Will the iPhone be a modem?

[CHROMEDOME]

Still, I'd imagine the iPhone's bluetooth profile will support using the handset as a modem - almost every mobile I've ever owned, certainly every one with Bluetooth, has been able to be used as a modem.

If you get a phone with bluetooth from Verizon here in the US, you can only use a bluetooth headset with it, no file transfers or anything just headsets.

Mobile phones in the US suck, 3G coverage sucks, all the phones are over priced and featureless.

As much as the iPhone is helping move cell phones in the US forward its not doing a good enought job because at least if it had 3G maybe ATT would upgrade their services or make coverage more widespread.

 

[Shaduu]

Oh wow! You can do video calls over 3G? I can barely stream a good looking slingbox picture over it.

Yup, that was one of the main pushing factors of 3G in the UK. A while ago, Vodafone gave me free video calling for a month and it was cool but more of a novelty. Can you seriously imagine walking down the street with your phone at arms length with a Bluetooth headset stuck to your ear?

 

[bmb012]

Since, you know... you need broadband to check your email in a pinch...

 

[koobcamuk]

Yup, that was one of the main pushing factors of 3G in the UK. A while ago, Vodafone gave me free video calling for a month and it was cool but more of a novelty. Can you seriously imagine walking down the street with your phone at arms length with a Bluetooth headset stuck to your ear?

I just make a video call and shout to my phone at arms lenght...

Seriously though, video calling is fun in certain situations. It's best for email and maps/other data/ news & RRS feeds etc...

 

[failsafe1]

The iPhone is a GSM phone that should work as a modem. I guess that feature could be crippled but don't see why it should be. Off topic slightly is the reason for wanting this. I have used my regular ole' gsm phone as a mode with my laptops when I am remote places needing to send photos back or update web pages while on assignment. It is slow but better than nothing.

 

[yayaba]

I've been under the impression that basically any bluetooth equipped cell phone can be used as a modem.

I've been wondering the same thing. I connect to Cingular's EDGE network via my laptop through Bluetooth PAN (Personal Area Network). It's insanely easy to setup on OSX and it works great as long as I don't have any other bluetooth devices eating up bandwidth.

As long as the iPhone supports that Bluetooth profile, then shouldn't everyone be able to do this?

 

[nagromme]

No 3G=no point in using iPhone as modem.

Not unless dialup speeds are better than having no Internet at all

So there IS a point, and I DO want this functionality.