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My iPhone, Six Months Later...

I bought an iPhone roughly six months ago and I thought it would be a fun thing to post my experiences with said phone. You either love em or hate em - no getting around it. You can actually rephrase that sentence to be "you either have one or don't". I won't lapse into prose-speak or feign some kind of love affair here - I'll just tell you the truth about it all: This phone has stopped my vicious phone-buying cycle. Forever. Cold, dead fingers....

 

This Really Happened.
My Wife hates, no HATES my gadget obsession but she knows it comes with the territory. I make my money in Babylon and the "toys" tend to stick to you; eventually you acquire a taste for them.

I won't bore you with my list of phones I've had over the years, suffice to say it's whatever Gizmodo tells me to buy :). As Mae West once said:

I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it

Sometimes it works out, however...

We're sitting on Bainbridge Island (west of Seattle - a very, very beautiful place), just off the fairy and my kids are running around next to the water. It's a beautiful fall day, and my family has joined me on my trip to Redmond while I go through "NEO" - New Employee Orientation.

We came 3 days early so we could take in Seattle and it's surroundings. Absolutely stunning area and today lived up to all the promise of a warm, sunny day in the Pacific Northwest.

We're sitting in Doc's Marina Grill and I'm enjoying a Mac And Jacks - my favorite new beer. It's 12:30 and we just ate lunch, and we're trying to figure out our day.

"Let's drive up to Port Townsend! I really want to take you there some time!" my wife says to me.

"Oh! That sounds like fun! I wonder how far away it is..."

"Why don't you use that phone you just had to have Mr. Smart Man" Uh. A setup.

"Good Idea..."

So I whip out the phone, open up Google Maps and hit the "Locate Me" button. It zeroes in on us and I locate where we are (I could have just typed in the name of the place, but this is more fun). I then tell it to plot directions between us and Port Townsend.

Three minutes and 10 seconds have gone by, and I look up at my wife:

"It's about an hour according to Google - lemme see how long it takes to get back to Redmond" and I add another destination to our route.

After all is said and done, we realize that we'd be on the road that day a total of 3.5 hours - way too much for this sunny day. So we decide to stay right where we are and take it easy - Port Townsend can wait for another day. Wife acknowledges that the phone just saved the day, and I order another Mac And Jacks.

 

This Really Happened Too.
The phone is so damn sexxy - but it's almost too damn sexxy. If you're not careful it can slide right out of your hand on hurt itself on the ground. I did this, and it sucked. I almost cried. No, I did cry. Actually I bawled my eyes out and begged for digital forgiveness.

It didn't work. My phone was hurt. My ineptitude caused a small crack down by the only button on the screen, and it evidently dislodged my antenna. Ouch. At least there's no blood :(.

I took the phone into the Apple Store in San Jose when we were there for Christmas and told the guy what I did and asked if they could repair it. I told him I loved the phone so much I was ready to buy two more just in case I dropped one. He smiled, said "hold on one second" and went in the back.

When he came back he had a nice new phone in his right hand, in his left was my old phone and my SIM card. "This should only take a minute" he says and proceeds to move all the contents from my old phone to this new one.

"Merry Christmas" he says as he hands my my new phone.

"How much?" I ask.

"Nada - you're all set".

My knees buckled a bit and I think I literally started to cry (again... these things are emotional...). He just gave me a free phone, over the counter, as a replacement. No whining or begging - heck I didn't even ask for this! It was my fault! I need to pay some kind of pennance!

"Go have some ice cream - you're good to go" he tells me with a smile. Good grief.

Just try walking into your phone store and telling them you dropped your phone. Then tell them you'll buy two of them. I'm going to bet that the last thing they do is offer to replace your phone for free.

 

This Really Happened, Three
Last month (January) I was back in Redmond for work and it was Phil's birthday, and he invited me out with his family and friends (how very nice!). So I head over to Mercer Island where he's living these days and we hop in their family car (Cody has got to be the cutest kid, outside of my own, that I've ever seen) and head out to Seattle which is about 30 minutes away.

Well, normally 30 minutes. Tonight the Sonics are playing and our exit is packed with cars. Traffic is ridiculous and we quickly realize that we're going to miss dinner entirely - so I tell Phil to drive on, we'll find a back way.

I take out my phone and zero in on where I am, and Akumi (Phil's wife) takes out her map. We start pitching Phil directions and before you know it we're almost there. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but the place we're going is evidently located in another dimension and only phase-shifts to our reality every Wednesday - cause we just can't find it.

Akumi finally tosses the map in frustration - but I zero in on us and find where we are, and then find a "back" way to get there (cause Phil has missed the stree we needed to turn down - not his fault - it was hard to see!).

We make it - 40 minutes late but we made it. Cody's still happy, Phil is a little frazzled, and Akumi is a champ. I'm giggling because digital (my phone) beat analog (the map).


Do You Need This Thing?
No. Your life isn't about the gadgets you own (or so people tell me) - but if you do need a phone, I always tell people that the iPhone has done what no other phone has ever done: pull through in the clutch.

My wife always jokes about it, but every phone I've ever had with any kind of internet connectivity or email access somehow manages to crap on me when I need it. This is either through a functional issue or just that the feature plain sucks.

Not the iPhone. What it does it does very well. It doesn't have Exchange support - but I don't care about that. It does have IMAP support and it's really, really fast. I told it my GMail address and was hooked up within 90 seconds. When I'm not around my PC I forward various email to my GMail account and I'm always in touch.

I can't tell you how much fun YouTube is, especially waiting in the airport with nothing to do, or when you're just "sitting around". My wife calls it the "Can Phone". I'll leave that one right there - but you get the idea :).

But, to me, the best part about the whole thing is the screen. I know it may sound silly and sappy  but when I'm away on trips, I really really miss my kids. I have their photos and some movies on the phone, and the screen is so big, bright and clear that I can see their smiles that much clearer.

I know, but those of you who have kids and travel know precisely what I'm talking about. This, to me, is the killer feature and makes the extra cost of the phone worth every penny.

Finally - the phone is just a computer with a big button and two small ones. There's a lot you can do there software-wise, and new features have already been rolled into the firmware. A new phone is, literally, a rev of the OS. I don't need new hardware (I hope) - I get new features when they send out an update. This has already happened with iTunes - I can download songs right to my phone from iTunes, which, believe it or not, has come in handy (my wife called me in Redmond and told me about the new Radiohead album. I was at the airport - I downloaded it right there and listened to it all the way home. Clutch...).

So no - need is not a word you should use with a phone. But this phone, so far, has saved 4 dinners, one very nice day in Seattle, a broken network (I ordered a part from the airport and had it ready when I landed), and has pulled through in the clutch countless times. I haven't ever really been able to say that about a phone. Ever. Until now.

Robz avatar
Robz says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Too bad this phone is GSM only. GSM doesn't work so well in never never land where the wife's family lives. :D

Rick Strahl avatar
Rick Strahl says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I hate gadgets, and I really, really dislike Apple as a company and I've even talked crap about the whole hype of the iPhone. But my phone is dying and I need a new one and I'm pretty tempted to get an iPhone after looking around at other phones. I've looked around and the things you mention - the internet connectivity and UI that actually is usable for browsing and decent email support are the things that have sucked on every phone I've ever owned, especially the Windows Mobile ones like my current one. Service pricing is reasonable too - heck I pay more now for shittier service with AT&T. WM's email UI sucks royally, and the browser - well it sucks even worse to the point that other than a few wind update pages I have bookmarked and that are phone optimized I don't use it even though I have access. I'm tempted, but I'm holding out as long as I can hoping that some of the other phone vendors will eventually get hip and produce something that can at least compete.

Craig avatar
Craig says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
It sounds like google maps is really what you love - I have the same software on my blackberry curve and it has saved me just as many times - I think we owe google a big thanks however I will agree that the iphone is a lot sexier than this stupid berry :) I will get one when they full sync with exchange ;)

Justin Etheredge avatar
Justin Etheredge says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
It is pretty funny that you wrote this post, because just last night I was on my way home from work and my wife told me that she needed to make Jambalaya for some themed party she is going to tomorrow night. She was out and I was near a grocery store, but I didn't have a Jambalaya recipe. I didn't want to drive home, get a recipe, and then drive back out to the store. So, I whipped out the iPhone, went to allrecipes.com and had a recipe for Jambalaya in about 30 seconds. While it really didn't "save the day" or anything, it is an excellent example of how technology actually made my life easier and not harder. Let me also say that I am no Apple fanboy, this phone and an iPod are the only pieces of Apple hardware that i have ever owned, but I am not ashamed to say that I do love this phone.

Scott S. avatar
Scott S. says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Rob, I've got an Agent18 Eco Shield hard case for the iPhone which I would highly recommend if you like to carry it in your pocket. Since it's not rubber, it slides in and out of your pocket quickly and there's no front cover to struggle with. If you put it in your pocket upside down, you can press the button to turn it on as you're grabbing it. I totally agree with the fascination of the iPhone. I've bought many windows mobile phones/pocket pc's. I always wished they were a bit easier to use and worked more as advertised. Then I bought an iPhone and never looked back. Everything is so polished and so well thought out. My only complaint is that every now and then I would like to copy and paste something but it's not that often so it's not a big deal. Everything else is just sweet and it just works. Rick, Buy one. You won't regret it. Both, Thanks for contributing so much good information on your blogs!

Chad Lee avatar
Chad Lee says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I was going to get an iPhone, but I couldn't justify the lack of features (no gps or 3G) with the price. I ended up getting a Tilt with Windows Mobile 6 and I am thrilled with it. I have Google Maps on it (which has come in handy numerous times as yours has), but since I also have GPS, I can zero in on my exact position within 6 feet - something you can't do with the iPhone. Secondly, I have my entire windows media library synched with the phone (via a 8GB microSD expansion card). Its everything I wanted and more out of a phone. Of course, nothing can beat the iPhone interface, though. And the iPhone touch screen is probably a little more advanced. But, I am very happy with my phone and got way more features for $100 less. Just saying, there are other great phones out there. Don't always trust the hype.

Josh Stodola avatar
Josh Stodola says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I was very surprised to hear that they replaced your iPhone so painlessly after you broke it. I would have guessed the iPhone to be expensive to get, expensive to keep, and expensive to replace. Two out of three is better than I thought! I won't be getting an iPhone because I think the touch-screen idea is a joke. I need to use my phone without having to stare at it like some kind of mental patient.

Lance Fisher avatar
Lance Fisher says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Replacing your phone for free - that's awesome! Those are the kinds of things that turn customers into fans. I really would like one of those phones, but service is so expensive through another carrier. We don't have AT&T in Montana. I've pretty much lost all hope of my cell phone being something other than a calling device. I can't even get my Motorola to talk to the computer without BUYING their drivers.

Stuart Allen avatar
Stuart Allen says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
My contract with Verizon is up in March... I told my wife if they come out with a 3G 32GB version I would be switching over to get one... I'm half way there.

D'Arcy from Winnipeg avatar
D'Arcy from Winnipeg says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Rob, you need to tell them the rest of that iPhone replacement story. "I took the phone into the Apple Store in San Jose when we were there for Christmas and told the guy what I did and asked if they could repair it. I told him I loved the phone so much I was ready to buy two more just in case I dropped one. I then proceeded to mention that I was a close and personal friend with D'Arcy from Winnipeg. He smiled, said “hold on one second” and went in the back." ... "'Merry Christmas...any friend of D'Arcy's is a friend of Apple!' he says as he hands my my new phone." And I was totally serious when I said you don't have to name your next child after me. D

Elmar avatar
Elmar says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Oh god, I am probably the only one that rejected an iPhone for a WM6 phone. I was so wrong and I deeply regret (as you can read here http://aerobis.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/the-windows-mobile-experience/ ).

Shawn Oster avatar
Shawn Oster says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I have a deep, ingrained dislike for the whole Apple fanboy snobbishness and so while I'm not against Apple as a concept I tend to throw up just a little whenever someone gushes about their products or I have to suffer through yet another of those horrifically FUD filled Apple commercials. That said after I tried to help my wife with her WM6 phone I will firmly plant my fork in Windows Mobile and declare it done, dead and utterly burnt to a crisp by the awesomeness of the iPhone. The iPhone is like a little slice of future sent back to keep Sarah Conner alive as well as kept up-to-date on the latest YouTube happenings. The only reason I don't own one is because Verizion just gets much better coverage here in Denver and I can't bare to have crappy cell phone reception all over again, even for a good looking gadget like the iPhone. Ahh Verizion, how silly do you feel now turning away Apple when they came knocking. How well does it work in Hawaii by the way?

Tom Lynch avatar
Tom Lynch says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Elmar - you aren't alone. I chose a the Sprint Mogul over an iPhone and I couldn't be happier. I love when iPhone users get excited about having the limited version if YouTube and I have the entire site. While I'll admit the iPhone is sexier than my WM6 device. I still haven't seen anything it can do that I can't. I have however seen plenty it can't do. I imagine this will change once they open up to 3rd party developers.

Ben avatar
Ben says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I just got one a month ago and I totally agree: "iPhone has done what no other phone has ever done: pull through in the clutch" I originally bought a Blackberry Curve and that lasted for about 2 days until I returned it and bought the iPhone for $300 more dollars. It was worth every penny!

david avatar
david says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
“Nada - you’re all set”. Blimey, it took me over a dozen calls a few years ago to get an iMac repaired while it was still under warranty!

Shawn Oster avatar
Shawn Oster says:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
@Tom Lynch Just to clarify the reason the iPhone rocks so hard isn't because of how it stacks up in a feature matrix, because as you correctly point out it's missing a whole slew of love in a lot of areas that other smartphones/PDA have had for years... it's in how it implements the options that it does have. If you like to tinker and discover all the little nooks and crannies of your phone, if you know where to grab the latest patch or how to update the firmware then a WM device will probably always be more powerful and more functional yet if you want an A-grade experience right out of the box and a product that you can toss the manual away then the iPhone kills any Windows Mobile device I've ever used or seen. It's painful to watch smartphone neophytes try to figure out how to do the most basic things on Windows Mobile yet complete Luddites are pretty much up and rocking on an iPhone in minutes, making phone calls, sending e-mails, viewing pictures and surfing the web. For the average person they are more productive faster and probably don't even realize what they're missing by way of features.

Mike avatar
Mike says:
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Rob, Ditto on the iPhone... I too am a gadget freak and the iPhone is simply amazing, You really have to have one to appreciate it. I bought one for my fiancee first and mine a month later eliminating all Wife Acceptance Factor issues :) Ditto on Apple and the support, simply amazing, we had to do a return by mail, they even send a paperclip in a little baggie to get the simm card out, everything was next day / saturday delivery and I was BLOWN AWAY by there support. First time I started considering an MBP for a new Vista Dev Box.

Jeff avatar
Jeff says:
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Rob, unrelated to iPhone comment: - I think you were just off the "ferry" not the "fairy" :-)

david avatar
david says:
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Hi Rob, really off topic, but i'm subscribed to your blog so we're more or less mates... do you know anywhere I can get info and tuts on MVC in asp.net using VB? cheers dude!

david avatar
david says:
Monday, February 18, 2008
Everybody makes a big deal about the cost, but the voice data plan on ATT is cheaper than with other phones. So a $200 Blackberry costs you more over 2 years than does an Iphone.

Tom avatar
Tom says:
Monday, February 18, 2008
If the iPhone was on Verizon, I would own it. I don't care how good it is. I will not switch to AT&T. sigh...

Syl20 avatar
Syl20 says:
Monday, March 10, 2008
Hello all from Montreal, Canada. Well.... I finally bit the "apple"! My very first Apple gadget arrived this morning. A 16Gb iphone, "unlocked" from the AT&T network... it worked right out of the box with Rogers Wireless (All LEGAL). I will be able to use it with any GSM network in the world, whenever the need arises. I've owned Motorola Razor, 3 Blackberries (latest one purchased 6 weeks ago)... YES, I am (or should I now say WAS) a cell phone addict. I had done a little bit of research on Apple's web site, watched the videos on how it works... blah blah blah... so, I opened the box, plugged it in and started using it within 2 hours. Here's my take on my very first (probably only) Apple product: - WOW... touch screen; way cool - navigating the icons and learning what it all did: a breeze - since I don't subscribe to EDGE, I connected to my Wi-Fi at home.... and surfed the net. - very well designed phone (but worries about how the glass face will look like in 6 mths / 1 year??? we'll see) Ok, for the "not so positive" points that "I" personally had/have trouble with: - you MUST use iTunes to put music/videos etc... into the iPhone. (either the iTunes store or the free software download). - sync'ing my PC.... I've got GBs worth of music/videos, that I didn't do the scan when iTunes offered it. Now, importing music into the phone is NOT very user friendly, like opening up windows explorer and copy/paste or dragging songs I want into the appropriate iPhone folders! - Flash application... iPhone DOES NOT DO Flash. Many website I visit/use, have Flash on them... without it, I'm S.O.L. Youtube... well, they've got their own app on the phone to access them, so... I'll experiment more. - SIM cards.... I'm used to (with other phones) to put in my SIM card, and have the phone copy/import my contacts saved on the SIM card (same with same SMS msgs)... no can do on the iPhone (maybe I have discovered it yet, but seeing how everyting is very user friendly... and spending today learning/exploring the iPhone... nowhere can I do that. So, I had to enter all my contacts from my SIM manually. This is not even the end of day 1 with my new iPhone, and must admit: I LOVE IT! Will I buy yet another smart phone in the near future? I doubt it very much. I will explore more of this marvel, and will get to test it later this month in Tokyo as well as Zurich, Switzerland... so, I'll see how well it works there too. Will update at later date. If in doubt about this phone.... don't be! Take it from someone who's NEVER owned an Apple hardware ever in over 18 yrs of computing. Syl


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Hi! My name is Rob Conery and I work at Microsoft. I am the Creator of SubSonic and was the Chief Architect of the Commerce Starter Kit (a free, Open Source eCommerce platform for .NET)

I live in Kauai, HI with my family, and when my clients aren't looking, I sometimes write things on my blog (giving away secrets of incalculable value).