IPhone 4 or the best Droid?

[uncommonprofits]

 

What I would really like to do is keep my dumb phone and have a device about the size of the current version of the iPod touch capable of 3G.  For me this would be perfect.  I would never be without a PHONE and I would not mind carrying a smaller device (such as an iPod touch) for doing the other stuff.  As for carrying around an iPad all the time -- no thank you.

[Parsad]

I also have an iphone 4. Do you use any specific app to read this board or just Safari?

 

No, I just use Safari.  With the multi-touch, it's easy to zoom in and out, and the clarity of the iPhone screen is great.  You wouldn't want to make any long posts on there, but you could do the occasional short post.

 

The other problem is dismal battery life and from what I hear the iPhone and others are not much better.

 

Most of these phones, the battery life isn't going to be as great as a device that is just a phone.  On my iPhone:

 

- I receive emails pretty much on and off through the day

- Surf the net for a good two hours minimum each day

- Receive may three-four calls a day...about 20-40 minutes altogether

- Maybe make one or two calls...about 10-20 minutes altogether

- Listent to music for at least an hour each day

- Sync the phone once a day

 

My iPhone's battery lasts about two full days with that type of use.  If I don't use it at all, but leave it on, it lasts maybe four-five days.  From what I understand the iPhone 4 battery lasts longer, and I would suspect the iPhone 5 battery is even better.

 

Another negative I have not seen mentioned here is iPhone's poor reception (at least for those on the other end) - I have seen a lot of negative comments on this issue.

 

No reception problems at all in Canada on Telus.  When I travel in the U.S., it automatically uses the AT&T Network, where it usually drops 1 out of 8 calls or so.  That is a network issue.  I don't think you'll have as big a problem if you use the Verizon network for you iPhone. 

 

As far as your other issues.  Technology changes so quickly, I have no idea what the environment will look like 3-5 years from now.  All I know is that if the iPhone works the way it does in 3-5 years, and the competition is still where it is in relative terms, and the service, apps, etc environment remains the same, then there is no way in hell I would use anything other than the iPhone.  Cheers!

[uncommonprofits]

Thanks for the added info Sanjeev.  I am from Alberta - presently with Bell.  I guess network compatibility would be something to look at.  Kind of reluctant to go back to Telus -- finally have them out of our life after being jerked around numerous times.  Looks like you get pretty decent battery life -- I could live with that.

 

But this issue of Apple locking the doors seems to be happening right now.  Here is a write up on the issue by someone who seems to be in the know.  We will find out more come June - but it's looking very likely that 3 out of the big 4 e-book stores will be punted.  Of course the only one remaining will be Apple's own iBooks which to date has not provided a very good experience.  Kobo has spent a lot of effort in getting to where they are with iOS.... it has been their top priority.  I am sure others can say the same.  Kindle and many of the publishers are the reason for the iPads success to date.  And then you have all the smaller app developers.  Without these apps -- Apple would not have sold anywhere close to the number of devices they have.  Who knows what apps might be next to go.  A consumer or publisher revolt might make this thing pass -- but I wouldn't hold my breath.  Anyone considering buying an iPhone in the near future should strongly consider this current development.       

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2011/02/22/amazon-bn-kobo-know-their-ios-apps-will-be-pulled-in-june/

[nodnub]

But this issue of Apple locking the doors seems to be happening right now. 

 

uncommon

 

a last option is to get an iPhone "jailbroken". It allows you to install apps and add content to the device without going through the iTunes store interface. 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_jailbreaking

 

However, this does make the device less secure and exposes the device to new security risks.

[uncommonprofits]

But this issue of Apple locking the doors seems to be happening right now. 

 

uncommon

 

a last option is to get an iPhone "jailbroken". It allows you to install apps and add content to the device without going through the iTunes store interface. 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_jailbreaking

 

However, this does make the device less secure and exposes the device to new security risks.

 

Thanks for the suggestion -- but I just can't see myself jailbreaking a brand new phone that I have committed +$1000 for (over the next 3 years) and potentially voiding the warranty in the process.  And I am not that tech savvy anyway.  If I were to buy an iPhone it would be best to assume being locked in to Apple for content.  As things are right now -- one can justify the surfing time as much of the news service is still provided free; however, this is all on the verge of change as the newspaper industry is quickly adopting a paid model.  Similar to network television -- the wheels seem to be in motion where in the future you will have 3 or 4 major distribution providers of this e-reading content (books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, etc).

 

Kindle, Kobo, B&N, Sony, Google, Apple (who have I missed?) are all trying to be the major players in this.  With Apple shutting out all the others -- it is akin to GE (25 years ago after acquiring NBC) making their television sets in such a manner that they would only receive NBC broadcasts.  Of course things have changed very much since then and maybe this is the direction things are going.  Kobo is partnered up with Samsung, RIM, HTC and have suggested more partnerships are coming.  Kobo is also partnered up with a whole lot of little guys (ie. Archos, Viewsonic, Velocity Micro, Archos, Literati by Sharper Image).  Meanwhile Kindle currently has partnerships with HP, Dell & Verizon.  The difference with the Kindle and Kobo partnerships though is they are simply pre-loaded -- rather than locked in -- one is still free to chose other options.  Such will not be the case with Apple.  The other thing to strongly consider is that Apple content is most likely to sync only to their own device (not other devices).  Anyone who uses Google Reader and has more than one device know how important syncing between various device brands is -- it's a very big deal.     

 

Who knows how this will all play out.  Some are suggesting that Sony is already “signaling it’s intention of removing it’s music from iTunes”:

http://www.macworld.com.au/news/publishers-must-support-in-app-purchases-by-june-30-24576/

 

 

   

[txlaw]

Incidentally, Google is partnering with Samsung where they should soon be introducing the Samsung Nexus S.  I am not sure if these Nexus branded phones are all hype -- but it is interesting to see Samsung partnering with Google this time around rather than HTC.  

 

I almost got the Nexus S because my iPhone 3g was pretty much unusable after updating the OS.  But, unfortunately, you only get 3G if you use T-Mobile.  On any other carrier in the US, the Nexus S does not work at 3G speeds.

 

So I got an iPhone 4 instead.

[Cardboard]

Just got my IPhone 4 today and it is awesome! From something like a Razor to one of these devices you can imagine the change...

 

I think this will work perfectly for my needs and will reduce my stress level to rush to go get some information from my stationary PC.

 

I just wish I had paid a little higher and bought that thing in late August or at a time when I was considering buying roughly 1 year calls on Apple. Looking back, it was quite a value play considering the growth, cash on hand, mid teens P/E (not adjusted for cash). Einhorn made a good call. Amazingly, it still looks similar today since they have grown so much and it may well continue.

 

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/02/23/piper-jaffray-apple-earnings-set-grow-25-30-per-year-through-2015/

 

The continued accumulation of cash and the market P/E make me think that the downside remains minimal.

 

Cardboard

[Guest valueInv]

Thanks for the added info Sanjeev.  I am from Alberta - presently with Bell.  I guess network compatibility would be something to look at.  Kind of reluctant to go back to Telus -- finally have them out of our life after being jerked around numerous times.  Looks like you get pretty decent battery life -- I could live with that.

 

But this issue of Apple locking the doors seems to be happening right now.  Here is a write up on the issue by someone who seems to be in the know.  We will find out more come June - but it's looking very likely that 3 out of the big 4 e-book stores will be punted.  Of course the only one remaining will be Apple's own iBooks which to date has not provided a very good experience.  Kobo has spent a lot of effort in getting to where they are with iOS.... it has been their top priority.  I am sure others can say the same.  Kindle and many of the publishers are the reason for the iPads success to date.  And then you have all the smaller app developers.  Without these apps -- Apple would not have sold anywhere close to the number of devices they have.  Who knows what apps might be next to go.  A consumer or publisher revolt might make this thing pass -- but I wouldn't hold my breath.  Anyone considering buying an iPhone in the near future should strongly consider this current development.       

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2011/02/22/amazon-bn-kobo-know-their-ios-apps-will-be-pulled-in-june/

 

Partners abandoning the iPhone platform in the near term is unlikely:

 

http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/21/861-5-percent-growth-android-puny/