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Pogue Answers Common iPhone Questions
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Not another Newton?
What bothers me is that this new iPhone is apparently very slow for internet.
But isn't that like 50% of what the thing is? And if that's terrible than even if the other 50% is fantastic the thing can only be so-so at best.
also, it appears that ATT has everything to gain and Apple everything to lose. If the iPhone flops its just another phone for ATT that they don't even have to service (apparently). But Apple is hardwired to an obsolete (for this batch) network ( which ATT has apparently promised Apple they will fix as people are reporting ATT 'tweaking' the dinosaur).
Has Apple been suckered?
Don't get me wrong, I'm going to get one and i'm certainly glad I am forwarned about the wait time loading web pages (we all know how awful that can be) cuz if I were to shell out the huge bucks and find out after the fact I would be livid.
But all-n-all This thing CAN'T go wrong in the long run once they get it up to speed.
It's just maybe ahead of it's time (a la Messagepad).
What bothers me is that this new iPhone is apparently very slow for internet.
But isn't that like 50% of what the thing is? And if that's terrible than even if the other 50% is fantastic the thing can only be so-so at best.
also, it appears that ATT has everything to gain and Apple everything to lose. If the iPhone flops its just another phone for ATT that they don't even have to service (apparently). But Apple is hardwired to an obsolete (for this batch) network ( which ATT has apparently promised Apple they will fix as people are reporting ATT 'tweaking' the dinosaur).
Has Apple been suckered?
Don't get me wrong, I'm going to get one and i'm certainly glad I am forwarned about the wait time loading web pages (we all know how awful that can be) cuz if I were to shell out the huge bucks and find out after the fact I would be livid.
But all-n-all This thing CAN'T go wrong in the long run once they get it up to speed.
It's just maybe ahead of it's time (a la Messagepad).
My $.02
I've had my AT&T Wireless Sony Ericsson T637 for about 3.5 years, from right around the time when Cingular bought ATTW. I got it specifically because they didn't cripple the BlueTooth like VZ and Sprint and because I got a pair of them for $400 total profit after rebates.
When I first saw the iPhone at the MW keynote, I imediately wanted it to replace my aging phone and to consolidate my phone, Palm T|X and iPod into one awesome device.
As details have trickled out, I've wanted the iPhone less and less. I've always been dubious about the lack of a tactile keyboard, making it impossible to speed dial while driving without looking at it but I figured it would have a high quality voice dialing system to counter that. NOPE! Every cell phone I've ever owned, dating back 7 years, has had voice dialing!
Next, the only BlueTooth you can use is headset/handsfree. I hope they change that via software update or something. Not being able to use it in tethered mode with my MacBook Pro sucks.
Keyboard not going horizontal for non-Safari apps is silly - hopefully that will also get fixed quick.
Locked to AT&T only SIMs sucks too - what's the point of having a SIM card then?
No disk mode? Stupid. (probably an AT&T request to try to keep hackers out)
No Voice memo's or call recording either? Why in world?
No HSPDA - not a deal breaker, but kinda lame.
All of those negatives with a $500 - $600 price tag and a 2 year contract!?!? Thanks, but no thanks AT&T.
I'll get a new battery for my trusty T637 and let it keep chugging along until the 2nd gen iPhone comes out with better features.
It's too bad too, I was really wanting to want the iPhone.
I've had my AT&T Wireless Sony Ericsson T637 for about 3.5 years, from right around the time when Cingular bought ATTW. I got it specifically because they didn't cripple the BlueTooth like VZ and Sprint and because I got a pair of them for $400 total profit after rebates.
When I first saw the iPhone at the MW keynote, I imediately wanted it to replace my aging phone and to consolidate my phone, Palm T|X and iPod into one awesome device.
As details have trickled out, I've wanted the iPhone less and less. I've always been dubious about the lack of a tactile keyboard, making it impossible to speed dial while driving without looking at it but I figured it would have a high quality voice dialing system to counter that. NOPE! Every cell phone I've ever owned, dating back 7 years, has had voice dialing!
Next, the only BlueTooth you can use is headset/handsfree. I hope they change that via software update or something. Not being able to use it in tethered mode with my MacBook Pro sucks.
Keyboard not going horizontal for non-Safari apps is silly - hopefully that will also get fixed quick.
Locked to AT&T only SIMs sucks too - what's the point of having a SIM card then?
No disk mode? Stupid. (probably an AT&T request to try to keep hackers out)
No Voice memo's or call recording either? Why in world?
No HSPDA - not a deal breaker, but kinda lame.
All of those negatives with a $500 - $600 price tag and a 2 year contract!?!? Thanks, but no thanks AT&T.
I'll get a new battery for my trusty T637 and let it keep chugging along until the 2nd gen iPhone comes out with better features.
It's too bad too, I was really wanting to want the iPhone.
Eh... I'm tethering with my Q right now. You are correct about tethering with edge. It's painfully slow... but for what it is worth, I am tethering my Q right now... of course I'm on the sprint network.
Please understand that while there are many things to be happy about with the iPhone, people are right to criticize its cons...
For the first time, it isn't just about Apple keeping it simple. When the iPod came out, people groaned that it didn't have an FM Tuner or Voice Recording... but mp3 players weren't very big then. Cellphones are a different playing ground. A few of the features missing from the iPhone are things that are found in virtually every phone available now.
And it's not like Apple conjured the iPhone last week. They had plenty of time to plan and get the device manufactured.
Then again, this is just my opinion. Frankly, even without the features geeks pine for, the iPhone has been hyped so much that I believe apple will sell THOUSANDS of units. The anti-apple zealots will continue to preach about the iPhone shortcomings, but deep down, when they see that sexy device in picture and in videos, they still want one
.
Eh... I'm tethering with my Q right now. You are correct about tethering with edge. It's painfully slow... but for what it is worth, I am tethering my Q right now... of course I'm on the sprint network.
Please understand that while there are many things to be happy about with the iPhone, people are right to criticize its cons...
For the first time, it isn't just about Apple keeping it simple. When the iPod came out, people groaned that it didn't have an FM Tuner or Voice Recording... but mp3 players weren't very big then. Cellphones are a different playing ground. A few of the features missing from the iPhone are things that are found in virtually every phone available now.
And it's not like Apple conjured the iPhone last week. They had plenty of time to plan and get the device manufactured.
Then again, this is just my opinion. Frankly, even without the features geeks pine for, the iPhone has been hyped so much that I believe apple will sell THOUSANDS of units. The anti-apple zealots will continue to preach about the iPhone shortcomings, but deep down, when they see that sexy device in picture and in videos, they still want one
I second this post.
I BT tether on the Q all the time and am a Yankee
Eh... I'm tethering with my Q right now. You are correct about tethering with edge. It's painfully slow... but for what it is worth, I am tethering my Q right now... of course I'm on the sprint network.
Please understand that while there are many things to be happy about with the iPhone, people are right to criticize its cons...
For the first time, it isn't just about Apple keeping it simple. When the iPod came out, people groaned that it didn't have an FM Tuner or Voice Recording... but mp3 players weren't very big then. Cellphones are a different playing ground. A few of the features missing from the iPhone are things that are found in virtually every phone available now.
And it's not like Apple conjured the iPhone last week. They had plenty of time to plan and get the device manufactured.
Then again, this is just my opinion. Frankly, even without the features geeks pine for, the iPhone has been hyped so much that I believe apple will sell THOUSANDS of units. The anti-apple zealots will continue to preach about the iPhone shortcomings, but deep down, when they see that sexy device in picture and in videos, they still want one
Actually I do really want one, thats why I'm so annoyed that Apple have screwed up the specification. The simple fact is it can't service my needs so I can't buy one and it bugs the hell out of me.
Show-stopper: no modem usage.
I love almost everything about the iPhone, and I might be able to overlook missing external disk functionality and the lack of third-party applications (hence no SSH client). However, using it as a Bluetooth modem (as I now do with my Treo on Sprint) is absolutely essential.
I am confident there are no technical reasons for this limitation, and that the phone is deliberately crippled in this regard. If anyone is aware of a work-around so I can achieve parity with my 650 and ditch my dying Palm, I (and many others, I'm sure) would love to know about it.
I love almost everything about the iPhone, and I might be able to overlook missing external disk functionality and the lack of third-party applications (hence no SSH client). However, using it as a Bluetooth modem (as I now do with my Treo on Sprint) is absolutely essential.
I am confident there are no technical reasons for this limitation, and that the phone is deliberately crippled in this regard. If anyone is aware of a work-around so I can achieve parity with my 650 and ditch my dying Palm, I (and many others, I'm sure) would love to know about it.
Surprising SSH options.
It may be that some useful SSH options may surface through web applications after all. Of course, I have no idea how web applications would handle public key authentication, but some of these solutions are really inventive. Also, we can always trust Google to be exceedingly clever.
It may be that some useful SSH options may surface through web applications after all. Of course, I have no idea how web applications would handle public key authentication, but some of these solutions are really inventive. Also, we can always trust Google to be exceedingly clever.
I've owned 5 different T-mobile Bluetooth phones over the years, and tethering has always been enabled.
Since (a) T-mobile sells the connection hardware to tether phones without Bluetooth and (b) there's no higher-end internet feature on their account than their $20/month unlimited T-mobile Internet option, it seems pretty clear that they're actually trying to compete on price and not simply missing that people out there are doing this.
"Apparently" suggests that you haven't tried it. EDGE internet access on the iPhone is not fast but it's usable. Wi-fi internet access on the iPhone is snappy.
Yes, the iPhone in EDGE mode compares unfavorably to a phone using Verizon or Sprint's 3G networks, but it's still significantly better than dialup.
-- Mark