Help Us Choose a Phone!

[mabfan]

Since everyone's been really helpful with the bag question...

This morning, Nomi's cell phone broke. For the past two years or so, she has said to me that I couldn't have an iPhone until our phones didn't work anymore. So now that her phone is broken, we need to get new phones. (We always keep to technological parity in our household.)

So here's a poll:

[Poll #1248531]

Things to consider: Nomi and I each have a Palm Tungsten E and an iPod already. We like the Palm environment for calendar and notes. Our current phones are with AT&T, so we wouldn't have to switch carriers, but we would have to go to the trouble of exporting our Palm address book to the Apple version so it could sync with iPhones. And we would lose any information currently on the phone smartcards.

If we don't go with iPhones, I want something with a QWERTY keyboard that will let me surf the web and send email more easily than my current phone. Suggestions welcome.

Comments

[fontosaurus.livejournal.com]

I've never been happier with a phone...or an ipod...than I am with my iphone. Srsly.

[jamietr.livejournal.com]

Ditto! Besides, I've watched mabfan lust over my iPhone at conventions. So I think this is a no-brainer. :-)

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Elaine and I both just purchased Palm Centros, which are smart phones and which allowed us to easily import our Palm (actually Visor) calendar, notes, and address books. The Centro has a QWERTY keyboard and a touch screen (and stylus). We don't have a data plan, so I can't address the internetability. Steve Saffel got one about three days before I did, so the two of us were geeking on them at Denvention.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Do you sync with Windows machines or Macintoshes? We have iBooks as our computers, and we soon plan to upgrade to MacBooks.

I really love the Palm interface. I wonder if I can justify carrying around a Palm and an iPhone for a while.

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

We're on a PC, but here is an article from MacNewsWorld that compares it to the iPhone.

Ours were something like $40 at Best Buy when we re-upped our AT&T service for two years.

[mbarr.livejournal.com]

Hmm.. You've already got the address book in use then, if you use (Apple) Mail.

I love mine. I love the apps, and the system. I'm not sure i'd type a novel (or short story) on it, but I love the system, and the tool.

So much nicer than a BB, or windows mobile phone. Haven't seen a Centro, but I did use a treo last year, and that was pretty dated. The web browser is amazing on this, really solid new apps, and you can do almost anything on it.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

We don't use Apple Mail. However, exporting contacts from Palm to Apple's address book seems to be straightforward.

[beckyfeld.livejournal.com]

I second the Centro vote. I've had mine for several months now and I like it better than the Treo (note, both the Centro and the Treo were work phones). One caution, though, is the battery life. I've got an "extended battery" and it still runs out of charge over night.

[arfur]

the export/import really isn't that much trouble. Download Missing Sync 15-day trial, sync palm, sync iPhone. My biggest complaint (other than fading bugginess that should be gone by mid-sept) is actually that it becomes awkward to share your music library with your hunny.

[llennhoff.livejournal.com]

Gnomi obviously wants it, so shalom bayit says you should give in. The fact that you want it as well is icing on the cake.

[malkaesther.livejournal.com]

LOL, wow, I love your opinion. Now if you'd be that way about what I wanted...

I agree with you.

[thudthwacker.livejournal.com]

(We always keep to technological parity in our household.)

As I am still using my most ancient and venerable Nokia 6015i (no music, no web, no qwerty, no nuthin'), I am unqualified to offer an opinion (at least, an informed opinion, though I've played with friends' iPhones as much as anybody). However, this line is in all ways wonderful.

[ghilledhu.livejournal.com]

You do realize that each iPhone will add either $20 or $30 to your bill, depending on whether you get the original or the new phone, yes?

That said, darthsatyr absolutely adores his iPhone, and I will say that it's extraordinarily cool and very Trek.

[sdelmonte]

1. I keep reading more and more things that indicate that the iPhone, despite all the raves at first, is becoming a little more and little more difficult with each upgrade.

2. It's probably good to look at things from other companies simply because it's starting to feel like Apple is becoming a monopoly in the hand-held sector. Just because they aren't a monopoly run by idiots (a la Microsoft) doesn't mean that it's good for the economy. At the very least, see what else is out there.

[fontosaurus.livejournal.com]

1. I disagree. The iPhone is getting easier and easier with each upgrade. I'm on 2.0.2 now and have rescinded my earlier complaints.

2. I guess that depends on your definition of "monopoly." Given that they have less than 1% of the cellphone market, I don't see how your statement has any relevance to the topic. (Not trying to be combative, just pressed for time.)

[sdelmonte]

They seem to be dominating the all-purpose phone market, though. You want Internet and an MP3 player on your phone? Then isn't the iPhone already the phone of choice? At the very least, it seems to be the only one anyone talks about.

(I will add that I have zero interest in a phone that does much beyond being a phone, so I might be out of touch.)

[arfur]

At the very least, it seems to be the only one anyone talks about.

Apple is much better at monopolizing buzz than it is at monopolizing the market. People's actual needs, battery life, carrier availability, compatibility with work, and credit checks are much bigger factors in sales than Apple's latest ad campaign.

[ilaine-dcmrn.livejournal.com]

The thing that prevents me from getting one is I won't be able to reduce the device count - the iphones don't have enough disk space to hold the entire music collection and I've become entirely addicted to having it. So, I'd need to carry blackberry for work ipod for music, and iphone for everything else.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

I've been using a Palm Treo 700 for almost two years. With dataplan, you bet.

I find that it is a decent phone, a good Palm, that the integration between the two is awkward. I've become devoted/enslaved to having web access, but the web compatibility in the browser is mediocre at best. There is virtually no integration between the web and the phone or palm parts. It is 3 devices in one, basically. Not awesome, but better than what was generally available at that time.

The hardware has failed me numerous times, and has needed replacement. Syncing daily or near-daily is a must as is buying a warranty.

I will not use AT&T Wireless again, willingly. So, no iPhone for me...

I'm tempted to go backwards - get a good phone with Internet access, and a Palm. I plan to play with the Palm Pro and Palm Centro, and see if the web access is good enough before deciding.

My wife has a Samsung Windows Mobile phone. The Internet is great, the rest of the phone is mediocre and it drops calls. She does like the Exchange interface, though.

I may not have been terribly helpful. :-)

you KNOW what my recommendation is

[toonhead-npl.livejournal.com]

iPhones all around! And any complaining online about problems I think is exaggerated for the most part. Really, where do all the people who love them post their messages?

But ideally find someone that would let you use a 3G iPhone for a few hours to see if you think you can adjust to it. Run it through its paces, test out the signal strength at all your regular haunts, go nuts. I'm also a former Palm user too so I know it ain't easy to switch. And yes you should easily be able to export your address book as vcards and reimport the entire thing into your iPhone.

Also it can't hurt to Google for people switching from Palm/Treo to iPhone for more specific issues to consider.

[eal.livejournal.com]

If you're cool with AT&T, then go for it.

I have the touch (same interface minus the phone) and I love it.

[eireangus.livejournal.com]

I have the second generation 3G now (I had the earlier version as well), and really love it. I think you guys should get it! :) Not to mention all the cool Jewish applications.

[gingicat]

I think that if you're already happy with the Palm OS and you have iPods, you should wait until they break too.

But if you really really want the all-in-one and you're willing to go through the agida of changing OSs, who am I to gainsay you? ;)

[readsalot.livejournal.com]

I have a Palm, and the good thing about it is that I can use it in places where I don't have a net connection. Can you do the same with the iPhone? If not, will you miss having that ability?

Also, the phone service is likely to be more expensive than what you have right now--is that going to be a problem?

[toonhead-npl.livejournal.com]

? Of course it works where there isn't any Wi-Fi. Don't all smartphones work that way? It's alsoa phone after all. Unless you're thinking of the iPod Touch which is Wi-Fi only?

[arib.livejournal.com]

If it fit our budget (I'd lose part of my work discount, at least temporarily), and Aliza were amenable, I'd get an iphone. Thus, I'd reflect those criteria back at you:

Does it fit your budget, and would Gnomi go along with it?

As a third question- would you become an insufferable showoff like all of the other people I know who own iphones? :-)