So I made the switch to the AT&T iPhone by Apple from Sprint's Treo 700p by Palm. Here is what I like and don't like regarding the switch.
Things I don't like:
1. Battery life SUCKS! And this is with 3G turned off.
2. Why are they intentionally restricting me?
2a. Can't text to an email address.
2b. Can't send pictures using text.
2c. No cut & paste. (I know, next update...blah, blah, blah)
2d. Can't forward texts.
2e. Forces me to use mobile pages for sites they have partnerships with (google.com/ig).
3. No video camera.
4. Most of the free offerings on app store are crap.
5. No direct support for Hotmail (no free POP) like it does for Gmail or Yahoo Mail.
Things I like:
1. Browsing the web. You can even watch videos (YouTube AND others).
2. 2 Megapixel camera takes damn good pics
3. App store itself and not the vast majority of free offerings.
4. Support for MS Outlook is great and simple to setup.
5. Support for Gmail & Yahoo Mail is great and ridiculously simple to setup.
6. Haven't done it but supposedly you can get Hotmail via Izymail. Anyone ever used them?
7. Facebook and iPhone work really well together for the most part (browser is better than free app also).
Showing posts with label ATT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ATT. Show all posts
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
3G iPhone Service Plans
So ATT finally offered up the details regarding the service plans for the new 3G iPhone. And all I have to say is, SET AH THIEF!
Hey, currently I have Sprint and while I would be the first to say their customer service sucks I also have to admit that they are very affordable. So why am I switching to ATT because of the 8 Gig 3G iPhone only to be ripped off with an unconscionable 2 year agreement? Is it because ATT offers more bars in more places? Hell to the NO! Is it because I am a sucker? Most likely.
In any case, let's breakdown the numbers of how I can make this as affordable as possible without exceeding my monthly limits:
$70 for 450 Anytime
$15 for 1500 texts (THIEVES! Why don't they have $10 for 1000 text messages??)
$9 for early nights & weekends (7pm-7am)
Total before taxes: $94
Over the 2 year contract:
Plan: $94 * 24 mos
Phone: $200 * 1 time charge
Activation: $36 * 1 time charge
Total of $2492 before sales tax and monthly taxes. Sort of a steep committment and we haven't even considered phone insurance or extended warranty yet.
It is even worse for the folks who want a no-contract iPhone: $599 (8 Gig) or $699 (16 Gig). I thought ATT was subsidizing $200. Using my math: $199 + $200 equals $399. Where did the extra $200 come from?? In any event I am guessing most folks will sign the contract to get the $199 or $299 price only to immediately cancel since the early termination fee starts at $175 and drops by $5 with each passing month. They must just want your information for their marketing database. :)
But hey, my cell phone has been my ONLY phone for over 5 years now. Also, the Amex card that I have been pushing gives you 5% back when you have your cell phone billed directly to them. So I guess I can somewhat justify it...remember, I am already on record as stating the 3G iPhone is a necessity. :)
Hey, currently I have Sprint and while I would be the first to say their customer service sucks I also have to admit that they are very affordable. So why am I switching to ATT because of the 8 Gig 3G iPhone only to be ripped off with an unconscionable 2 year agreement? Is it because ATT offers more bars in more places? Hell to the NO! Is it because I am a sucker? Most likely.
In any case, let's breakdown the numbers of how I can make this as affordable as possible without exceeding my monthly limits:
$70 for 450 Anytime
$15 for 1500 texts (THIEVES! Why don't they have $10 for 1000 text messages??)
$9 for early nights & weekends (7pm-7am)
Total before taxes: $94
Over the 2 year contract:
Plan: $94 * 24 mos
Phone: $200 * 1 time charge
Activation: $36 * 1 time charge
Total of $2492 before sales tax and monthly taxes. Sort of a steep committment and we haven't even considered phone insurance or extended warranty yet.
It is even worse for the folks who want a no-contract iPhone: $599 (8 Gig) or $699 (16 Gig). I thought ATT was subsidizing $200. Using my math: $199 + $200 equals $399. Where did the extra $200 come from?? In any event I am guessing most folks will sign the contract to get the $199 or $299 price only to immediately cancel since the early termination fee starts at $175 and drops by $5 with each passing month. They must just want your information for their marketing database. :)
But hey, my cell phone has been my ONLY phone for over 5 years now. Also, the Amex card that I have been pushing gives you 5% back when you have your cell phone billed directly to them. So I guess I can somewhat justify it...remember, I am already on record as stating the 3G iPhone is a necessity. :)
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Full disclosure
I'm being objective when I say that I think I am probably the most objective person you have ever met. You feel me? :) And to prove my objectivity to you I will list my corporate biases:
1. American Express
Love the company but I love the Chairman/CEO even more. My favorite & most used credit cards have all been American Express. For example, in 2007 my card of choice was the JetBlue Amex of which I was able to get 2 roundtrip tickets in less than 12 mos. And now in 2008, my card of choice is the SimplyCash Amex (5% on gas, cell phone & office supplies; 1% on everything else) of which so far I have already pulled roughly $150 in cash back. As for the CEO/Chairman, Ken Chenault, I can't say enough about dude. Closest thing I have to a role model alive. I have been following his career since around 1998 and dude shines brighter each passing year. What more can I say?
2. ExxonMobil
Love the company, love management, love the gas. I know folks are reading this and wondering why would I love an oil company. Well look, I started drinking their Kool-Aid back in like 1999 when they were just Exxon and everybody was talking technology companies solely. Back then they would send me their newsletters outlining their plans to cut costs, increase dividends and increase shareholder value like every company would. But what they did different from the rest was they would provide timeframes and report back on those stated goals. Trust me, sounds simple but so few do it. They reported on successes and failures. And more often than not they would exceed their goals by huge amounts. When they said they would buy Mobil and cut X billions in costs in Y years I strongly doubted them. Hell, they came back announcing they had cut X+1 billions in Y-1 years. And right around then was when shite started popping off for the oil industry and they were primed to capitalize. Gotta give them their props. Also, as part of their industry leading technology I have had SpeedPass too long to even remember when I first got it...probably 2000-2001 or so.
3. Pfizer
I would like to believe they are my best long term play as an investment and as the guys who may find a cure to what ails us. But honestly, they have been letting me down over the last two years or so. I guess I have been drinking their Kool-Aid for so long that it is hard for me to admit that maybe the good times are gone. I mean, a company this stocked with talent and genius can't be held down for too long?? I think right now the company is moving sideways but I still see them rising to the occasion like they are so famed for doing in the past. Maybe I just don't know how to let go but I have to go with my gut on these guys.
4. AT&T
Me and Ma Bell go way back. This was my dream company to work for as a kid. You know, one of the reasons I studied Electrical Engineering in the first place was to one day be a Bell Labs Engineer (which later became Lucent which later became Alcatel). But that never happened and even though AT&T today isn't the AT&T I dreamed of as a kid the bias still lives. I guess it will all make sense when I get my 3G iPhone. Hey, what can I say? Biases die hard. :)
5. ING Direct
Large up savers anywhere dem deh! Via ING Direct Orange Checking and Savings I earn more interest a month than I earned in my prior 8 years with Bank Of America cumulative. Then lo and behold, ING went out and copped ShareBuilder, whom I have been using as my primary brokerage for the last 4 years, which further cemented my relationship with ING. I remain at this juncture however, totally ignorant of the company as an investment but you can rest assured I don't plan on finishing out 2008 that way.
6. Vanguard
Love em, trust em, and most of all I respect them. Transferred my Roth IRA over to them roughly a year ago from Ameriprise. Lets just say, the whole process was a breeze, free, and did I mention they are FREE? I mean, I was paying Ameriprise like $40/year in custodial fees and all the fund choices they gave me were like 2x the expense fees of the Vanguard fund choices. Talk about a no-brainer. So now I pay ZERO in custodial fees and 0.50% in total weighted fund expense fees.
Summary:
Realizing your biases can be very helpful. Trust me, it took some time for me to realize that I was quick to listen to someone calling from Amex (which is how I got suckered into Ameriprise in the first place) but quick to hang up the phone on a MasterCard rep even when the latter was the better deal. Brand names go a long way in influencing judgment. Being cognizant of this can be very helpful against the marketing machines we all face each and every day.
1. American Express
Love the company but I love the Chairman/CEO even more. My favorite & most used credit cards have all been American Express. For example, in 2007 my card of choice was the JetBlue Amex of which I was able to get 2 roundtrip tickets in less than 12 mos. And now in 2008, my card of choice is the SimplyCash Amex (5% on gas, cell phone & office supplies; 1% on everything else) of which so far I have already pulled roughly $150 in cash back. As for the CEO/Chairman, Ken Chenault, I can't say enough about dude. Closest thing I have to a role model alive. I have been following his career since around 1998 and dude shines brighter each passing year. What more can I say?
2. ExxonMobil
Love the company, love management, love the gas. I know folks are reading this and wondering why would I love an oil company. Well look, I started drinking their Kool-Aid back in like 1999 when they were just Exxon and everybody was talking technology companies solely. Back then they would send me their newsletters outlining their plans to cut costs, increase dividends and increase shareholder value like every company would. But what they did different from the rest was they would provide timeframes and report back on those stated goals. Trust me, sounds simple but so few do it. They reported on successes and failures. And more often than not they would exceed their goals by huge amounts. When they said they would buy Mobil and cut X billions in costs in Y years I strongly doubted them. Hell, they came back announcing they had cut X+1 billions in Y-1 years. And right around then was when shite started popping off for the oil industry and they were primed to capitalize. Gotta give them their props. Also, as part of their industry leading technology I have had SpeedPass too long to even remember when I first got it...probably 2000-2001 or so.
3. Pfizer
I would like to believe they are my best long term play as an investment and as the guys who may find a cure to what ails us. But honestly, they have been letting me down over the last two years or so. I guess I have been drinking their Kool-Aid for so long that it is hard for me to admit that maybe the good times are gone. I mean, a company this stocked with talent and genius can't be held down for too long?? I think right now the company is moving sideways but I still see them rising to the occasion like they are so famed for doing in the past. Maybe I just don't know how to let go but I have to go with my gut on these guys.
4. AT&T
Me and Ma Bell go way back. This was my dream company to work for as a kid. You know, one of the reasons I studied Electrical Engineering in the first place was to one day be a Bell Labs Engineer (which later became Lucent which later became Alcatel). But that never happened and even though AT&T today isn't the AT&T I dreamed of as a kid the bias still lives. I guess it will all make sense when I get my 3G iPhone. Hey, what can I say? Biases die hard. :)
5. ING Direct
Large up savers anywhere dem deh! Via ING Direct Orange Checking and Savings I earn more interest a month than I earned in my prior 8 years with Bank Of America cumulative. Then lo and behold, ING went out and copped ShareBuilder, whom I have been using as my primary brokerage for the last 4 years, which further cemented my relationship with ING. I remain at this juncture however, totally ignorant of the company as an investment but you can rest assured I don't plan on finishing out 2008 that way.
6. Vanguard
Love em, trust em, and most of all I respect them. Transferred my Roth IRA over to them roughly a year ago from Ameriprise. Lets just say, the whole process was a breeze, free, and did I mention they are FREE? I mean, I was paying Ameriprise like $40/year in custodial fees and all the fund choices they gave me were like 2x the expense fees of the Vanguard fund choices. Talk about a no-brainer. So now I pay ZERO in custodial fees and 0.50% in total weighted fund expense fees.
Summary:
Realizing your biases can be very helpful. Trust me, it took some time for me to realize that I was quick to listen to someone calling from Amex (which is how I got suckered into Ameriprise in the first place) but quick to hang up the phone on a MasterCard rep even when the latter was the better deal. Brand names go a long way in influencing judgment. Being cognizant of this can be very helpful against the marketing machines we all face each and every day.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Cancel cable?
I know what you're thinking, "He can't be serious." Watch me.
Come on, it isn't like it is that hard to do when you have broadband internet. Between Netflix, Newsleecher, and Hulu I will be more than alright.
Currently, some friends of mine are all hyped up debating between plasma or LCD HDTVs, Blu Ray or HD DVD, Comcast or DirecTV when the real challenge going forward will be how fast is your broadband connection. Look, I'm trying to move ahead of the crowd for once. The future is now. For a single guy such as myself, most of my TV watching will be done on a computer or in my specific case a 14.1 widescreen laptop going forward. I have tried to fight it. But you know the old saying, "don't fight 'gainst it, work with it."
Now I am not advocating you toss that big screen TV out the door because when it comes to entertaining guests nothing beats 50 inches of Hi Definition. NOTHING!
So in summary, what this means is what it has always meant, time to get a bigger pipe. And right now it looks like Verizon's FiOS has a great deal for the first 7 mos. Of course they want me to sign a 2 year agreement which may be broken for free if I move to a place where FiOS is not offered otherwise I pay the $150 termination fee.
1st month: FREE
2nd - 7th months: $37.99
8th - 24th months: $47.99
Bonus: $20 Target gift card
Or would you recommend that I just buy a 3G wireless card from either Sprint or ATT? I know the pipe isn't as big as FiOS but it will be with me wherever I go. That has to be a huge plus. Those plans run around $60/month (unlimited for Sprint & 5GB for ATT).
PS: My next goal is to convince the NFL that they need the internet version of the NFL Package.
Come on, it isn't like it is that hard to do when you have broadband internet. Between Netflix, Newsleecher, and Hulu I will be more than alright.
Currently, some friends of mine are all hyped up debating between plasma or LCD HDTVs, Blu Ray or HD DVD, Comcast or DirecTV when the real challenge going forward will be how fast is your broadband connection. Look, I'm trying to move ahead of the crowd for once. The future is now. For a single guy such as myself, most of my TV watching will be done on a computer or in my specific case a 14.1 widescreen laptop going forward. I have tried to fight it. But you know the old saying, "don't fight 'gainst it, work with it."
Now I am not advocating you toss that big screen TV out the door because when it comes to entertaining guests nothing beats 50 inches of Hi Definition. NOTHING!
So in summary, what this means is what it has always meant, time to get a bigger pipe. And right now it looks like Verizon's FiOS has a great deal for the first 7 mos. Of course they want me to sign a 2 year agreement which may be broken for free if I move to a place where FiOS is not offered otherwise I pay the $150 termination fee.
1st month: FREE
2nd - 7th months: $37.99
8th - 24th months: $47.99
Bonus: $20 Target gift card
Or would you recommend that I just buy a 3G wireless card from either Sprint or ATT? I know the pipe isn't as big as FiOS but it will be with me wherever I go. That has to be a huge plus. Those plans run around $60/month (unlimited for Sprint & 5GB for ATT).
PS: My next goal is to convince the NFL that they need the internet version of the NFL Package.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Will Verizon buy Sprint?
Short answer: Probably not.
But I think they should. Here's why:
1. They both use CDMA.
2. The longer Sprint sits around like a wounded duck the more AT&T steals their customers via the sleek and sexy iPhone. And if you think AT&T is stealing Sprint's customers now, wait until the 3G iPhone hits the streets.
3. The price war being waged by Sprint ($99 unlimited plan) will prove extremely costly for Verizon by way of profit margins.
4. Verizon has great customer service to complement, SCRATCH THAT, offset, SCRATCH THAT, replace Sprint's extremely horrible customer service.
5. Buying Sprint for a 50% premium which I think is extremely steep for Sprint would only be a $30B investment for VZ based on Sprint's closing price on 3/7/08.
Reasons why it won't happen:
1. Verizon has too much debt right now.
2. Verizon may not want to have to buy the Nextel (not CDMA, iDEN) portion of Sprint.
3. Verizon may be waiting for a better price and the longer they wait the less likely it will happen.
So, why would I want this deal to happen? Hey, I figure if you combine Verizon's customer service with their reach to boondock places in the Northeast like Conway, NH with Sprint's network and their reach to boondock places in the South like the USVI plus the defensive move of preventing AT&T from poaching all of Sprint's customers as well as placing a screeching halt to the ongoing price war it could be a great thing for all: Sprint customers, Verizon & Sprint.
PS: Hold up, now I am hearing that T-mobile may be in talks to purchase Sprint?? Go figure!
But I think they should. Here's why:
1. They both use CDMA.
2. The longer Sprint sits around like a wounded duck the more AT&T steals their customers via the sleek and sexy iPhone. And if you think AT&T is stealing Sprint's customers now, wait until the 3G iPhone hits the streets.
3. The price war being waged by Sprint ($99 unlimited plan) will prove extremely costly for Verizon by way of profit margins.
4. Verizon has great customer service to complement, SCRATCH THAT, offset, SCRATCH THAT, replace Sprint's extremely horrible customer service.
5. Buying Sprint for a 50% premium which I think is extremely steep for Sprint would only be a $30B investment for VZ based on Sprint's closing price on 3/7/08.
Reasons why it won't happen:
1. Verizon has too much debt right now.
2. Verizon may not want to have to buy the Nextel (not CDMA, iDEN) portion of Sprint.
3. Verizon may be waiting for a better price and the longer they wait the less likely it will happen.
So, why would I want this deal to happen? Hey, I figure if you combine Verizon's customer service with their reach to boondock places in the Northeast like Conway, NH with Sprint's network and their reach to boondock places in the South like the USVI plus the defensive move of preventing AT&T from poaching all of Sprint's customers as well as placing a screeching halt to the ongoing price war it could be a great thing for all: Sprint customers, Verizon & Sprint.
PS: Hold up, now I am hearing that T-mobile may be in talks to purchase Sprint?? Go figure!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
I want an iPhone
There! I said it. I'll say it again. I want an iPhone. Now, the question becomes how do I get one. Oh yeah, I cough up either $399 for the 8GB model or $499 for the 16GB model. You know my cheap a$$ is stressing about that. :)
But seriously, it isn't the up front costs that have me so much down in the dumps. It's the fact that the current one on the market isn't 3G. I mean, I am on Sprint today with a cheap plan that comes with 3G unlimited data. Why would I downgrade in service for an upgrade in phone? Makes no sense. However, the word is that the 3G phone is dropping soon. And guess what? My Sprint contract ends soon.
But all that means is that the 3G phone will probably cost even more. I mean, a tech guy of my standing has to have the 16GB model right? Well that goes for $499 now without the 3G. But hey, I paid $400 for the Treo I have currently and that was with 2006 dollars (those dollars were worth something back then too--inflation is kicking in folks).
You know what really rubs it in that I have to get one. On a recent trip to California a great friend of mine who absolutely has to get every technogadget made was showing off his. Of course he shows me a picture on the iPhone and then to show off he tells me to flip it 90 degrees. Of course the picture enlarged and it transitioned so smooth my eyes lit up even after seeing this over and over in commercials. Well, it had more to do with the specific picture than the technology if you know what I mean. But in either case, I commented back, "Is this your new pickup line? Flip it 90?" Which of course him being the person he is replied back, "Are you kidding me? The 'girls' I date don't know what 90 degrees means. I say, 'Sweety, if you want to see something special turn it to the side. The phone, not you!'"
As for me, I will keep waiting for the 3G model. Hell, you never know, I may be able to cut my internet connection and use that 3G iPhone as a modem. But somehow I don't think that is in the ATT business model.
But seriously, it isn't the up front costs that have me so much down in the dumps. It's the fact that the current one on the market isn't 3G. I mean, I am on Sprint today with a cheap plan that comes with 3G unlimited data. Why would I downgrade in service for an upgrade in phone? Makes no sense. However, the word is that the 3G phone is dropping soon. And guess what? My Sprint contract ends soon.
But all that means is that the 3G phone will probably cost even more. I mean, a tech guy of my standing has to have the 16GB model right? Well that goes for $499 now without the 3G. But hey, I paid $400 for the Treo I have currently and that was with 2006 dollars (those dollars were worth something back then too--inflation is kicking in folks).
You know what really rubs it in that I have to get one. On a recent trip to California a great friend of mine who absolutely has to get every technogadget made was showing off his. Of course he shows me a picture on the iPhone and then to show off he tells me to flip it 90 degrees. Of course the picture enlarged and it transitioned so smooth my eyes lit up even after seeing this over and over in commercials. Well, it had more to do with the specific picture than the technology if you know what I mean. But in either case, I commented back, "Is this your new pickup line? Flip it 90?" Which of course him being the person he is replied back, "Are you kidding me? The 'girls' I date don't know what 90 degrees means. I say, 'Sweety, if you want to see something special turn it to the side. The phone, not you!'"
As for me, I will keep waiting for the 3G model. Hell, you never know, I may be able to cut my internet connection and use that 3G iPhone as a modem. But somehow I don't think that is in the ATT business model.
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