I’ve been considering the purchase of an iPhone since version one. Even when Candace was thinking of buying me one, I told her to wait because I wasn’t decided.
Now that our AT&T contract is coming due soon, it’s time to make a final decision. So in the spirit of doing something cliche, I’m going to make a pros and cons list.
I tried to be brutally honest with myself, so some of them are beyond lame.
Pros
- Availability to check my email anywhere.
- The 1000 extra cool points for owning one. I think my Razr has actually gone into the negative here.
- Having games, movies and music on my phone.
- Being able to “tweet” more efficiently while on the go.
- GPS and maps since I often get lost even in my hometown.
- Easily sync my calendar and have it with me at all times. I’m constantly double booking myself.
|
Cons
- Availability to check my email anywhere.
- The amount of cool points steadily drops the more people buy iPhones. It started at 10,000 and it’s already down 90%.
- The distraction of constant entertainment.
- It’s not big enough yet. I have 50GB of stuff on my iPod so I’ll still have to carry that around. I’d rather replace two devices with one.
- It’s spending hundreds of dollars for the privilege of paying an extra $50 a month (re: the increased cost of a data plan).
- The fear of breaking it. I’m pretty rough on phones.
- We both know I’ll spend way to much money on useless apps.
- The touch screen is awful to type on compared to the tactile keyboard on other phones.
- It doesn’t exactly fit in with the theme of simplifying my life.
- Availability to check my email anywhere.
|
I’m obviously leaning towards not buying the iPhone but I need your help. What would you add to either list?
Smudge on March 31st, 2009
I have had my iPhone for about a year now and can’t imagine what I did without it. Personally I love the “Visual Voicemail”. I can see my messages, listen to only the ones I want and I can fast forward. I also use “Shazam” on a daily basis. I love music and I am always looking for new artists. Say you are in a bar and hear a song you like, Shazam will listen and identify the artist and song.
These are only 2 of my favs.
Gordon
The Big Guy on March 31st, 2009
It has helped more than a few times making a family dinner out a little more relaxing by pulling out movies like Wall-E or Sponge Bob, there by giving mom & dad a few more minutes to relax.
Lockwood on March 31st, 2009
I put off buying the iPhone for a while. But I’m glad I finally did it. It will change soon, but I don’t like you can’t receive images through text on the phone. Other than that…the thing is mindblowing. You and I talked about how we have an ipod and have a phone but…I use the 80gig iPod in the car, and it never leaves there. I have an 8gig iPhone and I load it up with movies and tv shows whenever I travel. And then there’s the apps….
Rachel on March 31st, 2009
I am going to have to agree with the CONS you have. The data plan cost alone is way to much when trying to simply your life. Oh and Candace is right..They are super expensive for something that is so darn fragile, especially if you are hard on phones. The text is crappy on the touch screen too. Good luck on your decision…
Graham on April 1st, 2009
I guess it depends on your definition of simplification. I’m all about the simplification these days, but for me an iPhone is a key to my program. The biggest thing for me is that I have been able to detach from my home laptop to a much greater extent. The browsing experience and apps are so good that I typically find myself reaching for my iPhone to do something instead of the laptop. I use it to control my Sonos sound system (one less remote), read news with my down time, and listen to music through services like Pandora (as a result, i don’t really even use the thing as an iPod.) So it streamlines for me many devices into one and it’s easy to carry around. I’m no Apple fan boy, but I do love this device.
Simplifying for me means reducing the interruptions from others. I’ve done this in several ways, not the least of which was to basically drop off the face of the earth, with the exception of family and required work.
I still indulge in time-sinks like facebook or solitaire or blog reading, but I do it on my time and the iPhone facilitates it.
The design of the device has allowed me to turn off SMS notifications from fbook since I get my fix regularly through the fantastic app. Also, voice mail is way easier than on any other device including web based vmail through VOIP.
So I guess what I’m saying is that a well designed device can certainly augment your life when it comes to simplification, but that it is not the device itself that causes life to either be simple or complex. Simplification is a mind-set, a process, or an approach to life.
Susan on July 3rd, 2009
Hey Tim,
I’m probably way too late to influence your decision, but I own an iPhone and would have to agree with you on all the cons – esp the double listing of ‘being able to check my email anywhere.’
One thing is that the iPhone is pretty durable – I am really hard on phones (and pretty much everything I own, being the careless, brutish, and mostly non-materialistic type) and I have had zero problems with the durability of this phone.
Other cons:
-Reception is VERY spotty in many areas.
-The speaker is much worse than the Razr (you’ll be hard to understand and super frustrating to your conversation partner over the phone)
-Google Maps is slow as HELL.
Other pros:
-Style. It still looks pretty, no matter how many people have one.
-Work-related apps (audio recorders, etc).
Good luck w/ your decision!
-Susan