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Get the iPhone or Not?

Adrian Lane May 7, 2009 4 Comments

It’s kind of Apple Day here. Rich has been stuck in a ‘Genius Bar’ time warp all morning with a handful of dead Mac minis (Probably died from processor envy when the new Mac Pro arrived). Despite the recession, if you lose your appointment slot, you are going to be waiting a long time, as the AZ Apple stores are always packed. I would gladly have switched places with him, as I have spent all morning trying to decipher alien runes AT&T iPhone pricing plans. My cell phone provider, QuestQwest, is dropping all its cellular services and I now need two new phones. I thought this would be an easy decision as everyone I know seems to have an iPhone. Most people I know in the security profession have had their iPhones for a year or more and they love them. They really like to show off their eye-candy apps and what a powerful mobile computer the iPhone really is. But if 95% of your use is going to be phone calls, is it worth it? As bad as the AT&T pricing is, the real issue is service. AT&T coverage and clarity sucks, or SUCKS, depending upon where in the country you live. I get phone calls from from friends and associates, usually someone I know who has some comment about how my recent blog post demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge, and I should really have done my homework prior to posting. And that person is really smart and is probably making really compelling arguments, but it comes across as a small child making motorboat noises while facing away from the phone. I can’t help myself and laugh out loud. My laughter and saying “Dude!” really pisse them off, but the it is really hard to hear! And this is just the Securosis side of things. My wife and I drive lots of places where a clear connection is critical, and might have a life-threatening need to reach out and speak to someone who can help. In cases like this, a cool gadget loses every time to a reliable call. I love all the Apple products I have purchased and will seriously consider the iPhone. But AT&T is not Apple, and when it comes down to it, service is the bulk of what I am paying for. I was really hoping the rumored Verizon branded iPhone Nano would happen as I could get the Apple product and have good coverage. I have been cruising Mac Rumors every day to see what’s new. We’ll see. There is a rumor that AT&T is dropping prices, which is nice, but Verizon is running a 2 for 1 sale on Blackberrys, which is even more compelling. I have another month or two of service before I have to make a decision, by which time the new iPhones should be out, and then I will make the decision. Share:

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