Verizon & the Iphone

chefdennis · Jan 11, 2011

It has been the news for months that it was coming. Today is suppose to be the day they annouce it. My daughter is a small time upper rep with Verizon and she said yea it is happening but she doesn't know the exact date.

I heard it was the old 3g iphone and not a big deal other then a more reliable netwoork at this time...so with that in mind, why do i want to get on the "smartphone" Iphone band wagon and not simply go with one of verizons new droid phones that they just released or wait for them to bring out the iphone5...

Any technical help would be appreciated as would any advise as to which direction to go with this would also be a great help....Turtle?!?!?

scottm4211 · Jan 11, 2011

It's the 4. It was announced this morning and will be available next month.
I've got a 3GS and love it. I've got no intention of upgrading to a 4, although if you're starting fresh then obviously take the 4.
The only advice I have is ask yourself what do you want it to do for you? There's no wrong decision between an iPhone and an Android operated smartphone. I'd even throw the blackberry Torch in that mix.
I like podcasts. That alone will keep me with an iPhone for now, but honestly you can't go wrong with any of these.
*edit to add it won't work on the new 4g network, but if you're just starting out with a smartphone I wouldn't let that bother you.

Posted with my iPhone EO Forum App

Turtle · Jan 11, 2011

Well, the iPhone is brain-dead easy to use. It's very intuitive and not complicated at all. Everyone from your three-year old to your grandmother can use it equally well. You will, however, be using it in the manner in which Steve Jobs wants you to use it, including the interface and the apps he's approved for you to run.

On the other hand, a Droid is insanely customizable. You can make it look and do whatever you want, and in the manner you want. But with that level of customization also comes another level of complexity.

The Droid can be very simple to use and configure, so it all depends on the level of complexity you want to get into. The iPhone is simple to use, but can be complicated depending on the apps you run. The iPhone's apps tend to be a little more refined since they've been at it longer, and there are more of them.

Basically, if you like to customize and tinker, go with a Droid. If are a technotard, then the iPhone is your man.

If the new LTE (4G) is important, then the Verizon iPhone won't work. According to both Verizon and Apple, the LTE chip required "unwanted" design changes that Apple was unwilling to make, and Verizon customers want an iPhone now, so that's why they are going with the 3G iPhone first. LET won't be widespread until the end of the year, anyway. Not that that does anyone who signed a new 2-year agreement with a 3G iPhone any good. <snort>

The new Verizon iPhone is a Verizon phone, not an AT&T+Verizon phone. It won't have GMS roaming or the ability to talk and surf the Web at the same time. The only difference between the AT&T iPhone and the Verizon model is a slight design change necessitated by the CDMA chip, that of moving the on/off mute button slightly downward, which probably means current iPhone cases won't fit.

Well, another difference between the two is that, like all Android phones, the Verizon iPhone can also be used as a 5-user hotspot.

scottm4211 · Jan 11, 2011

Turtle I picked up a Samsung Galaxy S droid that was beautiful but the stupid samsung software doesn't work with windows 7! How frustrating is that? Returned it and got a bb torch for my wife.

Turtle · Jan 11, 2011

What Samsung phone software were you trying to use with Windows?

scottm4211 · Jan 11, 2011

Turtle said:
What Samsung phone software were you trying to use with Windows?

I think it was called Kies? Either way, windows wouldn't recognize the phone and the software kept freezing up so I couldn't transfer anything.
Samsung admitted problems with windows 7 64 bit. A quick check online showed tons of people with the same problem.
Too bad, it was a nice phone.

Posted with my iPhone EO Forum App

Turtle · Jan 11, 2011

Ah, OK. That phone must have some weird problems. A friend got that phone last week, and couldn't get much of a signal at her house. Weak, kept dropping calls, it was pretty bad. She took it back the other day and got a Droid X. Now she's got full bars all around.

jaminjim · Jan 15, 2011

Kim Komando suggests waiting until the summer before buying the new Iphone.

Turtle · Jan 15, 2011

That's my recommendation. Why lock yourself into a two year contract with a phone that won't do LTE? For some, being able to make actual phone calls on an iPhone, a new experience for many, may trump the LTE capability, and those people are fine with the 3G level of data. But for everyone else, ya might as well wait until the LTE iPhones are out before upgrading.