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Technology: iPhones now cheaper, but are they for everybody?(Omaha World-Herald (NE) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jul. 6--In the realm of technology, fast and cheap don't often intersect. Budget computers are rarely capable of much more than e-mail and Internet browsing, and high-speed systems are rarely in the neighborhood of cheap. But when Apple's newest iPhone, a touch-screen wonder-device, is released Friday, fast and cheap may yet combine forces -- though with a caveat. The initial outlay will be hundreds less than last year's original iPhone, but AT&T's monthly data plan will rise by $10, and text messaging is no longer included free. Some current AT&T customers will pay more for the phone, depending on how much of their original contract remains. If you've been eyeing an iPhone over the last year, here are a few things to keep in mind before you call in sick and get in line. 3G network AT&T's 3G network, which offers a high-speed wireless data connection, won't be operational in Omaha and Lincoln until later this year. The new iPhone will work on AT&T's slower EDGE network, though the new phone's Internet features will be limited. Being tied to AT&T, whose service in eastern Nebraska is spotty, has likely hampered iPhone sales in the area. Currently, the closest operational 3G network is in the Kansas City area. App Store While most features of the new iPhone mirror the previous version, a new software package will include App Store. For the past year, developers have been programming applications designed for iPhone use, and App Store lets you browse the offerings and purchase them anywhere. They include games, productivity software and social networking. Applications download directly to the phone and are instantly functional. Maps The new phone has a Global Positioning System chip, effectively eliminating the need for a stand-alone navigation system. When the phone is out of the line of sight by GPS satellites, it can pinpoint a location using Wi-Fi or cellular signals. That's not as accurate as true GPS, but it's better than being lost. iPod/iTunes The pricing difference for the two new models -- $199 for 8GB (gigabyte) and $299 for 16GB -- is due to different storage capacities. The 8GB model can store approximately 2,000 songs or up to eight hours of video. If photos are your thing, around 7,000 can fit on the 8GB model. Double everything for the 16GB version. With Wi-Fi or wireless, the iTunes mobile store is available. You can purchase songs and videos and download them directly to your iPhone. When plugged into your computer, purchased items automatically load into iTunes. Cost Last year, the iPhone was $599 for the 8GB model and $499 for 4GB. Prices were cut by $200 a few months later. A 3G model is even less expensive. AT&T subsidized the phone this time around, paying a reported $350 per handset, to get the price down. Don't cry for AT&T, though -- your monthly bill of at least $70 ($40 calling plan plus required $30 data plan for two years) will pay for the subsidy in less than a year. Many people pay more than $50 for wireless service to begin with, so a few dollars extra for an iPhone doesn't seem like a tough sell. But because of Nebraska's current lack of 3G service, consider whether $30 is worth a data plan that might not be used to its full potential. Then there are the extras. There's a $35 activation fee. Text messaging is extra. Current iPhone users and AT&T customers eligible for a phone upgrade will pay an $18 upgrade fee. Current AT&T customers who aren't yet eligible for a phone upgrade will pay $399 or $499 for the phone. Touch screen Most "smartphones" -- the broad name given to phones with Internet functionality -- and an increasing number of standard phones have a full QWERTY keyboard tucked somewhere into the hardware. This is a small type pad that is laid out like a computer keyboard and speeds data entry. There's a full keyboard on the iPhone, but it is all touch-based. It works just like a button-based keyboard but without the tactile feedback. For some users, that's a huge problem. It might be a good idea to play with both keyboards before lightening your wallet. Camera The original iPhone's 2 megapixel camera is back (it's on the rear of the handset), much to the chagrin of mobile photo-snappers. Given the one-year advance in other technologies, many on Apple-related Internet message boards have derided the new iPhone's "old" camera and lack of video-shooting capability. Early rumors tied to the new device featured two cameras -- one on the back for photos and another on the face for video conferencing. Maybe next time? Surfing Despite the iPhone's 3.5-inch screen, the Internet looks much the same as on a standard computer. The iPhone's touch-based input can zoom in on areas of interest, and moves to landscape (horizontal) mode when turned on its side. To see more of the Omaha World-Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.omaha.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Omaha World-Herald, Neb. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |