Apple iPhone (8 GB) Smartphone
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Apple iPhone (8 GB) Smartphone

$322.99 2 stores $322.99
  • Screen Size (Diagonal): 3.5 inch
  • Installed Memory: 8 GB
  • Operating System: iPhone OS (iOS)
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB, WLAN, WiFi
  • Design: Mobile
  • Style: Smartphone, Touch Screen
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81

iPhooling around with the iPhone

Pros easy navigation. 
Cons short battery life.  Expensive monthly fees. 
Recommended it? Yes
The Bottom Line:  Easy to use.  Lightweight.  Versatile.
Why I bought an iPhone
My old Motorola V was dying a slow death by battery, and even replacing the battery really didn't extend talk time, or the time between charging. 

I read the reviews here, there, and everywhere. I went to the stores and tried them out. Ultimately, I decided I wanted a smart phone that allowed me to send and receive email, access the internet, manage a synced calendar, and all that was easy to do.  

My contract was up. If I changed plans (for example, switched to Verizon), the cost would have been more than $50 more per month, plus I would have had to switch everyone in my family plan over.  Second, I still would have had to lay out the initial funds to buy the phone.  I've used ATT for years, so I "upgraded" to an iPhone. 

I've got to say it:  I love this little gadget.  Love Love Love!  I like its heft, I like the brightness of the screen, and easy navigation.  I like the multitude of applications I can get for it, and how easy they are to use.

Plusses
Easy to Use:  Point and tap.  It's incredibly easy to use: point and tap.  I've gotten the hang of the virtual QWERTY keyboard, mostly -- again, point and tap.

Easy to make changes: Adding my contacts was incredibly simple, since I had previously gone through my old address book and saved everything to the SIM card.  iPhone's contact software allows me to have more than one number for the same contact: good job, that is. 

Versatile:
  I downloaded Kindle -- no way I'm spending $300 on a Kindle when I can use my iPhone to read books, and it works very well indeed.  I've also downloaded a couple of other apps, but I'll review those at a later time and in another space.

Service and Instruction:  My local orchard would provide me with hands-on learning and instruction, and fix the phone if/when it was broken.   I had all kinds of trouble with the previous phone, transferring photos, etc., so the possibility of getting help from someone other than my own students was a plus.

Coolness Factor: I work in a major research university; the ability to use the gadgets the kids use increases coolness ratings for faculty and instructors. 

Necessary Add-ons:
Screen Protector:  I bought the glare reducing screen cover, which allows me to easily read the screen outside.  I could see that the glass screen was going to suck up everything that touched it; furthermore, the delightful guy at my local orchard pointed out that the protector would help keep it clean and scratch free.

Phone Protector: iPhones come in white and black, which is one more color than Henry Ford thought the world needed.  I live in a universe where pink is important, so I bought a hard plastic pink cover.  I can find it in my purse, in my briefcase, and in my napsack.

Drawbacks
Pricey: The biggest jolt was the price tag.  Although I'm an ATT customer, which qualified me for a reduced price on either the 8 GB or the 16 GB, I'm a relict from the "free phone with rebate" days.  But I was adding only one iPhone to the family plan, so what the heck, grin and bear it. Initial outlay is high, and the additional $30 plus $5 for 200 text messages/month isn't welcome on the fixed budget either, but I'm facing a job search, and I'm willing to bite the bullet for some convenience issues. 

Camera: Only 2 MB and that seems awfully skimpy for the price.  How hard would it have been to add a better camera.  The shutter is light but slow slow slow.  This won't be replacing my digital camera any time soon. But the photo viewing software is great, like a slide show, and that's a plus.  I go to the dog park a lot, and now I have pictures of all the pooches playing.

Volume:  can't turn it up much, I suppose that's a good thing if you're going deaf from listening to music, but I sometimes have trouble hearing the ringer.  And if it's possible to make it vibrate AND ring, I haven't figured that out yet.  The plus side of this, though,  is a barking dog for a ring tone, and when my dogs hear it they carry on as if the world is ending, so I know there are two possibilities: the world is ending, or my phone is ringing.

Battery life: this is terrible -- maybe 6 hours, if I'm using the 3G network, but at home I have wireless, and most places I can get on a wireless network, so it's not an issue.  I can charge it up every night, and the up side, charging is F A S T!

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