Hi Sam. My name is Brandon. Now, my folks taught me never to insult someone until you know them well enough to make an accurate assessment of that particular individual, and since I don’t know you at all I’m going to keep myself from calling you an idiot. But I really would like to know how you managed to get a REAL writing job at Britain’s #1 Newspaper Website!
Your article – if you can call that an article – titled “An iPhone user is soon parted with his money” was about the biggest piece of misguided garbage (FUD) I think I’ve read about the iPhone or any device for that matter in a long, long time. I believe in the comments someone asked if this was written by a 10 year old Microsoft employee, but I personally think Microsoft would even have more sense than to let that kind of digital waste make it to the Internet.
So, before I delve too far into just hurtling insults (which I could have just done quietly on your “newspaper” site in relative anonymity), let’s take a look at what you’ve got going on over there and set the record straight since some people might actually look to your site for advice. I know they look to ours for that as well.
Q: Is it a mobile phone?
A: Yes – but it’s more than that. It’s a mobile phone that works on only one network, that ties you into an 18-month contract, and that is very, very expensive.
Ok. So, yes it does tie you to a contract. A quick search of Voda and O2 show that on average unless you go with a pay-as-you-go plan you’re tied in for 12-18 months minimum ON EVERY PHONE. I’ll talk about your misguided thoughts on “expensive” shortly, but since every phone requires a contract, this argument wasn’t worth making.
Q: Is it an MP3 player?
A: Yes – but it’s more than that. It’s an MP3 player that holds only 2,000 songs and that is very, very expensive.
Yes. No argument here. It’s an expensive under sized iPod. Not to mention that its an iPod which in and of itself is evil if you’re an Apple detester. The size is small … but for me I’ve found it to be near perfect for my use. I use it a couple hours at work and the occasional boring outing to a waiting room at a doctor/dentist, and maybe walks with my dogs. Think about it. Do you really NEED 10,000 songs with you all the time? Do you really NEED 126 days worth of music stored on your PMP? Didn’t think so. I think it should be 16-30 GB for some extra video space, but anything bigger is just compensating for your other shortcomings. So undersized yes. But I don’t think is excessively undersized. Think Hummer H1 vs. sedan. Is it cool to have the biggest baddest vehicle on the planet? Sure, but do you really need it? Not likely.
Q: Is it an internet browser?
A: Yes – but it’s more than that. It’s an internet browser that goes half as fast as one of those rotten old 3G mobile phones – and works across only 30 per cent of the country unless you’re at a wireless hotspot. Oh, and it’s very, very expensive.
Agreed on the speed. EDGE is crap. I’m sure if you’ve been on 3G speeds for long enough EDGE is going to raise the violence rates a bit. Shame on O2 for not forcing a 3G chipset out of Apple. But, I can tell you’ve never used an iPhone because you didn’t happen to mention it is BY FAR the best mobile browsing experience ever EDGE or WIFI. When one of your “rotten old 3G mobile phones” pukes on a website that doesn’t format for a mobile phone… come see me. I bet you top dollar it looks as it should on my iPhone.
I’m leaving the wozzack stuff alone. The being one for camping out… yup. Agree completely. Unless they did it for the fun. Try it sometime. Go do something completely nonsense like camp-out for something. It’s a lot of fun and you meet some great people. I’ve done it and not even intended to buy the thing I was camping for. I’ve met some great people along the way… and I’d gladly do it again.
Oh, and it’s very, very expensive
Let’s look at this a little closer. First let’s go under the assumption that you are getting a mobile phone no matter what. Saavy? Let’s also assume you’re planning on buying an iPod to use working out at the gym or rowing your little boat on the Thames. With me so far? Ok. Final assumption – you like tech and you’ve always carried a PDA/Treo/Palm and you want to “converge” meaning you want to get a smartphone type device and not carry a phone + pda anymore.
So with all that assumed let’s do some rough math estimates. I say estimates because pricing over there for tariffs is a little confusing. But from what I could tell this should be fairly accurate and the devices + plans work out to very similar functionality.
iPod Nano = £129 plus the cost of an O2 XDA Trion (Windows Mobile PDA/Smartphone) = £199.00 w/ £25 monthly voice plan and an extra £8/month for unlimited data. (incl. VAT)
Total cost out the door without monthly fees for what equals the iPhone using a Windows Mobile device and an iPod = £328. With 18 months “tariffs” = £922. Don’t even get me started on things like MicroSD card pricing, software pricing for applications that work almost as well as what’s on the iPhone (Opera, Flexmail), screen protectors and all the extras that Windows Mobile will nickel and dime you to death on.
iPhone total cost without tariff = £269 With 18 months Tariff = £899.
So, tell me again Sam how this thing is so very, very expensive? Looks to me that its cheaper than the alternative. Heck toss out the iPod Nano and you’re still only saving £100 over the 18 months to have the Trion and you could waste that on the MicroSD and a couple applications to fix Windows Mobile.
Let’s wrap up by saying this. The iPhone is expensive if you’re used to getting the cheap free phone and the bottom price voice plan – which sounds like Sam’s starting point. Without a doubt if that sums up your phone experience, the iPhone is priced like a house.
But, if you’re in the market for a good quality device, that will do what it does extremely well (iPod, phone, email, web browsing, maps, calendar, etc) then it is well worth considering. It is not for everybody, it’s not a business tool like a Blackberry, and it may be on the worst network in the country (as it is in the States – AT&T) but the device when paired to the right person is incredible.
Sam – Do yourself a favor. Stop by O2 and pick up an iPhone. Use it for 30 days. I’ll bet your tune changes by the time its all over. Heck, you might even decide to re-write that thing you wrote earlier.
Continue reading:
- Everything New Apple Just Announced (Septembe
- Apple Watch Pre-Order
- Apple Research Kit launches with 5 Apps
- Apple TV now only $69
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