The Gadgeteer - Comments on 'iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana'

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Jon Mack

Shiny! And thinner than I thought! Very interesting. I can't wait for your review and for prices to drop so I can afford one.

Comment by Jon Mack on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at June 30, 2007 13:44:37 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Joshua Wolf

If by some strange impulse I decide I need one. The Apple stores in the area all have them still in stock.

Comment by Joshua Wolf on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at June 30, 2007 15:11:11 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

carly

I bought mine yesterday! Even though the Apple store I went to had plenty, and they seem to still be in stock according to the website, I wanted to get it right away. I was probably ~100 in line, but it was worth it. I loved the experience of being there, with the apple store employees high fiving everyone.

Julie, have you been able to tear yourself away yet? I was so excited I actually hung out at the apple store and watched their demo class for a while (admittedly I was also curious what foot traffic looked like, since I think this is a case study in marketting and demand).

Comment by carly on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at June 30, 2007 21:53:58 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Julie

I went to visit my Dad tonight and was giving him a demo of the phone. He was really impressed :) The whole touch screen, pinch picture feature has a great pizazz factor!

Comment by Julie [Admin] on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at June 30, 2007 22:03:45 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

carly

I had people oohing and aahing over the rotating screen and the youtube app.

Julie, I am curious if you are having the same experience I am; coming from a treo, do you feel like the iphone is incredibly small in comparison, even though they are around the same height?

Comment by carly on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 01, 2007 10:22:47 AM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Julie

questionfear:

Yes, I feel the same way about the size of the iPhone compared to the Treo. I think it's the thickness that makes the biggest difference. I had the iPhone in a cargo pants pocket yesterday and completely forgot it was there. :o)

Comment by Julie [Admin] on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 01, 2007 10:30:46 AM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Joshua Wolf

My local radio station HATES me (stupid winning contest entry).

I now have an iPhone. I need to decide now if I want to pay two wireless bills for the next 9 months, or eat the early termination fee (which is cheaper but has to be paid all up front).

Comment by Joshua Wolf on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 01, 2007 18:52:38 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Julie

Congrats on winning a phone!!!

Comment by Julie [Admin] on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 01, 2007 20:58:17 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Joshua Wolf

Thanks. But being at work, and wanting to sync it with a Mac, means I have to wait until I get home. Which is still four hours away.

Comment by Joshua Wolf on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 01, 2007 21:59:12 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

carly

Not only is it more comfy in a pocket, I am actually finding it to be very comfortable to hold against my face. i hate how it attracts face goop, but thats what the cleaning cloth is for.

They definitely significantly tweaked the hell out of EDGE, at least in the nyc/nj area. It's much faster than it used to be. Or the iPhone is just that good. Or both. But websites that took so long to load in blazer that I'd get up, grab a sandwich, eat it, go to the gym, shower and then start browsing on my treo are popping up graphics and all in well under 1min on the iphone.

Comment by carly on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 01, 2007 22:19:52 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

mike roselius

I was really disappointed to discover that without a voice / data plan, the iPhone is a complete brick.

I am locked to a WinMobile phone per my job - at least until the iPhone gets ActiveSync - so I can't switch over to the iPhone as my main phone - but I figured I might use it for everything BUT voice and data. Just the iPod, video, PDA functions would be cool - but apparently, until you actually connect w/ a plan, the iPhone won't do a thing. BUMMER.

Comment by mike roselius on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 02, 2007 10:36:57 AM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Joshua Wolf

That is one aspect that I do not like. If it isn't activated you can't do squat with it.

Comment by Joshua Wolf on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 02, 2007 22:09:51 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

mike roselius

Forgot that the iPhone supports pay as you go....depending on what my monthly costs might be to keep this thing with a dialtone - that might actually be an option.

Until they release Activesync I don't need voice or data - but if I can pay $5 a month just to keep it active, and use the rest of the features.... hmmm

Comment by mike roselius on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 03, 2007 10:20:39 AM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Rob Tillotson

Unfortunately, prepaid service for the iPhone is not affordable in the usual sense. It only supports GoPhone Pick Your Plan, not the pay-by-the-minute plans they call "Pay As You Go". Furthermore, you are required to add the iPhone data service which costs $20/month on top of the minimum $30/month Pick Your Plan costs, so you're looking at a minimum of $50/month plus whatever taxes and fees they add on. And unlike the per-minute plans, Pick Your Plan requires that you let it auto-bill your credit card or checking account every month, whether you need more airtime or not.

So, I guess the choice for frugal mobile users is... throw money into the bottomless maw of AT&T for airtime you'll never use, all for the privilege of not being outcast from modern iPhone society, or admit that you're not the sort of quality consumer who belongs in the new world, and go back to your shudder ordinary cellphone, which undoubtedly will only continue to operate because our masters in the blue and orange deathstar have pity for our pathetic lives...

--Rob

Comment by Rob Tillotson [Admin] on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 03, 2007 12:53:59 PM

Re: iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana

Tyler Puckett

While you are activating the iPhone, you can fake bad credit by using 999-99-999 as your SSN, which will make you activate the phone using Pay as You go. As long as you activate it, the iPhone will continue to work, even if you cancel the service immediately afterward. So, you don't have to pay a dime to AT&T.

Comment by Tyler Puckett on "iPhone day in Columbus, Indiana" in Julie's gear diary at July 07, 2007 19:03:26 PM