37 replies to this topic

[Adina]

My contract is about to end in late october, and I've been looking for a new phone that would suit me. Blackberries aren't for me, so I decided on the iPhone. Upon researching, i've learned that it has many problems. For example, the "death grip." If you are holding the phone a certain way, you lose signal and might even have your call dropped. Also apparently, the battery is complete shit. I still want it though, despite it's problems.


What do you guys think? Does anyone here even have the iPhone 4?
Would you buy it?


Keep in mind, not everyone is with shitty at&t. I'm Canadian, and I'm planning on sticking with rogers or bell.

[WakaWaka]

I didnt write this but its worth the read haha

1) It’s expensive: Buy the top-of-the-range Blackberry or Android handset and you will still pay a lot less than the extortionate prices Apple charge. If the iPhone weren’t made by Apple, networks would have had to start giving it away on £30 a month tariffs years ago.

2) It’s anti-technology: When the iPhone launched it was cutting edge – now as other manufacturers announce, for instance, that you can use their phones as shareable wifi hot spots, Apple says no. Not because of some spurious “user experience” argument, but because of economics. When will they learn that it’s customers – supply and demand – that should dictate feature availability?

3) No Flash: The iPhone, the phone that promised to put the web into everybody’s pockets, can’t even show you most of it, because it can’t handle Flash graphics. Google Android can, in the latest version (OS 2.2), and it’s going to be available free on a lot of budget tariffs.

4) No multitasking: Tried instant messaging on an iPhone? Oh yes, you have to open the app to see if you’ve got a message. Genius. If Apple announces multitasking next it will be an improvement – but there’ll be no apology for the way it’s treated customers in the past, and no guarantee it won’t behave similarly shoddily in the future.

5) Its battery life is terrible: This isn’t a problem unique to Apple, but look at phones by companies such as HTC – multitasking, better cameras, better screens, all draining their batteries far more – and yet the iPhone, with its undemanding technology, still only offers equal performance.

6) Developing apps for it is costing you money: The special version of the BBC iPlayer, of Natwest Phone Banking, of Eon’s meter reader – developing all of these came out of money that could have been channelled away from a self-important minority and towards more generally useful ideas.

7) It comes with offensively bad headphones: Sit next to somebody using the original iPhone or iPod headphones and you can hear everything they can. It’s another example of Apple charging premium prices, but delivering a dressed up, budget product.

8) It’s not very well designed: Use the iPhone as a phone and it’s not got great reception, nor is it particularly comfortable to use for long periods. It’s a computer that happens to have a phone bolted on – jack of two trades, but master of neither.

9) It charges for satnav: In an age when Nokia and Google Android provide completely free mapping and satnav facilities, the cheapest way you can turn your overpriced iPhone into a satnav is with a £19.99 app. Bargain.

10) Those iPod docks are holding back better technologies: As every hotel increasingly thinks it should provide iPod docks, the momentum behind this technology is only growing. But if it wasn’t for the iPod and iPhone’s ubiquity, there’d be more wifi radios, more new technologies and a range of different options, competing and driving innovation.


Personally though, I think the iphone 4g could be better. Its just that the reception sucks based on my experience using it. Maybe wait for the next batch.
You know steve jobs will do it in a few months.
Case in point, Itouches, Ipods, Iphone 3g...
No use buying the first batch..its useless.

Edited by WakaWaka, 30 August 2010 - 07:40 AM.

[xToxic]

You do lose reception when holding it a certain way, My brother showed me as he has one. So that is a very common and true fault.

But i personally love the i-phones, I say go for it.

[skinnjazz]

personally, i wouldn't waste my money on an iphone, based solely on bad reviews from people i know that own one

[Faval]

Well regarding the death grip issue, they gave a free case to address that. Regarding some flaws such as no flash, you can jailbreak the phone(but it voids the warranty) to get flash supported onto it. New iOS has multitasking, just not that many apps that have multitasking yet but again, jailbreakers have already had multitasking for quite a while now, I have it on my 2nd gen iTouch.

Nothing wrong with an iPhone 4 if you want one but there are other options, and a lot of iphone clones. I'd say if you like having lots of apps, the only thing that rivals the custom apps is droid and those come in many shapes and flavors...and OS versions. The only issue with the droid OS is that Oracle wants part of the pie with their lawsuit.

Edited by Faval, 30 August 2010 - 08:34 AM.

[Hydrogen]

I'm posting this from an iPhone 4. Pretty good in my opinion though it is a bit expensive. But that's what apple makes: luxury products. The polish on the iPhone is far superior to android although android has made hugenleaps in this area as of late. I've had a few dropped calls due to the death grip, but none after I equipped my free case. Got like +10 strength from that.

[Sumgirl]

I have the iPhone 4 and I love it. And you get a free case that corrects the reception issue, and thats any free iphone 4 case not necessarily their tacky "bumpers", I got a full bodied speck case.

[WakaWaka]

I have the iPhone 4 and I love it. And you get a free case that corrects the reception issue, and thats any free iphone 4 case not necessarily their tacky "bumpers", I got a full bodied speck case.

you wont need those if they actually shipped out and sold a functional product.
just tells you how bad they are milking you haha.
Case in point(weak pun i know), wait til they fix this reception issue with another release and buy it then.

[5MGEDOHC]

Well regarding the death grip issue, they gave a free case to address that. Regarding some flaws such as no flash, you can jailbreak the phone(but it voids the warranty) to get flash supported onto it. New iOS has multitasking, just not that many apps that have multitasking yet but again, jailbreakers have already had multitasking for quite a while now, I have it on my 2nd gen iTouch.

Nothing wrong with an iPhone 4 if you want one but there are other options, and a lot of iphone clones. I'd say if you like having lots of apps, the only thing that rivals the custom apps is droid and those come in many shapes and flavors...and OS versions. The only issue with the droid OS is that Oracle wants part of the pie with their lawsuit.

Jailbreaking only voids the warranty if you are a dumbass and send it in Jailbroken
And I would suggest the 3gs like said before the iphone 4 is first of its model so its gonna have problems but the 3gs is the fixed (i want to say perfected but thats over the top) version of the iphone 3g

I also agree about the apps but its very easy to get free apps (pm me or youtube it)

And you can get IMs out of the app it just depends on the app you use (i use IM+ lite) and if it supports push

I personally own a 8gb 2nd gen ipod touch and its awesome (and with it jailbroken i get the ios4 features that werent supposed to be for it )

you wont need those if they actually shipped out and sold a functional product.
just tells you how bad they are milking you haha.
Case in point(weak pun i know), wait til they fix this reception issue with another release and buy it then.

but with pretty much everything a new model of something is bound to have problems

[WakaWaka]

but with pretty much everything a new model of something is bound to have problems

While what you said is true, the basic problem is the reception.
And the product they are trying to sell you is an iPHONE..
at least make sure the phone part is working properly without some case to "fix" the error.

[EzioAuditore]

I say go for the andriod. I've heard better things about it and less problems than people have with the iphone.

[5MGEDOHC]

While what you said is true, the basic problem is the reception.
And the product they are trying to sell you is an iPHONE..
at least make sure the phone part is working properly without some case to "fix" the error.

True and i would pick the android over the iphone anyways:P my friend has that google phone(can remember the name ) and it was pretty kickass

[WakaWaka]

True and i would pick the android over the iphone anyways:P my friend has that google phone(can remember the name ) and it was pretty kickass

Google phone..you mean the nexus one?
I think that's what it was called..It was just released early this year in canada.

[Warriors]

You do lose reception.....BUT Apple gives you a free case that stops this from happening. But yea, Blackberries or the HTC is better than an iphone..I'm thinking about getting rid of my iphone and getting a crackberry.

[5MGEDOHC]

Google phone..you mean the nexus one?
I think that's what it was called..It was just released early this year in canada.

no i think they were called the G1 im not sure though.

[Faval]

Jailbreaking only voids the warranty if you are a dumbass and send it in Jailbroken
And I would suggest the 3gs like said before the iphone 4 is first of its model so its gonna have problems but the 3gs is the fixed (i want to say perfected but thats over the top) version of the iphone 3g
but with pretty much everything a new model of something is bound to have problems

Yeah you would have to be pretty stupid to not find some way to restore your iphone/touch to the original firmware before sending it in to fix. There will definitely be a newer model of the iPhone 4G sooner or later but there's nothing really wrong with the phone if you get the case they give for free.

There are lots of ways to get free apps on your jailbroken iOS device but it's not good to endorse that because developers like money too

I'm thinking about getting rid of my iphone and getting a crackberry.

Hmm...I'm not quite sure why you would want to do something like that, depending on what services you want, it will be even more expensive than an iPhone. I've played with quite a few blackberries before and even helped configure a blackberry enterprise server, it's great in terms of IT since I can remotely wipe your phone and be big brother but other than that, I don't see it being much of a personal phone.

[Freshx]

Dont If you really like the iphone the Iphone 5 comes put july 2011

[ShadowLink64]

To be fair, "4) No multitasking" doesn't apply to iPhone 4, and "7) It comes with offensively bad headphones" definitely applies because I blew mine within two months of getting my phone.

I'd probably get an Android phone next, just to experience something else, though my iPhone 3GS is boatloads better than any other phone I've ever owned.

[Adina]

The signal issue wouldn't be that big of a problem, considering I need a case since I'm constantly dropping everything.
I'm just not sure.

[Adina]

alright... I got the Iphone 4 when it came out... and I'll give you my experiences with it and hopefully it will offer you some insight into your situation.

1) Firstly I'd like to address this "reception" issue. I personally have NEVER had a dropped call from the so called death grip. I have had reduced reception depending on where my hand is... but never lost it completely.. and if you are right handed, from what I hear, it doesn't really effect you. The TRUE flaw with the phone is the fucked up proximity sensor. I find myself CONSTANTLY accidentally muting myself, putting the speaker phone on, or using the keypaad... with my FACE... VERY annoying. However, using the headphones you get with it (they have a mic built into them) you can talk and browse the web/use apps simultaneously without any problems. I'd also like to add that IOS 4.0.2 is supposed to have fix that proximity sensor issue... so it's not a permanent problem.

Now that I've gone over all the flaws I have found in owning an iphone 4 for a couple of months... I absolutely love this phone. It is overall superior to every other phone I've used or seen... I didn't have access to a computer for the past month or two and it has acted as everything I needed. Truly, a computer lite to carry around in your pocket.

The processor is ridiculously fast and with 256MB RAM in a PHONE...it's impressive. I recently tested it vs. my brothers Iphone 3GS and and Iphone 3G, and it is MUCH faster than both. Not only do I have the ability to multitask but each app opens nearly instantly without any lag. The 5.5MP camera takes surprisingly high quality images (outdoors. indoors it takes really good pics for a phone... but compared to a real camera... the lighting seems off). I recently took it down to the coast with me about a month ago and every image is beautiful.

The front face camera is kind of a cool concept anyways. I don't use the facetime function, personally... so it's a nice concept... but that's about it. I have, however, used the front facing camera to use my phone as a "mirror" if you will. Check my hair/teeth, look behind me, etc. it also makes taking photos of yourself a lot easier and it takes good pictures indoors. (never tried using it outdoors)

Now the "retina display", this term is inherently misleading because the amount of pixels your eye can see is highly dependent upon how far away the screen is from you. Tests were done but I can't think of the precise figures... but essentially at the standard 6 inches, it is not higher resolution than the human eye. at something like 3 feet it was... but you don't use your phone 3 feet in front of you. Despite this misleading term, the display is MUCH better than the previous Iphones when you lay them next to each other... and I don't think I've personally come across a phone with a better resolution.

oh! While we are on this subject, the back camera is AMAZING when it comes to recording videos. Your phone will record in 720p definition. Using the back camera as a recorder indoors is still fucking stupidly clear video. It rivals my actual digital camcorder in that department.

I recently broke my iphone 4 (or essentially wiped it of it's firmware and couldn't get any computer to recognize it, therefore) and Apple sent me a new one by FedEx overnight. That kind of a warranty is very reassuring to have. ( I want to make it clear that I definitely fucked the phone up... it wasn't a flaw in the phone) But while my phone was MIA, I realized all the cool things I use my phone for that I didn't have available to me in my pocket at all times.

• Phone
• Camera
• Camcorder
• Scanner
• Ipod
• Radio
• Weather
• News
  Instant push notifications for:
• E-mail
• Facebook
• Skype
• MSN Messenger
• Major news events
  Also missed
• Stocks
• Calculator
• Conversion calculator
• Calender with events
• a notepad
• Gaming
• Recipe Books
• Extended Periodic Table
• About 100 classic books
• Drink Mixing Guide
• Tracking updates on all my packages
• THE INTERNET
• a FLASHLIGHT

Because the Iphone 4 has a flash for it's back camera, you can turn the flash on by itself and use it as a high-powered flashlight.This has come in very handy when I dropped something in the dark, behind something, and for finding the key slot on a door late at night.

I'd like to also add I have ~60 apps and only paid for one of them (I Am T-Pain, for fun because I like to use auto-tune on shit/)

Now for some counter arguments to what has been said above. Yes, apple does not support flash. Apple continued to push it's release date attempting to get a flash that was prepared for mobile phones. The results were very buggy so apple decided to scrape it and use HTML5 which is, IMO, the future of these kind of things. HTML5 requires much lower process speed and is more universally accepted... so streaming videos etc stream flawlessly on an iphone instead of sputtering or being generally buggy. Good riddance to flash. Also, here's an interesting number from a recent study. Android users, on average, use 34% more data. Surely they don't simply use more media material on their phones... it comes down to the way the data is processed and the amount of it required to be broadcast over your cellular network.

Now for the infamous App store debate. I have found everything I need for free without jailbreaking my phone through the app store. Is the App store a pain in every developers ass? Yes. Everything has to meet "regulation" in order to be approved. The benefit of the App Store vs. open source apps is still greater, though. Why would you as a developer attempt to make an app for additional revenue for a droid phone when you know it's just going to be side-loaded? (pirated) Not to mention because of the vast success of iAds, many app developers for the iPhone are not charging for their software and instead adding an unobtrusive line ad (like google ads up top of this page, but smaller). I remember the first WEEK of the iPhone's release... the developer who came out with the flashlight app (though you don't need it, you can turn the flash on from your camera mode) brought in $1400 in ad revenue the first DAY of the apps release. In a society where revenue is key to cutting edge development, I project that android will be forced to close off this piracy scandal... as good apps will continue to simply disappear or charge ridiculous fees for similar applications.

The other real problem with the free pirated apps of droid... The code is not inspected. It wouldn't be hard at all for someone to put malicious code in your app... perhaps even collect information about you. Sell your contact info to ad companies to make up for the lost revenue that iAds is bringing other developers.

I think I about covered everything... though it got super long winded and I likely missed some stuff. I hope that has helped give you a better opinion of the iPhone 4 from someone who actually owns one and compared it side by side with the other iPhone models and have had quite a few phones myself. ultimately, if you are in the market looking for a smart phone and have the cash to spend... I'd highly recommend the iPhone. If you can't afford it, though... there are other alternatives.

OH YEAH! Battery life! That's what I neglected. Okay, my last phone was just a temporary nokia I bought for 20 bucks at walmart. I talked all the time and literally charged it once every 3 days... a week if I didn't use it heavily. So, the iPhone 4 was a bit of adjustment for me... because my old phone didn't even have a camera much less more than the space to hold more than 500 texts at a time. () it used very little battery. The iPhone, because of it's large screen and fast processor, uses battery. However, the iPhone 4 actually has a 44% increase in battery life compared to the 3GS and prior models. You can also limit the amount of battery you use by using auto-brightness and limiting the amount of GPS time you use (that's a real battery killer) or even setting it to go to black after not touching it for a minute or two. (you still go right back to where you were) I use my phone HEAVILY... and I charge it once a day. When I used it for internet/a computer too... I sometimes would have to charge it around 9PM... but I was on the internet constantly. But I don't think my phone has EVER died because it ran out of battery before I made it home at the end of the day.

Anyways, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

P.S. I think that was the longest post I've ever made.

I think thats the best non-bullshit review i've ever read on the iphone.
Wow, thanks.
I won't have issues with the battery because as soon as I got home, I'd put it in my dock that charges it to listen to music. And I'm right handed also so maybe I wont be too affected.
It sounds so amaaaazing. Aha, i'm excited to get it now.
Thank you very much. (:

[Freshx]

I got the samsung Epic today and it is wayyyyy better then my hubbys iphone.

[Warriors]

Bah..Going to upgrade my 3g to the new 4.0 soon..257 dollars for an 8gb...bah..

[Noitidart]

alright... I got the Iphone 4 when it came out... and I'll give you my experiences with it and hopefully it will offer you some insight into your situation.

1) Firstly I'd like to address this "reception" issue. I personally have NEVER had a dropped call from the so called death grip. I have had reduced reception depending on where my hand is... but never lost it completely.. and if you are right handed, from what I hear, it doesn't really effect you. The TRUE flaw with the phone is the fucked up proximity sensor. I find myself CONSTANTLY accidentally muting myself, putting the speaker phone on, or using the keypaad... with my FACE... VERY annoying. However, using the headphones you get with it (they have a mic built into them) you can talk and browse the web/use apps simultaneously without any problems. I'd also like to add that IOS 4.0.2 is supposed to have fix that proximity sensor issue... so it's not a permanent problem.

Now that I've gone over all the flaws I have found in owning an iphone 4 for a couple of months... I absolutely love this phone. It is overall superior to every other phone I've used or seen... I didn't have access to a computer for the past month or two and it has acted as everything I needed. Truly, a computer lite to carry around in your pocket.

The processor is ridiculously fast and with 256MB RAM in a PHONE...it's impressive. I recently tested it vs. my brothers Iphone 3GS and and Iphone 3G, and it is MUCH faster than both. Not only do I have the ability to multitask but each app opens nearly instantly without any lag. The 5.5MP camera takes surprisingly high quality images (outdoors. indoors it takes really good pics for a phone... but compared to a real camera... the lighting seems off). I recently took it down to the coast with me about a month ago and every image is beautiful.

The front face camera is kind of a cool concept anyways. I don't use the facetime function, personally... so it's a nice concept... but that's about it. I have, however, used the front facing camera to use my phone as a "mirror" if you will. Check my hair/teeth, look behind me, etc. it also makes taking photos of yourself a lot easier and it takes good pictures indoors. (never tried using it outdoors)

Now the "retina display", this term is inherently misleading because the amount of pixels your eye can see is highly dependent upon how far away the screen is from you. Tests were done but I can't think of the precise figures... but essentially at the standard 6 inches, it is not higher resolution than the human eye. at something like 3 feet it was... but you don't use your phone 3 feet in front of you. Despite this misleading term, the display is MUCH better than the previous Iphones when you lay them next to each other... and I don't think I've personally come across a phone with a better resolution.

oh! While we are on this subject, the back camera is AMAZING when it comes to recording videos. Your phone will record in 720p definition. Using the back camera as a recorder indoors is still fucking stupidly clear video. It rivals my actual digital camcorder in that department.

I recently broke my iphone 4 (or essentially wiped it of it's firmware and couldn't get any computer to recognize it, therefore) and Apple sent me a new one by FedEx overnight. That kind of a warranty is very reassuring to have. ( I want to make it clear that I definitely fucked the phone up... it wasn't a flaw in the phone) But while my phone was MIA, I realized all the cool things I use my phone for that I didn't have available to me in my pocket at all times.

• Phone
• Camera
• Camcorder
• Scanner
• Ipod
• Radio
• Weather
• News
  Instant push notifications for:
• E-mail
• Facebook
• Skype
• MSN Messenger
• Major news events
  Also missed
• Stocks
• Calculator
• Conversion calculator
• Calender with events
• a notepad
• Gaming
• Recipe Books
• Extended Periodic Table
• About 100 classic books
• Drink Mixing Guide
• Tracking updates on all my packages
• THE INTERNET
• a FLASHLIGHT

Because the Iphone 4 has a flash for it's back camera, you can turn the flash on by itself and use it as a high-powered flashlight.This has come in very handy when I dropped something in the dark, behind something, and for finding the key slot on a door late at night.

I'd like to also add I have ~60 apps and only paid for one of them (I Am T-Pain, for fun because I like to use auto-tune on shit/)

Now for some counter arguments to what has been said above. Yes, apple does not support flash. Apple continued to push it's release date attempting to get a flash that was prepared for mobile phones. The results were very buggy so apple decided to scrape it and use HTML5 which is, IMO, the future of these kind of things. HTML5 requires much lower process speed and is more universally accepted... so streaming videos etc stream flawlessly on an iphone instead of sputtering or being generally buggy. Good riddance to flash. Also, here's an interesting number from a recent study. Android users, on average, use 34% more data. Surely they don't simply use more media material on their phones... it comes down to the way the data is processed and the amount of it required to be broadcast over your cellular network.

Now for the infamous App store debate. I have found everything I need for free without jailbreaking my phone through the app store. Is the App store a pain in every developers ass? Yes. Everything has to meet "regulation" in order to be approved. The benefit of the App Store vs. open source apps is still greater, though. Why would you as a developer attempt to make an app for additional revenue for a droid phone when you know it's just going to be side-loaded? (pirated) Not to mention because of the vast success of iAds, many app developers for the iPhone are not charging for their software and instead adding an unobtrusive line ad (like google ads up top of this page, but smaller). I remember the first WEEK of the iPhone's release... the developer who came out with the flashlight app (though you don't need it, you can turn the flash on from your camera mode) brought in $1400 in ad revenue the first DAY of the apps release. In a society where revenue is key to cutting edge development, I project that android will be forced to close off this piracy scandal... as good apps will continue to simply disappear or charge ridiculous fees for similar applications.

The other real problem with the free pirated apps of droid... The code is not inspected. It wouldn't be hard at all for someone to put malicious code in your app... perhaps even collect information about you. Sell your contact info to ad companies to make up for the lost revenue that iAds is bringing other developers.

I think I about covered everything... though it got super long winded and I likely missed some stuff. I hope that has helped give you a better opinion of the iPhone 4 from someone who actually owns one and compared it side by side with the other iPhone models and have had quite a few phones myself. ultimately, if you are in the market looking for a smart phone and have the cash to spend... I'd highly recommend the iPhone. If you can't afford it, though... there are other alternatives.

OH YEAH! Battery life! That's what I neglected. Okay, my last phone was just a temporary nokia I bought for 20 bucks at walmart. I talked all the time and literally charged it once every 3 days... a week if I didn't use it heavily. So, the iPhone 4 was a bit of adjustment for me... because my old phone didn't even have a camera much less more than the space to hold more than 500 texts at a time. () it used very little battery. The iPhone, because of it's large screen and fast processor, uses battery. However, the iPhone 4 actually has a 44% increase in battery life compared to the 3GS and prior models. You can also limit the amount of battery you use by using auto-brightness and limiting the amount of GPS time you use (that's a real battery killer) or even setting it to go to black after not touching it for a minute or two. (you still go right back to where you were) I use my phone HEAVILY... and I charge it once a day. When I used it for internet/a computer too... I sometimes would have to charge it around 9PM... but I was on the internet constantly. But I don't think my phone has EVER died because it ran out of battery before I made it home at the end of the day.

Anyways, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

P.S. I think that was the longest post I've ever made.

wow! that like a pro review

Hey cody what about the multitasking. I heard it sux and restarts the app.

[Noitidart]

Ohh I didn't realize that. That's a good point. I think all the apps I was testing the multitasking with were old.
So then how do you actually close an app. So its not wasting memory in the multitask bar by just sitting there open?

[Volition]

im gonna boycott the 4g, apple has a contract with the company foxconn to make iphone 4g, the same foxconn that had 13 attempted suicides, with 10 of those being successful. So as far as im concerned buying the new iphone is supporting sweatshop labor