[Closed] OT - What's an iphone??

Unlimited internet (3g) is free. Well, it is on O2, anyway.... 🙂

It doesn't need phone coverage to operate the GPS and data costs should be included in your tariff (usually subject to "fair usage")

I have one, and can't imagine not having a smartphone now. But the iPhone isn't the only smartphone on the market. Have a look around and see if there's anything you prefer.

G

It's a phone with media capabilities made by Apple. It seems to work very well for a lot of people and there are others who don't see the need for one (I'm a non-believer).

People seem more than happy to pay the 'high price' for the actual unit but monthly charges seem to be inline with other phones - it's now available on Orange, O2 and Vodafone (might be available on others).

GPS system - the built-in version seems to stop working if an incoming call/text is made - but I'd guess if the maps were installed on the actual device then you wouldn't need phone coverage (as no data would need to be transfered), but if the map detail wasn't on the phone then yes you would need phone coverage as it would need to download the maps.

Up to you if you want it, I'd suggest not but I prefer getting into the gubbins of a 'toy' so the fact it's entirely sealed and you can't do anything else to it other than what Apple dictate puts me right off. Battery life is poor (assuming you think it's not ideal to have to charge it daily)...

A lot of folk can't get enough of them, it clearly does work, but whether it works for you will only be found out by you trying it (or not and saving your cash!).

Ok - so the initial Q was tongue in cheek! I like the look of the apple, and the ones I've seen in use look reasonably functional. Heard good things about the HTC Hero as well. Don't have any desires towards a Blackberry...

Unlimited internet (3g) is free. Well, it is on O2, anyway....

That's as maybe for the UK - but timing wise, I was thinking of upgrading before a short spring skiing break, and I'm guessing that outside of the hotel wifi area it could get expensive.

What's an iphone?

For Apple Incorporated of America 'tis the very Philosopher's Stone of which the alchemysts of yore didst but dream. They have trasnmuted plastic, silicon and gimmickry into pots and pots of pure gold!

I'm not an expert, but the iPhone uses [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS ]Assisted GPS[/url], so if it's struggling to get an accurate signal it'll use the phone network help positioning. As for whether that costs or not I've no idea.

I'd guess it would depend which mapping application you were using as to whether the maps were stored on the phone or on the network.

It's a completely unnecessary and expensive device and if you get one you'll find yourself using it for hours and showing people apps until they start to call you an iPhone bore. Well that's been my experience anyway.

The GPS works fine without a phone signal. You don't say where you want to use it but you should be able to get some sort of unlimited data deal from your provider in the UK, but don't expect to use it outside the UK unless you're prepared for big bills, find a wi-fi service instead. To save you from yourself it doesn't do data roaming unless you explicitly tell it to. The default mapping application will cache maps so if you know where you're going and there's no data service you need to download the maps first. Other applications vary on how they handle this.

Buy an iphone if you want:
1) to be able to use lots of interisting applications on your phone
2) the best internet browsing experience
3) a very well executed touch screen keyboard and navigation experience

Don't buy an iphone if you want:
1) a decent camera
2) a phone that's robust and not too big
3) decent battery life (and using GPS kills the battery)

On the GPS question, you can probably get complete maps downloaded as an app so the GPS may work. The norm is for each map to be downloaded when required so will be very expensive abroad and very slow in remote areas anywhere as it's unlikely to have a 3G signal - e.g. anywhere in Highland Scotland.

If the GPS is the big deal, get a cheaper phone and a proper GPS with maps built in which will work 10x better and integrate with Memory Map etc

an iphone is like any other phone only smugger

I think the short ish answer(s) to your question are:

1. No, it doesn't require a phone signal to use the gps

2. But....Most (all?) mapping applications download the maps as the are needed (ie they are not stored on the phone), thus a phone signal is required.

However, the iphone is a crap device for navigating (out of town) with really - fragile, poor battery life (plus probable need for a phone signal). If you want a gps, by a dedicated one.

p.s. unlimited data (in the UK) will be included in your iphone plan, so you won't have to pay extra for it (unless you are abroad, which is ridiculously expensive).

hat's as maybe for the UK - but timing wise, I was thinking of upgrading before a short spring skiing break, and I'm guessing that outside of the hotel wifi area it could get expensive.

Yeah, data roaming (i.e. using a data connection on a foreign network) is generally a killer on ALL phones on ALL UK networks and should avoided at all costs.

The iPhone has a specific "Allow Data Roaming" setting, which will be Off by default and should probably stay that way.

IME, it is generally fairly easy to find an open wifi connection when abroad. Coffee shops, hotels etc are usually good candidates.

As for GPS: the built-in app is basically Google Maps, so it needs a data connection to actually download the bits of the map you are looking at.

However, most of the decent GPS apps available have the ability to load areas of map onto the phone so no data connection is needed.

As verses says, it does use Assisted GPS, but only if a suitable data connection is available. It will still get a GPS lock and do mapping without a data connection, though the initial lock will take slightly longer.

GPS will work without the phone bit - so it will know where it is. The built in google maps needs a data connection to download the maps though. There are plenty of options for satnav or OS mapping that are stored on the device though so it will go on working even with no phone signal.

As said, on O2 you get "unlimited" data, the others cap it but it's a long way above any reasonable use (I'm a pretty heavy user and only average about 300Mb/month download over 3G so Orange's 750Mb/month is loads).

For use abroad, it can be pricey (O2 - £3/mb in EU, £6/mb outside) but the default setting is for "data roaming" to be set to off, so it will work as a phone for calls/texts but won't let anything connect for data. You can happily use wifi points in the hotel and elsewhere but no risk of running up roaming charges. If you think you'll need it, you can add an international data bolt-on that makes that cheaper and you can just have it for the months you'll need it.

if you are gps oriented you can actually bu the tomtom app for them for approx £70 (if ever you felt the need......)

I was thinking of upgrading before a short spring skiing break

There are quite a few skiing apps, including ones that use the GPS to show you where you are on the slopes, like iTrialMap 3D, and ones that can overlay navigation info like REALSki: www.rtp.com/company/realski.aspx

In terms of iPhone vs other smart phones: use the search, this has been squabbled over loads recently. Other smartphones exist and are better at some things and worse at others. Pick the one that is right for you.

iTrialMap 3D looks interesting, and may sway me! A few colleagues have also recommended this. It also has the resort(s) that i'm off to and can pre-load maps

I saw a feller drop one onto a concrete pavement recently. I thought he was gong to cry. 😥

They are an exciting glimpse into what technology will be available in a couple of years, but they're a bit limited for now. A luxury item really.

iTrialMap 3D looks interesting

It's a total gimmick.

It is quite cool being able to see where you are on a fully-rotatable 3D rendering of the mountain - but it is of no practical use at all.

Having a piste map on the phone is partially useful (if you lose your paper one maybe), but it doesn't show you where you are on the piste map, so not exactly handy.

I saw a feller drop one onto a concrete pavement recently. I thought he was gong to cry.

I've done that several times with mine, without any protective cover, and it's perfectly fine.

They are an exciting glimpse into what technology will be available in a couple of years, but they're a bit limited for now.

Technology is always going to be a bit limited compared to what will be available in a couple of years time.

Personally I don't find the iPhone (or HTC equivalent smartphone) particularly "limited". If anything it has fundamentally changed how I use the web.

I've done that several times with mine, without any protective cover, and it's perfectly fine.

This one wasn't. Completely smashed.

The iphone is 'limited' in that it lacks a few fundamental features that could make it really useful, such as effective Bluetooth capability with data transfer, the ability to use it as a portable storage device, optical connection, storage expansion via SD card or similar, and a front mounted camera.

The real beauty of the iphone, is the marketing that has created such a mythical status of such a device. Nobody 'needs' one, but everybody wants one.

The real beauty of the iphone, is the marketing that has created such a mythical status of such a device. Nobody 'needs' one, but everybody wants one.

I think it's been done before! 😀

"whats an i phone?....but have as many questions as answers!"

theres an app for that!

If you have as many questions as answers, then surely that's ok then isn't it?

Do the answers cancel the questions out though?

it lacks a few fundamental features

none of those features sound remotely "fundamental" to me. If they could be added without adding size, weight, cost or security issues then I probably wouldn't say no, but I can't say I'm especially missing any of them at the moment.

The real beauty of the iphone, is the marketing...

🙄 it's hard to believe, but not every iPhone user is an Apple devotee blinded by clever marketting. Some folk like it purely because it is actually quite good.

Nobody 'needs' one

well no, but without one I'd be sat here reading the papers at lunch, rather than wittering on here. 😀

iTrialMap 3D looks interesting

It's a total gimmick.

In that it doesn't work well - or in that it's not a "useful" app?

Surely wanting to know where, how long and how fast is a suitable amusing / interesting gimmick...

... in the same way as a bike computer provides similar info - of little use to say navigation, but interesting to see what you've done?

it's hard to believe, but not every iPhone user is an Apple devotee blinded by clever marketting.

Rough estimate of number of Apple devotees is given by sales of Apple computers: about half a dozen.

Rough estimate of iPhone users: several zillion.

[i]Ergo[/i], to claim that iPhone users are all Apple fanbois seems to be complete blx.

But we knew that already ...

I have 2 apple computers (and love them), but I got rid of my iPhone after about 1 month, because I hated it.

What does that make me?

What does that make me?

<sits on hands> 🙂

In that it doesn't work well - or in that it's not a "useful" app?
Surely wanting to know where, how long and how fast is a suitable amusing / interesting gimmick...

Well its USP and [i]raisin-deterrerer[/i] is showing a little 3D rendering of the the mountain and your position on it. This works just fine and is amusing (once) but entirely useless to actually navigate by (if that's what you wanted to do).

Yes it can also show you Lat, Long, Elevation, Total Distance and Total Vert - which are interesting enough, but other apps also do this and are free.

Interesting how every topic about anything Apple makes always descends into a pro/anti argument! 🙂

Back OT - I'm a great fan of Runkeeper on the iPhone for running and biking. It's a good app for tracking but not brilliant for navigation, so depends what you're after. I've also used it whilst skiing, and if you're going off-piste it's great for seeing where you've been. If you want to view the maps whilst you're on the mountain you'll need a data connection but once you're back in the resort you can use wi-fi to download the maps and see where you've been, how fast, elevation profiles etc. Also can be used to provide co-ordinates to tell the rescue helicopter where to come if you need it...

raisin-deterrerer

I'd quite like one of those. I can't stand raisins.

Or sultanas.

I can't stand raisins.

You just want a normal [i]raisin-deterrer[/i] then.

A [i]raisin-deterrerer[/i] is for people who like raisins and wish to prevent them being deterred.

Well, maybe I need a raisin deterrererer then? 😕

raisin-deterrerer

Please tell me you are s***ing us?

I'm s***ing you.

The iTrailMap app is absolutely rubbish at deterring any form of dried fruit, or indeed any dried fruit deterrers 😀

I don't mind dried apricots.

The iphone is 'limited' in that it lacks a few fundamental features that could make it really useful, such as effective Bluetooth capability with data transfer, the ability to use it as a portable storage device, optical connection, storage expansion via SD card or similar, and a front mounted camera.

None of those is particularly useful at all. I've had winmo phones that had those features (except "optical connection" - wtf?) and none got used except a quick try-out when I got the device. Bluetooth is too slow for bulky things like music/movies and everything else can go over the air (why bother bluetoothing photos when you can upload them straight to flickr?). As for front-mounted cameras, I thought the idea of 3G video calling was dead and buried - no-one used it, no-one wants to.

None of those is particularly useful at all

To me, they are. My current £30 Samsung does file transfer and storage. Uses MicroSD cards. As for Bluetooth; I've found it very useful on a number of occasions. It's perfect for the odd image or document file. And with simple USB data storage function, you don't have to use software like itunes and all that 'syncing' malarky.

Optical connection? Good for audio connections. High quality and simple. Could use the same port as the 3.5mm headphone jack, like Mac Books do.

Front video cam? I know loads of people that would love video calling; maybe the technology isn't fast enough yet over 3G. I don't know. I'm sure it would be popular if it worked well.

The iPhone is little more than a nice lifestyle device. A trendy fashion accessory, maimed too much to realise it's full potential.

My current £30 Samsung does file transfer and storage. Uses MicroSD cards...And with simple USB data storage function, you don't have to use software like itunes and all that 'syncing' malarky.

So.. erm.. why not just use MicroSD cards on their own, without the phone??

[img] [/img]
http://www.mymemory.co.uk/Micro-SD/Kingston/Kingston-Micro-SD-Card-Reader-%2B-2GB-Card---Black

2GB MicroSD card and USB card reader = £9.

Perfect for file transfer and storage without the bulky phone part.

Or just use one of the numerous file storage websites (dropbox, skydrive etc) and skip the physical media altogether.

Or just use an iPhone and one of the many storage apps available (that don't need itunes).

Optical connection? Good for audio connections. High quality and simple. Could use the same port as the 3.5mm headphone jack, like Mac Books do.

Great. Make the handset even more expensive for a feature that will only benefit a tiny fraction of customers. If you're worried enough about quality to use an optical audio connection then chances are you won't want to listen to mp3s in the first place.

I know loads of people that would love video calling

Been available on Nokias for years. Literally [u]no one[/u] uses it (apart from the first week when they try it down the pub). Really. (I've worked in telecoms monitoring systems - there was close to zero video calls)

The iPhone is little more than a nice lifestyle device. A trendy fashion accessory

As explained: "fashion" played absolutely no part in my decision to buy one. Anyone who knows me would testify to that.

I got one because it was useful and I often use it for several hours in a day.

[size=1](Other smartphones are available and may be equally life changing)[/size]

All niche at best. The 3G video calling thing has been flogged for 6+ years with networks requiring 3G handsets have front-facing video cameras to try to kick-start it (so they can make more off the calls). There's millions of devices equipped with the things, and no-one uses them. It just fundamentally doesn't work on a handheld device - the usual angle you'd hold the device at makes people look bad and you have to have conversations on speaker so everyone around you can hear it, unless you carry a set of headphones too. Apple had enough clout with the networks to say enough was enough and they'd not be bothering.

"Maimed" by not having a couple of things that no-one cares about? 😆

I've had one for 3 weeks or so now & I'm er ...... underwhelmed

It was a gift off my daughter so I'll have to pretend to like it for a while yet.
Have I got the only iphone in the world with no music on it?

I think I'll dig the old Nokia out again when she's not looking, at least the battery will still have 5 days charge left in it

Have I got the only iphone in the world with no music on it?

I rarely use mine for music to be honest.

Movies, podcasts, tv, and ITunes University lectures - yep, but rarely music unless I'm travelling.

If you're worried enough about quality to use an optical audio connection then chances are you won't want to listen to mp3s in the first place.

Did you know you can play lossless files? 😉 I just thought, seeing as how iphones are used as music players linked to speaker systems, an optical connection might be a good idea. I doubt it would cost much to incorporate.

Separate USB card reader? Why? Why not simply have it all in one device? I thought that was the whole point...

My current £30 'phone does many of the things an iphone does, it just doesn't have the fancy touch pad thing, or loads of gimmicky apps. Oh, it does have an FM radio though.

Defend it all you like. It's not much more than an expensive toy. £400, plus £30 a month or whatever? So, £700+ for a year, then you'll have to buy another one when the next latest version comes out?

I got one because I convinced myself it was useful and I often have nothing better to do than use it for several hours in a day.

Having played with friends iclones I decided to wait until the HTC desire came out and I'm a now a droid convert. Only been using it for 3 days but these things are pretty awesome if your in the market for a smartphone of some description. There are some cracking deals to be had, £60 for the phone then 18months @£25 pm to include 300 mins, 300 texts, unlimited internet, unlimited landline calls. So far a happy droid user here.

fwb2006 whos that deal with the Desire through?

Tmobile, I got £35 off the phone purchase price for haggling.... Even so, £95 for the phone and £25 pm for your calls etc. is pretty good, much better than my old orange 'deal'.

Only using FM radio why not digital, free app available (tunin.fm icar radio lite).
Mass storage device use, try Discover for wireless disc access also free.
Oh and lossless encoding invariably isn't.

loads of gimmicky apps.

and lots of really useful ones too.
i don't class myself as a technology geek who has all the latest gizmos but i find all these very useful
tube update. tells me what lines are running/delays (takes about 2-3 seconds to get info)
trainline. book tickets and get times.
f8. an app that works out the hyperfocal distance and the degree of tilt for my my cameras, i use this for work along with a sunrise/sunset height app.
they now have a model/property release app that people can sign and have mailed to them once they have read it on the screen
a spirit level app for the camera and for the surface when doing overhead copies or for inputting to the depth of field app.
0870. an app that gives you a proper number instead of an expensive one
runkeeper. logs my training rides and shows how slow i am on a map
skype. through the iphone is better than trying to talk into the laptop.
tv catchup. watch freeview channels. often used to watch men and motors when waiting for trains.

i don't use it myself but i know a few photographers and directors/cameramen who use a field of view app that shows them how an image will look with different primes/zooms and cine/16/35/hd/betacam etc etc giving them a scaled crop to a human figure and depth of field scale.

all this in a phone.

£400, plus £30 a month or whatever?

Did you know you can play lossless files? I just thought, seeing as how iphones are used as music players linked to speaker systems, an optical connection might be a good idea. I doubt it would cost much to incorporate.

But it would be utterly [i]pointless[/i]. Even with lossless files, the sound reproduction on a portable device (regardless of manufacturer) will never be able to compete with the quality that a full blown hi-fi system will recreate.

Separate USB card reader? Why? Why not simply have it all in one device? I thought that was the whole point...

Pick either of the other options I gave you then.

My current £30 'phone does many of the things an iphone does

Purrrrr-lease!

If you'd said [i]"My HTC HD2 / Nexus One / 'droid does.."[/i] then I'd have said yeah fair enough.

It's not much more than an expensive toy

Toys are generally not also "useful tools" - in fact that is pretty much the antithesis of a toy.
But if you consider phoning people, answering emails, scheduling meetings and getting directions as "play" then good for you. Your life must be a blast 🙂

I got one because I convinced myself it was useful and I often have nothing better to do than use it for several hours in a day.

Not at all. I got one because I had a go on my wife's iPod Touch and saw how it was changing how we used the web, worked, and entertained ourselves.

i don't use it myself but i know a few photographers and directors/cameramen who use a field of view app that shows them how an image will look with different primes/zooms and cine/16/35/hd/betacam etc etc giving them a scaled crop to a human figure and depth of field scale.

Try Photo Buddy - it has some really useful phot stuff like DoF calculator, sunrise/sunset times, hyperfocal, exposure calc, flash guide etc.

Purrrrr-lease!

If you'd said "My HTC HD2 / Nexus One / 'droid does.." then I'd have said yeah fair enough.

So you know which 'phone I have, then? Right, ok..

It plays music and videos. It has an FM radio (has the iphone got a radio? Oh..). It has an internet browser. You can get 'games' for it, and it has a useable calendar/organiser thing. It syncs with my computer. I can expand it's memory up to 32GB (32GB iPhone £100 more than 16GB, when a 16GB card is about £30?). It has a camera. It has a sound recorder. It can record video. You can download little 'apps' for it.

It doesn't have the GPS feature, or the motion sensor, WiFi or the fancy touch screen.

It did, howevver,cost £30, which included £10 PAYG credit. 😉 For a few quid a month, I can get unlimited internet access.

It does everything I need it to. Tell me why I 'need' an iphone...

See this..

[i]"Why do I need a PC when I have this perfectly usable typewriter that does everything I need it to? PCs are just expensive toys."[/i]

That's you that is.

Not at all. I'm just not some mug who thinks their life has to revolve around a mobile telephone. 😉

I got one because I was fed up with having a phone 'thing' and a music 'thing' to carry around, and because I use itunes, it made sense oh, and I get a useful browser, and a calendar, and email, and a calculator, and I can take photos, and loads of other things.

As mrmichaelwright cleverly points out, I am Mr smug...

[url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/10/charlie-brooker-iphone ]charlie brookers views on them[/url]

My life revolves regardless. Having a mobile internet device in it just makes it easier to manage.

And to answer your "points":

So you know which 'phone I have, then? Right, ok..

I'm guessing it isn't a smartphone otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation.

It plays music and videos

I see. Video podcasts? Live TV? iPlayer? Feature films? Streaming porn?

It has an FM radio

That's nice. I think my old Nokia 9600 had one of those.

(has the iphone got a radio? Oh..)

Yes thanks. Except it is an internet radio, so you get the FM channels plus the digital ones and hundreds of international ones.

It has an internet browser.

Which you never use because the screen is tiny, scrolling about is a pain and half the websites don't work on it.

You can get 'games' for it

Snake?

it has a useable calendar/organiser thing

Excellent, with live over-the-air syncing with an Exchange Server?

I can expand it's memory up to 32GB (32GB iPhone £100 more than 16GB, when a 16GB card is about £30?)

I don't think anyone claimed the iPhone was cheap.

It has a camera. It has a sound recorder. It can record video

And of course there are apps that let you edit the pictures, sounds and video on your phone and then upload them directly to flickr, picasa, facebook, etc etc yeah?

You can download little 'apps' for it.

How many are available? How many are genuinely useful? Can any of them do any of the things talked about on this thread?

Tell me why I 'need' an iphone...

You don't.

Neither do you 'need' any phone. Or a PC, a laptop, a TV, a DVD player, the internet...

All you non-believers are wasting your time

GrahamS will talk this one [& you] to sleep on the subject - I think he has an app to detect when the word iphone is used on stw 🙂

Video podcasts? Live TV? iPlayer? Feature films? Streaming porn?

You see, none of this bothers me. I have all these things at home. You talk about screen size; so why would you want to watch stuff on a 3" screen??

And of course there are apps that let you edit the pictures, sounds and video on your phone and then upload them directly to flickr, picasa, facebook, etc etc yeah?

Why would I want to do this? I have no need for these services.And I probably could, actually! So there!

Neither do you 'need' any phone. Or a PC, a laptop, a TV, a DVD player, the internet...

You're being daft now. I need a 'phone, and a computer for work. Those two things are the requirements for my job.

My 'phone is a 'phone, and does a couple of other things I'm not bothered about. I don't use it much to make calls anyway, mainly to receive. My £10 top up lasts ages. I have no binding contract.

Your evangelising is fascinating. Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself, more than you are me.

If you're happy with it, fine. But enough of the preaching; it's a toy, and you know it.

How many are genuinely useful?

I rest my case... 😀

My life revolves regardless. Having a mobile internet device in it just makes it easier to manage.

How on Earth did you cope, before the iphone came into your life?? 🙄

Yep, I'll happily defend myself to anyone who brands me a gullible fashion victim for choosing a "laptop" over a "typewriter".

I thought we were talking about 'phones? 🙄

You see, none of this bothers me. I have all these things at home.

So do I, but (in common with most smartphone owners I know) I rarely bother firing up the PC or netbook to do any of these things any more.

You talk about screen size; so why would you want to watch stuff on a 3" screen??

Convenience. If you're on a plane then it's much easier to watch a film on a phone than on a 42" plasma.

Why would I want to do this?

Why would you want to take photos, video and sound, but [u]not[/u] want to edit them or show them to other people?

My 'phone is a 'phone, and does a couple of other things I'm not bothered about.

i.e. it is a typewriter. All you need it to do is write letters with no extras. So it suits your needs and you remain convinced that these computer things will never catch on.

Your evangelising is fascinating. Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself, more than you are me.

Interesting because from here your desperate denial and luddism has much the same sound.

How on Earth did you cope, before the iphone came into your life??

That's just like asking how people coped before mobile phones really. Quite well, but mobiles changed how they coped when they came along.

charlie brookers views on them

Ironically this link doesn't work on a mobile phone browser... 🙄

Convenience. If you're on a plane then it's much easier to watch a film on a phone than on a 42" plasma.

Oh, because of course there's nothing at all between the size of an iphone and a 42" plasma... 🙄 Anyway, most planes have little screens on the back of the seat in front! 😀

So it suits your needs and you remain convinced that these computer things will never catch on.

Where did I say that? To me, my 'phone is a 'phone, and does a perfectly adequate job. I don't need it to do anything else. I'm not so tied to my work, that I 'need' to have me emails etc instantly available. If I did need to check something, I can on my current 'phone. I've never needed to.

Interesting because from here your desperate denial and luddism has much the same sound.

Now here's the thing. I have actually owned an iphone. bought it off a mate. Had it a couple of weeks, didn't see the point in keeping it, sold it for what I paid for it. since then, I've not had a single moment when I thought 'oh, I wish I still had an iphone'. As for 'Luddism'; how's that, just because I don't want an iphone?

They're fun, clever little devices. I can appreciate their appeal. Not something that adds anything to my life, so no point in wasting money on one. Simples.

So, to repeat my earlier question; how would you survive without your iphone? Would life still carry on, or would the mouth of Hell open up beneath you? Do you really need an iphone to organise your life? 🙄

Rio - Member

charlie brookers views on them

Ironically this link doesn't work on a mobile phone browser...

Must have taken some figuring out, impressive if deliberate

After buying an iPod touch idealise that the iPhone is probably quite good but too expensive when I have a good gsm phone and a good cheap contract including broadband

A little while ago I had a car accident. I was left a bit shaken up with a car that I suspected might be damaged. When I pulled myself together I used my iPhone to find the address of the garage, and the GPS to locate it and guide me round the backstreets to it. Stress released 🙂

Just one example where having a capable mobile internet device made a difference, where an old fashioned mobile phone would not have helped.

Anyway, most planes have little screens on the back of the seat in front!

ironically enough I'm currently stranded at Edinburgh Airport waiting for a flight to London that has been delayed two hours (frickin easyjet!!) Which has given me plenty of time to surf, answer emails and catch up on my podcasts.

So, to repeat my earlier question; how would you survive without your iphone? Would life still carry on, or would the mouth of Hell open up beneath you? Do you really need an iphone to organise your life?

no, obviously not, but it helps a great deal. Emails/web on the go and GPS both make life easier. Instant access to mine and my wife's calendars and to-do lists makes organising work and home lfe much easier, and has completely ended the "I told you my parents were coming that weekend"-type arguments.

Was your job literally impossible before PCs or mobile phones were invented?

Last Friday I was on a business trip in Aberdeen. I needed to travel back to Amsterdam via Copenhagen on 2 separate flights (are you following ? 🙂 ) I had a 45 minute connection in Copenhagen, and no access to a computer except my iPhone. I checked in by internet, and received a boarding pass via a web page. I caught the connection with minutes to spare. If I'd had to check in the conventional way I'd have missed the flight.

(BTW - I don't remember travelling on a plane with a video screen other than in business class. No doubt they exist, but not on the KLM and SAS flights I have taken)

Most long hauls have personal video screens these days, but few domestic or short haul budget. Though the last one I got (Air Canada) also had USB ports to keep your phone charged 🙂

I'm too old and soft to fly long-haul in Economy 🙁

LOL, I'm too poor to fly anything but!

Maybe if I gave up this expensive phone... 😉

Charlie Brooker actually has one, but he realises that to do his "thinking man's slightly left of centre Jeremy Clarkson", he needs to take the piss out of anything popular. We all fall for it...

Oh dear...

Certain people think these gadgets enhance themselves and make them better people with more status and kudos. That's bollucks of course, for them I really want Charlie Brookers app to be real, and mandatory..

"1. An app that makes the iPhone scream 'I'VE GOT AN IPHONE!' each time the user pulls it out of their pocket. Once activated, it would be impossible to switch off. The only way to stop the constant embarrassment would be to repeatedly crack the device against a wall, or preferably your own face, until it shattered."

These things will be totally commonplace and old soon enough. get over it!

The iphone is 'limited' in that it lacks a few fundamental features that could make it really useful, such as effective Bluetooth capability with data transfer, the ability to use it as a portable storage device, optical connection, storage expansion via SD card or similar, and a front mounted camera.

I remember when I was a kid and owning a commodore 64 would be the shittest hottest thing ever and I could play all the coolest games with 16 colours and it had that sid chip that sounded amaaaazing and a proper keyboard. I'd get all the bestest games, and it was better than my spectrum and my Texas instruments ti44a before that, and my atari VCS before that. I really needed it. I finally got one. Then everyone else got an amiga or an atari st. Then I really needed one of them, so I sold mt GT freestyler to get one.

I was 13. I hope I don't think like that anymore!

Lol, yes indeedy Kevevs.

I've got a crap phone. Having said that, I can get tinternet and fillums on it tho for the day when my brain finally becomes [i]totally empty[/i]. I take it on long journeys too just in case my eyes stop working, the book i've taken spontaneously combusts or both.

I must admit that the thought of 00s of freeware apps hasn't got my pulse racing so i'll pass on an iphone for now, eh.