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iPhone - Apple Phone

Roaming, the way to go?

CountZero:

You've got to be insane...Have you ever gotten a $30 monthly wireless plan that charges an additonal $80 worth of 'roaming' added to your bill?

You only make that mistake once! My wireless service is Nationwide with "the entire U.S. as my HOME calling area". I NEVER pay roaming (Cingular just rased their roaming to 79 cents per min) or long distance for calls anywhere in the US. My bill is set and I can call and KNOW what my monthly bill will be.

You probably also signed a 2 or 3 year plan because they gave you a FREE phone. I'll bet it was a re-cond or last years out of production phone. Gota sucker......

Wake up and smell the ripoffs in wireless. Roaming is a BIG one. There are national wireless providers where you 'get more' than ripped off.

Vic
 
i think he lives in europe vic, hence the "here in europe" line, where everything (nearly) is GSM and every phone is at least dual-band, so therefore works everywhere. I live both in fairfax va and dublin ireland. Phone service has been much better (and cheaper, even in Ireland's small economy) due to the compatibility that GSM brings. If I were to "roam'' onto another network in Ireland the extra charge is very minimal and allows users to get a signal where their company's may be weak.
 
plus, try taking YOUR phone out of the US. The service you talk about, which I'm guessing is Sprint, has no compatibility with any other service anywhere in the world. this is great if you don't ever leave the states, but many people need to have that ability.
 
Originally posted by CountZero
$800 is pretty reasonable IMO, if you factor into the cost of BOTH the latest cell phone (T68i $250 without contract) and PDA (let's say Handspring or Palm ~$300). And remember, that $800 price tag is most likely phone only, without contract. With contract, I would expect it to be around $500 or may be less.

Of course if you are not a big MP3 user you can also factor the cost of the MP3 player into that price...
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Actually from the Sony Ericsson website the T68i is $619.95 without a contract. It might be cheaper from a retailer but it is still pretty pricey.

And with all of this speculation nobody is thinking that this could be another iApp. If however it is a phone the major players are going to be Sony Ericsson and Cingular. They got a lot of stage time at MWNY and if I'm not mistaken Sony Ericsson has gotten stage time at a previous Macworld as well.
 
Re: Re: i Hope iPhone, no, it's called iPhoda like this:)

Originally posted by wdw_


You can just run this through Bablefish to get a decent translation.;)

http://babelfish.altavista.com/urlt...s/news/article.php?storyid=68&lp=zh_en&tt=url
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Just looking at the pictures...it looks like a phony photoshop job. And even look...there's a discussion on the bottom!

Note that it says "illustration by gropius";)

Finally, what a stupid design! (for a phone that is) A rotating keyboard...lol...i posted the pic of it...very clumsy design.
 

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For the U.S.

If he's talking about roaming in Europe, I stand corrected and apol. for my statememt to him.

They are a couple of years ahead of wireless in U.S. (That's hard for us to believe - but true) Roaming is the U.S. costs, big time!

I didn't want to turn my post into a commercial, but I have T-Mobile (old VoiceStream). I took my P280 to Italy and could use my US phone number to call back to the U.S. and have my company call me directly by using my U.S. phone number (with the Italy country code) for just 99 cents per min. In Italy, I got a local SIM and used that for my local calls. It worked great!

The T-Mobile service was outstanding. I was a Sprint customer, that's where I learned about getting ripped off "roaming". They brag about their Sprint PCS network, but just a few miles from my house they only had roaming at an extra cost / min. "I'm sorry Sir, but you're off the Sprint network." My T-Mobile works fine.

It may sound like a commercial, but I've very, very happy with my T-Mobile service that's GSM. I did my homework on wireless contracts before I got my current service.

If Apple gets a GSM phone, I'll take a very, very serious look at it!

Vic
 
Originally posted by mcrain


If you were really, I mean REALLY concerned about Japan, you wouldn't whine that Apple is excluding Japan and bemoaning how the only people who sell products in Japan are Japanese, but would rather take a closer look at your trade laws.

Why do you think most products sold in Japan are Japanese? Do you think it is because all Japanese products are better than everyone else's products?

Maybe, if Japan didn't levy large tariffs, and have trade protection rules/procedures, companies from all over the globe would sell there, and your "quality of life" might improve.

Just a thought.
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I think you have a strong point. I honestly feel that Japan has too much trade limits for foreign companies. We suck.

I repeat. WE SUCK BIG TIME! :D

But come on! It's obvious that all of Japanese products are NOT better. But when it comes to electronics I think Japanese hardware is the best in the world, although we are very bad at software side which Apple is very very good at.

I used to live in NYC as a product designer and knows what kind of cell phones are available in the states and other parts of the world. Japanese phones are years ahead of Motorola, Nokia or whatever in functionality (not in aesthetics in my personal opinion). In Japan today, color LCD screens are standard and many of them already has CCD cameras. Now we have phones with GPS, MP3, Java-based application capability, MemoryStick slot and video camera. Phones with 64K/128K 24/7 net connection are widely available.

Welcome to the gadget land with a lotta techno-junkies like myself.

Uh, I'm starting to sound like I'm defending Japan here...

As to the Japanese cell phone market dominated by Japanese manufactures, it's about the stiff competition as well as this trade issue, I think. Japan is home to many international electronics manufactures. Naturaly all of them want to play big locally. Motorola and Ericsson used to be a part of the game, but they stepped out in the last couple of years. I have a feeling that the major reason behind it is the stiff competition rather than trade issue. To my eyes, their cutting edge phones did not look good enough among other phones back then. I mean we have something like 10 major electronics manufactures competing here!

After writing all this I feel like Apple might shy away from this weird land.

I just hope that Apple will come up with a fabulous iPhone to beat these Japanese phone suckers! :cool:

Excuse me for writing a lot about Japan. I just hope this Japanese market issue will make Apple's worldwide marketing standing point clearer for you guys.

By the way, given the news that Pixo will provide the iPod-like OS for iPhone, the portable OS X is gone???
 
Since we're on the topic of phones...i like the coming features of the P800 by Sony-Ericsson...but can't they make it into a flip phone. Make it similar in design to Kyocera's future phone...now that will be an awesome phone :D
 

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i'm on T-Mobile(Voicestream) also and have been very happy with the service. It was moving to europe that brought me to GSM. I don't know why the US decided to implement CDMA and the FCC divided each cellular carrier to it's own bandwidth. It has only made the move to cellular services that much more complicated. I mean it was only this year that I was finally able to send text messages to other phone carriers, that's unbelievable. Anyway, as Vic has recomended, voicestream is the way to go.... and don't be fooled by Sprint's "3G" services, they're not 3G.

oh yeah, go apple
 
Vic: I live in NYC now but am British so I know how frustrating it is using cell phone in the US. Way, way behind (read at least 5 years) in terms of service plans, customer service, and phone choices. I understand where you are coming from in terms of roaming and as I said before, occussionaly roaming is what I need so an extra charge here or there I can bear. I didn't say but implied that if you travel frequently then you will probably get a different service plan anyway, which is what you did:) I agree that T-Mobile is the only carrier that I would consider for GSM in the US. I am currently on AT&T (my bad!) until P800 comes out. Then I will switch to T-Mobile and ditch my GSM phone in UK and use one phone for both side of the pond!

yamadataro: Japanese phones are good in terms of lots of gadgets and functions. But personally I prefer Nokia or Ericsson for solid UI and functionalities. And all of Nokia and Ericsson new phones are colours and 2.5G with camera. It is just that in US we are always months behind the products release. If I am in Europe now, I would have the Nokia 7650 for months! But alas, I am in the US and have to make do and wait for the SonyEricsson P800.
 
CountZero

After I read a follow-up post, I realized that I misunderstood your position and offered a quick apoligy.

I did go back to read my original post to you and in hindsight, it was much too negative. My intent was not to insult you, but my post was much to negative toward you. Please accept my regret and misunderstaing.

And oh yes, Sprint is not 3G, no matter what their slick ads say.

Vic
 
Originally posted by CountZero
yamadataro: Japanese phones are good in terms of lots of gadgets and functions. But personally I prefer Nokia or Ericsson for solid UI and functionalities. And all of Nokia and Ericsson new phones are colours and 2.5G with camera. It is just that in US we are always months behind the products release. If I am in Europe now, I would have the Nokia 7650 for months! But alas, I am in the US and have to make do and wait for the SonyEricsson P800.
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I have Nokia and Ericsson to use while I stay in Bangkok. I actualy like the simplicity, come to think of it. I might be somewhat spoiled in the Japanese gadget fever.

I'm expecting Apple to design something on the line of Nokia/Ericsson, not the Japanese ones.

Here I said it! :rolleyes:
 
All the Rumors that are fit to Print ...

Originally posted by dongmin
Interesting to see the New York Times getting into Apple rumors
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Does this mean that the NY Times will be denied a press pass to MWSF as a rumor site?:eek:
 
I'd love a flip out style phone that has a widescreen colour display, 10Gb HD, a custom OS X, 256Mb RAM and a usb port.

Email, easy messaging (built in keyboard), MacMAME (you know you love it) and Reason (protools LE would be a little out of the question) all on 1 device costing a little more than the 20Gb iPOD.

Now I'd buy one of those if it existed.
 
No offense taken, Vic:) Sprint is probably the worse carrier of the lot. My friend who use Sprint always has billing problem, and the reception in NY is crap! I can't even call him when I was standing next to him with his phone having full 'bars' of signal and I was just put straight onto voicemail.
 
Flipside of "iPhone" possibility

With the touting of the SonyEricson (sorry for my spelling) hardware at MWNY, perhaps what Apple is trying to do is make their computers the most appealing to those who want to take full advantage of the next generation cell phones. With the enhancements eminent in 10.2, Apple may be simply having their OS be the best, most integrated solution for how to work with the cell phones of tomorrow.

While I would personally be interested in seeing how Apple would implement a cutting edge communications device, their best move might be to have strong partnerships with the high-end players in the industry. Ties such as these (read: "And we highly recommend Apple Computer for the best possible mobile communications experience." -Sony) could do more for Apple than trying to market their own OS specific cellular device. It would be a nice change to have other hardware manufacturers racing to get an Apple compatible product to market.

RL
 
Re: iPhone - Apple Phone

First, please don't use Cingular, at least not exclusively. They are Cellular One plus a few other companies, rebranded, and I swore several years ago that I'd never use that sleazy company again. I cringed at MWNY. A cross-network phone as Motorolla et al make would be great, although more and more the "good" phones are being tied up with exlusive network deals.

Second, am I the only one in the world who thinks it's downright annoying to have a fragile flat plastic sheet plastered to my cheek while trying to talk on a phone? If there is a large display as in the Treo, etc, please make it at least partially concealed during "normal" phone use, and make the ear and mouth pieces stick out a bit so that they can be near their respective organ without having the center of the beast permanently implanted in my cheek bone.

Third, I don't see Apple going alone on this either, more along the lines of a rebranded or co-designed SonyErickson phone with a "real" cpu and OS underneath.

Fourth, however, it's odd that the company that wants the computer as a digital hub for multiple devices, and that champions technologies that allow multiple devices to talk freely amongst each other (firewire and bluetooth) would go the "all in one" route instead of perfecting the interface between a best-of-breed PDA and a best-of-breed phone. I don't need to lose my PDA when I change cell phones. Why merge two unrelated devices just now that the means to link them is finally available?
 
Price ...

Originally posted by theaz
what do you think of this report abut the iPhone:

http://www.irumors.net/

Interesting. Hopefully not manufactured.
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Hmmm indeed. Look at the suggested price: $800.

Would you pay $800 for a phone+PDA, especially a grayscale, small-screened, PDA? Pixio OS on a phone would be nice, but if I'm paying more than twice as much to get the functionality in one device as I would to get it in two separate devices, I think I'll stick with two devices ...
 
Re: Re: iPhone - Apple Phone

Originally posted by jettredmont
Third, I don't see Apple going alone on this either, more along the lines of a rebranded or co-designed SonyErickson phone with a "real" cpu and OS underneath.
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Ahhmmm... how do StrongARM CPU and Symbian OS not 'real'? In cellphone world, those two are recognised as the only choice for the future 'smart' phone. Do you really want a strip down version of Windows (that was never intended for embedded use in the first place) on your phone as in the Microsoft Stinger? Or a beef up PalmOS (that was not very good at communicating with others) as in the Treo? Symbian was designed for the ground up to be a smart phone OS. Lightweight, emphasis on communications, etc. Why would Apple throws away all these valuable research and re-invent the wheel?

Palm is moving toward using ARM chips in their PDA, abondoning DragonBall. Most PocketPC PDA use ARM chips already. There must be a reason for that other than economy of mass production.
 
Re: For the U.S.

Originally posted by Vic
It may sound like a commercial, but I've very, very happy with my T-Mobile service that's GSM. I did my homework on wireless contracts before I got my current service.
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T-Mobile, formerly VoiceStream, formerly something else (had a talking parrot as a mascot ... Omnipoint or something like that?). When it was two names back, I used them, and was very happy with both their service and support. Then I moved, and unfortunately couldn't get service through them at our new house, so had to switch.

So, as much as I'd absolutely hate it if Apple went Cellular One/Cingular, I'd love it if they went T-Mobile/VoiceStream/the only cell phone company I ever really had respect for!
 
Re: yes phone is inevitable

Originally posted by makkystyle

Also remember that the New York Times is not a "rumors" site like this. They generally don't place articles based on the wishes of apple geeks like us, there is certainly a bit of marketing going on there, testing the waters so to speak.
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I think the NYT appearance merely indicative of the cell phone market itself being more general and competitive, not proof that it is anything more than vapor. Qualcomm's Palm OS phones received simlar coverage as an early adapter in the "My Phones a PDA" sweepstakes- those phones barely made it to market if at all.
 
Re: In September?

Originally posted by Gus
iSync comes out in "late September", Macword Expo Paris is in late September (which Steve is keynoting). Hmmm... Maybe the introduction of iPhone with the debut of iSync to show it off?

Just a thought.

Gus
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Makes sense that they would announce it in Europe. They have wireless phones figured out over there. I spent some time in both France (Paris, Nice) and England (London/Scotland) this spring (and to my horror visited an Apple store in London that was running Windows 98 on their POS machines...) and everyone uses cell phones. That was my first experience with "texting." I couldnt figure out why folks were tapping away on the trains. I thought it was poor reception/redial. Nope.

Verizon wont be the carrier. They wont even be running the Sony Erricson phones. The sales fool I spoke to (while taking back my piece of crap C80 for Moto) said that Verizon had to choose between coverage and new networks and they went the route of widest coverage, as opposed to GSM and such that will get the US up to the same levels as Europe and Japan in regards to networks.

Cingular and At&T will be one company towards the end of the year (shhhh you didnt hear it from me). Both are using the t68i's and the same network technology already and they want to be #1. I know that offering the dopest phone will help them get there.


My vote is that Apple will brand a phone made by SE. They will use Cingular/AT&T and all of you (like me) will buy it.

mmmm hmmmm.
 
Re: Re: Re: i Hope iPhone, no, it's called iPhoda like this:)

Originally posted by Over Achiever


Finally, what a stupid design! (for a phone that is) A rotating keyboard...lol...i posted the pic of it...very clumsy design.
Click to expand...

The Bang & Oluffson fixed-line phone has a scroll wheel for typing in names & numbers in your phone book ... it's very effective actually. Though not so good for SMS I suspect, since we've all got used to the button method. Still, people thought the mouse was a weird idea to begin with.
 
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