I’ve always been a bit of a phone-o-phobe. Cell phones to me have always been for emergencies. Great to have and once the kids started preschool, I started keeping my phone on during the day. Big step! Then a little over a year ago, my dh had to get a Blackberry for his job. Oh my! A smartphone! He showed me all it could do-IMs, emails, basic internet. I didn’t like the size of his, but the Blackberry Pearl was just my size. I was in heaven. It synced up with Outlook, a program I use heavily, I could retrieve my Gmails, and I could GoogleTalk with my friends. My phone became my computer away from my computer. I was in love, but I didn’t have to talk on the phone (yay!). And it took pictures!
During the past year, my dh has gone through 3 phones. They’ve all broken. Uh oh. That’s not good. My phone has had problems, but nothing that a reboot hasn’t cured. Until now. All at once, I’ve lost the ability to click my track ball and the on/off button. It’s like having a mouse without any buttons and in order to turn on the phone, I have to reboot the phone by taking the battery out. I’m not happy. I’ve only had the phone a little over a year and the warranty just ran out 3 weeks ago.
Given our track record with Blackberries, I want out. We’re gentle with our phones-mine’s only been dropped once (how many of you can say that?) and dh has never dropped his. Our kids don’t touch them. Only problem is: I’m on a 2-year contract with Verizon. That was the only way to get the phone (I had to go through dh’s office contract to get the best deal). So now, to break the deal, we’re out $175, I think. I think, because I really had to dig on their web site to even find the contract where it says that. Cell phone providers are so paranoid that we’re going to switch that they sign us to these super long contracts to trap us, then charge us out the wazoo to let us break them. If they were so confident in their product, they’d let us pick and choose and pay as we go, like Cricket Wireless. Unfortunately, if you want a premium phone with all the bells and whistles, you have to go with a contract and sign away your firstborn.
I was willing to get a Blackberry Storm for the remainder of my contract, but I can’t find a good deal on it and it costs more than to just pay to break the contract. The more I think about it, the more frustrated and angry I get about the dumb phone and what a waste of energy, lol. Ah, it’s probably just February and the bad weather! I do believe I’ve talked myself into an IPhone for it’s phenomenal internet capabilities. I know it syncs to Outlook, a very important feature for me. So, folks, talk me into it. I’ve heard it eats through the battery. Am I going to like it better than my Blackberry? Is AT&T the only carrier still for it? Sell me a phone!
not i-phone related, but my friend just had to replace her blackberry pearl for the 2nd time in a year, too.
they are not very sturdy gizmos.
I vote for the motorola razr or the iphone… I don’t know anything about the iphone other than it’s coolness, but my sister owns the razr and it’s fantastic… she’s had it for 4yrs!
my friend with the pearl? she has a razr originally… and she hates that she is stuck with the pearl because it is the only one in her budget, that her plan allows, and that has a gps (and boy does she need gps… she could get lost crossing a street sometimes)
If she hadn’t gotten rid of her gps that was only a gps because it was a feature of the pearl, she could go back. Ah, well.
Thanks for the suggestions, gang! That G1 is intriguing. I think I’ll try playing hardball with our Verizon rep before totally giving up and switching; I have some time since I’m paid up through the end of the month and my phone is somewhat workable.
Jodi, I wonder if getting one of those rubber skins for the iPhone would make it more, uh, bouncy, lol! I know they have them for the BBs and I thought I’ve seen them for the iPhones too.
What about a T-Mobile G1? It is pay-as-you-go compatible (i.e., no contracts!). The phone itself is $180 after instant rebate.
I love my iPhone. BUT my 2 year old threw it at me, hit me in the back, it bounced onto the rug and after owning it 3 mos my screen is cracked and it is not covered by warranty….but hey they will sell me another for $199 😀 My husband’s BB on the other hand has bounced off the pavement in parking lots a time or two and keeps ticking 3 years later. He gave to his salesman though and he has an iPhone. Like I said I do love mine very much but with 5 kids I need something more durable 🙂
The iPhone does take good video, it’s only lacking in the photo department. There must be a PDA out there with a quality camera… Pricey, but these both have auto focus and flash:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&&selectedPhoneId=4366
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&&selectedPhoneId=4331
I know how much you both love your devices and I actually considered both. If Julie’s iPod Touch could take the video and pictures that your phone can, Darren, I’d be set. But I’ve tasted the internet by phone and I can’t . . . go . . . back.
Hopefully one thing that having an iPhone will help me get rid of is the dreaded Blackberry Thumb. Yeouch! I’d be so happy to get back to just the plain ol’ carpal tunnel instead of having both, lol!
But I’m still not sold on the iPhone. Dh has a gigantic Mac something or other sitting on his desk that he bought a year and a half ago and I tried, really I did, to like the thing (I started out on a Mac 20 years ago, worked in a Mac lab, taught others how to use Macs), but I can’t go back. The iPhone is still a Mac to me. I still need convincing to turn to the dark side 😀 .
You totally need to check out the Storm on verizonwireless.com. They are offering them BOGO right now.
I really wanted the iPhone. Three main things kept me from getting it. First, the internet plan was $30+ a month. Second, you can’t even use it as a modem when tethered to your computer. Finally, and this was the big one, a feeble camera.
For people who have a PDA phone, the $30 is not uncommon. I ended up with a smart phone that wasn’t a PDA, so it’s only $15. The other two issues apparently don’t bother most people, given the iPhone’s success.
I ended up buying an unlocked Nokia camera phone. It was pricey, but no contract was needed that way. https://carseatblog.com/?p=74
I don’t have an iPhone, but LOOOVE my iPod Touch…if I could get online without the WiFi, I’d love it even more, and that’s what the iPhone does….plus makes phone calls and takes pictures.
I’m involved in that dreadful Verizon contract nightmare myself, but if it’s up before I die (long story involving DH and 5 phones, lol), I’ll probably get an iPhone. Yup, so far it’s still only AT&T that carries it, but on the plus side, the newest version is a lot cheaper than the first one.
🙂