Off to states soon. iPhone or Touch?

Dorsanty

Okay I need to make my mind up about potential buys.

So firstly, will it be possible to buy an iPhone 3G from apple store without signing some 2-3 year contract? Any known methods out there (send your American friend into the store?).

Secondly paying out for Touch software updates blows goats. Apple should be hanging their heads in shame. I mean it's like 'you didn't buy an iPhone so you aren't a valued customer'. So is the Touch good enough to replace my 60GB 5G iPod?

Also thinking of a 1TB time capsule but would people recommend some other product I can use for NAS & time machine?

SouperComputer

AFAIK, you have to sign a contract and activate the iPhone in-store. you could do this, then cancel the contract and pay the cancellation fee. Not sure what it is, its at least $100 tho. Hope to have one myself on Friday, no idea what crowds are going to be like, hopefully the hype has died down after the initial launch last year.

Then you have to Jailbreak it. Personally Id hold off and have your friend in the US ship you one over.


There are guide/hacks about to have time machine work with a NAS/SAMBA/CIFS shares. IMO its almost pointless without RAID 1 (mirroring), so whatever you buy/build, try and factor it into your budget.

If you dont need to backup your entire machine, .mac/mobile me with the included iDisk is a very handy way to backup your documents. Ideal situation would be a RAID'd Time Machine backup in conjunction with your vital documents on online storage such as iDisk.

babypink

you're not going to be able to buy an iPhone in the US unless you have at the very least:

- a US social security number
- a government issued photo-id (i.e. US drivers license / passport)

so.......that mean the only thing you CAN buy is a touch

whiterebel

Even if you seend in an American friend, the cancellation is $175.00. Pity, i was looking forward to getting one in August.

The Touch is fantastic, BTW. Absolutely love it. And yes, they do stink charging you for upgrades for it.

chalad07

babypink wrote: »

you're not going to be able to buy an iPhone in the US unless you have at the very least:

- a US social security number
- a government issued photo-id (i.e. US drivers license / passport)

so.......that mean the only thing you CAN buy is a touch

I actually got an i phone from the AT & T store without either of the above. I did have to sign a contract for 2 years though. I've moved here so it's no big deal,

Not sure if this is common practice, or the girl that was dealing with me messed things up(which wouldnt have surprised me)

SouperComputer

chalad07 wrote: »

I actually got an i phone from the AT & T store without either of the above. I did have to sign a contract for 2 years though. I've moved here so it's no big deal,

Not sure if this is common practice, or the girl that was dealing with me messed things up(which wouldnt have surprised me)

Definately not common practice. They use your SSN to check your credit history and verify identity. So if you have an SSN now, best add it as paying yoiur bill on time will boost or at least start giving you a credit rating.

BanzaiBk

The iPod Touch is a great little mp3 player and video viewer. As for an external HD, get a Drobo! I love mine, I'm not sure if you can get them in retail shops though and they probably would hike the already big price up a notch anyway.

Red Alert

I'd say let the iPhone 3G launch calm down a bit first and see how things pan out - apple have broken some jailbroken phones through software updates so you want to see how it's going to go with the new iPhone before buying one.

I've a time capsule and I've restored stuff off it only tonight - it's pricey but it works great. I'd love if apple made a RAID-1 one though. I've a mini-ITX server running SME Server as a secondary backup for some of my important stuff so I sleep easy enough!

chrislad

In all fairness, stop whinging about updates for the iPod Touch. You paid for an MP3 player, with video and internet functionality. You did not get told at any point that you would get a dedicated mail app etc. You can choose to get them but at the end of the day, mail is pretty pointless with the WiFi network we have in Ireland. AND you can just friggin jailbreak it if you want mail that bad!

Simon201

chalad07 wrote: »

I actually got an i phone from the AT & T store without either of the above. I did have to sign a contract for 2 years though. I've moved here so it's no big deal,

Not sure if this is common practice, or the girl that was dealing with me messed things up(which wouldnt have surprised me)

Well we all previously got iPhones without either of the above! But we're talking 3g iPhones here where the purchase and sign up methods have changed rather!:D

whiterebel

chrislad wrote: »

In all fairness, stop whinging about updates for the iPod Touch. You paid for an MP3 player, with video and internet functionality. You did not get told at any point that you would get a dedicated mail app etc. You can choose to get them but at the end of the day, mail is pretty pointless with the WiFi network we have in Ireland. AND you can just friggin jailbreak it if you want mail that bad!

SO when they want people to pay for the update, and then release the newer cheaper one with the apps included we should all applaud? Who are you, Brian Cowan? Are iPhone users being charged for updated software?

chrislad

whiterebel wrote: »

SO when they want people to pay for the update, and then release the newer cheaper one with the apps included we should all applaud? Who are you, Brian Cowan? Are iPhone users being charged for updated software?

I bought an Xbox when it was launched. It's cheaper now, and it's more reliable. Same thing.

Just because something comes with something now, doesn't mean that it should be given for free, otherwise I'd be onto Bill Gates for an HDMI port and a quieter DVD drive.

Either way, if you have a older iPod Touch, you wouldn't have been able to upgrade and therefore, you can jailbreak, a process which is easily revers able by doing a restore in iTunes.

No, iPhone users aren't being charged, but then again, you're not paying 45e a month (at least) for your iPod Touch.

whiterebel

chrislad wrote: »

I bought an Xbox when it was launched. It's cheaper now, and it's more reliable. Same thing.

Just because something comes with something now, doesn't mean that it should be given for free, otherwise I'd be onto Bill Gates for an HDMI port and a quieter DVD drive.

Either way, if you have a older iPod Touch, you wouldn't have been able to upgrade and therefore, you can jailbreak, a process which is easily revers able by doing a restore in iTunes.

No, iPhone users aren't being charged, but then again, you're not paying 45e a month (at least) for your iPod Touch.

No, and apparently Apple aren't getting it either, so why free upgrades? O2 handing them out? The amount of Apple gear I have and have bought haven't required me to pay for upgrades unless its a brand new O/s which is available across all machines. Why should the Touch be the only machine that requires a paid upgrade? I bought mine a week before the new ones were launched. I didn't complain it being cheaper, but paying for an upgrade that the new one got for free is all wrong.

Anyway, i'll let you go back to pestering Bill Gates into letting you pay for a software upgrade to fix the RROD.

Thanks for all the info on Jailbreak, fascinating..........

Chardee MacDennis

whiterebel wrote: »

Even if you seend in an American friend, the cancellation is $175.00. Pity, i was looking forward to getting one in August.

afaik when you buy an iphone with AT&T (the only way apple have said you can buy an iphone atm stateside), AT&T still own the hardware. It still hasn't been cleared up whether or not AT&T have the right to reclaim the hardware and apparently it is an actual worry. if anyone listens to MacBreak Weekly they might be able to point to the episode but Scott Bourne, i think, brought the problem up a few weeks ago...

whiterebel wrote: »

Why should the Touch be the only machine that requires a paid upgrade?

it's to do with SEC regulations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

whiterebel

BastardPrince wrote: »

afaik when you buy an iphone with AT&T (the only way apple have said you can buy an iphone atm stateside), AT&T still own the hardware. It still hasn't been cleared up whether or not AT&T have the right to reclaim the hardware and apparently it is an actual worry. if anyone listens to MacBreak Weekly they might be able to point to the episode but Scott Bourne, i think, brought the problem up a few weeks ago...



it's to do with SEC regulations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Hmm,I don't think Apple suggested it was covered under SOX. Seeing as teh iPhone (At&T get the subscription, not Apple) and Apple TV (Same principle as the Touch, buying from Apple Store?) got free upgrades giving new functionality, why weren't they charged for?

jahalpin

whiterebel wrote: »

Hmm,I don't think Apple suggested it was covered under SOX. Seeing as teh iPhone (At&T get the subscription, not Apple) and Apple TV (Same principle as the Touch, buying from Apple Store?) got free upgrades giving new functionality, why weren't they charged for?

Apple have blamed SOX on several occassions.

With the original iPhone, Apple got a percentage of the monthly subscription fees paid to the mobile operators inc. AT&T and O2.

Slice

My persuasion would be to avoid combining my mobile devices at all cost. I don't care how integrated they become I still don't want my mp3 player eating into my mobile phone's batter life and vice versa. Go with the Touch

Dorsanty

Shopping day today. Considering the Touch alright. I too have kinda wanted to avoid phone+music+video player in single device.

Will leave my decision till I'm in the store. See if the sleak and shiny of the Touch wins me over. Thanks for the info all.

Leaning towards time capsule also because it's gonna replace an existing router. So I'm adding NAS and not using up an extra power socket. Which fits my requirements nicely.