickly became aware of a major problem hindering our experience -- an annoying message would pop up over the screen and take over the entire phone showing your usage and remaining balance. This is apparently unique to the "pick your plan" options, and it comes up after any data connectivity (which is all the time). You cannot do anything with the phone until you dismiss this notification message, and it happens regularly every 10-15 minutes. There is no way to disable this warning message. What were they thinking?
Usage of the iPhone led us to the following list of problems that prevent this from being a serious device for the 20 million deaf people out there who would otherwise love an iPhone:
The Apple store lied to us when it said this was a great device for deaf people. The rate plan card available at the Apple store is misleading with regard to the data plans and the fact that they cannot be purchased without a voice plan. AT&T lied to us when it told us that we could select certain "pick your plan" options that were not available in iTunes, and when we called back we were told "AT&T does not handle the activation, Apple does, and any such question should be directed at Apple." Thanks a lot.
Those who have used Blackberrys, Sidekicks, Treos, Qs, Dashes, and other PDAs will see the iPhone as a beta product being sold for top dollar on an inferior network. Most iPod and typical cell phone users will see the iPhone as a great product because they haven't experienced anything better. Yes, the iPhone has a wonderful user interface, but this amazing experience is killed by its shortcomings. Some will be quick to say "hey, give it time, features will be added". To them I say that when I pay $500 for a "revolutionary" product, it damn well better contain the basic features that more mundane products have had for the better part of the last 5 years. I'm all for software updates and bringing new features online, but don't make me wait for something that should already be in the phone.
I predict that 20-30% of iPhones will be returned, possibly up to 50%. The high price tag, lack of fundamental functionality, limited plan options, and its inseparable marriage to a crippled cellular network make for a product disaster waiting to happen. I wish Apple luck, as those who are not die-hard Apple fans will quickly see through the hype. This phone is only revolutionary to those who are drinking the kool-aid.
I purchased an iPhone for my partner who is deaf. I was told by a salesman at the Apple store that the 4 GB model would be ideal for a deaf person because they would not require the additional storage capacity for audio files. He also said that it was a great device for deaf people because of the internet connectivity. I looked over the available plans and saw that three data plans were available which were comparable in price to my partner's T-Mobile Sidekick data plan, so I bought.
After setting it up and going through the installation process, we were only given options for voice plans and the data plans were apparently only available for existing customers to add to their current voice plans. I looked at the rate card again and noticed, in small print, that these plans were available for "existing customers" but without further explanation. I called AT&T and spoke with a supervisor who told me that the least expensive option would be to get a "pick your plan" for $29.99/mo. and add the $20/mo. data plan with 1,500 messages. He advised to enter 9s for the social security number in order to get the "pick your plan" options. We did that, and to our surprise the plans he told us about were not there -- the cheapest plan was $49.99/mo. with no SMS allowance, and a 200 SMS for $10/mo. and unlimited SMS for $20/mo. extra. The activation experience was absolutely ridiculous, and the way the data plans are advertised is misleading. We ended up with a "pick your plan" with 200 SMS for $59.99/mo. -- double the $29.99/mo. rate we were paying for the T-Mobile Sidekick data w/ unlimited SMS plan.
Minutes after activating the phone, we quickly became aware of a major problem hindering our experience -- an annoying message would pop up over the screen and take over the entire phone showing your usage and remaining balance. This is apparently unique to the "pick your plan" options, and it comes up after any data connectivity (which is all the time). You cannot do anything with the phone until you dismiss this notification message, and it happens regularly every 10-15 minutes. There is no way to disable this warning message. What were they thinking?
Usage of the iPhone led us to the following list of problems that prevent this from being a serious device for the 20 million deaf people out there who would otherwise love an iPhone:
- No data-only plans for those who do not require voice. AT&T has data-only plans for Blackberry, its other PDAs, as well as a TAP plan for deaf people that is restricted to one Nokia handset. Is it too much to ask for the most interactive, connected phone in history to have a data-only plan?
- The least expensive plan for those wanting data-only is the "pick your plan" with additional SMS allowance, which comes to $50/mo. and causes a ridiculous balance warning message to take over the entire phone every 10-15 minutes.
- iPhone's antenna is located in the BOTTOM of the handset, so anytime you hold it in a normal fashion in the palm of your hand (palm covering the lower black portion of the phone), the signal drops 2-3 bars every time.
- AT&T network coverage is a joke. Their coverage map shows our area in Phoenix as "good" yet we are lucky to get 1 or 2 bars. Walking into a building usually results in no signal at all.
- NO SHIFT LOCK. How do you enter all capital letters when typing?
- NO COPY/PASTE. I fell off my chair when I made this realization.
- NO MULTIPLE SMS RECIPIENTS. Total deal breaker.
- NO AIM/MSN MESSAGING CLIENT. Another deal breaker from a company that invented iChat.
- NO EMAIL ACCOUNT INCLUDED WITH DATA PLAN. While this seems trivial, it is important to deaf people to have a dedicated and reliable email plan linked with their PDA. T-Mobile includes a T-Mail account with Sidekick plans, and many deaf people have T-Mail accounts directly on their PDAs. Yahoo push email is a joke -- the emails seem to be pushed off the end of the earth before they ever make it to the iPhone.
- CANNOT CREATE GROUPS OR DISTRIBUTION LISTS. There is no way to set up a distribution list on the iPhone, so email addies must be entered one at a time.
- NO BCC RECIPIENTS IN EMAIL. This and the previous feature omission became quickly apparent when my partner was trying to notify everyone of his new GMAIL account.
- Interfacing with the iPhone through iTunes is cumbersome and not at all intuitive.
The Apple store lied to us when it said this was a great device for deaf people. The rate plan card available at the Apple store is misleading with regard to the data plans and the fact that they cannot be purchased without a voice plan. AT&T lied to us when it told us that we could select certain "pick your plan" options that were not available in iTunes, and when we called back we were told "AT&T does not handle the activation, Apple does, and any such question should be directed at Apple." Thanks a lot.
Those who have used Blackberrys, Sidekicks, Treos, Qs, Dashes, and other PDAs will see the iPhone as a beta product being sold for top dollar on an inferior network. Most iPod and typical cell phone users will see the iPhone as a great product because they haven't experienced anything better. Yes, the iPhone has a wonderful user interface, but this amazing experience is killed by its shortcomings. Some will be quick to say "hey, give it time, features will be added". To them I say that when I pay $500 for a "revolutionary" product, it damn well better contain the basic features that more mundane products have had for the better part of the last 5 years. I'm all for software updates and bringing new features online, but don't make me wait for something that should already be in the phone.
I predict that 20-30% of iPhones will be returned, possibly up to 50%. The high price tag, lack of fundamental functionality, limited plan options, and its inseparable marriage to a crippled cellular network make for a product disaster waiting to happen. I wish Apple luck, as those who are not die-hard Apple fans will quickly see through the hype. This phone is only revolutionary to those who are drinking the kool-aid.
sshrivastava... thats a lot of things to come to terms with post-purchase don't you think? There isn't much actual HYPE surrounding the iPhone because it really meets most of it. I've used countless other smartphones and the iPhone isn't putting on an act... it isn't a horrible phone with an Apple symbol, its a great device... that needs some work. Are 50% of iPhones going to get returned? Not in a million years.
PS: Love the sig.
PS: Love the sig.
After submitting the original post late last night (UK time) I went to bed for the night. Got up this morning to find a surprisingly large number of responses. Many thanks for that. It makes interesting reading. Keep them coming!
There appears to be almost unanimous satisfaction with this new beauty, which is good to hear for those of us in Europe who have to wait a few months more.
In line with a couple of suggestions I've added a poll to the thread.
Vote away!
There appears to be almost unanimous satisfaction with this new beauty, which is good to hear for those of us in Europe who have to wait a few months more.
In line with a couple of suggestions I've added a poll to the thread.
Vote away!
sshrivastava... thats a lot of things to come to terms with post-purchase don't you think? There isn't much actual HYPE surrounding the iPhone because it really meets most of it. I've used countless other smartphones and the iPhone isn't putting on an act... it isn't a horrible phone with an Apple symbol, its a great device... that needs some work. Are 50% of iPhones going to get returned? Not in a million years.
PS: Love the sig.
I think I had a bad experience from the start, given the Apple Store rep's recommendation for my deaf partner, and of course I had certain expecations of this being a great PDA. In reading other discussion forums and the user ratings on CNET, the majority of people are finding the iPhone to be a disappointment. CNET's average user rating is 6.3 out 10, which is not good news. I realize that is may not be the case here, which is natural because we are all pretty much die-hard Mac fans and want Apple to succeed at everything it does.
Happy 1-week Ann"i"versary Everyone!!
I am pleased as punch. I don't care for EDGE, Safari has crashed, the screen delays when turning the phone vertiically or horizontally, but it's cool. I can make a LONG LIST of things I love.
I have had a smile on my face for a straight 7 days.
Couldn't have said it any better.
Ok, more votes needed to make this poll truly representative.
So far:
Excellent - 8 (72.73 %)
Very Good - 2 (18.18%)
Disappointed - 1 (9.09%)
Roll up, roll up!
So far:
Excellent - 8 (72.73 %)
Very Good - 2 (18.18%)
Disappointed - 1 (9.09%)
Roll up, roll up!
SShrivastava, there is a caps lock function on the iPhone. Go to Settings > Keyboard and enable Caps Lock. Presto!
I am sorry you and your partner were so disappointed with the iPhone. I have seen posts on here where people have discussed how they were able to sign up for the 200 SMS and then by adding a few more dollars per month have unlimited. You might want to call AT&T again to see if you can set that up. Good luck!
I am sorry you and your partner were so disappointed with the iPhone. I have seen posts on here where people have discussed how they were able to sign up for the 200 SMS and then by adding a few more dollars per month have unlimited. You might want to call AT&T again to see if you can set that up. Good luck!
You're right. A lot of people got caught up in the hype and assumed it was the functional equivalent of a PDA. It's not.
It is an iPod and browser with a phone stuck on. And that's all Jobs ever said it would be. He never said it was a business phone, or a PDA. And it's not meant to be. It's an entertainment gizmo that's supposed to be fun and super easy to use... which meant leaving out a lot of options.
Will Apple change this? Depends on how stubborn they are about it not being a PDA. See, once you decide it's a PDA, then you have to support custom applications, third party VPNs, and all sorts of non-fun things.
I'm sorry to hear that the iPhone didn't meet your expectations but don't let that keep you from seeing the obvious; there has never been an electronic product of any kind that has sold at this level or had such a high percentage of customer satisfaction. It has far surpassed the hype and is a beautiful piece of hardware/software integration.
Eh, I agree and disagree. I agree that this phone was tailored to mp3/phone type people who wanted a slick/cool phone with software that was new, imo.
I don't agree that Jobs made it just for that purpose ONLY. Jobs has stated in the past that this phone was going to be a big COMMUNICATION type phone such as email/internet/mp3 rolled into one.
I am VERY happy with my iPhone but I use it strictly for business. I just have to bring my charger to work with me which isn't that big of a deal BUT if people have other business phones...I would wait until the next version.
Thanks everyone for your encouraging words. We took the iPhone back to the Apple store and explained the situation to the manager. Ultimately the biggest disappointment was that there appeared to be data plans available, but not only until you actually activate the iPhone do you realize that the data plan options are UPGRADES on top of the voice plans -- not bundles separately.
The Apple store manager was the nicest person I have ever met, and he gave us a full refund without a restocking fee. He apologized for the confusion about the plans, and gave us some ideas on how we could send our suggestions to Apple to make this an awesome communicator for the deaf consumer audience.
Again, thanks everyone. I love my Mac and other Apple products, and I think the hype machine spun out of control in the media regarding the iPhone. It made many of us expect the best phone, the best PDA, and the best iPod. If everyone sees it as a video iPod with phone functionality and a bunch of other cool things, then it's a success.
The Apple store manager was the nicest person I have ever met, and he gave us a full refund without a restocking fee. He apologized for the confusion about the plans, and gave us some ideas on how we could send our suggestions to Apple to make this an awesome communicator for the deaf consumer audience.
Again, thanks everyone. I love my Mac and other Apple products, and I think the hype machine spun out of control in the media regarding the iPhone. It made many of us expect the best phone, the best PDA, and the best iPod. If everyone sees it as a video iPod with phone functionality and a bunch of other cool things, then it's a success.
I am glad the manager made it easy for you to return it and hope your partner finds the right phone.
One thing I must mention about the CNET reviews is that people were rating the iPhone on Cnet many months before the iPhone was released! I can't believe they allow you to rate something that isn't yet available. Obviously most of the reviewers were Apple haters.
Good luck and have a nice evening!
Great experience so far...
Greetings...
My experience has been great, I would say 9.2/10. Not perfect, but remarkable.
There are, of course, issues with a 1.0 release. And there are a *lot* of features that would be nice and possible, but simply aren't there.
The product does what it promises. It delivers an awesome web, email, and passable ipod and phone expereince in my pocket. I am extremely happy with my purchase and it's performance.
Greetings... My experience has been great, I would say 9.2/10. Not perfect, but remarkable.
There are, of course, issues with a 1.0 release. And there are a *lot* of features that would be nice and possible, but simply aren't there.
The product does what it promises. It delivers an awesome web, email, and passable ipod and phone expereince in my pocket. I am extremely happy with my purchase and it's performance.
I am 99.9% thrilled with my phones (s)
My wife and i got one after I waited in line from 9am to 6pm in 112 degree heat on Phx. It was a fun day though.
We LOVE our phones and have NO issues with them at all. I have had NO crashes, no freezes, nothing. I did have to exchange my 1st one for the battery issue (not charging to 100%) but the new one is flawless.
Best phone I have ever had, best Ipod I have ever had, best super mobile internet I have ever had!
WELL worth the $599. My friends blackberry cost him $500 and cant do half of what the Iphone does.
My wife and i got one after I waited in line from 9am to 6pm in 112 degree heat on Phx. It was a fun day though.
We LOVE our phones and have NO issues with them at all. I have had NO crashes, no freezes, nothing. I did have to exchange my 1st one for the battery issue (not charging to 100%) but the new one is flawless.
Best phone I have ever had, best Ipod I have ever had, best super mobile internet I have ever had!
WELL worth the $599. My friends blackberry cost him $500 and cant do half of what the Iphone does.
Aside from having to exchange the defective earbuds that originally came with mine, I've had virtually no issues with my iPhone at all. It has definitely exceeded my expectations to this point, and it's truly phenomenal considering it's a version 1.0 product. The few bugs and crashes I've run across are things that can easily be ironed out with future software updates. I'd give it a solid 9/10 so far.