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- Braxo, on 10/11/2007, -6/+31I don't understand where some people are positing about how outrageous the iPhone will cost you in 2 years. I went, before I placed a comment or post, and calculated out how much my Blackberry 8700c has cost me over the past 2 years with unlimited data (which is 19.99 /mo.) and the price came out the same.
Where are people getting complaints from? Maybe they've never had data added to a plan, but that's what you need with all smart phones. - undersky, on 10/11/2007, -1/+18The cheapest BlackBerry plan from ATT (I have had it for over 2 years now) costs $40 on top of voice plan. My monthly statement has always been minimally $85 before text and around $100 after tax (without SMS plan too). BlackBerry uses EDGE too, and though it is not like broadband, I never had any problem doing what I needed to do with it. It's mighty sufficient for email and web-browsing if you got some patience to wait about 15 seconds. The battery life is great because EDGE consumes little battery.
I used to think $600 price tag being too high (I only want 8GB), but now switching to iPhone I can actually save $20 a month! Now it seems to be an attractive alternative....awesome!
Also, ATT is nice enough to allow every original ATT customers to upgrade to iPhone even if they are already in a 2 years contract and ineligible for upgrade. In other words, everyone can upgrade without paying any extra fee. Therefore buying an iPhone for me is like upgrading to a phone before my contract ends...paying the full price for phones like Treo or BlackBerry 8800 (they are all $500 range). To buy any of these phones now, since I am still in 2 years contract, it will cost almost the same as buying an iPhone.
So in reality, isn't it not a bad deal for existing ATT customers like me?
I used to worry that to make money (getting new customers from other networks) ATT would dick existing customers over, I am so glad they didn't plan to do that. - MikeonTV, on 10/11/2007, -8/+24I hope that when it does come out that all these iPhone submissions only show up on peoples iPhones
- undersky, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9BlackBerry unlimited plan from ATT/Cingualr has ALWAYS cost more than $40 a month. How in the world did you get $20? Corporate discount?
Switching from BB plan to iPhone plan I will save $20 a month on data and $5 a month on my 200 sms plan, in reality it actually saves me $25x24month over two years.
Talk about how much iPhone can save, how about that? - GotMex, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8I have the Blackjack and the costs are wrong. You can't get Media Net with it, you have to get one of the data plans they have for the PDA's. If you don't need business email access, you can get the "PDA Personal Max" plan which costs $40 a month. Comes with unlimited data and 1500 text messages.
- streak, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9Engadget needs to get its facts straight. First of all, the first chart is unlabeled and seemingly should read "Family Plans". Second, AT&T does NOT allow the $19.99 MediMAX200 service to be added to a Family plan; the more expensive $39.99 unlimited data plan must be used instead. Third, Engadget doesn't compare prices on the individual plans, where the % savings with the iPhone would be even greater. Fourth, the $59.99 Family Plan is not available everywhere. Fifth, while the Treo 750 is "3G", it only supports UMTS and the battery dies quickly when using it; Cingular/AT&T has been promising an upgrade to the 750 to support HSDPA for many months; and the 750 too unreliable. The 8525 is fast, reliable and supports HSDPA, but it is littered with buttons that often get pressed accidentally, the stylus must be used too often, the slide-out keyboard is too big and mushy, the phone is chunky, memory expansion is limited to 2 GB on an extra-cost card, and it runs Windows Mobile (need I say more?)
- undersky, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7By the way, contrary to bad ATT service, I personally had some great experiences w/ them.
I added a second line over a year ago for my friend using an unlocked phone I had. Without getting any phone from ATT, I was able to get only a one-year contract (minimal).
But a year later (few month ago) when I called to cancel the plan, they told me I was on a two-year contract.
After talking for 45 minutes to the rep, I was getting no where and being called a liar.
I email the president of Cingular (from their website) then someone from the Office of the President called me every single day after that day. He called me every day because I missed the call. He just left voice mail every day. One day when I finally answered the call, he straightened up everything for me. Two weeks later, he called me AGAIN just to make sure everything is fine.
Then another two weeks later, I had problem with my contract on the other line again, I emailed the office of the president again (I leanred that works much smoothly, since Office of the President seems to be a higher level customer service), then that SAME GUY called me back in two hours!!! - jalapeno, on 10/11/2007, -9/+15So the iphone is well priced if you plan on keeping it 2 years. Interesting article, worth a read if you are on the fence about getting an iphone.
- LMN8R, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9erm, shouldn't that Monthly cost for the iPhone be $60, not $80? Or am I missing something?
- Ireland, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5No mention of the Black Jack's UI being designed by Hellen Keller, or the fact that you don't get 4 or 8GB of storage either.
- eismcsquare, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6BB Pearl with T-mobile with unlimited data plan cost me 1395$ for 2 yrs with family plan. Go figure!!
- Braxo, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4undersky you're right. I always forget I'm on a special Cingular plan of 23 dollars a month for unlimited text, mms, push to talk and 2000 anytime minutes and because I have a Blackberry the unlimited data add-on for me was 19.99. My bill comes to around 50ish a month.
- neodorian, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Did they lower their data rates? Every time (even a few months ago) when I priced out att/cingular their data rates on smartphones (treo, blackberry, etc) were always $35-45. It bugged me because until recently, they had the best HTC pocketpc in the states. Now it's not as big a deal since I can get the new Sprint one if I wanted and keep my $15/month unlimited data and EVDO. Hmm...looks like they are at least getting more competitive and I say more power to em.
- rickmcmillin, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4This is inaccurate. I have a BlackJack and pay an additional $20/month for unlimited data and 200 text messages.
- streak, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Your soul and a dollar will get you a basic chicken sandwich and MacDonald's.
- fugazi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+250 a month with speeds up to 10x faster... You are getting horrible speeds with AT&T's network.
- DrDabbles, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2The point here is that you're basically getting a less expensive data/voice plan for 2 years. The cost of that plus the cost of the phone works out to be only slightly more than a normal subsidized phone + plan. Besides, since when have apple users cared at all about price? It thought it was a bout the image portrayed by living the iLife.
- TomFrost, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I'm really not getting the logic here. "The iPhone plans come with unlimited data, but let's be realistic and compare it with a Blackjack that doesn't have an unlimited data plan" -- how in the hell is that a fair comparison?
- fugazi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Although I personally do not like the iPhone he might want it because an iPod = 300, a phone =150, and he might want to browse the internet at starbucks or something. Just a guess.
- superkendall, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I think you may be a bit touched in the head to think you can activate the phone with any other plan than the ones listed. What makes you think you can do so?
- DAVIDPOWERZ, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1SO on my family plan which is $59+$10=$69, i need to just add an extra $20, to make it $79?
- Freps, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1They are comparing apples to Apple's. The plans they are comparing with the other Smartphones start at 900 minutes (all the way up to over 1300). To keep the comparison fair, they started with a comparable 900 minute plan.
- streak, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Don't worry your little soul about the touchscreen keyboard... and please keep your dingleberry. The iPhone contains the fastest computer of any phone, running a high-functioning operating system 700 MB in size, stored within the vast 4-8 GB internal memory, not limited to the puny 64-128 MB or so of typical "smart" phones. Look for tonnes of new features to appear with time. By the way, the iPhone supports the lowly POP protocol used by Gmail, and because Gmail uses POP, Gmail does not support "push" with ANY e-mail client, not just iPhone. The iPhone DOES support push with IMAP/IDLE, which is a nonproprietary protocol, with no need for corporate IT to purchase and manage a dingleberry server license.
- captcanuk, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Another write up on the total cost can be found here:
http://www.standandcount.com/index.php/iphone-rate-plans-announced-14 - flycatcher, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4Apple and AT&T could charge almost anything for the iPhone, and I'd still buy. The iPhone has taken on almost a mythical status and therefore it is simply priceless. I would sell my soul to own one.
- streak, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The Cingular SYNC is not a PDA -- no web browser, right? If it has anything like the "web", it's actually the very limited, old AT&T mMode. Bandwidth isn't an issue unless you've got a PDA, and that's when AT&T forces customers into the $39.99 unlimited data plan -- unless you've got an iPhone, in which case the unlimited data plan is essentially free.
- PunkFenixJT, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1according to apple...yes, yes you can
- superkendall, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Because the iPhone has many features that rely on the network always being there... so they don't want you to have to rely on always having WiFi or a good cell signal. It means a user can expect to have a certain amount of connectivity at all times, which makes for a much better user experience. If you always have some level of network access, you'll tend to make more use of it than you would otherwise.
- superkendall, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The smallest monthly plan is $60, so you must be missing something - not sure what. Why do you say $80?
- jkoke, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Stupid asshat? Could be.
- totorototoro, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1PunkFenixJT...thanks..that is a deal!
- SoxFanNH, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Yep I agree, I just don't see how an Iphone for $600 and 8GB is better than a separate phone for say $50 and an MP3 player foe $250. Half the price and the same if not more features.
Not to mention the pathetic fact its 2.5G not 3... - SoxFanNH, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Don't worry I will spend the money on something worthwhile, haha. I dont need to spend that much just for the convenience factor. I am just fine with my Sync and Iriver H120.
- mouthster, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1As others here have said, you CAN get Media Net. I am currently using the Media Max 200 plan. The key is to adding it to your plan yourself online, customer service will tell you need the PDA plan, but that's just outright extortion :)
- undersky, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I used 8525 and it's the worst phone ever because of the slide-out keyboard. A slide-out keyboard = unable to use one hand = can't be used when you drive!!!!
Since I text/browse during driving ALL the time, er.... that pretty much killed the usability of that for me.
Why do Engadget hate iPhone so much? They have been giving out very biased review against it. Perhaps they requested some special coverage/pre/review and got rejected by Apple? - undersky, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3I agree that Sprint always seems to have the cheapest data plan (among my friends), and that's why my roommate (a spring customer) is unwilling to give up her plan to switch.
However, for me (an existing ATT customers who love ATT services) iPhone plan is actually $25 cheaper a month than my BlackBerry plan (also EDGE). iPhone actually saves me money. Plus, to buy a Treo or BlackBerry with full cost before my contract ends will cost $500 too, so buying an iPhone is like upgrading to a different phone before my contract ends.
Why do I like ATT more than Sprint?
1. ATT doesn't cripple their phones as much as Sprint does.
2. New phones come to ATT first. BlackBerry Perl, 8800, 8300, Q, BlackJack, etc.
3. ATT is the largest network thus free mobile-mobile benefits me the most since statistically more people I know will use ATT.
Why EDGE is not as bad as you think?
1. Do you know the battery life of BlackJack? you can't last that thing over 14 hours (one day usage with nightly charge) WITH TWO BATTERIES!!
Yes that thing is the most awful phone in the world because when you buy it, it comes with TWO BATTERIES, because they know how short the battery life it is. Then with two batteries full charged, you have to switch it during the day, and it still can't last a full day. Just google about it you will believe what I said.
Why? Cuz it uses freaking 3G, which in reality just consumes more battery than EDGE.
2. Beside the crappy Windows Mobile 6, other 3G phones with LG for examples, are largely cripples in feature, unintuitive in its GUI, and most importantly having very tiny screen. What is the point of 3G speed if your screen is so freaking smallllll? - tomesnyder, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I HAVE a Family Plan and I HAVE the $19.99 MediaMAX200 on a Cingular Sync phone. The data plan applies only to the one phone.
- derek79, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1You can get other data packages. I've got a cign 8525 and had the fancy pda package ($40/month) and decided to try the MM 200 (19/month) and it works just fine for web access, streaming music, using as a modem for my laptop on the run. In theory there are some sites you can't hit using the media net (wap proxy instead of isp proxy) but I haven't found any yet.
- hagrin, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@eismcsquare - Dugg up. You couldn't be more right. My BB Pearl + TMobile service blows away any of the pricing schemes discussed in this article. The entire article is completely bogus - only uneducated, uninformed consumers would ONLY compare ATT plans, especially when ATT is considered one of the worst wireless providers. Wow, so the iPhone doesn't cost much in comparison to other ATT plans - that's more a commentary on the general suckiness (technical term) of all ATT plans, not the overall cost of the iPhone.
- crweaks23, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3I think it's very reasonable, this coming from a Verizon customer. Verizon DOES have unlimited data (@totallyAmazing), for $50 (thats right, FIFTY) a month, and it's a required fee on all internet phones (you can't buy a blackberry and decide you don't want the internet, not that you'd ever want to do that).
- jkoke, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Please unselect Apple, so we won't have to read your whiny comments.
- Quix, on 10/11/2007, -0/+180 gigs of flash memory in an iPhone? Better make yourself comfortable, you're going to be waiting awhile.
Hopefully we'll see 16GB by Christmas though. - deadbaby, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I agree. I've had my BlackBerry for more than 2 years and at one point I was paying $80 a month (***** you Verizon) If you want the connectivity you gotta pay the price.
- Ireland, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1It would help your point if you told us where "here" is, or if you had a username like me.
- undersky, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1u r right. i am so spoiled by using my blackberry, i really worry about the touchscreen keyboard. i am going to try it before buying it.
beside the input part, iphone also worries me:
1. push email....yahoo? seriously... i use gmail.
2. address book search. it seems to only scroll, but i m used to on a blackberry, you simply type any part of the name on your phone. for example, if i type "dr" it will list every entries with Dr. as the title. if i typed "son" it will list every entry such as "johnson" "steveson" etc.
so, what if an entry such as Dr. John Smith on the iphone, is it under last name or first name? what if i forgot the last name and would like to search by Dr.? i guess i can't do that on iPhone then. - GotMex, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1I used to think this, but I got an 8GB memory card for my PSP and it's enough memory. I have about 3-4 ISO games (Take up about 2GB), 2GB of music (I only put the stuff I really listen to, not my whole collection), and still have enough room for movies and TV shows (like 5-8). (Movies are about 500-600mb, TV shows are 300mb). How much more entertainment do I need before I get the chance to swap out stuff?
Remove the games and this leaves about 7GB of space for media. 2GB is more than enough songs (more than I listen to in a given week anyway) so 5GB for video is plenty.
The thing you lose is automation, but my iTunes library is at well over 200GB right now, so I have to sort through my media anyway as it stands. 8GB isn't little space, you just have to select your entertainment each time. - LeeSoong, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1
iPhone 8GB with 2 year contract from AT & T: $2,519.00
Free Virgin Mobile Phone with No Contract: $ 0,000.18 / minute.
18 cents a minute with a free phone beats the iPhone to death in a cage match of value.
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/phones/phoneDetail.do?skuId=VMKX9D
- Ireland, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Engadget's worth a read? Pull the other one.
- undersky, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1thankfully i dont ever ride buses, or subway in that regard.
- streak, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1I agree with you on all points, about the 8525 and Engadget. Best thing about the 8525 is its processor speed, but it seems the iPhone has that trumped, along with many more superior features. btw: I don't believe texting on an iPhone will be so easy as, say, texting on a Treo, while driving with your eyes on the road instead of the phone.
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