- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 581 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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47 out of 53 people found this review helpful
2.0 stars
"Revolutionary, but fatally flawed"
Pros: UI, screen, app store, makes you look cool
Cons: Unreliable, totally unacceptable as a business device
Summary: I am trying to be completely unbiased here. I am a Microsoft alumni, but I also think that Apple is taking over the world with some truly amazing and innovative products. I was open-minded when I purchased the new 3G iPhone, and I truly wanted to fall in love with it. But I am afraid it is going back to the Apple Store tomorrow. Read on...
Here is the synopsis - it is exactly what I thought it would be. It is the ideal Consumer device. It has awesome toys and gadgets and the "cool factor" is through the roof. You can control your iTunes library on your Mac or PC from your iPhone. It will tell you what song is playing on the radio. You can (sort of) watch videos on YouTube. (Just make sure you are on the 3G network and have a lot of patience). It syncs to Wi-Fi networks with ease. You can download hundreds of cool Apps and games.
This is the ultimate time-killer in class or the airport. It is absolutely, positively the most innovative product to hit the Mobile phone market since the invention of the handheld cell phone.
But....
The iPhone is unacceptably unreliable, has a miserable keyboard, the SMS messaging only works about 25% of the time, the Activesync locks up regularly, you can't edit meeting requests in your calendar, and so on.
Somehow it slows down and requires constant reboots (Remember Windows 95?) It is stuck to AT&T's very consumer-oriented network and the coverage is lackluster. The Exchange integration is weak, particularly in comparison to the Blackberry and Windows Mobile devices. You can do all sorts of things with those that you just can't do with the iPhone. I tried to update a meeting request with a new time - fuggataboutit! It was easy as pie on my Blackberry, cant even do it on the iPhone.
Want to change the alert for your email? Cant do it. You have one alert option and you absolutely will NOT hear it. Want to quickly look and see if you have any new messages? Cant do it. (You have to press the unlock button and slide the unlock slider to see if you have an email. Hardly efficient). Want to setup different alerts for different email accounts so you can tell if that alert is your boss or your buddy forwarding you another stupid joke? Cant do it. There is only one alert for everything. Want to setup different profiles (ie like on the Blackberry) with different alerts? Cant do it. Also, the vibrate feature is unnoticeable even in your tightest slim-fit jeans pocket and the ringers are not very loud even on the loudest setting. Finally, the battery life is so bad it is almost embarrassing for Apple. If you have Activesync enabled you will not make it through one day without a charge; even with no voice usage.
In other words it is completely and totally inexcusable as a Business-oriented device. No business or power user should ever, ever consider this a true "smart phone". If you need to be looked at as the coolest, hippest, cutting-edge, Coldplay-listening geek - this is for you. If you need something that is reliable, go elsewhere.
- 14 replies to this review
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I have used iPhones for 18 months, and been involved with technology 40 years, in a law office where Microsoft predominates and where we field some 3000 emails a day. The iPhones work fine, none of us would switch. People who don't like the phones seem to champion one way of doing things, have no patience with cutting edge technology, and decide that no matter what Apple does they just don't like the upstart. Yet most of those who get used to the keyboard never want to go back to the old ways. If you are willing to put some effort into it, the iPhone is one of the best devices ever designed and implemented, for business and home.
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As a business user and business owner of a software engineering company I totally disagree with this review. First off, the iPhone's keyboard is superior to all the Blackberry keyboards I have ever owned. Period. Keyboards are a subjective thing and I love the keyboard on the iPhone. End of story there. You can kept your clunky crumb and dust-catcher physical keyboards -- I will never go back after using a virtual keyboard.
Email. Works flawlessly with full exchange support. I manage Seven different accounts on my iPhone.
You can totally edit meeting requests. What are you talking about?
Speed is fast, phone does lock up on rare occasions but they all do.
Battery life is fine. I have two iPhones, original iPhone on one number and a 3G on a second. The original iPhone battery still provides a decent charge after two years of daily use.
Very different experience than this user. -
@ DVSD91, what the **** are you talking about! blackberry has better call quality then the iphone, and you can edit calender events in more ways then the iphone can. in terms of picture and video quality, yes the iphone has a bigger screen, but my bb has a way sharper resolution and brighter screen. i can take videos/pics with flash, and autofocus with 3.2mp. I own an iphone and a bb 8900 and the 8900 is my phone of choice because its so simple and efficient to use. by the time it takes me to slide the lock and open a message, i could of already opened, typed and sent it on my bb. I agree with everyone else that iphone is a teens phone not a business phone, blackberry has my vote.
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Yeah buy this phone a hundred times because your gonna need it. the battery is unremovable so to have it for years and years your gonna be buying news iphones as soon as the battery is a dud. yeah they say you can exchange it within the one year warranty do you hear! read the manual! The review is spot on! apple didn't raise the bar here! they actually made a ridiculous phone where all other smartphones are way way advanced than this. This is a kids phone!
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In my business, I manager about 10 different email accounts. My iPhone tracks all of them effortlessly. With the number of emails I receive from such a wide variety of people each day, why would I need my phone making noise and beeping me constantly whenever an email comes in. Evidently, you get a lot of emails. Perhaps, since you wrote this review, you have applied the new Apple Software Upgrade for the phone. I did notice a few glitches when I first purchased the phone but Apple has resolved all of my issues with the software upgrade. This phone is truly a great phone and I haven't seen even one on the market that can really compare. Think about this, every time a new phone comes on the market, which phone do they compare it to? Of course, they compare to the iPhone because Apple raised the bar when they made it. Before the iPhone, there was nothing that ever resembled it. I WOULD BUY THIS PHONE A HUNDRED TIMES OVER. I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED IT.
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If the iPhone uses Lithium batteries, DO NOT allow them to fully discharge before charging. lithium does better with shorter "top off" charges than full cycle discharge/charge. Just a FYI that I thought I would mention when i read an earlier post.
I'm trying to decide between the iPhone and the HTC Fuze. Thank you everyone who has commented here about the iPhone. Hopefully one day I'll be able to make up my mind! haha.
Ken. -
Once again a very old review that does not take into account improved OS and firmware. Further, some of the claims here are just not true - it is in fact sooooo easy to check your email (of course you have to unlock it knuclehead, its a touchscreen but you unlock with one easy swoosh of our finger - how tuff is that?), the vibration mode works great, when compared to other 3G phones, the battery life is excellent, it DOES NOT require constant reboots,in fact it is extremely stable (to compare it to windows 95 is a total insult and false claim) etc. etc. etc.
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You are right on, it's a great toy & I find myself using it all the time...however!
This is the worst phone I have ever owned, it drops calls all of the time! Yes I have updated it. I have found myself accepting the lack of sms & dropped calls because I like the apps. O well I'm a sucker -
this was really helpful. i had a blackjack and now have a blackjack ii. i was considering an iphone but the people that i know that love their iphones are teachers, physicians, students...not in a situation where the priority is business email usability. i'll hold off on my next purchase for now. thanks!
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Lets talk all other phones on the market, windows 6.X is horrible, exploitable never seems to sync with the SAME PC. It crashes to the point where you have to start from scratch and re add everything. Next up RIM, if you a waste of skin pretend phone user get a blackberry. Most webpages do not load, or are the kiddie mobile pages. While I admit the newest BB are getting better they are for e-mail only users that do not like phone quality, music, picture quality, video quality, calender editing etc. The symbian OS is just as bad Nokia is trying to get it fixed but is having a ruff time. Finally we have Android, this will eventually be the gold standard but it needs some work.
I hope this helps, just remember what ever phone, or electronic device you have the battery will keep long charges if you let it FULLY DISCHARGE everytime. YOU ARE NOT TO IMPORTANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOUR PHONE FOR A SHORT TIME. You have left it a home and lived a happy normal life without it.
no char left! -
You had the phone for at most 3 weeks and figured all this stuff out? It sounds like you bought the phone simply toprove a point. I use mine everyday all the time and while I find many of your points valid, I read alot of bellyaching in it. By the way, I listen to Pink Floyd on my iPhone, and it sounds great.
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When I want reliability, I use my Blackberry. When I want a fun user experience, personal life usability, and an all-in-one device for life - I use my iPhone. I don't think that Apple has ever marketed the iPhone as a business-centric device. Yes, it can get mail from Exchange servers, and view attachments - but anyone who has used a Blackberry knows that won't cut it on the business side. I'm glad that I can separate my business and personal phones. I'm not sure I'd like my iPhone as much if my boss were calling and emailing me on it all the time!!
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Thanks for the heads up!
I found this review to be absolutely helpful and you, my friend, have indeed saved me from a catastrophic mistake! My anatomy of a cell phone does include web capability, music and video playing and, of course, game playing. However, battery life and work related necessities are a must and since the iphone seems to be geared around the cool and fun, the iphone just isn't for me.
I will still use my ipod for those times when I want to rock out to some COLDPLAY and continue to look for a better alternative for my cell phone needs.
I have read reviews about this new HTC touch Diamond and I may be swayed to buy it. It offers Windows Mobile 6.1 as the core operating system and 3.2 mega pixel camera.
I've heard many phones boasting to being iphone killers but was never impressed by their product. This phone seems to be in a category all on its own and I am eagerly awaiting its touchdown.
Thanks for the review, Mr. Jobs will not get my $ this time! -
I thought this opinion was a little bias. I could understand a lot of his disliking to the phone but once he mentioned a cold play listening to-geek, I had to fully disagree. I hate cold play and I own an iphone 3G.
I do sometimes feel there are things missing from the iphone but I also remember not being able to back the cursor up on my blackberry 7100 and that was also supposed to be an innovative phone. I would say if you already have an iphone or can't live with out certain
phone abilities like mms than than this phone is not for you. On the other hand if you like haveing the best web browser a cell phone has to offer and an ipod video in one, I would go with it.
Where to buy
Apple iPhone 3G - 16GB, black (AT&T):
$149.99
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