virgil

Buying an iPhone was the dumbest decision I have made in a while. Having tested every mobile phone in my house and finding that none of them would connect to my car via bluetooth I jumped onto this forum and learned that the iPhone DOES connect. So I went out and bought one, not thinking anything of HOW the phone works ... or doesn't work. In fact, I bought 2, one for my wife. She uses more of the iPod features and doesn't have any business requirements, so she doesn't necessarily share the same gripes as me.

For those of you who are still undecided, I share my experiences one month after my iPhone purchase. My knowledge of the Storm is limited, so if I'm wrong in any way please send me a PM and I'll update this post. For the record, we are in Australia and both iPhones are on the Optus network:

1. 3G Video calling. Not available on the iPhone, even on a 3G network. I'm not sure about the Storm;

2. Bluetooth functionality. iPhone is limited to headset and car kit. Connect it to your PC and you CANNOT drag and drop files onto the device. 16GB of storage CANNOT be used to transfer files from your PC. You can do these things on the Storm;

3. Wi-Fi. OK! The Storm does not have Wi-Fi at all ... and is the reason why I chose the iPhone. Yes, the iPhone has Wi-Fi. Yes, you can use it to browse the net and save on download costs if you're in a Wi-Fi area. But, that's where the joy ends. I connect to my home and office Wi-Fi networks daily. BUT, you cannot see other devices such as PCs, notebooks, printers, etc. on the Wi-Fi network and those devices cannot see the iPhone. The iPhone simply uses the Wi-Fi network as an internet gateway. So, you cannot use Wi-Fi to transfer files to and from your iPhone either. You cannot print an email or webpage, sms, or anything else. To me, the Wi-Fi is half-baked and doesn't do what I want;

4. iTunes. Anything you want to do with your iPhone, such as transfer music, contacts, etc. must be done using the iTunes software. Storm does not have any similar limitation;

5. Touch screen. The Storm has a tactile touch screen, which I found compelling when I tested it. It feels like you've pressed a button. The iPhone doesn't have that. Whilst we are on the subject, these devices don't work like the old HP Pocket Computers, which use a small pen-like pointer. They ignore inorganic contact. So don't try tapping the screen with your pen. This is handy if the device is in your pocket with your keys or sunglasses ... no accidental key presses ... BUT .... my wife likes to use her fingernail to tap the keyboard ... won't work;

6. Keyboard. The iPhone is a little better in this regard. Each key is magnified as you press it, above your finger so you can see which key you've pressed. If you hit the wrong key, simply drag your finger over the correct key before lifting it off the screen.

7. Predictive text. The iPhone is a little better here too. If you type "ho" your first option in predictive text is "go", as if you've hit the wrong key. The Storm uses the old T9 style of predictive text, which assumes you want words beginning with "ho...";

8. Camera. The iPhone has 2MP and no settings for brighness/contrast/colour, etc. The Storm has 3.1MP. I believe it has limited configurable settings;

9. Flash. No flash on the iPhone. The Storm has a flash;

10. Video. No video recording at all on the iPhone. The Storm has video recording;

11. SMS. The iPhone stores SMS as a conversation. This looks good on the screen ... BUT ... you can't forward a conversation or part thereof. You can't forward an SMS - you will have to retype and send as a new message. You can do this on a Storm, which adheres to the traditional messaging form;

12. "Cut and Paste", did I here you say? ... in relation to point 11 above? Sorry, iPhone does not support cut and paste. Nope, you can't even copy a number from your address book to send in a message. You have to memorise it, switch to your messaging screen, and type it in. Mac invented cut'n'paste ... why the hell did they leave it out of the iPhone? Storm has cut and paste tools;

13. Business cards. Thought sending a business card as a SMS might solve the problem above, did you? iPhone can't do it! Bummer! I haven't tested this with the Storm so some feedback from an owner would be helpful;

14. Calendar. iPhone has a REALLY ANNOYING limitation with the calendar! It is unable to remember the date that a calender entry was added and does not account specifically for birthdays an anniversaries ... I can't comment on the Storm because I haven't tested this, either. BUT, if you use Outlook you can add calendar events specifically as anniversaries. Stick with me here. I'm 42, so I go back to 1966 on my Outlook Calendar and add my birthday in. On the appointed day, Outlook reminds me that its my brithday with my age in brackets. My old HP pocket computer synchronised perfectly with Outlook and displayed anniversaries the same way. So, when my nephew's birthday came around, the HP told me he was turning 7. iPhone can't do this;

15. Invitations. If you normally coordinate meetings with invitations that automatically update your Calendar, as Outlook does, then you're out of luck with the iPhone. It is not supported. This feature IS available on the Storm;

16. Office documents. There is no way to work with MS Office documents in the iPhone. Storm takes care of this with its built-in "To Go" software. You can edit Word, Powerpoint and Excel files;

17. Applications. iPhone has more applications available, but they're not really business orientated. There are useful things like scientific calculators, iTranslate is a good one, weights and measures convertion, etc. There are a lot of trade specific apps. For example, there is one that tells you the resistance of a resistor by putting in the colour code. Things like that. These are optional downloads and I don't use them. Storm software is a little thinner on the ground, but what is out there is pretty solid;

18. Games. If you want to play games get an iPhone. If you own an E60 you shouldn't be playing games ... you should be out driving. Get a Storm;

19. Music. All music you want on your iPhone has to go through the iTunes software. You must either buy the music on iTunes or synchronise with the mp3 files on your PC (also through iTunes). With the Storm you just drag and drop;

20. Sharing Music. You can only sync your iPhone with ONE PC at a time. If you attempt to sync with your friend's PC all your music files will be deleted. That's right, deleted. iPhone does this to help prevent piracy. There is no way around it. With the Storm you just drag and drop music as you please;

21. FM Radio. iPhone doesn't have one ... Storm does!

22. Music Via Bluetooth. iPhone does not support it. Why can't I play the music on my iPhone through Bluetooth in my car? Seems like something most of us would want to do!!! I don't know about the Storm;

23. Web browser. iPhone's Safari web browser does not support Java or Flash. This means I can't properly display any webpage that relies on either of these plug-ins. For example, I cannot display the weather satelite or weather radar. I can't get up-to-date stock market information. I don't know about the Storm;

24. Applications. iPhone apps must all come from the iStore ... through the iTunes software. Storm software can be bought directly from 3rd party vendors on line;

25. Starting-Up. You'll love this one ... to start the iPhone when you buy it you must: 1. Have a PC. 2. Be connected to the internet. 3. Install the iTunes software on the PC. 4. Connect the iPhone to iTunes and be connected to the internet ... all that before you can turn the damn thing on!!!! So, if you can't do that yourself or don't have the internet or a PC at home, you will need your retailer to set up your phone for you. No such dramas with the Storm;

26. Notes and To-Do lists. You CANNOT sync these with the iPhone. Storm does;

27. Stereo Bluetooth. The iPhone Bluetooth is not stereo - that is something that you would only expect from the world's leading portable music player manufacturer ... oh ... wait .... I see .... I don't know if the Storm is stereo;

28. Speaker volume. Storm is louder and clearer;

29. Sync with Mac. Storm WILL NOT sync with a Mac unless you have additional software;

30. Battery. You cannot remove the battery on an iPhone. You just can't! No screw, no nothing. When the battery dies the iPhone goes too. Apparently, you are supposed to take it back to an Apple Store ... not just any phone retailer. I don't know about the Storm;

31. MMS. Not available on iPhone. No video camera, remember? You can't even receive a MMS from someone else. Don't know about the Storm;

32. External Storage Device. The Storm can be used as an external storage device. The iPhone can't - even with the cables connected;

33. You cannot use your iPhone as a wireless modem for your notebook. Storm supports this, I believe;

34. You cannot set your personal songs as ringtones on an iPhone. There is a hack to convert a mp3 to a ringtone on your PC and you'll find out how by searching YouTube. BUT, the ringtone is limited to a maximum length of 30 seconds. I don't know about the Storm;

35. Email pictures. You can only attach a single picture to each email you send from an iPhone. The work-around is to use a browser based email client such as Hotmail or Yahoo. Storm supports multiple attachments;

36. Email other attachments. You can't attach any other files to an iPhone email because you can't put any other files onto your iPhone. Storm doesn't have this problem;

37. Documents. You can't save a document onto your iPhone. Even if you send a document or file via email, you cannot save it onto the iPhone. Storm doesn't have this limitation;

38. Voice Dialing. iPhone doesn't support it. Don't expect to use your dialing commands on your e60, although the "dial number" command will work. I don't know about Storm;

39. File Browser / Organiser. iPhone doesn't have one. Storm does;

40. Mobile Data. iPhone uses old technology which is really 2.5G, called EDGE. I'm not sure about the Storm;

41. Sleepy Phone. Our two iPhones go to sleep after about 30 minutes ... when you call them they don't ring. So, after 2 or 3 hours of inactivity, you might find you've got several missed calls you swear you never heard ... and you didn't. Not sure about the Storm;

42. Blank screen. When you make a call on the iPhone the screen goes blank. Maybe they figure the phone is up at your ear and they want to save power. It is very annoying when you need to look something up while you're on the phone. I find myself often shaking the phone like a bottle of OJ. I'm now starting to shake the home phone and the TV remote as well. I bet the Storm doesn't have this problem;

43. Blank screen (2). You can't change the length of time before the screen goes blank on an iPhone. There is simply no option for this. Storm is configurable.

That's all I can think of for now.

Cheers

virgil

nigxdoof

Very valid points. However, most of the problems you have of wish iPhone had, you can actually obtain that by jailbreaking the phone. I have mostly everything you mentioned and I wish it came like this from apple but that's how apple makes money. By limiting features and releasing new iPhones so you can buy new features.

Anyway, like I said, you can jailbreak the phone and change everything! It's great! If you need more info, let me know. I can try to help out.

Alot of the features that are blocked (like dragging and dropping) is not there because apple wants u to use iTunes. That's not just for the iphone but for all their iPods, itouch, iPhone.

The Iphones got a lot of potential. It just needs to be unlocked. : )


This was posted by the iPhone.

LW78

Indeed all valid points. Most of the mentioned points are the reason that I am still working with my HTC. Unfortunately, this is a Windows based phone and even more annoying in usage.

A friend (who is a big gadget freak) switched to a Nokia E71. Very easy to operate (as most Nokia's) and without touch screen.

nigxdoof

Also, I noticed you repeated a lot of the things you don't like about the iphone.


Jailbreaking is the way to go.

kadafi39

Not sure why 41. is happening to you, doesnt happen to me or anyone else i know with iphones, check your not on airplane mode or have call divert activated.

42. happens because the iphone has a sensor so that when its near your face in a call you cant accidently press the endcall or loudspeaker buttons with your cheek or ear, quite clever really. as soon as you take your face away from the phone the screen comes back again. try calling someone and then wave your hand a inch away from the phone, it goes blank as soon as you move your hand the screen comes back, so you can check contacts etc on your iphone while in a call

nigxdoof

Hehe, he's just mad. If he see's my phone, he would be in Awe.

kscarrol

Per #15, my iPhone supports invitations from Outlook and works perfectly...

and #43, you can indeed set the length of time before the screen blanks... It's called AutoLock and it is under Settings. Now the options are limited to 1 minute, 2 minutes etc, up to 5 minutes...

iCharles

I have not heard great things about the Storm - but having owned both generations of the iPhone, I can attest that it is not suitable for business, especially if you travel internationally like I do. With my Blackberry I pay $60 for unlimited worldwide data, I cannot tell you how many times this feature has made my life easier. And really, there is no real replacement for a physical keyboard, it is the only way you will get reliable input. Until these things can read your mind, just push buttons, touchscreen is a rage inducing feature that I can personally live without.

kscarrol

Not trying to start a great debate but I just returned from two weeks in the UK and my iPhone functioned perfectly. The international plan from AT&T was more expensive on my iPhone than it was on my BB Curve but it worked as advertised. The keyboard does take getting used to but overall the iPhone fullfills my business needs just fine. But the BB is a great device as well, both have their loyal fans...

virgil

Re: #15, I can't modify the invitation and re-invite people.

Re: #43 ... it was in relation to #42 ... when you're on a call.

I've just done a trip to KL with a collegue who has the Storm ... gawd I regret not getting that thing!

Cheers

virgil