Dream Weaver

I'm really fancying an iPhone at the moment, and the promise of mobile net access, GPS, maps, music and email all in one place really appeals to me.

But how does it all work? O2 do a package which is approx £35 a month and it says unlimited data/wi-fi. So do I pay my £35 each month and I can access the web/email whenever I like?

I gather the connection choice is Wi-Fi if a hotspot is about, but 3G pretty much anywhere in towns or cities?

And how does the GPS work and maps/sat nav? We are often in cities and spend ages trying to finx shop X or cafe Y and I see there are some apps which would suit me for this task.

I have iTunes installed for my iPod - is it OK to have iPhone and iPod linked to a single iTunes?

When is the next iPhone due out also?

Finally, how would I get my emails when out and about so they were synced with my Outlook, but not copied over like a PDA - i.e. I want to receive new emails to my domain when I am out but still be able to download them into Outlook as well?

Any help much appreciated.

DW

LanCat

But how does it all work? O2 do a package which is approx £35 a month and it says unlimited data/wi-fi. So do I pay my £35 each month and I can access the web/email whenever I like?

Yep - All data in the UK is free/unlimited. You'll pay for data if you roam tho'


I gather the connection choice is Wi-Fi if a hotspot is about, but 3G pretty much anywhere in towns or cities?

Wi-Fi from The Cloud hotspots is included for free. If no Wi-Fi then you'll just use the best data available for free. 3G, Edge, GPRS whatever is available.

And how does the GPS work and maps/sat nav? We are often in cities and spend ages trying to finx shop X or cafe Y and I see there are some apps which would suit me for this task.

There's a GPS receiver in the phone. It'll get down to about 15 yards accuracy. Any app can be written to use it but as a default the phone has google maps on it and you can find yourself on the map and then "get directions". There's no real Tom-Tom satnav yet but there probably will be. There are some free apps that can tell you where the nearest bank/pub etc are. They aren't complete, they dont have every cafe in there but are useful.

I have iTunes installed for my iPod - is it OK to have iPhone and iPod linked to a single iTunes?
Yep, they just appear as separate devices and you can sync what you like to each.

When is the next iPhone due out also?
Not for some time. There will probably be software updates to the current one to add functions before there is new hardware.

Finally, how would I get my emails when out and about so they were synced with my Outlook, but not copied over like a PDA - i.e. I want to receive new emails to my domain when I am out but still be able to download them into Outlook as well?
Just configure the phone to leave the emails on the server.

Dream Weaver

Excellent, thanks LanCat

I take it you have one, or have worked with them? What do you think of them?

On the email thing, I've realised if I'm out and download all my emails off the server, I can simply sync them with Outlook when I get back.

Beefy

One thing to note is that you currently cannot use your iphone as a 3G modem for your laptop or mac (well not without unlocking it and invalidating your relationship with apple anyway!).

Although it has bluetooth it is locked down and only works with headsets. There was an app that was briefly available that allowed this to work but it was taken off the app store within 24 hours of it "slipping through the net". This is partly down to fears from service providers that people would sit and use their "unlimited" data allowance to download all manner of stuff off the net to their PC's apparently.

There have been rumours of a 32 GB iphone for a while now, but so far no concrete delivery date. I've got a 16 GB and its surprising how hard it is to fill it up even with a few movies on it, a couple of thousand songs and a bunch of apps.

StickyMicky

for what its worth, if you go towards the nokia N series phones you can have actual tom tom installed.

i think its tom tom navigator 6 that's installed on mine, works awesome! i have a bluetooh gps unit in the car, get in, load up, jobs a gooden

Dream Weaver

Does the N95/96 have a touch screen though, buttons are so 90's

I like the iPhone, it seems intuitive to use and everything is at hand that I would need from the tests I have done so far. Even browsing photo's, it seems to know what you want to do!!

I am a low end user, will take/make the odd call/SMS, use the web access when out, read emails and use the maps when in a city to find a burger/pizza joint etc but I'm not bothered about using it as a modem, or having proper sat nav on there.

I have an 80gb iPod for my tunes, so the 16gb iPhone will do me. Annoying that I have to pay £155 to buy the thing over and above the monthly fee though.

Ant

Just get it I've had the 2g and 3g and love them I hammer the data on it only downside is no mms or text forwarding but that will come along with new updates

boxst

The iPhone is great. It is very useful to have internet access and an MP3 player and a video player and something that will run applications (games) in such a neat, usable package.

I have yet to play with a phone that has that 'feel' about it.

Steve

StickyMicky

i think the upcoming n97 has a touch screen, but for what its worth, i cant stand the things, always so greasy and "fingerprinty"


i think if i owned a touch screen ui would be constantly cleaning it, maybe i do have an ocd after all
touch screens are for people with dirty car windows

JackClark

"i think the upcoming n97 has a touch screen, but for what its worth, i cant stand the things, always so greasy and "fingerprinty"

Shocking eh! There was a study a while ago that found 67 grams of grease and fat inside a mobile phone keyboard. Thank you Apple for ending this ghastly problem.

boxst

You missed the potential for lots of nasty bacteria and other substances!

BBC NEWS | UK | Keyboards 'dirtier than a toilet'

(although I have to say I don't like typing on a touch screen very much)

Steve

ChefDude

i think the iphone's brilliant

best phone i've had since a nokia communicator in 2000.

the only thing i'd like is to be able to rotate the phone and use the big keyboard in any application, regardless of the original screen not turning round.

i used to see phones as gadgets that you 'consume' within a year and then need another one (death by trouser fluff aside), but kudos to apple for bringing an extensible software/firmware smart phone to the masses.

it's also the first phone i've used since the communicator (i state me, not 'available') that surfs the web like a PC browser too.

don't believe anyone that says the 3G is fast and responsive lol it is adequate (on a full 3G signal too)

Ant

If you after how quick it browses, takes about 5-10 seconds to load SN up.

I'm using it now to browse and do for majority of the day till I get home.

Even streams iplayer if your in a wi fi zone

ScoobyDoo555

all this talk of grease and infection.....so what?
It's YOUR mobile phone - nobody else touches the keyboard!!! LOL!!

So you've infected yourself with something you already had.......

NotoriousREV

I love my iPhone but I'm no apple fan and it does have some serious issues that you should be aware of:

Battery life is awful, mine needs charging every night. I usually unlug it at about 7:30am and by 10pm it's warning of 10% battery remaining and if you carry on using it, that lasts about 10 mins. Not a problem as long as you plan ahead. I have a charger at work, one in the car and one at home so I'm not often caught out.

Safari crashes a lot if you use it a lot. Usually just as you've scrolled to the bottom of a really long thread to read the new posts

When people send you picture messages, you can't receive them, you get a link to go and browse to it, then you can save it to your phone. Not the end of the world but a bit of a faff.

You can't forward text messages or contact details. Again, it's an irritation more than anything.

You can't cut and paste things, which again, is just an irritant.

So, no major deficiencies but a few things that will get on your **** at some point. for some, they'd be a deal breaker but for me they're not and, as I said earlier, I really love my iPhone. In fact about 80% of my web browsing is now done on it instead of my desktop at home.

NotoriousREV

Oh, and I do find myself cleaning the screen a lot

boxst

No Cut and Paste is extremely, extremely irritating. All I want to do is take that number and put it in an email or use it as a partial number to dial, but oh no ...

Steve

Markus

On the email question, does your outlook setup use IMAP, if so then you should be ok, as the messages are stored on the server, rather than being downloaded on the client.

When is there going to be a new iPhone? Good question. There has been mention of an iPhone Nano, cases have been seen for such a device and typically case manufactures get specs of new phones early so they can have cases read for launch day. It's rumored it'd not be a US release, at least not to start off with, probably China. As for the spec? Who knows, could just be a complete red herring.

The iPhone is now 3G, which was one major complaint leveled against the original iPhone, so there isn't too much more it really needs, hardware wise I mean. Greater capacity being one of the exceptions. I suspect we'll see a 32GB iPhone, and ideally I'd love to see a 64GB iPhone and iPod Touch. It's possible they could revise the hardware to include a memory card port, thus allowing you to upgrade the capacity yourself, but I doubt it.

Bluetooth is crippled on the iPhone, so you can only pair it with a headset. My guess here is that if they allow file transfers over bluetooth then it could allow you to get unauthorized apps onto the iPhone without voiding the warranty by jailbreaking it, and that's a loss of revenue for them. However, if they did decide to open this up, I'm not sure if it's a hardware or software change, I'm guessing software.

Yes, it lacks MMS and Copy & Paste, but these are things that can be addressed in software should Apple choose to do so. The same is true for tethering. There is a rumor AT&T is about to announce that they and Apple will allow tethering (for a fee no doubt) and I'm sure other carriers will follow.

Mogsi

Free app available called MMS Photo Message that solves this, although you have to buy credits to send MMS with it

Mr.Manchester

My iphone gets used a lot during the day and the battery is still nearly full before i dock it for charging at night.

LanCat

Agree battery use can be a problem but I get the feeling that's mostly because I use it a lot more than other phones. I wouldn't swap it for any other phone at the moment.

Dream Weaver

Enough positives for me I think, thanks all.

I don't strictly need one, but I like my gadgets and haven't bought anything for a while.

Just one thing on the bluetooth that Markus mentioned - can the iPhone link up to a Parrot hands free kit as that is another gadget I need soon, possibly the Parrot 9200 to link to my iPod as well, and also a Parrot 3100 in the Mrs car?

LanCat

I have an old Nokia hands free kit in my car and the iphone linked to that no problem so I doubt you'll have any issues.

Markus

This would seem to indicate, given the little icons, that it is indeed compatible with the iPhone and iPod

jowl

I AM an Apple fan but I agree with most of this post (although Safari rarely crashes for me)

My biggest bug-bear is the battery life. I do have to charge pretty much every day, Occasionally I can get 2 days out of it. Wi-fi is always on but I turn GPS, 3G and Bluetooth off unless I need them.

MMS, Cut and paste, forward SMS/contacts are minor irritations as said - and I would imagine that most would be solved in future software updates from Apple.

I do love my iPhone though and would feel lost without it. The ability to check my e-mail or surf the web at ANY time is just great. And if needs be, I can wake my main computer at home using the iPhone then log into it and control/access any files.

and then I might have a quick game of something on the phone.

then re-charge

Dream Weaver

One last thing I can't find an answer to. The £35 O2 contract has 600 mins talktime per month.

Is this purely for talk time, or does the 3G connection use this up as well?

I want something I can pay £35/month for and not worry about useage or extra monthly bills.

ChefDude

i am on this contract

18months
£155 for the phone
£35pcm 600 minutes, 500 texts, unlimited data and wifi.

if you get the phone through car phone warehouse, within hours, you'll get idiots on mobiles and all sorts phoning you to get cheap one off insurance - it's like the carphone warehouse staff send your details off to their mates on the scam

Mr.Manchester

The 600 minutes is purely talk time, wi-fi and data usage is completely separate.

LanCat

It's not just carphone warehouse, O2 try to sell you the insurance too.

and yep, 600 mins talk and 500 texts included in that tariff. 3G and WiFi (on The Cloud) are free and unlimited.

Roaming costs abroad are extra for both voice and data. Last trip I had was 35ppm to UK/EU and 18ppm receive Data was £6 per mb (£3 per mb in EU).

Ant

I must be lucky I got mine carphone warehouse online. And had a singlecall ivr had the 3g since release. (touchwood)