New Iphone 3G S

[FarFarAway]

But then that's really down to the fact that the phone doesn't actually 'do' much without having to download apps for it or plug it into ITunes. It's useless as a business device (which is what smartphones are all about), it's average as a media device, and the thing that everybody praise about it (usability) just really means a 90yr old granny could pick it up and not have any problems with it.

For business I need my e-mail and calendar on my phone, which it does perfectly. Most of the useful apps can be got for free or very little and there are a tonne of incredibly good paid apps if you want don't mind spending £50 or something.

But then again it's got apps that cover the business side of things so I've been told.. A couple of the IT managers at the Council I work for use them. I haven't had a chance to look through the app store really as I haven't got my hands on one for any length of time.

That said, I don't want it for business... I want it for phone calls, music, video, games and the odd picture. Does all of that very well.

Yep there's a tonne of business apps out there that do the trick. There's some stuff it doesn't 100% do, but frankly if you want to do more than the iphone does, you need a laptop to do it.

I use mine for: phone, texting, work e-mail/calendar, directions/maps, music, e-reader, video's, gaming, general browsing, alarm clock, timer, fun snapshots, gaming, eBay and loads more.

I'm going on a bit, but it really is the best single device I've ever owned and I've owned a few

 

[JN]

Seriously though. If Samsung/Nokia/Sony etc came out with a phone tomorrow that they branded as a 'smartphone' yet it only featured a VGA camera, limited bluetooth capabilities, built-in battery, no video support, no MMS support, 3.5mm jack that you couldnt plug ordinary headphones into, no way of uploading things to the filesystem..etc..etc..etc and then told everybody that they had to buy apps from their shop in order to get some of these features back everybody would p155 themselves laughing before promptly checking it wasn't April 1st.

To be brash, the IPhone has nothing going for it other than its touchscreen and dumbed down interface. Sure the interface is easy to use, but if you told Apple to integrate into its OS all of the features that other smartphones are REQUIRED to have in order to be taken seriously, then the IPhone would probably turn into a big jumbled mess far more clunky to use than any smartphone around at the moment.

Other mobile phones will never 'catch up' to the Iphone interface because they are already miles ahead of it. To be like the IPhone they'd have to take stuff away..important stuff that people need. The only area that most smartphones have lacked (up until now) is a capacitive touchscreen. Now that the Samsung and other phones have this...and might I add: with a gorgeous OLED...the IPhone has nothing going for it, other than its the fisher price of the smartphone world.

 

[Rastalovich]

Yeah, but u is missing the sexeh factor Jim !

It's a defacto Apple thing

(and I just found out u can tether them for free with no jailbreak)

 

[JN]

Yeah, but u is missing the sexeh factor Jim !

It's a defacto Apple thing

lol, so basically the Iphone is the blonde bimbo of the smartphone world.

Looks? Check

Easy to play with? Check

Gets your mates taking? Check

Gives you a glazed stare when you ask it to do something complex? Check

 

[FarFarAway]

Methinks the iPhone is not for Jimbo

I've not been impressed by the other phones out there at all and find them clunky.

Most decent essential apps can be got for free though so that's not an issue for me. Doing serious technical IT infrastructure work needs a laptop as far as I'm concerned, there's no way I'd even attempt to use any phone out there so in that way you're right, an iPhone won't do what you want. I wouldn't expect to see one of our ops guys running round with a smartphone in our data cluster, it just doesn't work.

The iPhone's interface is incredibly well designed - the more you use it the more you appreciate the thought that's gone into it. Sure other companies have the tech, but they just don't do Apple, like Apple do Apple. Simplicity has so much to be said for it and Apple hits nail on head.

I do agree that Apple tech-down the iPhone on purpose but the 3GS is getting there for sure.

As for pictures, if I want to take a serious picture, I pick up my D-SLR, not a smartphone

 

[Bungral]

Ok my list was a little short for what I actually use my phone.. I use the maps, calendar, web browsing quite a lot and my main alarm clock.

I use mine for: phone, texting, work e-mail/calendar, directions/maps, music, e-reader, video's, gaming, general browsing, alarm clock, timer, fun snapshots, gaming, eBay and loads more.

I'm going on a bit, but it really is the best single device I've ever owned and I've owned a few

Are you on about the first Iphone non 3G version? As a lot of that is now sorted out like the video support, mms, any headphones work and I've read of a way to dump files on it via an explorer type means using an app. I'll look into that further when it turns up though.

The flaws you mention are what have stopped me getting it in the first two models but now the app store is very well established (albeit still harshly policed) it will do everything I need, with ease plus more.

Only thing that reaaaaaaaly stopped me plumping for the N97 is the type of touch screen and the fact the ovi market thing is so immature. Also it's not as powerful.

Also did consider other models like the new Omnia, but to be honest, I don't like Sammy phones... I've had a couple and couldn't get on with them. Two of my mates at work have them, one is the Omnia and the other I can't remember, but they can't wait to upgrade to another make.

Seriously though. If Samsung/Nokia/Sony etc came out with a phone tomorrow that they branded as a 'smartphone' yet it only featured a VGA camera, limited bluetooth capabilities, built-in battery, no video support, no MMS support, 3.5mm jack that you couldnt plug ordinary headphones into, no way of uploading things to the filesystem..etc..etc..etc and then told everybody that they had to buy apps from their shop in order to get some of these features back everybody would p155 themselves laughing before promptly checking it wasn't April 1st.

To be brash, the IPhone has nothing going for it other than its touchscreen and dumbed down interface. Sure the interface is easy to use, but if you told Apple to integrate into its OS all of the features that other smartphones are REQUIRED to have in order to be taken seriously, then the IPhone would probably turn into a big jumbled mess far more clunky to use than any smartphone around at the moment.

Other mobile phones will never 'catch up' to the Iphone interface because they are already miles ahead of it. To be like the IPhone they'd have to take stuff away..important stuff that people need. The only area that most smartphones have lacked (up until now) is a capacitive touchscreen. Now that the Samsung and other phones have this...and might I add: with a gorgeous OLED...the IPhone has nothing going for it, other than its the fisher price of the smartphone world.

 

[Bungral]

Read about this earlier on Engadget.... Obviously just don't wanna abuse it so they don't get sus.

(and I just found out u can tether them for free with no jailbreak)

 

[Rastalovich]

lol, so basically the Iphone is the blonde bimbo of the smartphone world.

Looks? Check

Easy to play with? Check

Gets your mates taking? Check

Gives you a glazed stare when you ask it to do something complex? Check

hehe yeah m8, all cept the bottom one for me There's loads of complexing stuff for it, shame u need to pay for alot of it. Seen physics stuff in action, but they're goof things like the lighter/light sabre etc.

Biggest gripe I got with it is it's not got terminal abilities as standard. I did used to like messing about with phones, files - doing things where u got control urself I guess.

But as a phone/email/music/movie/picture thing, my mom can use it - which is another Apple thing

I mean, if I do upgrade and keep it, I'm installing nix and using it as a tool.

 

[JN]

Methinks the iPhone is not for Jimbo

I've not been impressed by the other phones out there at all and find them clunky.

Akin to going from pushing a pushchair to driving a car

Most decent essential apps can be got for free though so that's not an issue for me. Doing serious technical IT infrastructure work needs a laptop as far as I'm concerned, there's no way I'd even attempt to use any phone out there so in that way you're right, an iPhone won't do what you want. I wouldn't expect to see one of our ops guys running round with a smartphone in our data cluster, it just doesn't work.

I'm not sure of the current status but last time I checked the IPhone had real problems handling attachments on emails. Probably changed now several firmware versions later, but in terms of even simple business use i'd say it goes Blackberry > Smartphone > Iphone.

The iPhone's interface is incredibly well designed - the more you use it the more you appreciate the thought that's gone into it. Sure other companies have the tech, but they just don't do Apple, like Apple do Apple. Simplicity has so much to be said for it and Apple hits nail on head.

Yep simplicity is the IPhone...which makes me think that it can't be classed as a smartphone or even compared to one. Its a bit like trying to put an aircraft c0ckpit on a moped.

As for pictures, if I want to take a serious picture, I pick up my D-SLR, not a smartphone

No doubt. But the Iphone camera even fails at taking legible 'opportunity' shots most of the time. 99% of the time when I want to take a picture while I'm away from the house I don't have my DSLR with me. Only alternative...yep the mobile.

 

[JN]

Are you on about the first Iphone non 3G version? As a lot of that is now sorted out like the video support, mms, any headphones work and I've read of a way to dump files on it via an explorer type means using an app. I'll look into that further when it turns up though.

Yeah some of those things are probably from the first two gens (the ones I've used) but there's so much else that annoyed the crap out of me when i used an IPhone that just made me want to throw it out of the window. Is Bluetooth fully functioning yet, or can it still only be used for headsets? IMO BT is invaluable for transferring contacts and media between handsets.

Also did consider other models like the new Omnia, but to be honest, I don't like Sammy phones... I've had a couple and couldn't get on with them. Two of my mates at work have them, one is the Omnia and the other I can't remember, but they can't wait to upgrade to another make.

Agreed there are some smarphones out there that suck balls. My Omnia was rubbish - mainly because it had Windows Mobile, and I had no use at all for the business functions.

But Symbian on the other hand is an immensely mature OS with a very rounded feature set and tonnes of apps available on the web for anything else.

EDIT: Oh and also Android is looking promising as an OS that strikes a balance between user friendly and professional.

 

[FarFarAway]

I play around with an absolute load of 'business' PDA's, smartphones and the like at work, my mate does all our mobile working policy rubbish. Some have a few decent points but they ALL fall short of what you need to do serious work on, so why bother trying to use something not designed for the job? To use a similar analagy to yours: it's like using a bike to get to work faster when you've got a ferrari sitting in your drive. Phones are not designed for serious IT work and that's it.

I will say I've not had a problem with attachments and it certainly handles them better than my other halfs crackberry.

Simplicity is a great thing and simplicity in a smartphone is even better in my opinion.

The camera is OK for 'fun' snaps and the 3GS one looks to have some really quality results akin to other decent 3MP phone camera's, so at least Apple have finally addresses that issue, albeit late to the party somewhat.

Meh we'll agree to disagree I think

 

[Rastalovich]

I'm not sure of the current status but last time I checked the IPhone had real problems handling attachments on emails.

No doubt. But the Iphone camera even fails at taking legible 'opportunity' shots most of the time. 99% of the time when I want to take a picture while I'm away from the house I don't have my DSLR with me. Only alternative...yep the mobile.

I get passworded pdfs emailed to me at times, and it wouldn't open them - don't know if that's changed.

I've not found a smartphone/iphone/anyphone that - once ladened with apps and stuff - does the spontaneous camera action. Didn't notice the iphone being any slower - but what I would say is that it's quality is strangely good for the low pixel quality it's meant to have.

Fresh from a boot, most of them do, but like u say, crapio.

 

[JN]

ITo use a similar analagy to yours: it's like using a bike to get to work faster when you've got a ferrari sitting in your drive. Phones are not designed for serious IT work and that's it.

Fastest way to work for me is to use a bike and then the train (my Ferrari wont fit on a train)

 

[Bungral]

Yeah some of those things are probably from the first two gens (the ones I've used) but there's so much else that annoyed the crap out of me when i used an IPhone that just made me want to throw it out of the window. Is Bluetooth fully functioning yet, or can it still only be used for headsets? IMO BT is invaluable for transferring contacts and media between handsets.

Not sure about the BT to be honest but do agree that it's quite a big feature to still be missing if it is. Contacts can at last be sent via vcard which was a ridiculous omission from previous version.

Agreed there are some smarphones out there that suck balls. My Omnia was rubbish - mainly because it had Windows Mobile, and I had no use at all for the business functions.

But Symbian on the other hand is an immensely mature OS with a very rounded feature set and tonnes of apps available on the web for anything else.

See, I like Symbian quite a lot, but I still haven't had a smartphone running on it that doesn't like to just randomly restart every so often. Might do it more than ya know, but those are just the times I've caught them in the act booting back up. The apps just aren't as well implemented on it but as soon as it gets going, I'll have no qualms jumping back to another phone / OS... I'm just going with what is more polished at present.

EDIT: Oh and also Android is looking promising as an OS that strikes a balance between user friendly and professional.

As for Android, I'd currently be stuck in a nice long contract with a G1 if Phones4u sold it when I went looking. Luckily they didn't.

That said, I am very keen on Android.. I think it's a great OS that can only get better and with the apps being open source will soon become a really quality platform. On the couple of phones I've used it on for a short time, I've been really impressed. It just needs a little more time in my opinion.

On a different note, another thing that has had a big deal made out of it is the new copy and paste, which is absurdly overdue. Thing is I thought it would just be a simple implementation.. I was oddly impressed at what it can do and how well... Check out the video here. It's the third video down on the page.. Have I just been stuck with duff phones or is it actually quite impressive for a simple feature.

 

[FarFarAway]

Nah it's a pretty impressive feature mate. The phone should have had it from the off but again Apple have implemented it well. The enhanced audio scrobbling feature is also pretty nice too

 

[tinytomlogan]

I love my piephone and thats all there is to it, if it had a better camera I wouldnt wanna change it.

Ive ordered some extra milk for the morning so you lot can stop fighting over it now.

 

[Brooksie]

See, I like Symbian quite a lot, but I still haven't had a smartphone running on it that doesn't like to just randomly restart every so often. Might do it more than ya know, but those are just the times I've caught them in the act booting back up. The apps just aren't as well implemented on it but as soon as it gets going, I'll have no qualms jumping back to another phone / OS... I'm just going with what is more polished at present.

I've got a Nokia 5800 which runs on the S60V5 OS. Very smooth and fast. Love it

 

[Hassan]

I've got a Nokia 5800 which runs on the S60V5 OS. Very smooth and fast. Love it

Yeah the latest Symbian do tend to run very smoothly indeed.

 

[Bungral]

Well, I got it Friday and I've gotta say I'm very pleased with it. The responsiveness is the real winner. Love the screen too.

Still trying to dig up all the best apps seeing as I'm 2 years behind.

Did ya get one Matt? If so, much difference over the previous gen?

 

[Brooksie]

on play, the unlocked 32gb sim free version, £999.99 :O