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bigwig

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 15, 2005
679
0
Anybody using your iPhone as your primary mobile device instead of a laptop? What are your good and bad experiences doing this? Do you even feel the need to have a real laptop?
 
:eek: Trying to justify buying an iPhone?

Personally, if I could only afford one, I would purchase a laptop first. I can't imagine using the iPhone as my primary device.
 
I use my WM6 phone as a "laptop"

My laptop is mostly used as a portable desktop now :p I only take it to places when I feel I have a lot of typing to do or have to use it to do things my phone can't (BitT, watch movies, etc.)

In fact, my next computer may be a desktop and I resort to using a mobile phone as my portable do-it-all.
 
I can't imagine using the iPhone as my only web device, but maybe that's just me.

Maybe when the 3G iPhone comes out. But using edge for your primary internet isn't really any good. Until the 3G comes out, I also can't see myself using the iPhone as a primary internet device...
 
I use my iPhone as my primary web device when im just out and about with mates etc.

But when im staying away i take my BMB.

I defiantly could just use my iPhone tho if i had to ( i just dont have to)
 
:eek: Trying to justify buying an iPhone?
Partly, and partly because I'm thinking about what I really use a mobile web device for. All of my hardcore keyboard-oriented tasks are done at a desktop, and if I were to buy a laptop I don't see myself doing them at Starbucks. I find myself thinking "maybe a laptop is more than I really need", and the iPhone is the sort of product that finally makes me look up and take notice of mobile phones as something akin to a "real computer" (plus they're really cool).
 
I know longer lug my personal laptop back and forth to work. I still use my work laptop but a lot of filters are in place to block out certain web sites. When this happens, I open up the old iPhone and let it take over for what I needed to do.

I will still carry laptop if I travel but the need to use it is so much less now then my dependancy on it before and will be even less when Enterprise and the App Store is acivated.

All of my RSS feeds are now reviewed on my iPhone and I am just lovin it.
 
Partly, and partly because I'm thinking about what I really use a mobile web device for. All of my hardcore keyboard-oriented tasks are done at a desktop, and if I were to buy a laptop I don't see myself doing them at Starbucks. I find myself thinking "maybe a laptop is more than I really need", and the iPhone is the sort of product that finally makes me look up and take notice of mobile phones as something akin to a "real computer" (plus they're really cool).

Plus you're really going to be carrying a mobile phone everywhere, so it's a lot more convenient than a laptop.
 
Anybody using your iPhone as your primary mobile device instead of a laptop? What are your good and bad experiences doing this? Do you even feel the need to have a real laptop?

I do. I sold my iBook and use the iPhone instead when on the go. I find my iMac and iPhone are all I need. Two clear advantages are:
I take my iPhone everywhere (not so with my iBook)
I don't have to have a hot spot or look for a Wi Fi connection. Even though Edge is slow it beats having no connection at all ;)
 
Partly, and partly because I'm thinking about what I really use a mobile web device for. All of my hardcore keyboard-oriented tasks are done at a desktop, and if I were to buy a laptop I don't see myself doing them at Starbucks. I find myself thinking "maybe a laptop is more than I really need", and the iPhone is the sort of product that finally makes me look up and take notice of mobile phones as something akin to a "real computer" (plus they're really cool).

I think you already know the answer to your question. It sounds to me that a laptop isn't a necessity for you. It would be redundantly redundant (see what I did there? :D) If you do your work on your desktop, and really just need something for surfing, email, music, movies, I'd say go for the iPhone. It's definitely not a laptop, but it sounds like it would suit your needs. And you're right, it IS a really cool device.

But wait until June to see what Apple may or may not have up their black-turtlenecked sleeves.
 
Partly, and partly because I'm thinking about what I really use a mobile web device for. All of my hardcore keyboard-oriented tasks are done at a desktop, and if I were to buy a laptop I don't see myself doing them at Starbucks. I find myself thinking "maybe a laptop is more than I really need", and the iPhone is the sort of product that finally makes me look up and take notice of mobile phones as something akin to a "real computer" (plus they're really cool).

Yes I leave a laptop home most of the time now that I have an iPhone.
But when I travelled I mainly was using the laptop for checking email, lookings up restaurants and maps, browsing forums, watching videos/youtube. So for me, the iPhone is a great replacement. I would never think of it as a hardcore laptop replacement where a lot of typing or certain applications are required.
 
I wouldn't suggest it, but I will say since getting my iPhone I have been leaving my Powerbook at home more often.
 
A MB/MBP/MBA is cheaper than iphone + 24 month contract anyway.

Forget that you actually might need to buy an internet service also? Plus your home phone service since lots of people use their cell phones and don't use a home phone at all.
 
Anybody using your iPhone as your primary mobile device instead of a laptop? What are your good and bad experiences doing this? Do you even feel the need to have a real laptop?

In my opinion, an iPhone is a complimentary device to a laptop not a replacement for one.
 
In my opinion, an iPhone is a complimentary device to a laptop not a replacement for one.

it really depends on the person, many people use laptops for emails, web access on the go.

I sent my MacBook Pro in for repair and I'm sad to say I don't miss it, I have my iMac at home, and Desktop at work, between work and home, my iPhone has more than replaced my MBP, cause now I have more places I can take the iPhone than I did with the MBP
 
If you do the heavy work with your iMac, I would go ahead and get hte iPhone, but unlock it, unless of cource you want to pay £900 for it.

I would also WAIT UNTIL JUNE to get the iPhone, as there is almost ceraintly a new iPhone coming out then, and if it does it will cerainly have 3G, which will make for faster internet.
 
Anybody using your iPhone as your primary mobile device instead of a laptop? What are your good and bad experiences doing this? Do you even feel the need to have a real laptop?

It really depends on what you use your laptop for, however unless there is a massive leap in technology and form overnight (that produces something better than the iPhone), hardly anyone will put their laptop in storage because of the iPhone.
 
Not a replacement, but a good compliment. Since getting my iPhone a few months ago, I find that I use my computer about 80% less at home. I’m able to quickly get what I need from my phone, and I'm surprised how little I actually use it as a phone. The negative is that I buy more stuff I don’t need on eBay now…
 
I used to carry my 12" powerbook with me everywhere. Now I carry the iPhone. So, in some respects it can replace a laptop (for communication, light surfing)

btw. The device+contract cost argument is a nonsense argument. It only washes if you don't run a contract phone.
 
I brought my iBook along on my first business trip since I got an iPhone, as usual. I was gone for a week, but I didn't use it nearly as much as I usually do. Mainly, I'm checking email and a few news websites while I'm away and I found I was using the iPhone more for that. I didn't bring the laptop on my next trip and I didn't miss it all.
 
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