Blackberry Boy is very tempted by iPhone 3G

[liamski]

Hey dudes

I've had a Blackberry 8320 for about 7 months now, and as great as the device is in some respects - very intuitive OS, easy messaging etc.. - it sucks when it comes to web browsing, video etc...

Looking at the improvements to the iPhone, I'm seriously thinking of getting one and the mobile me package aswell. I've read up quite a bit on the iPhone 3G and am an experienced mac user (I have a MBP and Mac pro)

I've searched in the forum for answers to these questions but to no avail - anyone able to help?

-- Any news on whether texts and emails can be forwarded? This seems like a massive oversight on Apple's part? How can corporate customers not have this functionality?

-- Are we likely to see any last minute changes to the OS before launch? Did the previous iPhone see anything like this?

-- If I bought an iPhone on a contract via O2 (i'm UK based), if I didnt like it, could I take the SIM out, sell the phone and still use the text/minutes/data plan on another phone? I'm kinda looking at a way out if I decide I dont like it

-- Can mobile me sync with google calendar? I'm a heavy user of this and dont want to use iCal (even though iCal can sync OTA with Google Calendar)

-- Did Apple say that an IM client will be available at launch?

-- How does Youtube work on iPhone if it doesnt support flash?

Cheers guys!

 

[psycoswimmer]

I can help out with a couple of those.

#2 - What everyone saw is most likely very close to what will ship at launch. There will be changes to the software over time (obviously) but a drastic change right between now and launch day is not expected.

#6 - There is a separate YouTube app located on the iPhone home screen.

 

[rhett7660]

-- Any news on whether texts and emails can be forwarded? This seems like a massive oversight on Apple's part? How can corporate customers not have this functionality?

I haven't heard anything about forwarding text messages.. but you can forward emails as of the current version. I don't think they would take that out.

 

[newyorksole]

I don't think the ability to forward SMS messages will ever come. I don't think Apple has a way to do it with how SMS is setup. You can however, forward emails.

I doubt we will see any last minute OS changes. Did you mean like the user interface or the actual operating system? The only thing that changed from the intro of the first iPhone and the release was the addition of the YouTube App and the use of glass screen versus plastic.

Yes I believe you can use the SIM in another phone and have the same plan and use texts and all of that, that's what I did.

Apple didn't say AIM would be available at launch. But the AIM app was shown in March and they have had months to work on it. So I would expect it to launch with the Apps Store, but it's not certain, even thought it should definitely be present.

YouTube works on the iPhone via a dedicated app. It isn't like you are using Safari to go on YouTube.

 

[tritonj]

1 - not entirely, but i don't see why it couldn't
2 - there will be no major changes, the release is too close, it will be the 2.0 software
3 - that would be a question with your carrier, not familiar with how the UK does things but here in the US, i have always been able to take a sim and put it into any gsm compatible phone with no problems, granted not all features may be available, because the new phone may not have the same features
4 - not sure how mobileme will all workout,
5 - there will probably be im clients available at the appstore but i don't remember hearing an announcement from apple

 

[liamski]

Thanks for the replies so far - you really a helpful bunch!

One other question - I checked the specs page at apple.com, but there doesnt appear to be a speakerphone on the iphone? is this right? surely something like that would be useful in meetings, driving etc...?

 

[tritonj]

there is a speaker, only problem is the first gen had one and it was not very good, so no one knows for sure if they improved it or not

 

[newyorksole]

there is a speaker, only problem is the first gen had one and it was not very good, so no one knows for sure if they improved it or not

Steve Jobs said speaker quality has been improved with the iPhone 3G. I personally hope that it has been significantly enhanced.

 

[elppa]

Speaker — Steve Jobs claimed the audio was “dramatically improved”, however without any further details it is hard to know by how much and what they have done.

IM — AOL demoed an IM client in February (which they wrote in a couple of days! ). So I imagine we will get multiple options BUT (and this is a big but) APNS (Apple Push Notification Service) doesn't go live until later in the year (September I believe is the date).

Basically this means any IM client won't be much use until then (as you won't know if you have new messages unless the app is running constantly). Apple only allows for their own processes to run the background at the moment. The phone can listen for messages pushed to the phone by any application registered with the APNS.

The icon above looks suspiciously like iChat Mobile (or some such name…)

Google YouTube — Google is re-encoding all videos from the junk .flv format to the more efficient H.264 format. This allows them to be played back on iPhone (cause iPhone supports H.264). Unfortunately it means you don't get everything, but that is changing daily.

 

[ChrisN]

-- Did Apple say that an IM client will be available at launch?

-- How does Youtube work on iPhone if it doesnt support flash?

Cheers guys!

Well at WWDC Jobs said that the way to send notifications to your phone for apps like aim is coming in september so that might mean that aim is coming in september in conjunction with that service or you might be able to get it in July and have to keep it running all of the time.

And youtube is converted into H.264 format

ChrisN

 

[toneloco2881]

I would imagine Apple would grant certain software vendors special privileges to enable their applications to run in the background. An app like AIM with whom Apple already works with on the desktop(iChat) especially. They seemingly don't want to create this ability across the board because then any developer no matter their skill level/intentions can write a rogue app.

Also, something like the inability to forward a text is ridiculous. It seems it can be implemented rather easily by holding down on the conversation bubble, and having a list of options spring up; similar to what has been implemented in the 2.0 version of mail w/images.

I think Apple is trying to figure out the best way to implement certain features because of the new paradigm with which we interact with the phone, and its new interface. So things like copy + paste, etc' are probably being worked on, but Apple in their incessant desire to simplify things don't want to put out a method half-baked; or too convoluted for the average person. With that being said, they need to hurry the hell up, and stop always trying to dumb down their products for the masses. Although, their mantra of simplicity is one of my favorite things about them so whoknows .

 

[I'm a Mac]

-- Any news on whether texts and emails can be forwarded? This seems like a massive oversight on Apple's part? How can corporate customers not have this functionality?

Emails can be forwarded, not sure if texts can.

-- Are we likely to see any last minute changes to the OS before launch? Did the previous iPhone see anything like this?

I don't think so.

-- If I bought an iPhone on a contract via O2 (i'm UK based), if I didnt like it, could I take the SIM out, sell the phone and still use the text/minutes/data plan on another phone? I'm kinda looking at a way out if I decide I dont like it

Yes, you could use your iPhone SIM in another phone, (I've actually put my SIM in a blackberry Curve.

-- Can mobile me sync with google calendar? I'm a heavy user of this and dont want to use iCal (even though iCal can sync OTA with Google Calendar)

I don't think so, unless you use iCal, which imo, is a great program.

-- Did Apple say that an IM client will be available at launch?

No, but I'm sure their will be IM clients available for downloads at the App Store.

-- How does Youtube work on iPhone if it doesnt support flash?

Apple had youtube convert part of its library to h.264

 

[edka]

http://www.tuaw.com/2008/06/24/iphone-app-news-roundup-june-24-2008/

appoloIm going legal on app store and mobilechat too is going to be available on app store according to developers

http://tumblr.twenty08.com/post/36952530/mobilechat-3-0s-first-test-run

so 2 IM applications on app store YAYYYYY !!

 

[liamski]

brilliant stuff - thanks guys

i'm very close to signing up in july!!!

 

[Michael CM1]

brilliant stuff - thanks guys

i'm very close to signing up in july!!!

One of my friends got a BlackBerry recently. I swear it's like the whole Mac vs. PC thing. I kinda got how to use it, but I had no EFFING clue what the buttons did. After figuring out about the little trackball, it wasn't quite so bad. But I still wanted to touch the darn screen instead of using a little controller.

My point being you should like the iPhone a lot better. Hopefully the competitors will begin to ditch their old-style phones for touchscreens just for the sake of everyone who doesn't like iPhones. I had reservations about them at first (took me nearly a year to pony up for an iPhone after all the ooohing and aaahing), but once you get it, you question why you didn't earlier.

The interface is so damn simple it's stupid. There are a few commands you need to learn. The pinch & flick is obvious and used a lot. I just accidentally came across some method of deleting songs and videos. It was like some sort of light swipe across the name. Very weird.

Since you might ask, get the 16GB model unless you barely use music and video at all. You won't be able to cheaply upgrade for 2 years, and you can't go wrong with extra storage.

 

[liamski]

One of my friends got a BlackBerry recently. I swear it's like the whole Mac vs. PC thing. I kinda got how to use it, but I had no EFFING clue what the buttons did. After figuring out about the little trackball, it wasn't quite so bad. But I still wanted to touch the darn screen instead of using a little controller.

My point being you should like the iPhone a lot better. Hopefully the competitors will begin to ditch their old-style phones for touchscreens just for the sake of everyone who doesn't like iPhones. I had reservations about them at first (took me nearly a year to pony up for an iPhone after all the ooohing and aaahing), but once you get it, you question why you didn't earlier.

The interface is so damn simple it's stupid. There are a few commands you need to learn. The pinch & flick is obvious and used a lot. I just accidentally came across some method of deleting songs and videos. It was like some sort of light swipe across the name. Very weird.

Since you might ask, get the 16GB model unless you barely use music and video at all. You won't be able to cheaply upgrade for 2 years, and you can't go wrong with extra storage.

again, great advice. thanks

are people typing emails and texts one-handed or two? I generally type two handed with my blackberry unless i'm on my bike / in car = NAUGHTY BOY

 

[Telp]

again, great advice. thanks

are people typing emails and texts one-handed or two? I generally type two handed with my blackberry unless i'm on my bike / in car = NAUGHTY BOY

Two handed is easier, but one handed typing is possible. Be careful though because since there is not tactile keys, you will have to look at the phone more often than not.