If I purchase the new iPhone...

[cmcbridejr]

What are the possibilities for my first generation iPhone when I come off contract next month?

Will my iPhone basically become an iPod Touch if I decide to purchase a new iPhone and drop the contract on the first generation iPhone?

I don't think that it would be very beneficial or economical for me to carry around two iPhones and pay two full data and phone plans. Do you think that AT&T will allow us to switch Sim cards between two iPhones?

I would like to use my first generation iPhone to store business-related applications and my business contacts (over 2,000) from Outlook on my corporate Windows PC, while my new iPhone (if I decide to purchase it) would store only personal contacts (around 200) and whatever else I want to put on it from my Mac at home.

I also have a MobileMe account, so if anyone knows how I can use just one iPhone to store both PC Outlook and Mac Address Book contacts without mixing the two in the same database, please let me know about it.

After watching how much faster my wife's 3G iPhone is compared to mine, I am getting more and more anxious to get a 3G iPhone. All of the other stuff that gets released with the new iPhone coming out will be a nice bonus.

I know that I could call AT&T and get a few of these questions answered, but I just wanted to know what my fellow Mac users were thinking about doing with their first generation iPhones. I really don't want to sell it. It was purchased on iDay, June 29, and I think it is as revolutionary as the Apple II or iPod. Definitely a keeper for my Mac collection from the last 20 years.

 

[Revelation78]

In Mobileme, create groups under your contacts. Label one group "personal;" and another "business".

If you click "all" contacts, you'll see them merged - you then hit the little arrow at the top left of the screen to see your "groups."


If you're going to sync with MobileMe, there's no way to keep them truley separate.

 

[carlosbutler]

i would simply wait for the new iPhone to be released although it depends on whether or not you think you are going to be using the features. if you are going to be using the Sat Nav then i would wait as the one in the new phone may actually be useful.

i know what you mean about rubbish edge/no edge connection on first iphone. its awful, back to dial up days

by the way, at least in the UK, the iphone once contract is finished can be used either as an iPod Touch (albeit a bit of a big one) or they allow you to put in, or convert to a pay as you go phone and give you 12 months of free cellular internet access with no restrictions....

... and i have just realised my phone has finished the contract so im off to O2 shop to change since i never used the zillions of texts/minutes you got with it anyway

 

[cmcbridejr]

i know what you mean about rubbish edge/no edge connection on first iphone. its awful, back to dial up days

That is exactly how I am starting to feel. I just look at the iPhone loading and think of the old dial up days; waiting to sign on to AOL. Too bad you can't customize the iPhone to make that phone line noise like when you are connecting to dial up.

 

[cmcbridejr]

If you're going to sync with MobileMe, there's no way to keep them truley separate.

I know that I could just try it, but I don't want to screw up my contacts and was hoping that you may have some experience.

Do you know if I can use MobileMe to sync personal contacts on my Mac and, hardwire to iTunes on my work PC to sync the Outlook contacts in a separate group?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Use MobileMe for one and Spanning Sync for the other.

 

[Revelation78]

I know that I could just try it, but I don't want to screw up my contacts and was hoping that you may have some experience.

Do you know if I can use MobileMe to sync personal contacts on my Mac and, hardwire to iTunes on my work PC to sync the Outlook contacts in a separate group?

Once you start "syncing" it will sync all contacts to all depositories. For example:

I have MobileMe, a PC, MBP and of course an iPhone. On the PC I use Outlook to store/backup contacts. If I add a contact to my outlook, it will be instantly, well just about, pushed to my iPhone, MobileMe and my MBP.

Your groups you can arrange in any way you want. I truely believe it's the solution you're looking for.

I have groups created for work, family & friends. If I sync a contact with work, it will show up in "ALL" or "WORK" it will not show up in "FAMILY & FRIENDS."

If you want your contacts to be more separate than that, there's no way that I know of with the iPhone and especially with MobileMe. Even if you swapped sims, it will start trying to sync your contacts with MobileMe.

The only true way I can possibly see getting around that would be to use your old iPhone as a iPod and sync it with one PC. Though you wouldn't be swapping sims. All the while you sync your in-use iPhone with your other computer/MobileMe for your personal contacts.

You might be able to unlock/jailbreak your old iPhone so you can simply swap sims and not have a problem, that's an answer I don't know. Others can chime in to help you there.

To me the trouble isn't worth it, but you may feel differently - to each their own.

 

[cmcbridejr]

Use MobileMe for one and Spanning Sync for the other.

Spanning Sync is a Mac-only product and I already have MobileMe to sync my Mac Address Book. I am not looking to invest more money if I don't have to.

Does anyone know if you can hardwire sync business contacts with Outlook on a corporate PC, and use MobileMe to wirelessly sync personal contacts with Address Book on a home Mac while still keeping the two groups separate?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Does anyone know if you can hardwire sync business contacts with Outlook on a corporate PC, and use MobileMe to wirelessly sync personal contacts with Address Book on a home Mac while still keeping the two groups separate?

In that case, set up a separate iTunes account for the PC and hardwire sync.

 

[whitney8O8]

i had to think of something to do with mine when I upgraded to the 3G...

I sold it on ebay and surprisingly got more than I ever thought it was worth ($200) -especially since it was broken...