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- 06-24-2008, 03:07 AM #1CoriGuest
Well, I am here because I was all set to sign up with Verizon for two
more years because I am eligible for a new phone. I can get a Samsung
Gleam for $149.99 or a Blackberry Pearl 8130 for $169.99. I'm all set
to compare them for sound quality as soon as the Samsung Gleam arrives
in the local store.
Thing is, now the new iPhone 3G is coming out soon and I could get it
for maybe 30 bucks less than the Blackberry Pearl, or maybe the same,
as I'd of course have to switch services and be signing up as a new
user.
Bottom lines are:
COVERAGE IN MY AREA--How can I learn if an iPhone would work in my
area, and how well? I have taken my Verizon phone all over the place
and never had a problem with coverage and little or no problem with
sound quality.
SOUND QUALITY--I want it good on calls and particularly on the MP3
player, which is the main reason I am buying a new phone!
MP3 PLAYER--I need one where I can pause, rewind, or at the VERY
LEAST, find my place again on whatever I was listening to. Does the
iPhone use the same sort of micro SD memory card as the other phones?
The ones I am looking at take only up to 4GB cards. Can the iPhone do
8 or more? How can I compare player quality on the various phones I
am considering?
PLAN COST--What will the basic monthly plan for the new iPhone cost?
Obviously, if it's an arm and a leg for a zillion features and
services I'll probably never use when all I need is a phone, MP3
player, and GPS, I'd stick with Verizon which has provided good
service.
Can anyone shed light on these bottom line issues or direct me to a
site with good side-by-side comparison reviews? I'll be deeply
appreciative, thanks.
Cori
› See More: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
- 06-24-2008, 05:55 AM #2-hhGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
Cori <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> [snip ... common ramblings]
>
> Bottom lines are:
>
> COVERAGE IN MY AREA--How can I learn if an iPhone would work in my
> area, and how well? *I have taken my Verizon phone all over the place
> and never had a problem with coverage and little or no problem with
> sound quality.
There's always just a few options:
a) Buy-Rent-Borrow a phone on the network in question and check it out
yourself;
b) Tell people where you are located, and solicit their personal
experience;
c) Take a Risk and just jump in blind.
> SOUND QUALITY--I want it good on calls and particularly on the MP3
> player, which is the main reason I am buying a new phone!
Have you stopped using your cellphone when driving (or riding in) a
car?
And also similarly high ambient noise environments?
Similarly, when underground, or other similar 'blocked signals'
situations?
It isn't rocket science to have a good reception view of the sky, but
the technology has gotten good enough that people are now constantly
forgetting the basics. All too commonly, hardware is blamed today for
what are really operator error problems.
> MP3 PLAYER--I need one where I can pause, rewind, or at the VERY
> LEAST, find my place again on whatever I was listening to. *Does the
> iPhone use the same sort of micro SD memory card as the other phones?
No.
> ... How can I compare player quality on the various phones I
> am considering?
The fidelity "weak link" is predominantly a product of the headphones,
not the MP3 player. Don't make the mistake of focusing on "fixing"
the wrong component.
> PLAN COST--What will the basic monthly plan for the new iPhone cost?
At least $75/month.
Basic Voice is $40/month, to which you add a $30/month data plan = $70/
month ... before taxes.
> Obviously, if it's an arm and a leg for a zillion features and
> services I'll probably never use when all I need is a phone, MP3
> player, and GPS, I'd stick with Verizon which has provided good
> service.
YMMV as to what an 'arm and leg' are worth. At $75/month, your total
2 year contract commitment is roughly $2,000
And while that's $200 for the hardware + $1,800 for the service, the
reality is that even basic cellular service isn't necessarily dirt
cheap: a 'free' phone with a basic $40/mo plan for 2 years is roughly
$1000, to which you might want to add another $200 for an iPod and
another $200 for a Garmin GPS. You end up roughly $500 ahead of the
game after 2 years, but you don't have miniaturization through product
convergence.
> Can anyone shed light on these bottom line issues or direct me to a
> site with good side-by-side comparison reviews? *I'll be deeply
> appreciative, thanks.
Since you don't specifically mention (push) email or web browsing,
you probably don't need a data plan.
Of course, this applies to your consideration of a Blackberry on VZW,
too ... the monthly cost of VZW with a data plan isn't cheap either,
so its not an issue of an AT&T / iPhone "Rip Off": its that data
plans on cellular service simply isn't cheap in the USA.
-hh
- 06-24-2008, 10:39 AM #3RonGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
On Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:13:14 -0700 (PDT), ed <[email protected]>
wrote:
>but the data coverage of verizon is much
>superior over at&t in socal (and this is just at&t on edge- their 3g
>coverage is seriously crap).
Suppose he lives elsewhere?
- 06-24-2008, 10:55 AM #4edGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
On Jun 24, 9:39*am, Ron <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:13:14 -0700 (PDT), ed <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >but the data coverage of verizon is much
> >superior over at&t in socal (and this is just at&t on edge- their 3g
> >coverage is seriously crap).
>
> Suppose he lives elsewhere?
the answer to your question is in the first sentence of the very
paragraph you snipped my comment from- "the obvious answer is to port
your number over to at&t and try it out for a month. if you don't
like it, port it back. "
- 06-24-2008, 12:56 PM #5Jeffrey KaplanGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
Previously on alt.cellular.attws, Cori said:
> COVERAGE IN MY AREA--How can I learn if an iPhone would work in my
> area, and how well? I have taken my Verizon phone all over the place
> and never had a problem with coverage and little or no problem with
> sound quality.
You can get a fairly good approximation of the coverage area (down to
street level) including "regular" GSM, data, and 3G for AT&T here:
http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/
> SOUND QUALITY--I want it good on calls and particularly on the MP3
> player, which is the main reason I am buying a new phone!
I've spoken to people with the first gen of the iPhone and they say
that the voice quality is as good as anything else they've used. No
idea what that "anything else" could cover, though. Sound quality for
MP3s, I don't know, but I hope it's at least as good as the sound
quality of a "classic" iPod. Toss the included earbuds and get
something different and better.
> MP3 PLAYER--I need one where I can pause, rewind, or at the VERY
> LEAST, find my place again on whatever I was listening to. Does the
> iPhone use the same sort of micro SD memory card as the other phones?
I hope that's two questions!
A "regular" iPod does that and will hold the place if you turn it off,
but not if you change to another track. But if you know about where
you were in it, you can fast-forward to it. I haven't tried with an
iPhone.
The iPhone uses internal-only storage. It comes in 8 and 16GB
versions.
> The ones I am looking at take only up to 4GB cards. Can the iPhone do
> 8 or more? How can I compare player quality on the various phones I
> am considering?
Subjectively? Only by trying each one.
> PLAN COST--What will the basic monthly plan for the new iPhone cost?
Basic voice is $40/month, AT&T apparently requires an iPhone specific
data plan. I've heard $20/month and I've heard $30/month for that with
the new iPhone. If the reason for the hike is 3G, then I had better
get the lower price because my home area does not yet have 3G.
--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol
"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty
when the Government's purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom
are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evilminded
rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious
encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding."
- Justice Louis D. Brandeis, dissenting, Olmstead v. United States
- 06-24-2008, 02:24 PM #6CoriGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
On Jun 24, 9:13*am, ed <[email protected]> wrote
> i'm not sure why you think you're getting a iphone for $140 as a new
> user on at&t, but...
I don't necessarily think that, it's just that other companies offer a
discount for new users so I hoped AT & T also did.
> the obvious answer is to port your number over to at&t and try it out
> for a month. *if you don't like it, port it back.
I didn't know that was possible but it makes sense, especially since
my two years with Verizon are up so they can't stick me for doing
that, right?
> sound quality on calls... *just isn't that good with the iphone. *the
> mp3 player is obviously one of the iphone's strengths, but it's not
> that much better than other options UNLESS you're into buying (drm'd)
> songs from the itunes store.
I could go on indefinitely with ripping songs from CD and even
cassette and vinyl, and downloading mp3 files from the internet,
before ever LOOKING at any iTunes.
> get something that takes microsdhc (16gb+, 8gb for dirt cheap) if you
> go the non-iphone route.
So microsdhc is different/better than regular micro SD?
> *if you roam more than 50% though, they (Sprint) might boot you as a customer.
Well, that's the thing. When I use the phone portion of the phone,
it's mostly away from home, not at home, except for occasional long-
distance calls. The mp3 player, on the other hand, if I can get one
that's not a total PAIN to use, I would use constantly.
> if you want gps on verizon, you're either paying a monthly fee for
> vznavigator, or you're hacking your phone (which is what i did).
That's why I'm looking at the Blackberry, which comes with basic GPS
besides the add-on of VZ Navigator. Truth to tell, though, the basic
would probably be slow and not do much and in that time I'd probably
drive somewhere and ask directions anyway. Hacking sounds appealing,
however that's done.
Thanks for the information!
Cori
- 06-24-2008, 02:25 PM #7CoriGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
On Jun 24, 9:39*am, Ron <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:13:14 -0700 (PDT), ed <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >but the data coverage of verizon is much
> >superior over at&t in socal (and this is just at&t on edge- their 3g
> >coverage is seriously crap).
>
> Suppose he lives elsewhere?
Then it's either better (because socal is so crowded) or worse
(because if they can't do it right in a large urban area, how bad
would it be out in the sticks?)
Cori
- 06-24-2008, 02:26 PM #8CoriGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
On Jun 24, 9:55*am, ed <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jun 24, 9:39*am, Ron <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > On Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:13:14 -0700 (PDT), ed <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
>
> > >but the data coverage of verizon is much
> > >superior over at&t in socal (and this is just at&t on edge- their 3g
> > >coverage is seriously crap).
>
> > Suppose he lives elsewhere?
>
> the answer to your question is in the first sentence of the very
> paragraph you snipped my comment from- "the obvious answer is to port
> your number over to at&t and try it out for a month. *if you don't
> like it, port it back. "
Words of wisdom!
Cori
- 06-24-2008, 02:55 PM #9edGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
On Jun 24, 1:24*pm, Cori <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jun 24, 9:13*am, ed <[email protected]> wrote
>
> > i'm not sure why you think you're getting a iphone for $140 as a new
> > user on at&t, but...
>
> I don't necessarily think that, it's just that other companies offer a
> discount for new users so I hoped AT & T also did.
the $199 price is the subsidized price.
> > the obvious answer is to port your number over to at&t and try it out
> > for a month. *if you don't like it, port it back.
>
> I didn't know that was possible but it makes sense, especially since
> my two years with Verizon are up so they can't stick me for doing
> that, right?
yup, once you're contract is up, you're free to go where you wish. and
when you port to at&t, you can return the phone within 30 days and the
early termination fee will be waived. then go back to verizon and try
it for 30 days, same thing.
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-pho...plan-terms.jsp
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/s...plash.jsp?v=12
> > sound quality on calls... *just isn't that good with the iphone. *the
> > mp3 player is obviously one of the iphone's strengths, but it's not
> > that much better than other options UNLESS you're into buying (drm'd)
> > songs from the itunes store.
>
> I could go on indefinitely with ripping songs from CD and even
> cassette and vinyl, and downloading mp3 files from the internet,
> before ever LOOKING at any iTunes.
>
> > get something that takes microsdhc (16gb+, 8gb for dirt cheap) if you
> > go the non-iphone route.
>
> So microsdhc is different/better than regular micro SD?
the 'hc' is 'high capacity'. regular hd goes up to 4gb, sdhc is,
iirc, up to 32gb currently, but that's not available in the micro
format quite yet. i know 16gb cards have been announced, but i don't
know if they're available quite yet. 4gb cards are down to $15-$20,
and 8gb microsd cards are down below $50, and they just keep going
down, down, down...
> > **if you roam more than 50% though, they (Sprint) might boot you as a customer.
>
> Well, that's the thing. *When I use the phone portion of the phone,
> it's mostly away from home, not at home, except for occasional long-
> distance calls. *The mp3 player, on the other hand, if I can get one
> that's not a total PAIN to use, I would use constantly.
windows media itself is not a very good music player, but there are a
lot of good ones available.
> > if you want gps on verizon, you're either paying a monthly fee for
> > vznavigator, or you're hacking your phone (which is what i did).
>
> That's why I'm looking at the Blackberry, which comes with basic GPS
> besides the add-on of VZ Navigator. *
not on verizon it doesn't.
> Truth to tell, though, the basic
> would probably be slow and not do much and in that time I'd probably
> drive somewhere and ask directions anyway. *Hacking sounds appealing,
> however that's done.
not very familiar with enabling the gps on verizon blackberries, but
on the windows mobile devices, it's really simple (if you follow the
directions- people DO manage to screw it up anyways though). flash
the radio, flash the rom, call verizon to reactivate, and you're
done. takes about 15 minutes. xda-developers.com and ppcgeeks.com
has a lot of info.
- 06-25-2008, 01:17 AM #10ZnUGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
In article
<[email protected]>,
Cori <[email protected]> wrote:
> Well, I am here because I was all set to sign up with Verizon for two
> more years because I am eligible for a new phone. I can get a Samsung
> Gleam for $149.99 or a Blackberry Pearl 8130 for $169.99. I'm all set
> to compare them for sound quality as soon as the Samsung Gleam arrives
> in the local store.
>
> Thing is, now the new iPhone 3G is coming out soon and I could get it
> for maybe 30 bucks less than the Blackberry Pearl, or maybe the same,
> as I'd of course have to switch services and be signing up as a new
> user.
>
> Bottom lines are:
>
> COVERAGE IN MY AREA--How can I learn if an iPhone would work in my
> area, and how well? I have taken my Verizon phone all over the place
> and never had a problem with coverage and little or no problem with
> sound quality.
Find someone with AT&T service in your area and ask them how it is. Have
them come over and see how good a signal you have at home. Preferably
someone without a RAZR; they seem to have below-average reception.
> SOUND QUALITY--I want it good on calls and particularly on the MP3
> player, which is the main reason I am buying a new phone!
I've found audio quality on my first-generation iPhone to be fine for
both.
> MP3 PLAYER--I need one where I can pause, rewind, or at the VERY
> LEAST, find my place again on whatever I was listening to.
The iPhone's media player is, as you'd might imagine, quite good, and of
course can sync everything (music, podcasts, audio books, TV shows,
etc.) with iTunes, which is a major benefit if you're already using
iTunes to manage your media.
And yes, for longer media it not only remembers your place, but syncs
this info with iTunes, so you can, for instance, go back and forth
between listening to a long audio book on your computer and on your
iPhone, without having to manually find your place every time you switch.
> Does the iPhone use the same sort of micro SD memory card as the
> other phones? The ones I am looking at take only up to 4GB cards.
> Can the iPhone do 8 or more?
The iPhone doesn't have removable storage. It comes in 8 GB and 16 GB
models, and that's all you get.
If you have a large music collection, though, iTunes does make it pretty
convenient to manage what gets downloaded to the phone, so it's easy to
swap thing around.
> How can I compare player quality on the various phones I am
> considering?
Well, you can try out an iPhone in any Apple store. Apple is usually
pretty good about loading its display models up with real content you
can play around with. You'd have to bring your own headphones/earbuds,
of course.
> PLAN COST--What will the basic monthly plan for the new iPhone cost?
> Obviously, if it's an arm and a leg for a zillion features and
> services I'll probably never use when all I need is a phone, MP3
> player, and GPS, I'd stick with Verizon which has provided good
> service.
iPhone plans are pretty pricy. $75+ with taxes, etc. You should probably
pass on the iPhone if you're not interested in making fairly frequent
use of data services, because you're going to be paying for them. (And
they're a particular strength of the iPhone.)
Also, I don't know if you have any interest, but one other factor to
consider is that in a few months, there are going to be lots of
third-party applications for the iPhone. The way things seem to be
shaping up so far, it looks like it's going to provide a much richer
applications platform than other mobile devices.
> Can anyone shed light on these bottom line issues or direct me to a
> site with good side-by-side comparison reviews? I'll be deeply
> appreciative, thanks.
--
"No one has supported President Bush on Iraq more than I have." -McCain in April
"I disagreed strongly with the Bush administration's mismanagement of the war
in Iraq." -McCain in June
- 06-25-2008, 09:35 AM #11Jeffrey KaplanGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
Previously on alt.cellular.attws, Cori said:
> Dang, I'm totally sold on an iPhone except for the question of
> coverage and the issue of paying a huge amount for services I probably
> won't use. Now I can only hope/expect that after July 11 a huge
> number of iPod Touches will be for sale as people ditch them for the
> new iPhones. I just wonder if I should wait till then to decide on a
> Verizon phone or try to get one with a reasonably decent mp3 player if
> only as a backup.
Do not switch carriers just for a nifty phone. Especially if, as you
indicate, the new carrier has no coverage where you need it. Ignoring
the price tag, your best bet to get the functions would be to stay with
Verizon and get the least expensive phone they have and get an iPod
Touch for the media and PDA stuff the iPhone can do.
--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol
Peter's Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord, #162.
If I steal something very important to the hero, I will not put it on
public display.
- 06-26-2008, 01:18 AM #12CoriGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
Yeah, I've been thinking that is the best bet. In fact, I'm wondering
if it makes sense to even switch phones at all, since my old one works
fine...as a phone, just doesn't do all the other stuff. Especially
since, with the new iPhone now at half price, a lot of people may be
unloading their iPod Touch and I might even find one in decent shape
at an affordable price.
Cori
On Jun 25, 8:35*am, Jeffrey Kaplan <[email protected]> wrote:
> Do not switch carriers just for a nifty phone. *Especially if, as you
> indicate, the new carrier has no coverage where you need it. *Ignoring
> the price tag, your best bet to get the functions would be to stay with
> Verizon and get the least expensive phone they have and get an iPod
> Touch for the media and PDA stuff the iPhone can do.
- 06-26-2008, 01:50 AM #13edGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
On Jun 26, 12:18*am, Cori <[email protected]> wrote:
> Yeah, I've been thinking that is the best bet. *In fact, I'm wondering
> if it makes sense to even switch phones at all, since my old one works
> fine...as a phone, just doesn't do all the other stuff. *Especially
> since, with the new iPhone now at half price, a lot of people may be
> unloading their iPod Touch and I might even find one in decent shape
> at an affordable price.
if you're really into new / different music, and you're in a verizon
ev-do area, i'd SERIOUSLY consider taking a look at a windows mobile
phone. it wasn't a big consideration when i bought my htc touch, but
the ability to stream internet radio is a serious plus with the
verizon network.
- 06-26-2008, 01:06 PM #14CoriGuest
Re: iPhone Compared to Other Phones
Is that with an mp3 player or some other means of audio playing?
Thanks.
Cori
On Jun 26, 12:50*am, ed <[email protected]> wrote:
> if you're really into new / different music, and you're in a verizon
> ev-do area, i'd SERIOUSLY consider taking a look at a windows mobile
> phone. *it wasn't a big consideration when i bought my htc touch, but
> the ability to stream internet radio is a serious plus with the
> verizon network. *
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