iPhone - 3G $99...Do I do it???

[Kate and Pete]

Hi budget friends -

Our cell phone contract is up this month - and DH and I are thinking about switching to AT&T and getting the 3G iPhone (8GB). Who has one? What do you love about it? Hate about it? How's the service when you're not around Wi-fi (for example, when in an airport, can you get internet w/o connecting and paying for their Wi-fi???).

Please help me decide if this is the phone for me!!

 

[Tinkerbelle32]

Just got our last week-end and we love it!! If you can afford the extra data fee, then go for it.

 

[anewmac]

As long as their is phone service you can use your iphone. it doesnt need wifi (the itouch would) but the phone works off the phone service. I dont have one yet, as my contract isnt up till Oct 13th... and Im counting down till then.

 

[Dancemom03]

We don't have one yet and I probably would be lost with one of my own but I'm really consdering upgrading DD19's to an iphone before we head to wdw in a few weeks. I just read today that there's an ap for 99 cents that will tell you how long the lines in WDW and US are minute by minute. Too cool...

 

[CarolA]

We don't have one yet and I probably would be lost with one of my own but I'm really consdering upgrading DD19's to an iphone before we head to wdw in a few weeks. I just read today that there's an ap for 99 cents that will tell you how long the lines in WDW and US are minute by minute. Too cool...

But the application has a few flaws.. it's only as good as the data others are putting in. Reports are it's spotty!

 

[thing#2]

i got one for my bday last year!! and i would say it's a total lifesaver!!! seriously.. you know those commercials that show some of the applications that the iphone has? well, i'm almost embarrassed to admit how much i depend on mine.. i know this is prob t.m.i. but i do take care of my mom a lot as she is sick and often not able to take care of herself a lot.. well i downloaded this really cool application that is like a medicine timer so i can make sure that she takes all her meds at the right time and it keeps track of all of them (like a really cool list-type thing) so hard to explain - sorry!! but it really helps me when i'm trying to take care of like a bajillion other things!


side note: my youngest sister loves to "zoom" in and out on the pictures.. haha.. she even knows how to do the proper "finger flick" to maximize the photos. hahaha!! it's pretty darn cute..

just some things you should know: i know people say "AHH but the data plan is SO expensive!" well.. when i got mine it was only an extra $10 a month bc we already had unlimited texting for the entire family plan. ($30 for 5 phones). it's an extra $10 a month for each additional line to get unlimited data (the iphone plan). so really.. it's just 10 bucks more a month.. IF you already have unlimited texting..

**BUY A PROTECTIVE CASE AND SCREEN COVER!!! they are not that expensive and make handling the phone stress-free, i don't even mind letting my little sister (3) play with it. i got mine from ifrogz.com and LOVE it.. the screen cover is real cool..

 

[jenjersnap]

iPhone = fantastic

AT&T = STINKS!

When we first got ours, the signal around our house wasn't too strong but it was ok ... slowly though we've been swallowed into a dead zone. It stretches to a half mile around the house including the boys' school. That is just the major issue we face - service has been spotty in many places. It wouldn't prevent me from buying an iPhone, but it certainly makes it a bit less pleasurable!

 

[michellejed]

My daughter has one for a year now and we are also in a dead zone! She loves hers and wouldn't trade it!

 

[Mililani Mouser]

my coworkers and i all bought the new iphone 3Gs. We love it!! Downside is the cost of the plan, of course. cheapest single line plan is 69.99 for 450 minutes (plus 5000 evening/weekend, with evening hours being from 9pm to 6am). does NOT include text messaging, that's an extra fee also. plus you have to pay the activation fee plus a month of charges in advance.

however, soooo much fun!! im 35 yrs old and this is the best toy i have!

 

[Kate and Pete]

Thanks for all your replies! I did some more research last night and realized that there's no 3G service in our area - so, I could use it where there's Wi-fi, or connect to easyedge....that's kind of a bummer - I'm going back to the store today to play with it a bit more. It seems like there are some apps that I would really like - but I hate having to pay for a data plan that I can't use...but I SOOOOO want one of those little phones.....

 

[Blue.Fairy2]

If you can I would save up and get the new iphone for $199 or $100 more it has more features and in the long run you will be more happy with it.

My contract is up and I am eligible for the upgrade now but am waiting to Dec so we can drop one line off our plan and that will pay for the upgrade for data service. I need to save $35 a month to do it or $5 from every trip to the grocery, hehe

heres a link for you.

http://gizmodo.com/5293388/iphone-3gs-review

 

[worm761]

DBF is a total tech geek. So he just had to have one. It is so cool. And we all love it. There are apps that are maps of Disney World too. very handy. My fave ap is the tip one. It figures out how much tip we should leave.

DBF's suggestion to anyone getting an iPhone is to get an otter box for it. If you are getting that expensive of a phone then you should be willing to spend the 50 bucks for a case. http://www.otterbox.com/iphone-cases/iphone-3g-3gs-defender-case/ The case comes in 4 colors. He has dropped his phone in a parking lot and it is fine. that is what the case is for. Because accidents happen.

 

[Kitzka]

I have a 3G iphone as does DH. We have had them for about a year an we LOVE them. My issue is when you have to update the software. Itunes is pretty clunky in my opinion and it i hate that it takes everything off of the phone and then puts it back on.

Either way, DH upgraded my phone yesterday and it took all day (due to some glitches) but i was LOST without it all day. Luckily I had his to play with

For us it's so worth the extra money.

Lara

 

[Blue.Fairy2]

DBF is a total tech geek. So he just had to have one. It is so cool. And we all love it. There are apps that are maps of Disney World too. very handy. My fave ap is the tip one. It figures out how much tip we should leave.

DBF's suggestion to anyone getting an iPhone is to get an otter box for it. If you are getting that expensive of a phone then you should be willing to spend the 50 bucks for a case. http://www.otterbox.com/iphone-cases/iphone-3g-3gs-defender-case/ The case comes in 4 colors. He has dropped his phone in a parking lot and it is fine. that is what the case is for. Because accidents happen.

I found it on amazon for $30

http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-Defe...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1246290412&sr=8-4

I found quiet a few different brands starting as low as $3 what is the difference in the otterbox and the cheaper cases I like the purple silicon one for $6.72 would that protect or is it a waste of $7 bucks?

 

[december14disney]

My fiance and I got ours on launch day June 19th, 09. We are former Verizon and were weary of going to AT&T.

He got the black 16gb 3Gs and I got the white 32gb 3Gs.

We. Love. It.

AT&T has been fantastic service and the phones are the coolest things ever. Its SO helpful and so much more than a phone. Im busy and about to start my Masters and its just SO good for organization, etc.
I have also been using this app "Lose It" which was free and I log my exercise/food, etc. I have lost 3 lbs in the first week! I always have my phone with me ---which is key. If I was tracking online or with a notebook I'd say.."I forgot I don't have it with me.." now no excuse.

I could go on and on. This probably isn't even coherant.

We love our phones.

 

[worm761]

I found it on amazon for $30

http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-Defe...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1246290412&sr=8-4

I found quiet a few different brands starting as low as $3 what is the difference in the otterbox and the cheaper cases I like the purple silicon one for $6.72 would that protect or is it a waste of $7 bucks?

I didn't know that they sold it on Amazon. It is the same thing only 20 bucks cheaper. I just know that is where he ordered his from, and he did it while at work so I didn't know to look. He is getting better at online shopping though.

The difference in the Otter Box Defender is that it is a hard case that will protect it in case of drops or falls. A silicone case can change the color of your phone or protect it from scratching but it will not protect it if you drop it. There is a silicone cover that goes over the hard cover of the Defender but it is the hard cover that does the protecting.

And definitely get a scratch proof cover for the touch screen. I know the one he got is guaranteed not to scratch but I cannot remember the name of it.

 

[Kitzka]

I found it on amazon for $30

http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-Defe...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1246290412&sr=8-4

I found quiet a few different brands starting as low as $3 what is the difference in the otterbox and the cheaper cases I like the purple silicon one for $6.72 would that protect or is it a waste of $7 bucks?

Regardles of what iphone case you get please make sure you get one made for the generation phone you have or will be getting.

the one in the link above is for a 1st generation iphone. it's prob 20 cheaper than the other because it's for a generation of the phone no longer made.

I ahve a rubber cover that i have on mine to help prevent slipping and i love it. it's from agent 18. I also strongly recommend getting an invisishield or a similar flm for the touch screen. this will help cut down on scratches.

lara

 

[AliMarie104]

I personally do not have the i Phone and was looking into getting it. I have friends who have it and ive used it before. AT&T has differnt plans for the Iphone so they end up being more money, ibelieve the cheapest was 69.99. After the newness of the phones and the games you can play wears off I didnt think it would be worth it for me. Plus I had a hard time using the keyboard. (it is heat sensitive not touch sensitve) so if you have nails its pretty hard to use or at least for me it was. Just a little insight!

 

[Maliki2]

We just moved to AT&T last month and absolutely love it. Much better than the dead zones I got with Verizon and Sprint. So I think it all depends on where you live and the coverage.

iPhone = fantastic

AT&T = STINKS!

When we first got ours, the signal around our house wasn't too strong but it was ok ... slowly though we've been swallowed into a dead zone. It stretches to a half mile around the house including the boys' school. That is just the major issue we face - service has been spotty in many places. It wouldn't prevent me from buying an iPhone, but it certainly makes it a bit less pleasurable!

 

[jaycat]

I LOVE my iphone. If you can afford it I would totally get one!