Being an iPhone owner for a few weeks over here in the UK, I am pretty much overwhelmed by how cool the device is. So is everyone that sees it.
Every time I use my iPhone for ANYTHING, someone asks a question about it. So here’s a short list of the questions I get asked most, with answers.
If you, like me, keep getting asked these, just print this out and shove it in their face.
How Much?
The single most commonly asked question I get is “How much does that thing cost?”
Well, as I’m in the UK, it’s a whopping £270 for the Phone [something us Brits aren’t used to paying], and then an extra £35 each month for a fairly minimal contract. To make people envious, ensure you make it clear: UNLIMITED INTERNET (but don’t mention internet speeds).
I heard the camera is really bad. What’s it like?
The camera on the iPhone gained an unfair amount of criticism at launch in my opinion.
Sure, it’s not up the LG Viewty’s 5 mega pixels, or many Sony Ericssons, but the iPhone’s 2MP snapper isn’t that bad. It doesn’t handle motion shots at all well, but in good light, and if the subject is pretty still, the pictures are perfectly acceptable. And that screen just makes everything look amazing.
What Games does it have?
Ammm. Well, none. “The best iPod we’ve ever made.” But no games.
On the other hand, February, and the SDK will no doubt bring along some awesome games. At the moment, the only fun you can have is via Safari, and rather slow javascript powered games- not exactly the kind of gaming experience most would come to expect after seeing the animated interface of the rest of the phone.
How Slow is the internet?
The question is usually: “The internet?! On your phone?!! Wow let’s go on it!!… … … … Why’s it taking so long?”
Apple know the internet is slow on the iPhone, there’s only so fast a 2.5G data connection can be. All I can say is bring on the days of a nationwide WiFi network! This phone is almost perfect at home/Starbucks, when I am on a high speed WiFi network, but as soon as you venture away from civilisation be prepared for long delays.
Doesn’t the Screen scratch really easily?
In a word, no. It’s probably the most scratch resistant screen I have experienced on a mobile product. Much better than any previous iPods I have owned. I always carried my ‘Pods around in a sock or case of some sort, but I have found there really is no need with the iPhone. In fact, some guys even went as far as to scratch keys down the screen to test its scratch resistance.
Touch Screen? I HATE Touch screens! Why would I want one on my phone?
Because it’s the best touch screen you will have ever used. Seriously, the screen is astonishing. Every touch, every slide, every press, the interface responds instantly. Because of the completely flat surface, the screen flush with the fascia, it’s very easy to touch every part of the screen, even right at the edges where on other devices it can be a struggle.
This touch screen interface is the product of years of work. It is truly changing the way people think about touch screen technology.
What’s the Battery life like?
In fact it’s not bad. On the first day of use, I stupidly had WiFi on, and was messing with the browser while listening to iTunes for several hours, and by the afternoon it was dead. Since then I have learnt how to conserve the battery, and it will last for over 2 days without a charge even after healthy usage each day.
Keep bluetooth and WiFi switched off where you can, and use it just as you did with your old phone and you will be pleasantly surprised with the battery life.
Does Google Maps know where I am?
No, not yet. There was a lot of talk just before launch of the iPhone gaining GPS as a secret feature. Sadly this isn’t a reality in version 1.
However, Google have recently been beta testing a version of Google Maps for mobile that can gain an approximate location of your phone by finding the nearest 3 phone masts to you. This isn’t as accurate as GPS, but it’s no where near as battery consuming, or expensive (it’s free!) One can only hope that this will make it into the iPhone version of Google Maps soon.
Can you send that song/photo to me over Bluetooth?
Afraid not. The iPhone’s Bluetooth connection is only really used for talking to a Bluetooth headset. Nothing more. So all of your old school friends without WiFi or email on their phones can’t really interact with your phone at all. Even MMS isn’t available for sending photos!
I thought this would be a major problem at first because on my old phone I sent a lot of stuff over Bluetooth. On the other hand, when you have WiFi, and a pretty decent email app, Bluetooth just doesn’t seem so important.
Can I have your iPhone?
Can you not cause a scene every time I get this thing out to simply text someone?
Any other common questions you get asked about your iPhone? Please tell!
