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miffed

17th June 2009, 06:49 PM

.....OK , so maybe I will want one ! :D

http://gizmodo.com/5293388/iphone-3gs-review

Ben

17th June 2009, 08:57 PM

The big speed boost really is appealing... as is the improved camera :/

Hands0n

17th June 2009, 09:12 PM

I know ... I'm weakening but ... too busy with OS 3.0 to get too distracted right now.

Give me another 24 hours :D

gorilla

17th June 2009, 09:32 PM

My GF has decided that she would like my 3G after all. I'm now under pressure to get a 3G S. Oh well...

Hands0n

17th June 2009, 09:57 PM

Ah, interesting, so how is the plan to be executed then? Buy out, unlock or pop a PAYG in? Or let her have the existing contract/3G and take out a fresh 3G S and contract?

Not sure I want to do that for the yoof - he costs me £20/mth right now, I'm not yet willing to up that to £35/mth!

Ben

19th June 2009, 12:56 AM

Hmm on £35/mo I think it's cheaper for me to buy a PAYG iPhone 3GS than to buy out of the contract and upgrade. And O2 are recommending it!

Option 2 - purchase the iPhone 3G S on Pay & Go from 19 June.
You can give your existing iPhone 3G to someone you know.

Pay Monthly customers can place their existing iPhone 3G sim card into the iPhone 3G S and receive all the latest functionality. Customers must continue to pay for their existing Pay Monthly tariff.

http://shop.o2.co.uk/update/upgrade.html

I'm soooooooooooooo tempted.

Hands0n

19th June 2009, 01:11 AM

Can I tempt you some more?

Even if you put your "old" iPhone 3G 16GB on to eBay they're fetching in excess of £200 which is a substantial payback to help fund the 3G S. I did a search on eBay and with some filtering out - used, auction only, 16GB I came up with this listing here (http://phones.shop.ebay.co.uk/items/Mobile-Phones__apple-iphone-3g-16gb_W0QQSimlockZO2QQConditionZUsedQQLHQ5fAuctionZ 1QQ_catrefZ1QQ_dmptZUKQ5fMobilePhonesQ5fMobilePhon esQQ_flnZ1QQ_sacatZ3312QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em283 )

That is ... if you don't want to keep the 3G/16GB as backup and just swallow the cost of the new handset.

NB: Even the original 2G/8GB is fetching well in excess of £100 (see here (http://phones.shop.ebay.co.uk/items/Mobile-Phones__apple-iphone-2g-8gb_W0QQLHQ5fAuctionZ1QQConditionZUsedQQ_dmptZUKQ5 fMobilePhonesQ5fMobilePhonesQQ_flnZ1QQ_sacatZ3312Q Q_ssovZ1QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em282)) for good 'uns, and mine is completely mint! Crazy times!

Edit: Just for completeness, here are the O2 prices for PAYG

You don't need a monthly contract to get an iPhone 3G. There are three models to choose from:

iPhone 3G 8GB - £342.50
iPhone 3G S 16GB - £440.40
iPhone 3G S 32GB - £538.30

Source: http://shop.o2.co.uk/update/paygo.html

I just ran up a quickie spreadsheet on the overall cost of upgrading to the 32GB 3G S on the basis of 8 months of existing contract left to run.

Months Left Cost p/m Value
Existing 8 £34.26 £274.08
New 18 Months 18 £34.26 £616.68
Handset Cost £274.23
Total Outlay £1,164.99

This means that the handset has cost you £548.31 (the buyout cost £274.08 plus the initial contribution of £274.23). So it really is a few quid cheaper to just go buy the PAYG at £538.30 and be done with - which also means that in 8 months time you can review what to do next :D rather than have yet another 10 months to run.

Decisions, decisions. I'm only glad that I'm not having to make them. I'm staying put unless O2 make similar moves to when they transitioned from 2G to 3G device.

gorilla

19th June 2009, 08:56 AM

Ah, interesting, so how is the plan to be executed then? Buy out, unlock or pop a PAYG in? Or let her have the existing contract/3G and take out a fresh 3G S and contract?

I'm going to buy the PAYG iPhone, that way we both remain on our existing contracts. I'll probably go onto a simplicity tariff at the end of my current 18 month.

Tempted to go and get one today.

Hands0n

19th June 2009, 10:21 AM

Tempted to go and get one today.

I would love one myself too ... but it really is the price that is putting me off big time. My youngest lad (15) wants my iPhone 3G so there is a home for it - which is good and not so good, I can't sell it off to make way for the 3G S.

I'm going to see if I can resolutely sit this one out, as I did with firmware 3.0 - that was tough not jumping on the Beta bandwagon, but I managed it without too much stress :D

Ben

19th June 2009, 10:40 AM

Really tempted to see if there are any on sale in Canterbury if I sneak in today at all, though that's looking doubtful... might be hard to make it to the end of next week without one though, lol!

Keeping my 3G as a spare is appealing.

MrBriz

23rd June 2009, 02:05 PM

I ended up buying a 3Gs on Friday. I'd been telling myself for three weeks that I wouldn't, but someone offered to "maybe" buy mine, so I just threw caution to the wind!

Now I have a brand new 3Gs, and an old 3G waiting to be sold.

I must say the Mrs wasn't all to happy! :D What with a wedding in 10 weeks she said the money could have gone towards that..... never mind!

Anyway I'm quietly impressed. It's just a nice overhaul and noticeably faster. The video is just fantastical clear, and the auto focus works well.

I'd say anyone who can afford to go buy a PayG should! It's not the big jump 2G - 3G was, but the speed increase and the fact that I never get the checkboard in safari are the big winners for me, everything else is just the icing on the cake!

chagle

24th June 2009, 07:35 AM

I tempt Ben even more - I put my iPhone 3G on eBay and got £265 for it which funded my iPhone 3GS thank you very much! :D

Plus I started a new contract with an O2 'Open Code' - Thanks MaccieD, that's 30% (PS, I personally don't work for MaccD's and walk around wearing a hair net so you can get that image out of your mind immediately). LOL

blush

24th June 2009, 09:04 AM

All this pressure to buy a 3GS...Arrrrgh.
You guys who bought the phone p&g did o2 make you buy a pay and go sim at the same time? I use my 3G with a simplicity sim.

I work for Network Rail and we get o2 open code too, gives you £20 off a payandgo phone so not much of a saving compared to taking out a contract.

miffed

24th June 2009, 09:05 AM

I think Ben has already given in ;)

My own personal plan is to wait , sell the 3G and buy a 3GS on PAYG

....But even then I have a few little dilemmas - I have this thing in my mind that I want a White one , and I also feel I need the 32B , but this is an emotional need rather than a physical one - my 3G stands at around 7GB free , so in reality , I don't need the 32GB , but my male pride wants me to have the best on offer ( LOL !)
No rush though , all in good time :D

Hands0n

24th June 2009, 11:46 AM

Ben

24th June 2009, 12:12 PM

Indeed I did give in :P And might I say, WOW. This think is so frickin fast. Browsing is a dream. I'm on it ATM but that's no biggies I know, but seriously, everything is just dreamy.

You have to have the payg sim and buy a £10 topup - which I'm using in my old iPhone 3G at the moment. Really tempted to try unlocking it if possible so I can use it on my Orange or Voda contracts... Hmm. I feel so guilty leaving it sat doing nothing, it was such a teriffic phone. I was one of the few to never get it replaced, and it still has an indestructable battery!

Not a patch on the 3GS in terms of speed, though. This really is one hell of a phone.

miffed

24th June 2009, 12:28 PM

Mate , Jailbreaking and unlocking is a Breeze - I was very surprised how easy it was considering the trouble it seemed to be causing before 3.0

Even if you don't bother using any Jailbreak Apps , it is worthwhile just for the unlock

http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=4254

http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=4253 (looks like a lot to follow but in reality is is easy )

blush

24th June 2009, 02:30 PM

@HandsOn Thanks for the info. My boss has offered me £250 for my 3G so almost a certainty. :D

Seen a few posts on o2 website forum about poor battery life compared to 3G, any truth in that?:confused:

miffed

24th June 2009, 02:43 PM

I wouldn't read too much into the battery life at this stage - You always hear these tales within the first few days of a devices launch , when to be fair , new phones do tend to get a bit of a caning (naturally :) )
A few weeks down the line we'll get a better idea.

Ben

24th June 2009, 03:20 PM

Seen a few posts on o2 website forum about poor battery life compared to 3G, any truth in that?:confused:
None whatsoever here!

Hands0n

24th June 2009, 07:25 PM

Seen a few posts on o2 website forum about poor battery life compared to 3G, any truth in that?:confused:

Same info posted on the HTC Magic website :)

The key is to make sure that the initial charge is performed, let the handset charge fully before giving it a caning.

Over a short period of time and several recharge cycles the capacity will improve and level off.

Of course, lots of playing will run the battery down quicker until "normal" use settles in.

But that said, keep an eye out on battery life - there have been DOAs (duds on arrival) before, even with Apple stuff ;)

blush

25th June 2009, 12:20 PM

Ben

25th June 2009, 01:01 PM

I gave in and got a 32gb black :D:):D:):D:)
Congratulations! :D :D

First impressions?

I really hammered mine yesterday, only 16 minutes of calls but lots of emails, browsing etc. Was at 51% battery when I put it back on charge :)

I'm still on 98% at the moment but I've not used it nearly as much today.

blush

25th June 2009, 01:45 PM

Congratulations! :D :D

Thanks, I couldn't wait to get it home and juiced up :cool:

First impressions?

The initial restore from old backup seemed rather rapid to how I remember a 3G restore went. The menus and apps seem to load quicker and more fluid. Safari is far better, used to spend quite a bit of time waiting for webpages to load and the delay is alot less now.

I can't comment on the 3G signal as I have it turned off. I turned it off on the 3G after having loads of people complain my phone was always unavailable. I see a small speed improvement with 3G on but Edge or 2G seems alot more stable for me. I'm another Kent lad and know how bad the 3G signal is in Kent, actually it didn't get much better anywhere I have been in the UK including London where you'd have though it would work nicely. I'm going to California next year and look forward to see what the USA 3G is like.

I had a good laugh with the voice control thing as I have music for my two year old boy on my phone and the first thing I could think of was "play music by peppa pig" :o:eek::o

Since 3.0 on my 3G is seems to pause for thought alot of the time with weird double stuttered alerts for sms sometimes, the 3GS doesnt seem to suffer the lag or alerts problem so all good.

I really hammered mine yesterday, only 16 minutes of calls but lots of emails, browsing etc. Was at 51% battery when I put it back on charge :)

I'm still on 98% at the moment but I've not used it nearly as much today.

That sounds rather good, bet it's a software thing like it was with the 3G and after a firmware update or two will be sorted.

So far the update to 3GS seems worth it. :)

miffed

6th July 2009, 07:01 PM

@blush - the Pay and Go will come with a new P&G SIM which you can swap out for your contract SIM immediately. After about 180 days of not being used the P&G number will be disconnected by O2, eventually being reissued on another SIM some time in the future.

So there's nothing to stop you :D

@miffed - I'm giving you 20 days max LOL :p

Well , I lasted 12 days :p

I mean come on ?? I can handle you lot having 3GS's , but when people at work (who are not really "hardcore" Phoniac's ) are waving their 3GS's under my nose ?
I thought I could plod along with my 3G , but now I note the difference are not really discrete either, I probably could have lived with it if the "32GB" label was dull and grey , like on the 3G , but it is blazingly bright silver - it screams "THIS IS BETTER THAN YOUR 3G MIFFED !!!" :(

.....So , I cracked , and have ordered a 32GB in White from CPW. not that I am CPW fan or anything , but their online store appears to be the only place I can get a White one !! - Tried all the local o2 / CPW's and no luck , just some baffoons trying to convince me to have the black one !

Can't wait ! :D

Hands0n

6th July 2009, 07:23 PM

Great Gatsby man, you done well, 12 days :p Impressive :D

Of course, it was always going to happen - the allure of that shiny shiny is just too much. And the "Nah, na na nah nah" is a bit of a slap in the face.

No doubt you'll tip us the nod when yours arrives :D Pope, Catholic, Bears, Woods and that sort of thing ...

miffed

6th July 2009, 07:38 PM

..But of course !

Only thing is , after those Vodafone shannigans last month , I am now sitting here (for the first time ever) worrying whether or not I am going to pass the credit check !!
This would be a little silly , considering I already have another iPhone contract running with them !

Hands0n

6th July 2009, 08:17 PM

I'm puzzled :confused: Are you going to be running two iPhone contracts and a Vodafone HTC Magic also? :eek:

miffed

6th July 2009, 08:36 PM

I'll have one iPhone contract and one HTC Magic ..... The wife now has the other iPhone contract (currently in the 2G , but I have promised her the 3G when the 3GS is delivered !)
It's funny , I had been trying to persuade her to get an iPhone since getting my 2G , but she convinced herself she'd find it too difficult - I finally got her to give the 3G a go about a month back , and she absolutely loves it , she texts more . emails more , she now spends half her free time playing Scrabble , suduko , The Sims and Super monkey ball ! - we IM each other (iphone to iPhone ) rather than texting .

So yeah , Two contracts for me , which isn't too bad for me , I remember having around 6 at one point !

gorilla

6th July 2009, 09:57 PM

we IM each other (iphone to iPhone ) rather than texting

What do you use for IMing? And on 3.0 do you get push notifications?

Ben

6th July 2009, 10:05 PM

I'm using Beejive, is really cool with the push notifications.

miffed

7th July 2009, 06:49 AM

I was using Beejive , and loving it - but then noticed some messages going missing quite offen , which was a pain
Can't be sure if it was Beejive or Googletalk's fault , so while iM+ (with push ) is on Sale at £2.99 decided to give that a go.

All seems OK so far - Beejive is probably just that bit slicker - but essentially the same thing.

gorilla

7th July 2009, 08:54 AM

£2.99? This represents how the App store has affected pricing models. I would seriously have to think about spending £2.99 on an App, which is ridiculous, yet true. There's clearly two business models in the App store, free and everything else.

The main reason I would not splash out :D the cash is that I do not know enough people using IM at the minute.

miffed

7th July 2009, 09:45 AM

LOL ! ... Would you prefer this kind of pricing ? ..... which was pretty much the norm in the days before the iPhone

http://www.handango.com/homepage/Homepage.jsp?deviceId=2122&merch=major_marketing_message3

....., Handy tools pack for Symbian is a bit of a bargain eh ?

Ben

7th July 2009, 10:27 AM

Hell, I've paid up to about £20 before for handheld Windows apps. The App Store is a bit of a revelation, all that competition! :D

I'm using Beejive for MSN and haven't had any problems that I know of. It's just handy having an MSN client on the iPhone now there's push.

gorilla

7th July 2009, 01:58 PM

:D At least you could pretend to get $130 worth of satisfaction. It would naturally also be running on the best phone currently available (the Nokia 5800 which they imply!).

Are you guys rebooting your iPhone after you install new apps? I do, I think it makes a differnece, but the 3GS reboots really quick in any case.

Ben

7th July 2009, 02:23 PM

Are you guys rebooting your iPhone after you install new apps? I do, I think it makes a differnece, but the 3GS reboots really quick in any case.
No, actually, but I don't install many anyway. I think if you're adding/removing regularly then it'd be a good idea, the SDK isn't faultless and many of the apps are, well, imperfect.

miffed

7th July 2009, 03:15 PM

Hmm , Haven't heard a thing from CPW yet !! (apart form the initial confrimation mail yesterday evening
.....Got a horrible feeling about this :mad::(:confused:

miffed

8th July 2009, 02:20 PM

.... My god , CPW are a bunch of idiots :confused:

I got a mail from them yesterday at around 4.30pm , telling me that they had been unable to verify my Credit card. (WTF ??) - This was a card I try not to use regularly , therefore did not have it on me at work - meaning I would have to deal with it later.
Got home that evening to find the fraud prevention departmentfrom the CC had phoned , telling me that CPW had tried to charge 1p to my card 3 times , and this triggered an automatic refusal (eh ? why the 1p transactions when I was making a payment of £275 anyway ??)
Anyway .... sod that - I cancelled:mad:

But all's well that ends well - just got back from o2 Westwood Cross with a shiny new white 32GB'er :D

gorilla

8th July 2009, 02:22 PM

Sweet, I can tell you're happy!

Ben

8th July 2009, 02:37 PM

Congratulations! Welcome to the high speed party! :D

getti

8th July 2009, 03:27 PM

Hands0n

8th July 2009, 03:38 PM

Ooooh! I can tell that miffed is a happy lad :)

This "ping" the credit card thing is dafter than a very daft thing. We all know that CCs will cop the arse and decline the transaction!

Well miffed, we await with bated breath you first impressions when you finally get the 3GS fired up.

I'm beginning to witness the battery life syndrome - I think that it is more to do with seeing the percentage displayed as an empirical value alongside the facsimile of the battery charge state itself. But in truth the handset seems to run for as long as the 3G ever did on a single charge.

miffed

8th July 2009, 04:11 PM

How much did that set you back?

Well . As I mentioned earlier , I had passed on my previous contract to the wife , who is a newfound iPhone addict ;)
..... Meaning I could start a new one with the 3GS - Now this time yesterday , I was all prepared to pay the £275 for the phone on the £35 tariff for 18 months , but then in theo2 shop today I though "Sod it" - put me down for two years and I'll pay £175 now - radical decision for £100 measly quid (and I bet I'll regret it in 18 months time , lol ) ... but at the time it seemed like a good idea :D

All I have done is sync and left to charge so far , but a quick flick around the UI shows a blindingly obvious improvement (on something that wasn't majorly in need of improvement anyway !
Had a quick go on the camera - again , thumbs up , for the first time I'll be able to take non-blurry piccys on my iPhone :D

The White casing is absolutely glorious ! really glad I chose white now - I am hoping it will be less likely to show up fingerprints and small scratches as bad as black.
The screen , as you suggest , is cooler than the 3G - Not sure what all these "Yellow hue" people are on about !
The coating on the screen is different , feels more "friction"ey , but seems better at not picking up fingerprints , so it's all good.
Can't wait for it to finish its baptism charge so I can have a proper play :D

Ben

8th July 2009, 07:29 PM

The screen , as you suggest , is cooler than the 3G - Not sure what all these "Yellow hue" people are on about !
The later batches *definitely* have different screens, or adjusted calibrations of the old ones.

Hands0n

8th July 2009, 08:46 PM

The later batches *definitely* have different screens, or adjusted calibrations of the old ones.

Are you suggesting that a couple of weeks on and we're into "later batches"? :confused:

Coooool :cool:

Next week we will be importing Pink Blusher :D

Ben

8th July 2009, 09:47 PM

Are you suggesting that a couple of weeks on and we're into "later batches"? :confused:
Yeah definitely, afaik you can find out the build week of your unit via the serial just like any Apple. New stock has been arriving in stores 'daily' (not necessarily every day in every store, but daily) and the manufacturing will be going on continuously, too. I'd imagine the initial stock deposited at most stores would have sold out in a matter of days. Whether Apple actually made a conscious correction/adjustment or whether the later handsets are simply using screens from a different batch themselves, though, I wouldn't like to speculate.