iPhone iPhone 4

[badgoodDeb]

I have a 2 year old iPhone 3 (not the 3Gs) *and* it has been feeling sluggish lately. I suppose I could just wipe the disk and re-install my apps .... but hey, I want the iPhone 4!

I finally got through, just now. Yeah!

[Maggie Leung]

I'm sticking with my 3G. I barely use it now that I have an iPad.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

I have a 2 year old iPhone 3 (not the 3Gs) *and* it has been feeling sluggish lately. I suppose I could just wipe the disk and re-install my apps .... but hey, I want the iPhone 4!

I finally got through, just now. Yeah!

I saw a decent performance increase going from a 3G to a 3GS...you won't be disappointed with the performance jump from the 3G to a 4

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Yes, the iPhone is sold locked here in Japan.
I just bought a new 16G model last week, up front price was about $200 USD and there are lots of choices for carriers. After I learn a bit more about it, and understand how to use more of its functions I'll probably unlock it for use abroad. It just costs waaaaay too much to use a Japanese carrier from other locations in SE Asia, and sim cards can be bought in any 7-Eleven (outside of Japan) for just a few dollars.

Stitchawl

Same here in Europe; you can buy "pay as you go" SIM cards pretty much everywhere (many petrol stations sell them, for example), and international data roaming in particular is ludicrously expensive - it's generally much better to buy a local SIM card.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Same here in Europe; you can buy "pay as you go" SIM cards pretty much everywhere (many petrol stations sell them, for example), and international data roaming in particular is ludicrously expensive - it's generally much better to buy a local SIM card.

Most of S.E. Asia gives this same option for internet connection too. Sim cards for phones, 2 hour/24 hour/1week/1month/100 hours, etc cards for internet connections without e-mail service. Very convenient when traveling with your own laptop and cell phones. Previously, all cell phones in Japan had no sim card option. You had to activate at a cell phone store. The iPhones sold here are now sim card devices, but they are locked into the local carrier. You have to jailbreak the phone (which voids its warantee) if you want to use a different sim card when traveling.


Stitchawl

[HarryT]

Yes, over the last year, 3G internet "dongles" for laptops have taken off in a huge way here. All the phone shops sell them, and the rates are very competitive (typically about US$15 a month for 3GB data). Given that many of the big chain hotels have started charging crazy amounts for internet access, if you're staying somewhere for a few days it's normally cheaper to buy a dongle than to pay what the hotel charges for internet access.

[Stitchawl]

All the computer and telephone shops here are selling them for 1 yen (about one US penny,) but you have to buy a contract for one or two years usage.


Stitchawl

[stustaff]

I surrendered and ordered a 16gb iPhone 4 last night from Apple expected delivery 5th July, which is good as Im on holiday until the 4th.

£499 seems a lot but based on the new oange prices where you have to pay £75 a month to get one free, my £499 on a £10 a month payg seems like a bargain.

[scottjl]

heh. that's funny harry because we have the opposite. expect to pay $60+ a month for 3g access (5GB a month) and most hotels offer free hotspots. mcdonalds does. and starbucks will be as of july 1st.

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by scottjl

heh. that's funny harry because we have the opposite. expect to pay $60+ a month for 3g access (5GB a month) and most hotels offer free hotspots. mcdonalds does. and starbucks will be as of july 1st.

to be honest Im in the Uk and McDonalds offer free wifi as do Starbucks, BT openzone which is on pretty much every high street all pubs and bars etc is free with most mobile providers offering an account so you can log in. I have only ever stayed in one hotel that charged and that was a real cheap place, all the good hotels offer free wifi now.

I almost could manage without 3g on my actual phone except for at work! and on the train.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by stustaff

I have only ever stayed in one hotel that charged and that was a real cheap place, all the good hotels offer free wifi now.

It's actually the good hotels that charge the earth now. Both Hilton and Marriott charge £15 for 24h access. In the small hotels it generally is free.

I have "Cloud" and "BT OpenZone" WiFi access with the O2 SIM I'm using in my iPad and that certainly gets you lots of hotspots.

To be honest, though, the 1GB/month I get with O2 is far more than I can ever use on my iPad, so I just use 3G pretty much everywhere now.

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's actually the good hotels that charge the earth now. Both Hilton and Marriott charge £15 for 24h access. In the small hotels it generally is free.

I have "Cloud" and "BT OpenZone" WiFi access with the O2 SIM I'm using in my iPad and that certainly gets you lots of hotspots.

To be honest, though, the 1GB/month I get with O2 is far more than I can ever use on my iPad, so I just use 3G pretty much everywhere now.

I don't use hilton in general they are poor and old, desperately in need of refreshing! I generally get the Radisson or , hoxton, I stayed at the ibis recently and they charged 15 for 24 hours!

I was using my iPhone tethered earlier and used 10mb in 30 mins of browsing, not sure I'd be ok with only 1gb.

Not sure why you continue to pay so much for so little data Harry?

Oh good list I use here for hotels with wifi for free http://londonhotelsinsight.com/2009/...ith-free-wifi/

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by stustaff

Not sure why you continue to pay so much for so little data Harry?

Am I paying too much? £10/month seems pretty reasonable to me. What do you think I should be paying?

As I said before, given my usage habits, 1GB/month is more than enough for me. I've now had my iPad for 3 weeks, and downloaded 140MB, so I can't see me ever using my 1GB unless my usage habits change drastically.

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Am I paying too much? £10/month seems pretty reasonable to me. What do you think I should be paying?

As I said before, given my usage habits, 1GB/month is more than enough for me. I've now had my iPad for 3 weeks, and downloaded 140MB, so I can't see me ever using my 1GB unless my usage habits change drastically.

Well Tmobile offer the following on a free sim card they will post to you so yeh your paying twice as much for potentially a lot less data.

1 month Internet on you phone £5.00 Unlimited internet for 1 month Text MONTHWEB to 441

Or even better IMO is the ability to have 12 months worth of unlimited for £40 thus assuming you use it each month a saving of £80!

6 month Internet on you phone £20.00 Unlimited internet for 6 months Text 6MONTHWEB to 441

[HarryT]

Thanks - I'll certainly consider those. Is fitting a full-size SIM into the iPad just a matter of cutting off the outside bits so it fits? Will any SIM that offers internet access work?