Mobile phone advice

Wondermike

Wondermike

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Staff member
Thinking about getting an iphone, all advice gratefully received, not too up on mobile technology!

I have a Motorola V3 which I use all the time, it has a company sim card so I don't pay for any calls, and it fits my hands free cradle. Thinking about getting a phone with things like GPS, google maps, so I can find a pub or restaurant when I'm out, that kind of thing - so thought about iphone.

Stay in hotels through the week so I'm never too far from my laptop and a wireless connection so not too bothered about internet except the above times. Won't really use it for many calls or anything either. I do have an ipod shuffle but nothing else so the iphone would be good in that respect.

Any thoughts cheers?
 
I'm in the same boat sort of...new phone due, trying to decide between a new Blackberry Bold 9700 and an iPhone.

I've got a Blackberry 9000 at the moment and I think nothing beats them for email / business use. Full QWERTY keyboard makes typing emails a breeze and the Google Maps application is perfectly good for route finding. What lets it down is the UI - feels clunky and old fashioned compared to the Apple - and the browser, which is slow and sometimes refuses to work at all. However they have upgraded the new 9700 to full GPRS so apparently browsing is much faster and more reliable. It's a deal compared to the iPhone, few if any discounts on those.

The iPhone is strong in different areas - the number of apps available for it that are polished and work well is astonishing. If you use things like Autotrader, Rightmove, XE.com, etc etc - useful tools - there is an App for each formatted for the screen, so no scrolling around or zooming in like on a Blackberry. It's so much better for browsing and mapping... with the pinch / spread function on the touchscreen you can manipulate everything much more intuitively. The UI is also leagues ahead of the Blackberry...it's downsides are it's size (quite bulky) and the biggy - the touch screen keyboard. Which is useless. Writing the average email on an iPhone takes me about three times as long due to the number of mistake corrections you have to make - hitting the wrong letter / two letters, laggy response. There is no 'feel' when you type and it's horrible for text. That is literally the only thing I don't like, but it's a major one...

So I too can't decide which way to go. iPhone does everything else better, Blackberry is best for email....hmmm
 
Ah OK then thanks guys, I'm not too bothered about being able to email (not long ones anyway) so it sounds like the iPhone is going to be a better bet.
 
Hi,

I signed up for an iphone yesterday with vodafone. I have been using windows mobile devices for the last 4 years but once I tried an iphone there really is no comparison. I know that a new iphone is rumoured to be coming out in the summer - if that is better then I can sell my iphone on and upgrade again - I just couldn't face another 6 months using my HTC diamond.

On a seperate point i also signed up for a vodafone sure-signal. It's a device that attaches to your router and gives you a solid 3G connection on your mobile. I live in the sticks where even 2G signal is variable so this is an ideal solution. It's a bit of a cheek that I have to still pay vodafone for the calls and data that travel over my broadband connection but hey-ho, at least it's a solution.
 
Had an iPhone from Vodafone for a few weeks now. The missus has a Blackberry (she got it before Christmas and couldn't wait for the iPhone to come to Vodafone. She's regretted it ever since!). iPod waaaay better!! Like a mini computer!

Email is good on receiving on the iPod, but I haven't got it to send any yet! You can't just put your usual suppliers SMTP address in!! :?

Finding the keyboard is great myself. :thumbsup:
 
Have a look at this - http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/htc-hd2-review/ I bought one bout 6 weeks ago.

Its a bit wordy, but fairly comprehensive.

Spec wise it seems slightly ahead of the iphone - with a modified windows operating system.
Screen is HUGE, has google maps, sat Nav has the usual windows applications with some other interesting ones. It is made by HTC who made most/all of the O2 XDA range.

Cant say enough good things about it.
 
My son has an Iphone, and I have a Blackberry Storm.

We traded phones for a day.

He says that the Blackberry is better at Email, SMS/MMS and just being a phone. The Iphone is better at general multimedia and Internet access, even though my Storm is on the Verizon network, and his Iphone is on AT&T, he says that my BB is faster dnloading info..... of course there are MORE apps for the Iphone than for the BB.

I pay for my phone, but also use it for work email. I live on email. I have 200 email threads IN my phone, and any email is just 2 secs away....
I have six (6) email accounts that the phone access's....
 
At the moment, from the reviews on the net and TV, most phones are still compared to (and are falling short of) the iPhone.

Bit like the VW Golf adds! "It drives just like a Golf". So why not buy a Golf? :P

I guess it depends what you really want it for. I use mine mainly for mobile internet on the go, texting, games and not really for Email.
 
bounax said:
Have a look at this - http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/htc-hd2-review/ I bought one bout 6 weeks ago.

Its a bit wordy, but fairly comprehensive.

Spec wise it seems slightly ahead of the iphone - with a modified windows operating system.
Screen is HUGE, has google maps, sat Nav has the usual windows applications with some other interesting ones. It is made by HTC who made most/all of the O2 XDA range.

Cant say enough good things about it.
Click to expand...

That phone has had some good write-ups. What put me off is the word "Microsoft"!! :P I'm an Apple convert and have an iMac and a Windows based laptop! Always reminds me that Windows is by far the weakest operating system!!
 
Brother in law has the iphone 3GS with tomtom on it etc. Looks like a great phone.

Far better than the POS i carry around. Its The G2 (T-mobile) by Android. Terrible in everyday use. The processor is nowhere near capable of running what is effectively a mini-pc. Therefore it is very jerky, freezes a lot etc.

Why invest millions in Research and development, marketing, advertising only to put a crap 1st gen processor in the next updated variant of a phone? :x
 
I couldn't justify the cost of iPhone monthly contracts. I only use around 150mins/200texts a month, so even the cheapest iPhone contract was too much for me @ ~£35/month for 600min/500texts or so.

Instead, I've got a Samsung Jet on T-Mobile, 200mins/200texts, unlimited internet, for £20/month over an 18-month contract. Does all that I need: internet, social networking sites (well, Facebook :oops:), email, music, and has a great camera for a phone. Haven't investigated the mapping yet although it relies on googlemaps I believe. Plus has the benefit of a removeable battery so you can buy a spare and keep as a back-up (a big bug bear of mine about the iPhone is the built-in battery).

Might be worth a look if you want a cheaper option than the iPhone...
 
I'm waiting for the Sony Ericsson X10. Proper fast Android phone, wouldn't be seen dead with an Iphone I'm afraid, but that's just me.

Currently using a Sony Ericcson P1i.. I've had it for 3 years, it's touchscreen, awesome camera, net access, push email, mms videos, 8gb memory stick, word / excel compatibility, wifi, 3g, Tomtom.... it's *much* smaller than an Iphone. It also has a keyboard so writing an SMS isn't a nightmare - but it does have handwriting recognition too. :D

Why did it take Apple so long to make something bigger than mine, which does less? I mean.. hyping up a firmware update because it gives Copy & Paste.. :rofl:
 
Hmm thanks for the comments, think I'm more confused now than when I started :rofl:

a11y said:
...Haven't investigated the mapping yet although it relies on googlemaps I believe. Plus has the benefit of a removeable battery so you can buy a spare and keep as a back-up (a big bug bear of mine about the iPhone is the built-in battery).
Click to expand...
Ally would you mind letting me know what you think of the maps if you get a chance please, cheers :thumbsup:

Breaker said:
Buy a new Z4 with iDrive instead! :P
Click to expand...
I would if prices would go down instead of up :cry:
 
Mike, just had a quick play with mine and to be honest it seems like it's just Googlemaps for mobile. Pretty OK and is able to plot out directions, etc. but won't read out a set of directions telling you where to go like a TomTom or the like would. Seems to be fairly accurate for me though and came up with directions to a mates house 50miles away very quickly and accurately.
 
At the end of the day it's a phone - it's actually meant to be used to call people! Anything else to me is a bonus...
 
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