Why I switched from the iPhone to the Pre--There's no app for huge AT&T bills.

rickyeatworld · 09/05/2009, 08:16 PM

I've been reading a bunch of reviews and comparisons of the palm pre vs the iphone...and SO MANY people are hating on the pre! I want to take this time to discuss some of the things people dislike about it in comparison to the iphone.

Personally, I switched from the iphone (and believe me, I am an avid mac/iphone user) to the palm pre (it actually happened on accident, involving a washing machine) and am very pleased that I did. I had been thinking about switching over for quite some time now ever since I saw the first commercial for the simply everything plan. That alone was simply everything the iPhone lacked; and believe you me, there is not an app for that.

First off, the bill is much less: $90 bucks for everything I need with sprint vs. $130-150 with AT&T (which includes limited texting).

And then there are people hating on the battery life of the pre. The iphone battery is horrible! Why don't people hate on that? After three generations I would think they would fix that problem. That was the first thing I noticed about the iphone! It can play movies and mp3s and great and apps, but what's the point of having all that if your phone is dead/charging all the time? Personally, I think the battery life on the pre is actually better

And is anyone else annoyed by people hating on the selection of apps for the pre? IT WAS JUST RELEASED A MONTH AGO. GIVE IT TIME. THE APP STORE FOR THE IPHONE WAS NOT GIGANTIC WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. PLEASE STOP HATING ON THE NUMBER OF APPS. And anyway, there was not one iPhone app that I used or played for more than a week before getting bored. At least the pre comes with an amazing navigation system that iphone users must pay 70-90 bucks for.

And the keyboard works FINE. YOU JUST HAVE TO GET USED TO IT, JUST LIKE EVERYONE DID WITH THE IPHONE. IT WILL HAVE A TOUCH KEYBOARD SOON JUST RELAX AND GIVE IT TIME: THE IPHONE DIDNT EVEN HAVE HORIZONTAL TEXTING UNTIL A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.

Here is the bottom line: As a faithful Mac fan, I am going to say the Pre is a better offer. And that's for me. Others view it differently, and that's fine. But there is no reason to have hostility brewing over the internet concerning phones. Dear haters: get a life.

halmo20 · 09/05/2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickyeatworld

there is not an app for that.

Amen to that!!! I've been Verizon forever and let me tell you.. With two lines, I save about $90 each month for comparable features!!!

What good is 'the Best Network in America', if you Can't afford it???

rickyeatworld · 09/05/2009, 08:58 PM

They will nickel and dime you to death, I swear.

m0unds · 09/05/2009, 09:15 PM

As a former Nextel subscriber (of 5 years) I switched back to Sprint for the Pre after having AT&T for 3 years and an iPhone for around 11 months because I was getting sick of the bills. I was paying $105 a month for 450 anytime, 5000 n&w, unlimited texting and iPhone data..with sprint, after my corporate discount, I'm paying $73.33 for 450 anytime, 7PM N&W, unlimited messaging, data and navigation and TEP.

AT&T's coverage in Albuquerque is quite a bit better than Sprint's, since we're a former Alamosa PCS market. Sprint seems to have left most former affiliate networks for dead. Fortunately, though, in marginal/no-signal areas and in the big concrete & steel building where I work, I can roam on Alltel. My phone works decently enough in most places, but I do find that I roam on Verizon or Alltel inside most buildings, which is kinda lame. Of course, to save $30/mo, I'm willing to cope with it.

As far as iPhone 3G vs Pre battery life..my iPhone was probably twice as good with more use than my Pre, but i think the reason for this is twofold: 1. the pre's rf performance is pretty flaky and 2. sprint's network is sort of..sparse in albuquerque.

Demodocus · 09/05/2009, 09:40 PM

I concur with the assessment of Sprint in Albuquerque. It's serviceable here, but inside buildings it can really get kinda iffy. I've noticed it's especially bad at UNM...I can be outside with nothing around me to block the signal and still get 0 to 2 bars at most - and once you go into one of the underground bomb shelters that they call classrooms at UNM, forget about service all together!

Demodocus · 09/05/2009, 09:41 PM

I should add that I still love Sprint and it works in most places, and you certainly can't beat the prices!

m0unds · 09/05/2009, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demodocus

I concur with the assessment of Sprint in Albuquerque. It's serviceable here, but inside buildings it can really get kinda iffy. I've noticed it's especially bad at UNM...I can be outside with nothing around me to block the signal and still get 0 to 2 bars at most - and once you go into one of the underground bomb shelters that they call classrooms at UNM, forget about service all together!

yeah. that all comes from us being an affiliate network. if sprint invested here like they did in a few of the other regional metro areas, then we'd be set. unfortunately, that's not the case. it took til late 07-early 08 to get EVDO here, and it's not like it's a tiny market... (840,000+ people) maybe we'll benefit from their extra expenditures in q3-q4 o9.

rickyeatworld · 09/05/2009, 09:51 PM

All in due time! I am in FL and everywhere I've been thus far has been superb-as well as CT, NY, and VA...AT&T actually gave me problems in ct..

m0unds · 09/05/2009, 09:57 PM

i'd say 6 years is plenty of time to fix some stuff out here

sort of ironic, too, is that they have a call center in rio rancho, nm (a suburb of abq).

i should say though that if i hated my coverage, my phone or sprint i wouldn't be using them.

drizek · 09/05/2009, 09:59 PM

Battery life on the original iPhone is actually great. Battery life on the iPhone 3G and the 3GS is terrible though. Partly due to 3G and partly due to the slimming.

The difference wrt to the Pre though is that there are two different types of people buying two different types of devices with two different POVs.

Apple purchasers have the opinion that Apple makes perfect devices, and that any deficiencies are their own and not those of the device. In the case of iPhone battery life, they get around their issue by buying a external battery/case holder. A better example though is the sharp edges on the palm rest of the Macbook Pro. Those are far worse than the ones on the Pre keyboard. I wanted to buy a MBP but I noticed this issue and googled to see if other people had the same problem. I found some forums where it was being discussed, and the consensus was that you should buy some wrist straps. No complaining, no returning, not even any sand paper or duct tape or some other attempt to fix the problem. No, the problem is that you're using it wrong, and you should fix your wrists instead. Either that or you should not rest your hand on the palm rest, that was the second most popular solution offered to people who had the problem. Personally, I am going to be getting a Thinkpad instead(new ones coming out in January).

T3CK · 09/05/2009, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickyeatworld

They will nickel and dime you to death, I swear.

Haha, you are so right. He is considered already a traitor among the Apple fanatics. Everyone has the right to choose.

Quote:

Originally Posted by drizek

No, the problem is that you're using it wrong, and you should fix your wrists instead. Either that or you should not rest your hand on the palm rest, that was the second most popular solution offered to people who had the problem. Personally, I am going to be getting a Thinkpad instead(new ones coming out in January).

+1, LOL. I never did/will own a piece of Apple hardware/software.

rickyeatworld · 09/05/2009, 10:08 PM

hahaha! that's quite interesting, and hilarious. I have a MBP and never had a wrist problem...I think people just whine way too much, and apple has a ridiculously good marketing team.

But that definitely complements the idea of this thread...the sense of entitlement some iPhone users have. It's strange to see people angry at an electronic because--DUN DUN DUN....it might be better than their own apple product!

drizek · 09/05/2009, 11:12 PM

I agree that people complain too much, but at least wit hteh way I type, it was really bad. I literally had red marks on my wrists after typing for a few minutes. This was with the 13" white plastic model, but I believe the new aluminum pros have the same design.

Here is the quote recommending wrist bands:

Quote:

Well, there are a variety of solutions that work to varying degrees:

1. Wrist pad protectors, such as AVA's softpads or PowerSupport's wrist wrags are supposed to protect the wrist rest area from discoloration, but they have the added benefit of cushioning those edges. There are several others sold on eBay that you might want to check out as well.

2. Laptop stands, such as the iLap or CoolPad, while designed primarily to improve airflow for the laptop, raise the back of the laptop causing it to slope downwards, reducing the contact between your wrists and the edge.

3. Low tech but cumbersome, use a wrist band.

4. Sanding, as suggested above, has been done by a number of people who want a more permanent approach.

Macbook Sharp edges - MacNN Forums

Qigate · 09/05/2009, 11:48 PM

Only thing I've have to say is that "I love my Pre" and they're gonna have to rip it from my cold dead hands!

bclancy · 09/06/2009, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drizek

Here is the quote recommending wrist bands:
Macbook Sharp edges - MacNN Forums

I think people should glue cotton balls all the way around the upper edge of the laptop. (That would give a totally new meaning to the phrase "computing in the cloud"!). :-)

Adjei · 09/06/2009, 12:24 AM

Yeah this must be why AT&T is losing money and losing millions of customers.

Adjei · 09/06/2009, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drizek

Battery life on the original iPhone is actually great. Battery life on the iPhone 3G and the 3GS is terrible though. Partly due to 3G and partly due to the slimming.

The difference wrt to the Pre though is that there are two different types of people buying two different types of devices with two different POVs.

Apple purchasers have the opinion that Apple makes perfect devices, and that any deficiencies are their own and not those of the device. In the case of iPhone battery life, they get around their issue by buying a external battery/case holder. A better example though is the sharp edges on the palm rest of the Macbook Pro. Those are far worse than the ones on the Pre keyboard. I wanted to buy a MBP but I noticed this issue and googled to see if other people had the same problem. I found some forums where it was being discussed, and the consensus was that you should buy some wrist straps. No complaining, no returning, not even any sand paper or duct tape or some other attempt to fix the problem. No, the problem is that you're using it wrong, and you should fix your wrists instead. Either that or you should not rest your hand on the palm rest, that was the second most popular solution offered to people who had the problem. Personally, I am going to be getting a Thinkpad instead(new ones coming out in January).

LOL at using one anecdote to generalize millions of people.

drizek · 09/06/2009, 12:33 AM

Well the fact is that if Palm shipped the same type of product with sharp edges there would be an uproar.

Incidentally I have tried following the advice on that thread for an improved typing position and I think it has actually helped me. Still, that is no excuse from making wrist slitting palm rests.

darreno1 · 09/06/2009, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drizek

. I found some forums where it was being discussed, and the consensus was that you should buy some wrist straps. No complaining, no returning, not even any sand paper or duct tape or some other attempt to fix the problem. No, the problem is that you're using it wrong, and you should fix your wrists instead. Either that or you should not rest your hand on the palm rest, that was the second most popular solution offered to people who had the problem. Personally, I am going to be getting a Thinkpad instead(new ones coming out in January).

LOL, while I'm sure all apple people aren't like that, the ones that I know fit that bill well. But don't worry, Apple will probably come out with an IWrist Strap or IPalm Rest to help. And you know they'll sell like hot cakes.

rickyeatworld · 09/06/2009, 12:49 AM

okaaaaaaay let's not get too crazy. I'm not looking to talk down apple users--keep in mind I am one!

I was really trying to target the people who heavily criticize the pre, especially when compared to the iphone. The weird thing is the animosity behind them all, so let's not sink to their level. I think the iPhone and AT&T are heavily over-priced, especially in the economy; but they couldn't give a ****. They are greedy. If you haven't realized by now, they invest a ton of money into marketing. IMO, some iPhone users have bought into it to the point where they have acquired some sort of entitlement. I think Sprint is just a little more in tune with people in general. I have a pre in my palm, a smile on my face, but no nose in the air