Apple UK iPhone day approaches...

I have an Orange SPV m600, which has 3G, video calling, GPS, can run LOADS of applications etc etc. In fact, on the face of it there's no technical reason why the iPhone is better. So why do I want one SO MUCH?!

 

Because its very expensive and oh so shiney?

 

The lowest tarrif will be more than enough for me. I'm currently on a Vodafone tarrif that gives me 75mins a month, and I never use them all up. I usually end up with them rolling over each month to the max that VF will allow.

As for texts, I don't text that much - however, that may change with the iPhone, so we'll have to see. I did hear rumours that O2 would be doing some sort of bolt on plan for texts for iPhone users.

 

well i am still thinking about this phone for my upgrade but am going to wait till i know what i can get if i get it and to see if they bring out better packeages in the next few months. anyone know if this phone can do msn messnger type of thing?

 

Cool phone no doubt about it. But the ethos behind it is...condemning to say the least.

 

I've got a whole selection of phones to choose from that are technically better than the iPhone in many ways. There's things like 3G, MMS, group text messaging, calls not dropping occasionally, better email support, a better camera, and so on that I could get from another device.

The thing is that I'm still using the iPhone after six weeks even despite some of the downsides. I cannot really describe it in any way other than to say it's just one of the most gorgeous devices I've ever used and I am prepared to live with some of the shortfalls (some are not important to me, but others are) to get the other things that it does incredibly well. I feel like I'm saying "just because" in a fairly typical Clarkson fashion, where there's a lot of evidence to say that it isn't a great device, but there's something about it that just makes it a great device.

 

Apple is master of marketing!!!!

Apple has been secretly brainwashing people through its adverts.

 

K, close your ears.

Anyone aware of any nefarious plans to jailbreak it for UK users?

 

I don't think it's anything like that - I've used the device for six weeks, even despite its downfalls and the choice of more feature-rich handsets I've got just sitting on my desk, I don't want to swap it out. That might change, but I dunno... there's something about it that just makes it a great device, even though if you just look at the checkbox features it's missing, it clearly isn't.

 

It'll happen. It's looking like you won't be able to unlock UK phones immediately because the UK iPhones will be running software version 1.1.2 which hasn't been hacked yet obviously as it's not out. Give it a few weeks though and someone will find a way. There will be no material difference between the UK and US phones, so it's not about whether UK phones can be unlocked/jailbroken, it's about whether 1.1.2 phones can.

AH

 

I've got an ipod touch and a separate phone.

Don't want to carry a large and heavy £300 phone around all the time. I've got a cheap phone on pay as you go because I don't use it much.

 

with a cracked uk iphone will all the wi-fi etc still work as if this gets cracked i may get one and wack my O2 sim in it as my contract is perfect for the ammount i pay but i really want this phone.

 

Question:

My father is very keen to get one on launch day. Already being a O2 custom does any know if simply removing the pre-packaged SIM without activating and replacing with his current 02 sim will require jailbreaking it?

 

I'm not really interested in getting one because a) I think it's heavily overpriced and locks you into an 18month contract and b) It does less than my current phone. Granted it's not a bad device- far from it in fact. I wish there were more smartphones as nice-looking and simple to use as the iPhone. Hopefuly the next iteration of Windows Mobile (due Q108) will catch up with it and introduce a bit more innovation, but for now the XDA seems to run my life- Office docs, Outlook syncing and GPS have been priceless to me and I wouldn't settle for anything less. If Apple bucked up their ideas and added simple novelties such as video recording it might be a more compelling device, but for now I just see it as a phone for people who are more media-centric and want something that doesn't require any thought to use.

<A88>

 

Do you have to sign up with O2 on purchase? And what's the deal with the sim card? Could I whack a K800i sim in it?

I know nothing about mobiles.

 

when you get the phone, you'll no doubt have to connect to iTunes and sign up for a new O2 account, choosing your tariff, etc. Your phone will be bricked until you activate via iTunes (or jailbreak it).

 

I've had a brief look at one, and although it is undeniably cool, in my working life nothing seems to come close to the pure functionality of my Razr V3. It reliably has a good signal and clear sound. It has great battery life. It is really compact, light and improbably sturdy. I can operate it with one hand: flip open, (voice) dial, talk, flip close. Its flattened V-shape curve when open fits naturally in the hand and around the head.

Design-wise, it has an almost Zen-like minimalist functionality. It is a phone, pure and simple. Because of its clamshell design it does not need locking, and the screen is protected. The case is metal, with scratch-resistant sapphire glass on the outside screen (it looks as good as new, even after years of rough treatment); the antenna is integrated in the bottom half near the mouth piece so that it does not snag in your pocket and does not microwave your brain (not that this is an issue). The single-sheet membrane keyboard has good feedback and is a genius piece of design (the EL-backlit rubber that separates the keys is slightly raised, so it does not only offer tactile key discrimination, but also forms a soft cushion for the screen to fold against).

My biggest problem with the iPhone is that it will need two hands to operate and looks just sort of delicate to hold and operate. It has lots of functionality, but nothing that really outshines the latest Nokia, for instance, and nothing that I really need. It is well done, but I feel that it will take the second generation for it to really hit the point of refinement that the Razr V3 already has.

 

Ah thanks Tim, that answers my question.

Edit/ How did you get into my av?!

 

epic meh.

 

I find it annoying that I can't do the following:

- Multi-text
- See the times of individual txt msgs instead of grouping em in time slots spanning several hours
- Forward a text message
- Save a txt msg draft
- Take a note and send it as a txt msg
- Send/receive MMS
- Can't edit how much of the memory goes into txt msgs and thus can't edit/remove limit for how many txt msgs I can have
- No flash player >.<
- Safari often crashes song playback when loading websites
- Ringtone is... silent... unless it's really quiet
- I can't delete photos if they got sync'ed from iTunes, unless I delete from iTunes -.-
- Weather... highly impractical.. takes ages to load info, granted it decides to connect
- When connecting through EDGE, I've found it won't load the site unless I punch a site in, wait a few seconds, hit stop, and hit refresh (gotta do it everytime I hit the home button and re-open Safari)
- No Sim contacts/directory

It's a tad hard, but do-able with one hand, provided you're not doing any zooming. And it's actually quite durable, I've dropped it down a flight of stairs once, and on the ground multiple times, it's got 2 minor scratches.