My iPhone experience
Reader BryaninTimonium asked yesterday if I could give ya'll an update on my experience with the iPhone 3G so far. Back when I was blogging over at Consuming Interests, I did a bunch of posts on the iPhone in January, shortly after I bought it. Now, it's been almost six month that I've had it. Is the honeymoon over? Not quite.
As someone who transitioned from a bare-bones cell phone to an iPhone, it was like fast-forwarding from a black-and-white televsion on a tiny set to high-definition color on a 50-inch flat-panel TV. It's still a fun, easy, exciting device to use, and one that helps me discover all kinds of new content every day -- and occasionally, I'll even buy stuff with it.
I have an 8GB version and I'm not too keen on loading it down with apps and other content. I'd estimate that about 1/4 of the apps I download I end up deleting (mostly free games I get bored with quickly.)
That said, I keep a few hundred photos, several hundred songs, a couple videos and all my address and calendar contacts on it. Apple's built-in calendar is easy to use and it has become my trusty repository for every event in my life I don't want to miss. My long-term memory is practically shot, and now, my short term memory seems to be going too (fatherhood?). So it's helpful and easy.
I've used some great little apps along the way: FStream, to listen to police and fire scanner frequencies; GoogleMaps, for GPS-enabled directions; 12Seconds.tv, to post short clips on news events; iDicto, to record audio that I can then email to people; a host of news apps, from AP to WSJ; Pandora; Amazon's Kindle app; and -- my daughter's favorite -- the "I Hear Ewe" app, featuring animal sounds from barnyard to jungle. It's actually pretty cool!
Perhaps the biggest sign of the iPhone's likability: my wife digs it. My wife, who for years has insisted on only wanting a barebones cellphone without a camera, is hooked on my iPhone. This is great news, because I was starting to worry that she was getting jealous of all the attention I paid to my iPhone. Now, she wants one, too. Whew.
Now, some critiques:
As you might know, Apple's set to introduce a major upgrade to the iPhone's operating system this summer. It should resolve a lot of the basic consumer complaints you may have heard about the phone, such as a lack of cut, copy and paste for text and "universal search" -- one spot to input your query for finding information on the phone.
Another biggie: ability to send photos, text, audio and other file types via MMS -- which will be compatible with a lot of other cell phones on the market.
Still lacking, as far as I know: ability to record video and ability to watch Flash-based video. But there's rumors of a next-generation iPhone that will offer at least the video-recording option (without having to "jailbreak" the phone.)
Lastly, the network. For about the first four or five months, I have to say, AT&T's service was great, including the unlimited data service. I covered the Obama inauguration and used my iPhone to send pictures and audio over 3G, and it held up in a very challenging wireless scenario, as a few million gathered to watch Obama.
I live in Baltimore city and I have coverage just about everywhere (though I've heard the horror stories of people living in bigger cities, such as New York and San Francisco, and having poor service in highly populated areas.)
Yet, over the past 6-8 weeks, I have dealt with a 3G network that's struggled whenever I make phone calls. The network has dropped me while I sometimes use it at home. And -- my biggest annoyance -- I sometimes get an echo. Meaning, my own voice echoes when I speak, but the person on the other end doesn't hear the echo.
Sometimes I deal with it until the conversation is over. Other times it's so distracting, I'll tell the person I have to hang up and call them back.
I'm never quite sure if I should point the finger at AT&T's network or not since I'm usually talking to someone who's on a cell phone, and they're using a different provider.
It's a weird phenomenon, because I actually don't seem to have any problems when using AT&T's 3G for data. The data side of the phone works quite well.
If I actually talked more with my iPhone, I think I would be more irritated by some of the recent glitchiness. But I'm more of a chronic emailer, Tweeter and Web-surfer than I am a phone-talker, so far now, I'm annoyed with the occasional 3G glitchiness, but not flat-out PO'ed.
What's been your experience with the iPhone and AT&T's 3G network in the Baltimore area?
Comments
3G network has been great.
I get that echo from time to time and oddly enough primarily from other iphone users when I call them or they call me.
Like you, Gus I am a pretty prolific emailer so I don't talk on it all that much.
Probably my favorite feature is that the iphone recognizes email address and phone numbers as links and simply by touching the phone number or address it will either dial the number or compose a new email.
Love it!
Yes, there are a lot of nifty little features like that. Generally, as a reporter who uses it as a tool, I find that I can quickly produce media -- edited photos, audio -- with little headache in deadline situations. The iPhone gets knocked for not being good enough for business enterprise but, at least for a reporter, it's a pretty powerful tool. -Gus
Posted by: bryanintimonium | June 4, 2009 8:23 AM
Good article. I love my iPhone but the call quality is terrible. It's definitely the phone's little, oversensitive microphone. And the echo you mentioned - that can happen on other phones as well, and that is the network's (AT&T's) fault.
Interesting observation on the iPhone's microphone. I think you're right: it does seem pretty sensitive, which isn't always a bad thing, especially if you use it as a digital recorder (as I do often). -Gus
Posted by: Al | June 4, 2009 8:57 AM
I used to have lots of dropped calls and voice quality issues with my 1st gen iPhone, haven't had any with the 2nd gen though.
Can't wait to get 3rd gen, rumors are that it'll come out in July..
Posted by: Paul | June 4, 2009 9:49 AM
My big problem is my first-gen iPhone is too quiet. It rings too quietly, even on the highest volume level, so that I often miss it, and I can't hear very well during calls. I'm at the point where I won't call quiet/mumbly people while I'm in the car because I'm constantly yelling at them to SPEAK INTO MY GOOD EAR!
This is starting to sound like a personal problem, not an iPhone problem. But I swear it's (mostly) the phone!
What? You didn't know? If you actually want to hear your phone ring, you're just gonna have to upgrade. ;-) -gs
Posted by: Mary | June 4, 2009 9:57 AM
Remember to send to apple feedback for the iPhone at http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html your comment on the echo problem and any other problems.
Feedback? You mean we should actually be proactive with all our complaining and griping? ;-) -gs
Posted by: Tom | June 4, 2009 11:34 AM
I don't have iphone, but want one very badly when my tmobile contract is up in november. If you're in wifi, can you make free calls (such as w/skype?)
yes, you can make free (or cheap) calls with Skype on the iPhone, but only over a wi-fi network, not 3G. - gs
Posted by: Robin | June 4, 2009 8:29 PM
My iPhone experience has been nothing less then amazing. MobileMe is just terrific and has always worked flawlessly for me. In Canada, Rogers coverage and stability have been excellent. The phone part of the iPhone is working great all the time, never had a drop call. So, I am looking forward for the 3.0 upgrade this summer. The iPhone is just a marvelous piece of technology. Can't live without it!!!
Posted by: Paul Bourbeau | June 4, 2009 10:37 PM
Love the iPhone and have converted no less than five of my friends into loyal customers, but my greatest success was getting my wife hooked. While I have always been a gadget guy, she's been able to take it or leave it, until the iPhone. When I bought mine, I bought her one so wouldn't complain about the cost. At the time, she was indifferent to the purchase. That lasted for about a week, long enough for her to master the device. For her, the idea of having a photo album in your pocket at all times and having GPS guide you home are killer apps. Thanks Apple.
Yeah, I think my wife is jealous of the few HUNDRED photos I have of our daughter on my iPhone, which I could bore anyone with. :-) -gs
Posted by: tony loftis | June 5, 2009 1:04 PM