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TIMEMACHINE · 09-07-2007, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grantb4

I was replying mainly to Stefrobrts who mentioned that she had 15gig left but that her ipod was mostly full (meaning that she must have had a large hard driver version). The iPhone today is too small disk-space-wise for her then. Although Apple has sold a ton of all iPod variants, most of the Nano's and such are finding there way to the bottom of the sock drawer.

Thanks for the clarification, that makes sense, 8gig is not enough for big music and video users.

**Stefrobrts** · 09-07-2007, 03:08 PM

My iPod is an old 15g 3rd Gen, pre video, and I have it filled up with music and podcasts. I try to delete unnecessary stuff, but a love of old-time radio dramas has hogged quite a bit of space. Come March I will have gotten four years of pretty uneventful service from it, with one battery change.

For everyday use I would be happy with just my favorites folder, which is maybe a couple hundred songs tops. It would be really nice to have all the gadgets I love and need (iPod, phone, internet browser) in one pocket.

How are you folks who have the phone liking the service? I heard complaints about the service contracts when the phones first came out. How well does the wi-fi capabilities work in practice - like at a Starbucks or a pubic hotspot?

TIMEMACHINE · 09-07-2007, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

How are you folks who have the phone liking the service? I heard complaints about the service contracts when the phones first came out. How well does the wi-fi capabilities work in practice - like at a Starbucks or a pubic hotspot?

Just one persons opinion.....Both the Wi-Fi and Edge service works great here in So Cal. I am especially surprised on how well the Edge works, much faster than I thought. Everyone who has "played" with mine doesn't want to give it back. The overall reception is better than any of the phones we have used, including Motorola, Sony-Ericsson and Nokia.

It did take about an hour and a half to get the phone up, via both AT&T reps and Apple reps over the phone. We had existing Cingular service which converted to AT&T, making the start-up of the IPhone data plan more difficult. The service reps were considerate and didn't get off the phone until they got us up and running...excellent customer service, at least for us. One call did it all, they handled all of the phone interconnects to keep the process from failing, very impressive, even if it took some time.

John

myoung · 09-07-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

How are you folks who have the phone liking the service? I heard complaints about the service contracts when the phones first came out. How well does the wi-fi capabilities work in practice - like at a Starbucks or a pubic hotspot?

We bought our iPhone the first week it went on sale and have used it continuously since then traveling from Marin County, CA on the Pacific Ocean to Newburyport, MA on the Atlantic Ocean and back to Arizona, which could be on the Pacific Ocean if CA slides away in a massive earthquake. We have experienced only a couple of locations where service was unavailable while traveling the highways and byways, but always in obvious locations in canyons or steep valleys.

It only took 4 or 5 minutes to set up our ATT account as a new account. Apple has really transformed the activation process and taught ATT a thing or two.

Wi-Fi works acceptably fast when available. As far as I know, Starbuck's only has T-Mobile service available so the iPhone won't be able to use that service, but apparently there will be a music/video-only download capability at 600 Starbuck's soon and eventually at all 5,800 Starbuck's later.

The features of the iPhone are remarkably intuitive. My wife is far from being tech-savvy but she has used almost every feature of the iPhone without help or instruction. I know that we'll have to get her one too as soon as we settle down here in AZ.

I can count about 10 iPhones that have been purchased by friends and acquaintances after they have tried my iPhone. Two days ago a salesperson in the resort community in which we are building/buying saw me with the iPhone, asked for a little tour, and bought one that afternoon. We were at a summer outing at a friend's company back in New Hampshire. While there, all four young salesmen said they would buy one as soon as they got to an Apple store. This gem of technology sells itself. To use one for a couple of minutes creates lust. Amazing.

**azflycaster** · 09-07-2007, 10:47 PM

Mike - Jan and I were very impressed with your phone. I am trying to talk my boss into getting me one for work.

myoung · 09-08-2007, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Mike - Jan and I were very impressed with your phone. I am trying to talk my boss into getting me one for work.

Richard,

Which boss is that??

Sean Michael · 09-08-2007, 08:10 AM

Even though I'm a techie, I had written this thing off for a couple of years...until they got the bugs worked out.

But after playing with an iPhone yesterday at the Apple store, I came away impressed. The interface is excellent...very intutive. I watched some YouTube videos and the quality was great (as YouTube goes).

I was also impressed with the built-in mapping function...looks like it could serve as a GPS.

The iPhone really seems like a Swiss Army knife tech gadget. It can perform many substantial, useful functions. And, oh yeah, there's also a phone in there too.

With the recent price cut, I could see getting one of these for sure.

RoadKingMoe · 09-08-2007, 09:18 AM

Whether the cell phone can serve as a GPS depends on the infrastructure it uses. From my understanding of it, all a cell phone GPS chip does is receive and relay raw satellite data to the cell phone infrastructure, where the satellite orbital data and WAAS correction data are received and stored, and the cell phone's position calculated for e911 or possibly to relay back to the cell phone. This is called assisted GPS or aGPS.

It is unlike a handheld GPS unit, which must have a clear view of the satellites long enough to get the orbital data, and for reasonable accuracy, a clear view of one of the two (East/West Coast) WAAS satellites, which are at a low angle and easily obstructed.

That the iPhone does not have location capability with its mapping indicates to me that isn't a capability of the AT&T network. But I could be wrong.

Sean Michael · 09-08-2007, 09:30 AM

I recently bought a dedicated GPS (Garmin 660) and have really enjoyed it. So in my cursory look at the iPhone, I was interested in that possible function. The iPhone is about the size of my Garmin.

I'm sure you are right -- it's not there yet. But as iPhone progresses into versions 2.0 and beyond, more and more features will be added. It's already got the processing power and screen.

**Stefrobrts** · 09-08-2007, 10:18 AM

If it had GPS capabilities, and the ability to pull up google maps or something equally useful while on the road I would buy it in a flash. Of course, most of the time when we're wandering and wondering where we're at, there's no cell coverage, so it might not help anyway.

TIMEMACHINE · 09-08-2007, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

If it had GPS capabilities, and the ability to pull up google maps or something equally useful while on the road I would buy it in a flash. Of course, most of the time when we're wandering and wondering where we're at, there's no cell coverage, so it might not help anyway.

The mapping functions work great. And yes it is Google including satelite image (not real time of course). There is a "Maps" icon, just touch and you are in Google maps, no set up required, so intuitive "a caveman could do it".

John

**Stefrobrts** · 09-08-2007, 11:29 AM

I'm definitly going to have to go take a look at one of these in person

RoadKingMoe · 09-08-2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIMEMACHINE

The mapping functions work great...

If you know where you are to begin with and at all times. Until it can automatically put your location on the map real-time, it is, in my opinion, of limited usefulness for navigation.

TIMEMACHINE · 09-08-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadKingMoe

If you know where you are to begin with and at all times. Until it can automatically put your location on the map real-time, it is, in my opinion, of limited usefulness for navigation.

Limited usefulness is true, but how limited, it is not a GPS, its a PHONE with additional features. Unless you are driving on unmarked roads and don't have an odometer, one should know their approximate location, and such, the google map function will help guide you to your desired destination with all of the details necessary, including turn by turn directions. Certainly not as good as a talking GPS, but then again try accessing the internet, your e-mail or calling someone from the most expensive GPS available.

Yes I am a fan, but some things work for some and not for others.

john

grantb4 · 09-08-2007, 02:53 PM

As far as GPS is concerned I am test driving a Dash.net device and one of the things I like about it is that on top of GPS it also has WiFi and GPRS so I can use Yahoo (sorry, not Google) for searches. It's not a browser though, just a live search function. It has some other cool features too.

myoung · 09-08-2007, 04:55 PM

We found it very easy to locate particular stores, like TJ Maxx, or particular types of stores, like pizza places, by simply googling the name and location.

Something like "pizza goodyear arizona" will identify all the pizza joints in town. You can click on each location pin to identify the particular place and then touch the right-facing arrow to bring up address and phone number info. Then, if you like, just touch the phone number to place a call for a take-out order. Simple, effective integration is what makes the iPhone such a well-conceived and executed gadget.

TinShack · 09-08-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myoung

We found it very easy to locate particular stores, like TJ Maxx, or particular types of stores, like pizza places, by simply googling the name and location.

Something like "pizza goodyear arizona" will identify all the pizza joints in town. You can click on each location pin to identify the particular place and then touch the right-facing arrow to bring up address and phone number info. Then, if you like, just touch the phone number to place a call for a take-out order. Simple, effective integration is what makes the iPhone such a well-conceived and executed gadget.

Hi Mike! This would have come in handy for finding the Barstow Walmart on the way to 29Palms.
Steve

**azflycaster** · 09-08-2007, 06:27 PM

Quote:

"pizza goodyear arizona"

So Mike, what did you decide. We like Papa John's and I think you have one in Goodyear...

myoung · 09-08-2007, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azflycaster

So Mike, what did you decide. We like Papa John's and I think you have one in Goodyear...

Just got back from having our standard Saturday evening fare: pizza. We ate at Oh! Formaggio, an organic pizza joint in the New York style. There's even a detailed map of the NYC area painted on the floor.

With just 2 small slices each and a side salad, we were quite sated. We highly recommend Oh!

myoung · 09-08-2007, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowolf

Hi Mike! This would have come in handy for finding the Barstow Walmart on the way to 29Palms.
Steve

Hi, Steve,

Yes, it works exceptionally well on chain retail stores. As could be expected, the smaller stores aren't as well represented. Our new-found organic pizza place, Oh! Formaggio, wasn't listed, for example. We did find it simply by googling it in the browser, however.