Review: iPhone 3g
It's no secret, I'm totally addicted to my iPhone. Couldn't live without it, really. So when the new 3g version came out and I didn't immediately line up to get one, a lot of people were surprised.
Truth be told, the major upgrade wasn't actually to the phone itself, but rather to the software that the phone could run; the new "2.0" iPhone software was a major step forward in what the phone could be used for. And because the original phone ran this new software just fine, you could enjoy this major upgrade without buying the new phone.
There were two things that pushed me over the edge: The first is that the 3g phone has actual GPS built in, and there is an application that tracks you while you jog or run, and tells you how far you went. As I am training for a half marathon, this was of particular interest to me. Second, you can get $400 for an original phone in good condition on Ebay, which would pay for the new phone plus a few month's worth of more expensive service. So early this week, I lined up at the Apple store at 8am, and about an hour later walked out with a white 16 gig iPhone 3g.
Basically, the new phone is exactly what I expected. Several "nice to have" but not totally groundbreaking features. It's nice to have 3x faster web browsing; it's nice to have real GPS, it's nice to have a real headphone jack, it's nice to have the phone not buzz when placed next to speakers. But I would have gotten by just fine without those things. So, if you can get a good price for your old phone and don't mind paying $15 extra per month, then go ahead and upgrade. Otherwise, if you're happy with your current iPhone, stay put- you're really not missing that much.
Truth be told, the major upgrade wasn't actually to the phone itself, but rather to the software that the phone could run; the new "2.0" iPhone software was a major step forward in what the phone could be used for. And because the original phone ran this new software just fine, you could enjoy this major upgrade without buying the new phone.
There were two things that pushed me over the edge: The first is that the 3g phone has actual GPS built in, and there is an application that tracks you while you jog or run, and tells you how far you went. As I am training for a half marathon, this was of particular interest to me. Second, you can get $400 for an original phone in good condition on Ebay, which would pay for the new phone plus a few month's worth of more expensive service. So early this week, I lined up at the Apple store at 8am, and about an hour later walked out with a white 16 gig iPhone 3g.
Basically, the new phone is exactly what I expected. Several "nice to have" but not totally groundbreaking features. It's nice to have 3x faster web browsing; it's nice to have real GPS, it's nice to have a real headphone jack, it's nice to have the phone not buzz when placed next to speakers. But I would have gotten by just fine without those things. So, if you can get a good price for your old phone and don't mind paying $15 extra per month, then go ahead and upgrade. Otherwise, if you're happy with your current iPhone, stay put- you're really not missing that much.
posted by Matt at 8:42 PM
0 comments
