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 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?

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.

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?