I-phone owners

ucsd_ucla_dad
Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:28:33 +0000

I have an iPhone and I like the way ‘scualum’ illistrated it - the device (calling it a phone’ doesn’t do it justice) can do many things. On a recent trip I used this device -


To make phone calls, of course
To receive/send text messages
To browse the internet (full ‘regular’ browser rather than the limited cell phone type ones) to see what hotels were at what exit/town and to make hotel reservations as we were traveling
To navigate the roads using the built-in mapping and GPS functions
To check on work as well as personal emails while traveling
To check on the status of a server at work by VPNing into our network through the built-in Cisco VPN together with a free VNC app. This capability together with being able to access corporate email allowed me to not need to bring a laptop with me which was very nice
To see what sights we might want to see in some upcoming cities/towns as well as see what times places opened what they cost, and how to get there
To take photos of different places we were at and then instantly email them to grandma so she could also see where we were (the grandmas really loved this)
In some boring area to drive the passenger could play some games on the device
To plug into the ‘aux in’ connection of the car to play music
While we were driving in some random place, to do the 24 hour check-in on Southwest airlines to get the coveted ‘A’ boarding pass (passenger did it while I kept driving)
To watch movies on (about 5 hours worth and had battery left over) while I was on the flight back


We discovered that using the GPS mapping function drains the battery quickly so we stopped at a Best Buy and purchased a car adapter (I haven’t needed one until then)

All of this is somewhat useless if you’re in an area that doesn’t have AT&T coverage but it seems that most places have it okay. The main thing to make sure of is whether your home, workplace, and possibly a couple of other areas where you spend a considerable amount of time have reasonable coverage. If not, then skip anything from AT&T. There will always be ‘some’ areas where there’s no coverage but this applies to Verizon as well - at least around here where there are lots of hills/valleys.

Given all of what I said, some people simply will only use a phone to be a phone or possibly phone and texting device. If this is all someone needs and will use, then the extra expense of the monthly cost of the iPhone plan isn’t worth it.

HImom - My iPhone (single phone on that bill) is around $70/month. Extra regular lines (not iPhone) on AT&T are I think $10 each but confirm what the cost would be if any of the phones was an iPhone. I read that AT&T was considering offering the iPhone at some lower monthly cost plans albeit at limited data rates (it’s unlimited now) but don’t know the status of that.