My colleague has an iPhone.
Kiku’s Realm on an iPhone
Interesting fact: the iPhone will be officially available in Germany via T-Mobile (the only network in Germany that supports EDGE) from November 9th onwards. Rumour has it that it will at least cost a monthly fee of EUR 50,- which will include some free airtime and free sms. Plus the subsidized cost of the phone, of course, which I think will settle somewhere between EUR 299,- and 399,- [update: it will be EUR 399,-].
The other alternative is to import it from the US and hack it yourself – this is what my colleague did. Some of these phones are selling for at least EUR 400,- on eBay Germany (most of them for something around EUR 550,-), but he bought it in the US, had it sent to someone who just came over for a visit and hacked it last night. He just showed it to me during the lunch break and I have to admit: the iPhone scores exactly where my Nokia N95 has its downsides, namely the interface / usability, speed and and internet surfing experience.
Coming to an interim conclusion of my first hands-on impression: if you’re into surfing the net via Wi-Fi and if your network provider supports EDGE technology, if you’re not the MMS person and want to use e-mail instead, if you hardly ever use the phone’s camera and just want a great substitute for your E61(i) or Blackberry…then the iPhone is the right phone for you.
All others who need more multimedia functions may go for the N95, but frankly said: if I could swap the internal GPS on my N95 for a much better battery runtime, a much better browser (both browsers are based on Apple’s Safari core!) and a brick format (no movable parts = less problems), heck – i would immediately switch phones. Comparing the N95 with the iPhone isn’t fair, though. They just happen to compete on the same market but were made for completely different user groups, I think.
Oh, and the best thing about his deal: he just spent something like EUR 280,- on the phone due to the awesome exchange rate to the US-$. With EUR 280,-, I won’t even get a Nokia E61i… and THAT is sweet. An iPhone for EUR 280,- while the N95 currently retails for EUR 559,-!
@Mental: you may want to go for the iPhone…
@Mathias: kannst Du mir bitte ein iPhone mitbringen? :-)
@Bambi: *sigh*…please? prrrreeeezzzzee?
@CK: there you go…
[Update]: Ok ok ok…Bambi says NO! to the iPhone (NO! as in NO!), and since Bambi also is the Minister of Finances @ Kiku’s Realm, I’ll have to stick to this virtual (but nevertheless also neat) desktop iPhone realized through Adobe’s AIR tool:
[UPDATE 2]: CG just sent me a link to macnotes where it says that the tariffs will include a flatrate for EDGE and all T-Mobile hotspots. Hmmmmm… The iPhone lacking UMTS (3G) support may be ignored with a flatrate for T-Mobile hotspots, but still: all tariffs are just too expensive. And besides – even since the iPhone doesn’t support MMS – selling sms for 0,19 EUR is just sooo…1990s. T-Mobile and Vodafone both have great coverage and network speeds, but their approach to consumers is just an insult day after day.
K1, please, tafadhali, bitte, s’il-tu plait, do not buy an iPhone. I have so much respect for you, don’t go there.
T-Mobile, you gotta love them for no other reason than their consistency. They are offer perhaps the most competitive prices but drag their feet to upgrading their networks, or offering more advanced-features phones/PDAs, always trailing behind all the other major players. And you know they do it on purpose. They are the true definition of ‘Conservative’.
Hey there JKE. Just realised its been a whole months since I last visited ur site. Crazy.. Just a question for your iPhone collegue. How does he deal with the iTune updates etc. Does that not knock out the phone immediatly? Would be great to get some real persons answer.. btw the hacked iPhone is available down under for 1100 AUD. crazy that’s 678 EUR.
@E-Nyce: Any explanation for the link between iphones and respect? Are you suggesting that people with iphones cant be respected anymore … would love to hear more about that rationale.
Zed, sorry for the delay.
Humor usually explains more than dry facts. Check out this proposed Windows vs iPhone ad.