The iPhone Collective

[GAN]

I would also wait it out at this point. But if the choice would be a 3G or 3Gs...it would be the 3Gs hands down. It is noticeably quicker than the 3G.

 

[cslittle999]

Either wait for the end of June (that when Apple's developer conference is this year) or get a 3GS. Beyond being faster only the 3GS supports voice dialing. Very important if you want true hands free use.

 

[Renysmom]

Mine is available for an upgrade from 3g to 3gs and I am holding out to see what happens over the summer as well.

 

[denise]

Thanks everyone....

Did some reading on when the next one is out. So many different thoughts. It would be nice to have it before our trip but I bet it will not be out.

Should I get the biggest GB they have?
Just remembering being told that the 420 MB hard drive I was buying would be "all you will ever need for the rest of your life, you will never fill it up"....now was that ever wrong!

 

[sarahsar]

Thanks everyone....

Did some reading on when the next one is out. So many different thoughts. It would be nice to have it before our trip but I bet it will not be out.

I think it is highly unlikely that it would be out before June/July, based on what they've done in the past. The last couple of years in March they have had an event talking about developments in iPhone software and then their big WWDC event in June announcing a new iPhone. The iPad launch is going to be March/April, and I don't think they would simultaneously launch that and a new iPhone, so summer makes more sense.

At this point, there are only rumors as to what a new iPhone would include, and it's possible you may not care about whatever they add. You don't want to be like one guy I know, though, who bought the original iPhone two weeks before the 3G came out. I would have been highly annoyed if that had happened to me. It's also worth being aware that anything you hear about all of this is just rumor (and there are lots of rumors). Apple is very, very secretive about what they have coming up. Some rumor sites have reasonably good information, generally close to the time of release (controlled leaks from Apple?), but no one ever gets it 100% right. For what it's worth, Steve Jobs recently said the new iPhone would be an "A+ update," whatever that means.

Should I get the biggest GB they have?
Just remembering being told that the 420 MB hard drive I was buying would be "all you will ever need for the rest of your life, you will never fill it up"....now was that ever wrong!

That really depends on what your needs are. Just something to think about - I do think there is a very good chance that the next model of iPhone will have a 64 GB option (there already is a 64 GB iPod touch).

How much will you need? Well, what do you plan on doing with it? I have a 32 GB 3GS. I have roughly 6 GB of audio, maybe 2 GB in apps, some movies, pictures, podcasts, etc., and I have almost 20 GB remaining in free space. That said, I don't like having every single app I own on there because I don't like it too cluttered, so I add and remove apps all the time. I only keep movies on there if I think I am going to be watching them (I actually don't do much with movies on my iPhone, but have several on an iPod touch for my daughter if we travel). When I take pictures or video, I tend to download those to my computer and delete them from my phone, so I don't store a lot of that on there on a long term basis.

So it really depends on how you think you will use it. If you are the kind of person who wants to load everything up and not think about it again, you will need more memory. If you don't mind syncing and unsyncing stuff from time to time, you can get away with less. The big memory hogs are video (depending on compression, a full-length movie can be 1-2 GB) and some apps. Some games especially may be >100 MB, and that can add up.

As I said, for me I have about 20 GB out of 32 free, so I could keep a lot more on there than I do, and probably would have been fine with the 16 GB model. That's what my iPod touch is, and I have about 4 GB free on it. With the touch, I have more movies, but fewer apps, so it's probably a fair comparison.

I don't actively worry about space, but I do like my phone uncluttered. Most of my music collection is on my phone, but I have no need to carry 15 full length movies with me everywhere I go, or every app I've ever tried, or podcasts I've already listened to. It's just a matter of personal preference. The iTunes app management system is greatly improved from what it was before, so it's easy to rearrange, add, and remove apps from your computer when you sync. But again, if you don't want to think about any of that, get more memory.

If you are thinking of the 3G versus 3GS, I would say get the 3GS if you can. The 3G will be two models old soon. The 3GS is much faster. When you are used to it you don't think about it, but sometimes if I use my husband's 3G it is very obvious that it isn't as quick. The 3GS has some new features I don't use a lot (compass, for example), but the video recording is nice. Sure, it's not the equivalent of a standalone video camera, but in good light it takes very decent videos. I find I use it much more than I ever used a camcorder, just because I always have it with me.

 

[Golf4food]

DW and I are now joining the cult, er... clan... two white 16 GB 3GS on their way.

 

[Anna114]

DW and I are now joining the cult, er... clan... two white 16 GB 3GS on their way.

Don't forget to drink the Kool-aid I've been drinking it since 1987 and our Apple 2E. Oh yeah and congratulations you'll love them!

 

[OKW Lover]

Don't forget to drink the Kool-aid I've been drinking it since 1987 and our Apple 2E. Oh yeah and congratulations you'll love them!

I'll see your 1987 and raise it: Started with a 48K Apple ][+, moved on to a "Fat Mac" in 1984, currently we've got MacBook pro's in the house. Oh yes, and iPhones for Val & I.

 

[Anna114]

I'll see your 1987 and raise it: Started with a 48K Apple ][+, moved on to a "Fat Mac" in 1984, currently we've got MacBook pro's in the house. Oh yes, and iPhones for Val & I.

OMG i just wrote this whole post to trump you and lost the whole damn email lol. Suffices to say there's 4 of us We all have IMACs my husband has a snow leopard server. 3 3gs Iphones 1 IPOD touch, 6 shuffles, 2 mac books a titanium lap top and a clamshell. Besides all of our old computers we have a prototype of a color classic. Here's the link for a picture

http://homepage.mac.com/newoptions/PhotoAlbum22.html

Well I guess I got what I deserved for trying to show off! Losing the whole freakin' email

 

[OKW Lover]

OMG i just wrote this whole post to trump you and lost the whole damn email lol. Suffices to say there's 4 of us We all have IMACs my husband has a snow leopard server. 3 3gs Iphones 1 IPOD touch, 6 shuffles, 2 mac books a titanium lap top and a clamshell. Besides all of our old computers we have a prototype of a color classic. Here's the link for a picture

http://homepage.mac.com/newoptions/PhotoAlbum22.html

Well I guess I got what I deserved for trying to show off! Losing the whole freakin' email

We're running neck & neck, except we did get rid of the old computers. Right now we've got 3 MBP's in the house for the two of us.

 

[doconeill]

Does a VIC-20 count for anything?

Does it say something that several times recently I've run afoul of the "you must wait 40 seconds between posts" filter?

 

[Caitsmama]

just used my iPhone 3Gs as a modem for my laptop..
very cool..

in general settings, change your network to USB tether, then hook your iphone by USB into your laptop, then select it as your network connection and voila, your computer is connected to the internet...

this is if you have unlimited internet use on your iphone..

very cool...i even used my skype, which i can't do on my iphone (unless i'm in a wifi zone)...

Hi, i don't mean to sound really dumb.. i am just new to all this.. I have a 3G, and i opened up my general settings, and network, but don't see any option for "USB Tether" at all... i have for options under "network"

Enable 3g
Data Roaming
VPN
Wi-Fi

Also, if i do find the tether option , how does that work? I am headed to WDW, and really don't want to pay $10 per day for internet if i bring my laptop.. if i tether, do i still need to pay for access for wi-fi - or does that whole process bipass the wifi? Again, sorry for the dumb questions.. but i am lost..

 

[daneenm]

Hi, i don't mean to sound really dumb.. i am just new to all this.. I have a 3G, and i opened up my general settings, and network, but don't see any option for "USB Tether" at all... i have for options under "network"

AT&T does not support tethering You are not missing anything in your settings.

 

[Caitsmama]

AHHHHHHHHHHHH....Thank you!!!!!!! Guess i will leave my laptop at home!

 

[daneenm]

I'll see your 1987 and raise it: Started with a 48K Apple ][+, moved on to a "Fat Mac" in 1984, currently we've got MacBook pro's in the house. Oh yes, and iPhones for Val & I.

OK, but do any of your have the original Newton?? Still have mine in a box...it was really before its time, in my opinion. Had its faults for sure but I see it as a precourser to what we have now, in many ways.

Loving the Apple diehards on here!

 

[OKW Lover]

OK, but do any of your have the original Newton?? Still have mine in a box...it was really before its time, in my opinion. Had its faults for sure but I see it as a precourser to what we have now, in many ways.

Nope - no Newton. I wanted one, but kept waiting for them to work the bugs out of the handwriting recognition. Never happened.

 

[Golf4food]

Posting in e-ticket on my new iPhone. Woo-hoo!

 

[JamesRW]

Long time lurker but coming into the light because I finally have something worthwhile to contribute -- and I couldn't let a Newton mention go by without responding!

I made an iPhone webapp that counts down the days to your Disney trip if anyone wants to check it out! When saved to your home screen it seems just like a native app (other than having to connect to the web).

I still have my Newton as well, but I keep mine sitting next to my desk as a cool decoration / conversation piece. One of the first websites I ever created was a Newton site - still online actually but not updated in years! Maybe I should convert my iPhone countdown app to the Newton.....

(Looks like newbies can't post links so I guess you'll have to find it on your own! Google "SquareWorld iPhone" and you should find it easily.)

 

[Echo queen]

Long time lurker but coming into the light because I finally have something worthwhile to contribute -- and I couldn't let a Newton mention go by without responding!

I made an iPhone webapp that counts down the days to your Disney trip if anyone wants to check it out! When saved to your home screen it seems just like a native app (other than having to connect to the web).

I still have my Newton as well, but I keep mine sitting next to my desk as a cool decoration / conversation piece. One of the first websites I ever created was a Newton site - still online actually but not updated in years! Maybe I should convert my iPhone countdown app to the Newton.....

(Looks like newbies can't post links so I guess you'll have to find it on your own! Google "SquareWorld iPhone" and you should find it easily.)

Thanks this great.

 

[poohbear158]

I've been wanting an iphone and now this thread is pushing me closer and closer to a purchase. I read the entire thread last night and now I WANT ONE I especially want to get one now before our upcoming trip in May. I'm trying to decide if I should take the plunge now for the 3gs or wait until June to see if there is an announcement of a new iphone... what to do, what to do?