iPhone 5



otc said:

Nah, its an Apple control-freak issue. They refuse to allow apps that duplicate the functionality of their own design so on one hand you don't have 500 terrible keyboard apps like android does...but you also don't get swype.

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Not sure I would frame it as "control-freak," but yes Apple has been hesitant to allow third party apps replace basic OS functionality. I'm fine with the stock keyboard, but believe it would be nice to able able to set a different default email client if one wished.

For the past ten years, I've used an old candybar phone that works simply as a phone (no camera, internet, anything). I pay $40 a month for 600 mins day, unlimited nights/weekends, unlimited texts received, but none w/ pictures, and 40 cents to send a text. My earpiece broke a few months ago, and the reception's been bad for years and seems to be getting worse.

Am thinking of making the leap to the iPhone, but I'm not sure I need it. Would be nice to receive texts w/ photos (like of my new niece a couple days ago), and I'd occasionally like to have internet access and gps. A camera would be neat to have too. I have and use an ipod and this would replace that for most uses.

But the probable cost scares me. How much would I need to spend on the iphone to make it worthwhile? A quick look on AT&T's website indicates $60 for the 1000 min plan (400 is too little. Y no 6-800, ATT?), plus $20 to be able to send and receive texts, plus $20 for basic internet (or do I need the faster one?).

Looks like the monthly fee would be $100, not including tax or fees. Does that sound right? If so, ouch. My work gives me a 15% discount on AT&T or Sprint, so that'd help a bit. But after taxes and fees, I'm guessing it's still going to be just over $100.

Would another phone and/or plan be better if I wanted to use it as a phone for the most part, be able to receive texts for free (or cheaper than $20 a month), and occasionally look something up on the internet? All thoughts appreciated.

JMRouse said:

otc said:

Nah, its an Apple control-freak issue. They refuse to allow apps that duplicate the functionality of their own design so on one hand you don't have 500 terrible keyboard apps like android does...but you also don't get swype.

Click to expand...

Not sure I would frame it as "control-freak," but yes Apple has been hesitant to allow third party apps replace basic OS functionality. I'm fine with the stock keyboard, but believe it would be nice to able able to set a different default email client if one wished.

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Have you tried Swype? I'm not really sure I could go back and plan to try typing on an iPhone prior to any decision.



Piobaire said:

Have you tried Swype? I'm not really sure I could go back and plan to try typing on an iPhone prior to any decision.

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No, but I have heard good things. I'd just head to an apple store and spend some time with it. The keyboard will feel the exact name in portrait mode with the 4S as the 5, so no reason you couldn't do that early. If you are used to landscape typing, then I would hold off. Just be sure to spend a fair amount of time with it before making a decision. These things can feel odd at first, if you are not used to it.

Yup, as I said, Apple's going to be just fine here. Phone's already selling like hotcakes.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 5 went live at midnight and, true to form, they went like hotcakes. You may remember that it took 22 hours for the iPhone 4S and about 20 hours for the iPhone 4 to sell out of its pre-order, launch-day stock.

The iPhone 5 took just about 60 minutes. Yep. One hour after pre-orders went live, Apple.com adjusted shipping expectations from one to two weeks due to the overwhelming demand.

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Source


Also, found the reason HORNS will be upgrading.

The success of the iPhone 5 pre-order should not surprise anyone. As weird as it was to wake up at 2:55 am this morning, I was back asleep at 3:05 am. By 10 am this morning AT&T was quoting 2-3 weeks for delivery on pre-orders. And right now Apple's site is at 2 weeks and bound to be 3 by the end of the day.

The lines at the stores next Friday are going to be crazy.

With respect to AT&T, you get throttled at 3 GB on an unlimited plan with respect to 3G. That gets bumped up to 5 GB on LTE plans.

Verizon forcing customers to purchase unsubsidized iPhone 5's to keep their unlimited plans is so messed up IMO. Personally I've never gone over 2 GB's in one month in the 4 years of owning an iPhone.



emptym said:

For the past ten years, I've used an old candybar phone that works simply as a phone (no camera, internet, anything). I pay $40 a month for 600 mins day, unlimited nights/weekends, unlimited texts received, but none w/ pictures, and 40 cents to send a text. My earpiece broke a few months ago, and the reception's been bad for years and seems to be getting worse.
Am thinking of making the leap to the iPhone, but I'm not sure I need it. Would be nice to receive texts w/ photos (like of my new niece a couple days ago), and I'd occasionally like to have internet access and gps. A camera would be neat to have too. I have and use an ipod and this would replace that for most uses.
But the probable cost scares me. How much would I need to spend on the iphone to make it worthwhile? A quick look on AT&T's website indicates $60 for the 1000 min plan (400 is too little. Y no 6-800, ATT?), plus $20 to be able to send and receive texts, plus $20 for basic internet (or do I need the faster one?).
Looks like the monthly fee would be $100, not including tax or fees. Does that sound right? If so, ouch. My work gives me a 15% discount on AT&T or Sprint, so that'd help a bit. But after taxes and fees, I'm guessing it's still going to be just over $100.
Would another phone and/or plan be better if I wanted to use it as a phone for the most part, be able to receive texts for free (or cheaper than $20 a month), and occasionally look something up on the internet? All thoughts appreciated.

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How is Sprint's coverage in your area? I feel like you are the perfect candiate for a Virgin Mobile USA iPhone 4S. It runs on Sprint's network. You pay $650 up front for the phone. You sign no contract. For $40 a month (if you do auto pay, otherwise $45 a month) you'll get 1200 minutes plus unlimited texts and data (throttled at 2.5 GB). The only cons are that your data might be slow and the resale value of your 4S is low because it can only be used on Virgin's network and not internationally. But, in your case, it might be perfect.

Another option is straight talk. You bring a GSM iPhone to the table, purchase one of their SIM cards for $15, and you pay for minutes in advance. MMS (picture texts) can be tricky though with them. There are other pre-paid carriers too. I know Cricket is getting the iPhone 5 but I don't know if their service is available in your area. Sprint/AT&T/Verizon will be expensive without a FAN discount. Oh, another option is T-Mobile. You'll need to bring an iPhone to their network though.

T&T and Verizon are sold out

Apple stopped taking ordered altogether.

Jesus



JMRouse said:

Not sure I would frame it as "control-freak," but yes Apple has been hesitant to allow third party apps replace basic OS functionality. I'm fine with the stock keyboard, but believe it would be nice to able able to set a different default email client if one wished.

Click to expand...

The email client thing is one of the work-related things keeping me on android. I use Touchdown for work email instead of the stock client since it keeps everything related to the exchange server completely separate from the rest of the phone. Contacts don't show up in my personal address book, attachments don't mingle, I can have a real password on work email (while using the finger-slide-puzzle code for normal unlocking), and if a remote wipe gets sent, it only destroys the work stuff and not my personal stuff.

Swype is pretty awesome though...I do most of my typing one handed without issue. The only thing that trips me up is spelling words that aren't in its dictionary since you usually try to spell them, fail, try again, fail, and then realize its not a real word and have to type it out manually. Not an issue in normal texts and emails, but happens frequently for work emails where I am using odd acronyms or words that aren't really standard (optionalities, geocoded, etc).

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

You know otc and piobaire, I honestly feel nothing but sadness for both of you. I blocked you both because you were being ******* douches to me, and that bothers you both so much that you need to communicate with me by leaving snarky comments in a space that was meant for positive feedback.

What's amazing is that you both are not just losers but losers to this extent. I honestly find it comical at this point. Here I am contributing to this subject and here you both are, as little children with no lives, continuing to take shots at me.

Knock yourself out. I'm not mad. I just find it so deeply pathetic.



bdeuce22 said:

AT&T and Verizon are sold out

Apple stopped taking ordered altogether.

Jesus

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Apple's still taking pre-orders. Just wont ship for two weeks.

When I block someone (actually I have never blocked anyone on SF) I usually don't feel the need to write a couple of 5 paragraph essays telling them that I have blocked them....I just do it.

Actually, it seems kind of dickish to address comments to people you have blocked since you are basically saying "here, listen to me talk about how I feel about you but I am in no way going to listen to what you think".

I'm sure GreenFrog wouldn't block me if I told him that the real "no-brainer" decision would have been to keep his almost-brand-new phone on a grandfathered/backdoor unlimited plan rather than pay an ETF to get a slightly newer phone with a low data cap ;-)



otc said:

When I block someone (actually I have never blocked anyone on SF) I usually don't feel the need to write a couple of 5 paragraph essays telling them that I have blocked them....I just do it.

Actually, it seems kind of dickish to address comments to people you have blocked since you are basically saying "here, listen to me talk about how I feel about you but I am in no way going to listen to what you think".

I'm sure GreenFrog wouldn't block me if I told him that the real "no-brainer" decision would have been to keep his almost-brand-new phone on a grandfathered/backdoor unlimited plan rather than pay an ETF to get a slightly newer phone with a low data cap ;-)

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Yeah, that's pretty much why I snarked him with a thumb. Also, he clearly is a huge fanboi. I'm on the fence about an iPhone but apparently that's too much for his special flower of a psyche to endure. I notice he's basically just blocked anyone that is not an Apple fan of one intensity or another.



b1os said:

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

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I agree it's a funny video, but most people don't have a clue on any of these devices. Look at all the people who refer to the Android platform as "Droid." How many of the buying public do you think have any notion of what they are actually getting? What version of Android the handset runs. What changes the skins to the OS provide versus stock Android. What apps will run on the devices and which may not do to fragmentation. At the end of the day these are just shinny objects to the masses and they just want what's "new/hot" and don't put much thought into it otherwise.