# iPhone



## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

Work have given an iPhone. Thought I would post my views, since it's free, I don't need to justify the cost! Bear in mind that I have not used anything like a Blackberry for mobile web / email on a regular basis, although I have given them a whirl in the office as colleagues have them.

*For*

*Interface*: masterstroke of design and works brilliantly. It's the kind of phone you could give to your Mum and she'd work it out without any trouble, but works for me, too. Quick, responsive, intuitive, makes calls, texts, email and web dead easy. Total genius and will never, ever go back to anything less. The bar for phone interfaces has been raised and then some. SMS is particularly good, with texts being stored as "conversations".
*No keyboard, no buttons*: When writing my first email, I just decided to hammer it out and let the auto-correct do its thing, just to see if it can cope. Apart from oddball stuff (like changing "xx" to "fx"), it works like a charm.
*Hardware*: Screen and design top notch. Would expect nothing less from Apple, though.
*Wifi*: How badly have I wanted a WiFi enabled phone so I can just keep an eye on email without needing a laptop on at home? Even better, things like google maps and the brilliant execution of the web mean things like cinema showing times, checking train times, finding phone numbers is always on hand without the need for a laptop or going upstairs and booting a computer.
*Visual Voicemail* A triumph. Gone is the annoyance of saving/oops deleting/oops/waiting for the next message and messing about. 
*iPhone web pages* Like Yell or Facebook (iphone.facebook.com). I suspect there'll be many of these and they're little gems. Facebook has gone from weekly glance to actual place to keep in touch with people.

*Compromised*

*No 3G - against:* I've not used mobile internet before, so having it is quite a plus. It's slow, without being unusable. However, it's enough to keep emails up to date when out and about and look up something in Google Maps if needs be. If you wanted to do some extended surfing, you wouldn't want to on this connection.
*No 3G - the compromise.* If you wanted to do some extended surfing, you'd want to sit down somewhere, which means dropping into Starbucks or McDonalds. Or somewhere that has O2's Cloud network and you're back on Wifi. Not always possible, of course, hence it's compromised. Battery life is a plus, though.
*Corporate Email* - Exchange support only if IMAP access is on, which for most companies is a non-starter. Free 60 day trial of Visto is testing at the moment and working perfectly for me, but that's going to cost (US Pricing is $5 / month). Works perfectly with Yahoo, Google, .Mac, etc, though.

*Against*
The only major flaw is the initial cost and contract.
The rest are niggles:-
No picture messaging, although I've never had cause to use this pointless idea on any phone I've had.
Can't cut/copy/paste which is a pain now and then (like setting up server names)
An adaptor is needed for your headphones, if you don't use those supplied.
There's only one way to charge it out-the-box, because the USB cable doubles as the mains charger cable. Â£7 for an iPod dock adaptor for it.
There's no case for it in the box.

*Overall*
Hardcore users beware of no 3G and nobbled Exchange support. It couldn't possibly be a replacement for a Blackberry type solution.

If you are OK with the initial cost and contract length, it's a brilliant bit of kit, raising the bar of phone design by a country mile, marathon and then a quick stroll round the village. You have to pay for it though.


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

good write up, i want one but have signed upto a contract with 02 a few months ago, does that mean i will have to wait untill my contract is up to get one???


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## Private Prozac (Jul 7, 2003)

Yep. Or buy one from the US, unlock and stick your O2 sim in.

You could contact O2 and they'll probably ask for 3-400 quid to upgrade the handset.


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## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

TT2BMW said:


> Yep. Or buy one from the US, unlock and stick your O2 sim in.
> 
> You could contact O2 and they'll probably ask for 3-400 quid to upgrade the handset.


I think you'll have to speak to O2, because buying this phone doesn't work like others. You pay Â£269 and walk out the shop with the box. You have not signed a contract or got a mobile number at this point. Credit check, direct debit and getting a phone number are all done at home on iTunes. I thought it was brilliant, not having to piss about in the shop for 30 mins whilst they get you to sign this an that and type loads of stuff into the computer. Since I have a .Mac account, it was done in about 2 mins flat.


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## X-UFO (Jun 9, 2003)

Does that mean you could go in, pay Â£269 and then get it unlocked at a site like this?

http://www.free-your-iphone.co.uk/index.php

the only possible danger I can see with this is that you might need to pay again to unlock when the version goes from 1.1.1 to a higher version.


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## GEM (Jun 21, 2007)

Don't you also have to send it back to Apple to change the battery.  
John.


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## Grinshady (Jun 20, 2006)

Not sure about this but if you update your iphone over the net and it is unlocked it will stop working making it useless :?:


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## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

X-UFO said:


> Does that mean you could go in, pay Â£269 and then get it unlocked at a site like this?
> 
> http://www.free-your-iphone.co.uk/index.php
> 
> the only possible danger I can see with this is that you might need to pay again to unlock when the version goes from 1.1.1 to a higher version.


Apple have stated they will keep locking them, although when it goes on sale in France, there has to be an unlocked version available - although at what price remains to be seen...


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## Dr_Parmar (May 10, 2002)

Nice write up! I totally agree, however, i dont think the battery life is that great, maybe 2 days? Or perhaps i have beenplaying with it too much, i love my iphone


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## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

Battery life has been fine about 2 days for me, too, but then, I've just been playing and playing and playing with it!


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## Sim (Mar 7, 2003)

Anyone downloaded any web apps worth having for the iphone from the Apple site?


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## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

You don't download them, they are mini web pages you bookmark. The yell one is good. The facebook one is excellent if you use facebook.


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## pas_55 (May 9, 2002)

3G coming next year does that mean these phones already out there will be no good?


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## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

If a 3G version appears next year, then it doesn't mean the present version is no good, it means it will just be slower.

There's always something better just around the corner.


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## Sim (Mar 7, 2003)

pas_55 said:


> 3G coming next year does that mean these phones already out there will be no good?


And this is rumor and if you wait with technology you would never buy anything. Try one, the layout and the finger control is fantastic.


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## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

Indeed. This is the first device I've owned or tested that makes the Internet usable in small form. The web is particularly well done. Posted this on my iPhone no problem.


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## Jas225 (Apr 3, 2005)

Is there an iPhone cable\adapter to connect this to the OEM head unit similar to the iPod adapter? or can the same cable be used?


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