Looking forward to the new iPhone 3GS

I don't own an iPhone and believe it or not I've never owned an iPod. However, my phone contract expires at the end of June and I'm looking forward to jumping in with both feet. Here's what I'm looking forward to the most:

  • Turn by turn GPS. Anyone who has driven with me knows that my sense of direction is poor. A couple of months ago I actually started driving on the wrong side of the road- honking at people assuming that they were on the wrong side. Silly American.

  • Decent video. I'm also poor at documenting those parental events. If it's not a birthday or Christmas- the chances of it being caught on video by me are slim. I'm hoping it will have good integration with Vimeo- as that's my video host of choice.

  • Decent photos. See above - I use Flickr.

  • Gmail / Google Docs / Analytics integration. I could ditch the laptop if I had good access to this.

  • VideoSift 4.0 integration - er, maybe. Though I know Flash video still hasn't happened. Anyone have any news on when it will? Seems weird as it's available on most other smartphones. I can only think that Apple is worried that it would cut into App store revenue.

  • An iPod. Seriously- never had one.

    deputydog says...

    same here. my contract ended last month, i'm specifically waiting til the new iphone surfaces and then i'm grabbing one.

    my girlfriend got the current version last year and i have to say, the pros far outweigh the cons, most of which will be wiped out with the new software release anyway. the gripes i have are... no landscape keyboard (will be fixed), no video recording (again, fixed) and no copy paste (fixed). plus, as you mentioned, you've got the introduction of the tomtom app which negates the need for a seperate satnav and the find my iphone remote wipe thingy which just makes me geek-giddy.

    i'm just glad i don't have to rely on at&t for anything. sounds like they fucking suck.

    dag says...

    Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

    Yeah, same here - glad I'm not on AT&T - though the Australian ISPs are not far better. Actually, the coverage in major cities is pretty damn good, but the data prices are exorbitant.

    Optus for
    example
    Charges about US $60 per month for 700 MB of data.

    Deano says...

    It's strange that while I'm stuck in front of my laptop most days that I just can't get into mobile tech that much. I'm dependent on my mobile admittedly but worrying about the precise type and configuration has never bothered me. I am also worried about mobile data charges so I never use the web on the move.

    I'm reasonably happy with my Nokia 6120 with it's back cover held on by sellotape.

    EDD says...

    My now almost 3-year old Hewlett Packard IpaQ has admirably performed every one of those 'pros' you mentioned since day one - except for the VS 4.0 integration, of course. Didn't ever need a patch or anything, could always copy and paste, had both button and on-touch-screen keyboards, took pics and video, as well as played back various video and audio formats on Windows Mobile (I used to watch episodes of TV shows I download legally obtained via the internets when commuting as well as frequently listened to streaming internet radio).

    Not to mention it had Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, EDGE&3G, a memory-card slot, MS Office apps and powerpoint capability, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum. Hell, I even installed and successfully played the first Age of Empires game (originally for Win95) on it. AND, at time of purchase it cost fairly less than iPhone did when it was first introduced here.

    Which is why I'm still maintaining (and probably always will be) that iPhone sucks much balls.

    schmawy says...

    I have been a Palm user since the first model, and after I lost my last one, I went back to AT&T and Verizon to discover that they no longer carry any Palm OS devices, so I bought an iphone. It's a bit of a silly toy, frankly. Yes, the email works okay, and it's nice to have your tunes and videos with you, but it's not a productivity tool. No cut copy and paste? What an incredible oversight. Apple used to be about creativity, and now they're just about consumption. You suck, Jobs. Really, you do.

    A more concise review...

    http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=iphone

    Deano says...

    I agree with you Edd (mostly) but what Apple did was make a mass-market product that lots of people want. Logic and rationality doesn't really come into it. They just know how to tap into that part of the brain that says "I want!"

    Duckman33 says...

    I'm moving to AT&T when my contract with T-Mobile is up and will be getting a new Iphone. I get a pretty hefty equipment (45%) and service (18%) discount through my work, so after 5 years with T-Mobile I'm jumping ship in October. Personally, I can't wait.

    As far as AT&T goes, I hear they are better than T-mobile, at least that what my co-workers say that use them.

    dag says...

    Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

    For me, I like the iPhone because it feels like the future- it's a frigging tricorder.

    Sure if you look at just the specs, nothing particular high-end, a 3 megapixel camera is run of the mill. But that's the mistake that many, including other computer and phone makers make. They treat their products like a pile of parts to be cobbled together- maximum bang for buck - and it shows.

    You have to admit that Apple has shaken up the phone industry- when I go into the phone shop these days, all of the high-end plastic phone models look to be "inspired" by the iPhone, even down to the layout of little shiny icons on the touchscreen.

    I have friends at work who have phones that they compare to the iPhone - "why would you want that thing? My LG Viewty has a 5 megapixel camera." Meanwhile the iPhones are actually used on a daily basis for uploading photos, playing music surfing the web- while the LG has reverted to just a phone.

    People who buy computers and phones as a shopping list of components will never understand the lure of Macs or iPhones.

    xxovercastxx says...

    The iPhone deal breakers for me are, first and foremost, the "you can run anything you want as long as we say it's ok" approach to apps. This idea among so many manufacturers that when you buy their product, it does not become yours needs to stop. Hiring a bunch of nuns to decide what software I can use on my phone is inexcusable.

    That they totally butchered their bluetooth implementation so it only supports headsets (no file transfer, contact sharing, etc) annoyed me too.

    After considering the iPhone last year, I went for the Blackberry Bold. (I'm also a fan of having a keyboard I can actually feel.) It was definitely the best choice at the time, though I suspect my next phone will be android-based.

    spoco2 says...

    I'm all for usability and the interface etc. And I would actually like an iPhone... However.

    I too have a Viewty, and know that it's a clunky ol' thing. BUT. I like to spend sweet f all on my phones, and this costs me nothing on a $20p/m plan, so it fits that bill.

    Then it can play Divx... nice, I put a bunch of movies and things on it, and can distract the kids when waiting at the hairdressers or the like.

    Then the camera... seriously, I've seen photos from the iPhone, they are god awful, really, that is such a shite camera. The Viewty is no camera substitute by a long shot... but it takes nice photos and great videos, and man the 120fps video is fun. Having said all that... it really is a clunky little bastard of a phone but I really like it, it works for me.

    So I laugh when Apple fanbois go apeshit when they announce it has a 3Mp camera and oooh... video and oooh MMS. Like, things that pretty much every other phone has had for years.

    But... like I said, I would like one, I love how they feel and work, I love the apps... I just don't love the fact that they seriously treat inclusions that are quite low end as the second coming of Christ... gives me the irates.

    dag says...

    Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

    I do recognise that there is a large amount of hipster douchebaggery that goes along with all Apple products- especially the iPhone.

    They do no service to themselves with their "cool slacker" VS. The Man type commercials.

    I understand that this turns off a lot of people who would otherwise love the products.

    I don't care - I love the shiny.

    schmawy says...

    >> ^dag:
    "...there is a large amount of hipster douchebaggery that goes along with all Apple products...


    Now that's credible. So didja get it? Huh? Didja yet? I just put the new 3.0 patch on mine, and I like it a lot better. The spotlight search feature is an improvement (i will refrain from commenting on how long other pda's had this, oops) and so are the incredibly innovative features like cut AND paste!


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