BlackBerry or Iphone? Or maybe something else?

[MASTERforge]

I don't think I can afford the full packaged one so would probably go for an unlocked version. Or I could upgrade my mobile and get an Ipod touch.

Upgrading my mobile and getting an Ipod touch looks like a sensible option as I don't want to thinking about getting locked out of my £300 Iphone when the next update comes along.

Besides, as a phone they are pretty crappy from what I have read?

[Mark H]

Unlocked very dangerous IMO. I'm getting 600 talk minutes per month (including other mobiles) and UNLIMITED data for £35 a month - compare that with other phone tariffs if you use a lot of data. I paid £269 for the iPod element of the iPhone and the wow factor. the rest of it was free

PS it's not the best phone in the world, but the other features more than compensate.

[RuralWeb]

you are mad to get unlocked IMO you may as well throw the money down the drain. The phone is just as good as any I have ever had and with the current packages it cheap certainly cheaper than vodfone by a long shot

[parklifeclothes]

Whatever you do, don't get a N95, I've had nothing but trouble and if you look at the forums most will agree the thing's a nightmare. Battery life is around a day (vodafone supplied a spare, but still useless) when you disable all the functions you are probably buying it for, it repeatedly locks up and the camera ain't too hot either, so I can't wait to be out of contract and have myself an iphone.

[MASTERforge]

Madness is what I thought.

I don't warrant a monthly contact like the Iphone. So I will probably go with the Ipod Touch and get a PAYG phone, see how it goes.

[fergusw]

Whatever you do, don't get a N95

HMm - as a current vodafone contracted customer I was looking at the N95 (or N96 when it's out) as I had heard it was the best alternative to an iPhone. Thanks for the heads-up from a users perspective.

So, it's either jump through hoops, # change etc, to move to O2 for iPhone or keep ferreting around for a suitable alternative.

[george]

HMm - as a current vodafone contracted customer

Fergus, my contacts run out at the end of next month. Just discussed one of my contracts and they've offered to make the £25 pm contract (125 any time any network minutes with STC, and 1000 texts) only a tenner a month if I dont take a new handset. This can be upgraded again if a suitable handset can be found.

[fergusw]

only a tenner a month if I dont take a new handset. This can be upgraded again if a suitable handset can be found.

Excellent George - great news. I'll bear that in mind come renewal time.
My wee phone is still working fine so a massive slash in price would be nice. The iPhone appeals to the gadget freak in me, and it looks nice, but when you have it stuck to your head talking you can't see it anyway

[NicolaUK]

I've never used a phone as much as I do my iPhone - best phone evah™

Like most things Apple, it just works

[Tickle]

Rumour mill reckons the 3G iPhone will be out in the next month or two. All UK and US stock has ran out for the current iPhone so it can't be long. They've found version 3 of the software has a 3G on/off software switch so it's looking likely.

Version 2 of the software will have push emails if you use their .mac account.

If it's got GPS (also expected) and a better resolution camera then it will be hard to beat.

Can't wait to ditch the cumbersome UI and really buggy P990i.

[gabrielcrowe]

i'v had all of the above phones.

I settled for a Blackberry, and an eeepc.

you can use the BBcurve to make calls, a feature it was designed for, and the eeepc for your internet, a feature it was designed for,

DONT think that the iphone's browser is as good as a desktop browser, you'd be mistaken to think you'd get any mobile browser to work the 'real' interweb. OperaMini is close, but not quite there either. With a curve on mobile broadband, connected via bluetooth or usb, and your eeepc with firefox, you're onto a winning combo.

several of my customers use a very similar setup for Actinet.

[RuralWeb]

the problem as always is everyone wants something different. IMO the iPhone is the dogs bollocks but it does have a problem with email overseas ie it costs a fortune so for five weeks when I'm away I will be using a blackberry for email and the iPhone or the apple air I'm playing with in the apple shop for internet access on wifi. Its horses for courses and next week it will all have changed again so there will never be the perfect solution.

I've heard that one of the plans for iPhone is a dual screen front and back so you can browser by touching the back rather than doing it all on the front. Great it doubles the chance of smashing the screen

[pinbrook]

but it does have a problem with email overseas ie it costs a fortune so for five weeks when I'm away I will be using a blackberry for email

When i travel, push email on BB costs me a couple of quid a month cos i go over quota by a small bit.

i use an unlocked 3g/gprs data card with local sim card for internet

Its horses for courses and next week it will all have changed again so there will never be the perfect solution.

quite true - the key is to buy with your current need satisfied, knowing that next time the solution will be diiferent.

My blackberry contract was only 12 months, and already i'm looking at the market to see what i will replace it with - 6 months in!

Roll on the day when all country barriers are lifted, ie no global roaming charges

I'd love to go totally 3g so i cover all laptops and locations with one solution, but where i currently am based there is no 3g signal (North Devon). but i have to admit i now use BT FON and this has got me out of a few holes recently.

[gabrielcrowe]

horses for courses

you're bang on the money.

i love the sony erricson range of phones. but sadly, some of them are tech-crap. they favour shiny spangly bits over real substance, but their OS/gui is a masterpiece., even from a programming perspective, the gui sdk is beautiful.

if i needed to run an essential java enterprise app, i'd choose the SE, or a blackberry.

but most of the time, its connectivity. almost all phones support a browser of some kind. the iPhone browser is the best on the market at the moment, but still falls short of desktop quality (something it'll never have).

i'll never find the right phone for me. something else is always cooler.

[NormanRouxel]

Unlocked / Jailbroke iPhone for me. I'm abroad nearly half the year and it would be an iPaperweight without the ability to use a local SIM.

Jailbreaking adds the capability for lots of useful apps. Fring and VNsea being just two I use. Remote controlling my 1600x1200 desktop from the iPhone is a hoot.

PS and an EeePC of course. Just got a 9 "screen / XP one and it runs Actinic fine.