I'm leaving my iPhone (for an Android Milestone and an iPad)
Friday, May 28, 2010 at 3:30PM Yup, that headline may come as a shocker, but after about 3 years of using iPhones (if my calculations are correct, I got my first generation iPhone shortly after they came out), I am considering moving on - in a manner of speaking - from my iPhone.
Let me give you a little background first. I have a 16Gig iPhone 3GS that is running iPhone OS 3.0 (so that I can tether it to my Mac, and use it on the MTN network in South Africa). The iPhone has been relatively stable for an unlocked / jailbroken phone. In truth, when you jailbrake an iPhone OS device it looses quite a lot of its stability! The phone has served me well in most instances. The one annoyance I have had is that every so often the screen stops responding (I have to power off and on to get it to work again), and because I'm on OS 3.0 there are a few applications that I cannot run on my iPhone. Also, I have found that the iPhone does not always work when I travel overseas (I have had to take to keeping my old Nokia E90 on hand just in case I land somewhere and find my iPhone doesn't connect to the local network).
Well, my personal phone contract came up for renewal late last year. I posted a poll to find out what phone to get and didn't find anything worth upgrading for (most persons suggested the Blackberry 9000 or the iPhone at that stage). So, when I upgraded I got the Nokia E63 and gave it to my wife. Her contract came up for renewal last week and so she offered me the chance to get a phone - I was surprised to find the Motorola Milestone (basically a European version of the Motorola Droid) on offer without the need to make any additional payment! So, I snapped it up!
The Milestone is a great little Android phone (Android is the Google OS) with a physical keyboard, an exceptional screen (much better than my iPhone) and a 5 Megapixel camera (you can see the full specs here). I have had it for about a week now and am loving it. It works with our Microsoft Exchange server, there are plenty of great apps to help me manage my personal and work related social media activities (twitter, facebook, flickr, tumblr, QIK, youtube, wordpress etc.), the camera is fantastic for stills and video, it has HSDPA data and an incredible screen.
So, my iPhone is no longer my primary phone... What!? Yup, I have decided to relegate the iPhone 3GS to second place in my arsenal of communication technology. You'll notice that I am NOT doing away with my iPhone - I, like many South Africans, am in the position to have two cellular phones. I have a private contract and one supplied to me at work. So, my work sim card has now moved from my old Nokia E90 into the iPhone.
There are some things that the Android phone does not do too well. That's where my iPad comes in! The iPad and the Milestone make for a perfect combination. I can use my Milestone as a wireless hotspot for my 16Gig iPad, and the iPad functions like a great full powered computer on the road! Last week at the Global Day of Prayer conference I used my iPad to keep track of each venue, each speaker, the timelines for plenary and track sessions, all important numbers, and even to show and create presentations for my own talks (as well as videos). I used a ticker app to manage my time when speaking and used the iPad with a mifi to download email, update facebook, and even make some calls on Skype.
Just perfect!
Is anyone else out there using an Android phone (I saw a journalist recently with an Google Nexus!)? Has anyone else given up their iPhone for a different phone? ALSO, are there any more people in South Africa who have got their hands on an iPad?
I'd love to hear your feedback! Blessings, Dion
Dr Dion Forster
Well, perhaps my enthusiasm for the Android phone was a little too much! I eventually swapped the Droid for a Sanyo Xacti HD camcorder and a Blackberry 8900 cell phone! The Android has a great new home, and I have two great devices to use.
My reasons for leaving Android were simply that the keyboard on the phone was not good enough for me to use it for serious work, and I found the user memory too restrictive! I have over 3800 contacts, when those are synced and you load a few applications the memory is full! I found it frustrating to have to device which applicaitons I wanted to uninstall just so that the phone would work.
For now I am back to my iPhone 3GS and the Blackberry that I got in the trade. A good solution for my two phone accounts - iPhone for personal calls and personal browsing and the Blackberry for work, work, work (email, work calls etc.)
Reader Comments (4)
Hi Dion
First to answer part of the post. My wife has and iPhone and I have been looking at upgrading it to and HTC as she has the 3G and the HTC's seem really nice and you can get them cheaper than the iPhone. I have a Nokia and might upgrade to HTC but am waiting to see what the new iPhone has when they announce it early June.
About the iDole I mean iPad, I would like one but don't rally need one so I am going to hold off on that, I have an iMac so would rather get a Macbook instead.
The iPad came out here in the UK yesterday and a friend said he would not get one because he felt it was unethical due to the deaths at the factory where they are made. ( Two more suicide bids at iPad plant hours after media tour ). Now this is not the reason i am not getting one i wondered what your opinion would be to his statement. You may have thought more on these issues being part of the unashamedlyethical group.
I feel that if we went through our homes and cupboards we would find that most of what we own has been made in sweatshops in the far east. So who has a leg to stand on and where do we draw the line?
Hey Grant,
Thanks so much for the comment! It is always great to hear from you!
The Andriod Milestone is a great phone! I particularly like the fact that the platform is a little more 'open' - you don't have to go through the Android marketplace to get apps (you can download them directly from developers websites etc.) Also, the hardware on this phone is clearly an attempt to steal some flare from the iPhone. The screen is larger, brighter and has more pixels. It has a great keyboard and of course a 5MP camera with a flash.
That being said, I still love my iPhone. What I didn't mention in the post above is that the Droid doesn't have any piece of software that can come close to 'iTunes' on the iPhone. You can't play Audible books at all, and the music and video players on the Droid are rather clunky. So, I am thankful that I carry two phones, and that the second of them is my iPhone! I listen to at least a book a week on my drive in and out of work, at the gym etc.
With regards to the iPad - it is an incredibly useful device for someone who has the work pattern that I have. I spend FAR too much time in meetings, and far too much time in aeroplanes. The iPad's battery life, speed, ease of use, size and weight are all huge plus points. However, if one works from one location where you can be connected to a permanent laptop or desktop that would naturally be best. But, for my needs the iPad keeps me up to date on my email, it allows me to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
With regards to the suicides in the Chinese plant that produces iPads - I heard about this yesterday. Of course that is scary and unacceptable. I would remind you that my iPad was purchased LONG before any of this surfaced. Regardless, the abuse of persons is always a matter of concern and is something that should be challenged. I first heard about it on Macbreak Weekly - see the episode here. The panel made some interesting comments about the way in which the story was reported and the statistics of deaths.
Do you know how many persons are employed in this plant? If the Macbreak discussion is accurate, the 9 suicides happened among a population of over 500 000 persons working in this particular plant (that manufactures cell phones, televisions, computers etc. Among them are probably products that all of us use - Samsung, Motorola, HTC etc.). There are almost twice as many suicides in San Francisco each year (a population of only 800 000).
For me it was just another reminder to be careful to read news critically - remember that they sell news based on sensation, not always truth! Regardless, why don't you join me in signing a petition against Apple's supplier (Wintek) working conditions - here?
Rich blessing,
Dion
What would decadence be, if this it were not?
Hi iGeurilla - I would encourage you to leave your email address in comments on my blog. It is not a show of good faith to leave a critical comment behind the viel of anonymity. At least you should afford me the courtesy of knowing who I am replying to.
That being said, thanks for the comment - your reprimand is duly received, and without context I think it is fair!
Let me add the context:
I have a cell phone contract supplied by my employer (the iPhone has that sim card in it). I also have a personal cell phone contract (it would not be right to use my employers money for personal calls, data and text messages). My personal contract came up for renewal (in fact it was up for renewal some months ago) and the Android is the phone I received from the cellular provider. There is no cost attached to either handset other than the monthly charges. The iPad was bought for me by a University for whom I examined some Masters and PhD students. It was simpler to receive the equipment rather than a cash payment (and more prudent for tax purposes).
Regardless, I am aware that I am blessed beyond measure with these three devices. They make my life and work so much easier and allow me to be much more productive.
Regards,
Dion