Apple iPhone 3G S, what's all the hype
The new Apple iPhone 3G S was released Friday June 19, 2009 with fanfare and tons of publicity but it wasn’t flying off store shelves. They reported line-ups in Paris France but only moderate sales in Boston. By 2 PM in Charlottetown, I had purchased the first one sold at the local Future Shop the home of all things electronic. Rogers direct sales store said their sales were zero by then. I paid $299 for the 32 GB version, $45 a month for Rogers service and $10 a month for Future Shop’s extra warranty.
So is it a dud? A hit? Should you buy it?
Without reservation it’s the best cell phone I have owned since my first one 22 years ago. It is easy to use, integrates with my computer and acts like a traveling Bob Dylan jukebox. All-Bob-Dylan-All-The-Time is my goal and yours too right?
Other people will write about this feature is better than the last phone. Those upgrade users are just frustrating themselves. The upgrade fees are steep and probably not worth the few new features. My stories, and there will be several as I learn to use it, will be from a neophyte’s point of view.
My upgrade was from a Motorola Razor which was touted as the best thing since slice bread when I bought it. The Razor was hands down the most disappointing phone ever. No wonder Motorola is going out of business.
First, the Razor buttons on the side to turn off the ringer are exactly where my fingers go to grip the phone. Apparently, I turn the ringer off with each call and no one ever calls me after that. If I could train myself to check each time I’d get more calls and less voice mail. It’s hard enough training the cat to use a knife and fork let alone where I put my hand.
On the iPhone the volume buttons are smaller, but easy to use, and higher up on the phone. The phone is itself is slightly bigger which is a minus.
Second, the Razor did not integrate with my computer. The iPhone took an hour to download 16 Mb of music and all my contacts, appointments, notes and email.
Finally after 20 years of keying in 3,000 contacts with phone numbers, email addresses and conversation notes I have it all in my hand. This is definitely cool.
I started using ultra light laptops in 1989, then hand held devices from HP and Nokia looking for this computer / phone integration and convenience. Remember Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible? That was my dream phone. None of them delivered.
The iPhone gives me the 3,200 people I’ve met and recorded at my fingertips. That and a phone are worth the $299 I paid.
The third great feature is listening to music on a speaker not earplugs. I got an iPod Touch Christmas 2007 and like it for music and videos but hated the earphones. The iPhone 3G S has a decent speaker for listening to those great Bob Dylan and other tunes.
It seems to accentuate the highs. My recording of 56 Percent Man has the snare and high hat too prominent on the speaker but not earplugs. I’ll have to investigate and re-mix. Faded Blue songs were the same but not as bad as my own mix. There are recording things to learn here.
Ok, so phone is great. Contacts synchronized with Outlook is an awesome timeserver and I love the jukebox. I can carry the iPhone 3G 3 in a pants or shirt pocket and hear it quite well. I think the case is part of the speaker since it sounds better from the back side.
More to come on the iPhone 3G S like why my videos didn’t come across and how to cram 160 GB of music into one 32 GB device.
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