And AT&T Sent Me a Bill….

Just when I thought it was over.  The iPhone was no more.  I got a bill from AT&T for $206+ for my first month of service.  Needless to say, I was a little perturbed.

It turns out that if you cancel your AT&T service and they tell you to return your phone to the Apple Store, it doesn’t actually cancel your line.  Three calls to customer service, 2 to the Apple store (I couldn’t find my receipt… luckily they emailed me another copy) and a fax to the “commitments” department, I am now free of my contract and only had to pay $6 something to terminate my contact, in time and under good credit status.

The long story short: AT&T is a nightmare to deal with.

On the other hand, my crackberry gets overloaded and forgets my recent texts and call log. Boo.  Overall, I’m still very happy with the Blackberry.

Welcome to my life, Crackberry.

Yes, I bought a blackberry.

The news that I couldn’t have an iPhone due to lack of service on the NYS-31 between my apartment and work (for about a mile, in a heavily wooded and deer-laden area) forced me to return my iPhone.  Luckily; however, they was no restocking fee because I returned the device in 3 days (even to a different Apple Store!)  I gave myself two weeks before deciding on a Verizon phone.  Here was how I made my decision:

1. Check phonearena.com and phonescoop.com for reviews of all Verizon phones.
2. Walk into Verizon store, look at all the phones
3. Contemplate the LG Dare
4. Pick up the Dare, start typing in landscape mode.
5. Put Dare down and decide it’s a useless effort.
6. Wander around store more, look at the LG Chocolate 3
7. Play with the phone, realize it’s a good phone.
8. Walk around store once more to make sure I didn’t miss something.
9. Look at the Blackberries
10. Pick up the Curve, try typing, put it down
11. Pick up the Pearl, try typing, try applications, try Internet Browser, decide I like it.
12. Ask sales rep about the data package.
13. Learn I get a 20% discount on the $29.99 data package.
14. Bell goes off that that’s the price of the iPhone data package.
15. Play with blackberry some more, decide to try it. Check out.

I’m still learning a lot about the Blackberry, but I do like it.  It has many of the 3rd party apps that the iPhone is getting mainly because it’s one of the most popular PDAs out there.

iPhone 3G no more

So, I got an iPhone 3G on Friday.  It’s AMAZING.  However, there’s no AT&T service on the road from my house to work.  Granted, it’s about a mile with no service, but there are also few street lights and beaucoup deer.  I returned my iPhone 3G a week ago today. I’m still sad.

More on the iPhone

So, as the release date (July 11 if you’re sleeping under a rock and don’t know it exists) approaches, I’ve been reading up on the iPhone like CRAZY.  Here are things that I’ve found out:

• Price: $69.99 + text messaging packages.  It appears that the voice+data will be subject to corporate discounts.
• The AppStore might change my mind on getting the iPhone. Launch date: tomorrow.  Specifically iCall.
• David Pogue did a hilarious video on the iPhone 3G.
• Other reviews: Mossberg, Pogue & Baig (TUAW)

Chances are I’ll be getting an iPhone.  Chances are also good that I’ll be keeping my Verizon line for a week during my upcoming trip to Albany.

Fireworks and Such

So, the last week of my life has been interesting.  My fourth was good.  I hung out with Jeff in Buffalo and then went to he fireworks in downtown Rochester.  We sat right near the Freddy-Sue bridge (no, I don’t live in a Southern State, the name is short for Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony) and I was able to take some great pictures.  I’ll post them later.

Saturday was a nice relaxing day.  I didn’t do much, but spent some time at a particular coffee shop in the Park Ave area.  After coming home for dinner, I decided to watch “The Bucket List” and call it a night.

Sunday was the family get together at a park near Lake Ontario.  We played the family game, boccie (no, we’re not Italian, but we play it every time we get together).  And hung around outside most of the day.  It felt great to be outside.  I should spend more time outside and less on this 13″ notebook.

Work started again today which means web page coding and hoping that our server admin doesn’t decide to completely change all the div names when he redoes the template.

Also, I’ve started reading most of the blogs on the right-hand column via Google Reader.  It’s quite a handy tool.  I think I’m back on the Google Bandwagon, even though I’m debating Mobile Me.  I guess it’ll all depend on work’s new calendaring system.

As for the iPhone I’m still debating on getting it.  I’m 90% sure corporate discounts will apply, and it would be great to have for my trip to Albany, but is $82/month REALLY worth it?

iPhone 3G pros and cons

The only thing I change more than email addresses is cell phones.

This post is going to rationalize whether or not I get an iPhone (and then you’re going to comment and tell me why you think I should or shouldn’t).

Reasons to get an iPhone

1. I’m a mac user. The phone would sync everything for me.
2. One device. One thing to carry.
3. Boredom solver.
4. Awesome web browser.
5. I’m out of contract and other phones are not as appealing.
6. The Apps Store promises some free downloads. Pay once for some cool extra.
7. Roll over minutes on AT&T network.
8. More stuff is being developed for it.

Reasons against getting an iPhone:

1. AT&T network (90% of friends and my entire family is on Verizon)
2. Contract price (~$82/month).
3. Expensive to replace if broken.

Verizon is releasing the LG Dare, which will use VCAST instead of a separate data plan. Link to Dare on PhoneArena.

Reasons to get the Dare:

1. Verizon Network (in Calling to most of my friends and all my family)
2. Price for data ($15 more than current a month, unlimited data and texting; total cost ~$60)

Reasons against getting the Dare:

1. Web Browser isn’t the best, I probably wouldn’t use it.
2. Doesn’t sync calendar & contacts.

Ultimately it comes down to: Is the iPhone worth $40 [error: I can't do math. 60 from 82 is 22 not 40] $22 a month? (at currently projected plans).  I think the answer is yes, especially since I’m getting a raise at work next week.

Help me decide.  Is it worth it?  Are you getting one? Do you have one and love it? Why?

Expected Post: iPhone 3G

So, apple unveiled the iPhone 3G during the keynote today.  Here are my personal thoughts:

• Awesome phone for $199? Woot!
• I’m going to switch.
• Then I remembered the price plan:
  • $39.99/month for voice (450/5000)
  • $20.00/month for data (total: $59.99)
  • $10.00/month for unlimited texting (total: $69.99, with taxes: $82+)
• Then I read that the data plan is going up $10, bringing the total to just under $100/month.
• My last cell phone bill (family style, split up, 19% discount)  was $36 including unlimited data.
• I’m not switching after all. Sad face.
• Wait a minute… the iPod touch costs more than the iPhone? Let’s see if that price drops…….
• I’m going to carry around two devices.
• No, I won’t.
• MobileMe would let me sync my work and personal lives.
• It’s $99/year and would mean YET another email address. I think people would kill me.
• Maybe I can get work to buy me an iPod touch for a PDA…. I do still have some faculty start up funds left.

iPhone versus Verizon, a price comparison

So, I just paid another iPhone bill.  Here’s the price breakdown:

iPhone price plan: $39.99 (no discount)
iPhone data plan: $20.00
iPhone text package: $10.00
Total iPhone: $69.99; After taxes: $82.00

Verizon Premium Rate Plan: $130 ($105.30) after discount.
Splitting the plan (my share): $52
After taxes: (Approximately) $62.

No brainer, right?  It shall be done at the end of the month.

AT&T now in Oneonta!

Well, it’s official.  CellularOne is now AT&T.  However, their website still says we’re on “partner coverage” and their website redirect doesn’t quite work just yet.  However, all the stores are rebranded.  I’m happy I don’t have to travel an hour if I need an AT&T store.

iPhone is back?!??! What?!?!

So, here’s why I’m switching from Verizon to AT&T: their new data rules. While the “iPhone killer” came out, they didn’t tell you all the new data plan information: instead of using airtime minutes, customers are now charged $1.99/MB for browsing “Get It Now”, downloading ringtones and using the internet on their phones.  Seems all good, right? Well, when you used to browse for free at 3am, you’ll now be charged.  So, in essence, if you only download one ring tone a month you’ll be charged $1.99 to download the ring tone and then $1.99 for the <1MB of data you downloaded resulting in doubling the charge. This MB charge applies to anything that uses data, unless you have the VCAST pack.  I don’t want to be working at the customer service number when the angry parents start to call…

Anyways, I decided to go back to the iPhone and now that native AT&T service is coming to Oneonta on December 9th, I can’t be happier.  As for you, readers — if you think you have my cell phone number, you better email me or comment and I’ll email you my new one.

Comments anyone?