iPhone questions
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El and Bill
New member
Have now used the iPhone as a 'replacement' for the laptop while on the boat or on the road since June. Great internet connection, good link to family through instant messages, great weather information (and local radar) through apps, sends our location to kids (with a map for them to see where we are, so saves making float plans), gives good link to the stock market and our finances (through apps), has all the charts of both North American coasts with inexpensive Navionics charts, shows our GPS location with reasonable accuracy for most uses (not good enough for us if in fog or dark), easy to keep charged through 12 or 110v, has excellent coverage in our travel experiences (up the west coast, cross-country trips by road and air) with only a few local 'outages' - We have no land-line connections now, and it is less expensive to use than our air-card connection to laptop and far more convenient with it's small size and (for us) very useful apps.
ActiveCaptain
New member
It's also quite easy to use your iPhone as a "modem" for a laptop. You have to jailbreak the phone (free) and then purchase a $30 software program. The result is that the iPhone connects to Verizon's data network and your laptop connects over WiFi to the iPhone...and is on the internet. Works fantasticly.
I like what I'm seeing with the Droid too. I'd like to wait to see what develops with it. There isn't a lot of software for it yet (especially boating-related). When there are 3 Droid apps for tides and current, then it's probably at the critical mass level for boating.
I like what I'm seeing with the Droid too. I'd like to wait to see what develops with it. There isn't a lot of software for it yet (especially boating-related). When there are 3 Droid apps for tides and current, then it's probably at the critical mass level for boating.
20dauntless
New member
I've had good luck with my iPhone in the PNW. I get great service in the San Juans and of course it works well in the major metro areas. The biggest frustration is that the phone cuts out in one place near my house, but it's not really a big deal since I get through it in less than a minute. The only other place where I find AT&T service frustrating is at the Campbell Basin Lodge at Crystal Mountain. No service inside, but I can make calls if I walk out.
If you find the service to be too much of a problem, I believe most cell providers offer a 30 day period where you can return the phone with no penalty.
BTW, I love my iPhone!
If you find the service to be too much of a problem, I believe most cell providers offer a 30 day period where you can return the phone with no penalty.
BTW, I love my iPhone!
I decided to keep the iPhone for at least a year (until next upgrade) for two reasons. The kids love theirs and do not want any other so it's handy for all to be the same. Plus, the screen size on the iPhone and the Internet browsing beats the BlackBerry hands down. The BB, however, is better in every other category in my opinion. I really do not care for the touch screen and I hate iTunes and the greedy people who force me to use it to access my own stuff (not interested in Jailbreaking at all). But I have found some ways to make the phone do what I need it to do with file handling.
My area, and the places I go - including the San Juans - are well served by AT&T, so I'm sticking with it. If BlackBerry comes out with a better model for frequent Internet use I'll probably go back to that phone next year or whenever. To the iPhone's credit, though, none of the three of them have ever had any problems or crashes or required a reboot in the month and a week we've had them. Of course, unlike the BB they can only do one thing at a time for the most part so Apple won't let me foul things up.
If the iPhone is your first smartphone you will most likely love it once you get the hang of it. If you use a BlackBerry first you will miss a lot of its no nonsense functionality when you change. I have only played with the Droid for a few minutes, but I wasn't too impressed.
By all means give one of the smartphones a try. It is amazing how powerful something you carry in a shirt pocket can be.
My area, and the places I go - including the San Juans - are well served by AT&T, so I'm sticking with it. If BlackBerry comes out with a better model for frequent Internet use I'll probably go back to that phone next year or whenever. To the iPhone's credit, though, none of the three of them have ever had any problems or crashes or required a reboot in the month and a week we've had them. Of course, unlike the BB they can only do one thing at a time for the most part so Apple won't let me foul things up.
If the iPhone is your first smartphone you will most likely love it once you get the hang of it. If you use a BlackBerry first you will miss a lot of its no nonsense functionality when you change. I have only played with the Droid for a few minutes, but I wasn't too impressed.
By all means give one of the smartphones a try. It is amazing how powerful something you carry in a shirt pocket can be.
I've resisted the smartphone craze successfully so far. Quite frankly, they just make no sense to me. They are perhaps the ultimate example of "Jack of all trades, Master of none."
As a phone, they suck. Too big, and crummy battery life. And, the plans they are offered on are far more expensive than those available for "dumb" phones.
As a GPS, they are mediocre - not waterproof, and again - the battery life.
As a communications device, they pale compared to a real computer with a decent screen and keyboard.
What they obviously offer that is of value to many, is functionality in all of the above areas, in a small and portable form factor.
Now...setting aside my obviously unpopular biases, and complete lack of experience with such devices, I do have an opinion on the iPhone vs. Droid issue. Based mostly, on a knowledge of how software development takes place in the modern world.
Regardless of which phone is better right now, I see no way the iPhone can maintain its dominance. With Google and Open Source behind the Android OS and applications, there will be a flood of new devices over the coming years, running an OS that has far more technical advantages and developer appeal than the iPhone. Application developers are the bread and butter of the iPhone's success - and by and large, they dislike Apple's tight-fisted and restrictive policies. Apple has been successful in mandating such terms to developers, given the popularity of the phone, its proprietary nature, and the restrictions enforced on users given their complete control over the application store.
Application developers have taken a grin and bear it attitude, given the potential financial rewards that come with a successful iPhone app. However, once the cheap Android phones start to show up in droves...such rewards will be available to them in even larger numbers. Without the iron-fisted Apple mandates.
Time will tell...but I've no confidence the iPhone will be the smartphone of choice for long.
As a phone, they suck. Too big, and crummy battery life. And, the plans they are offered on are far more expensive than those available for "dumb" phones.
As a GPS, they are mediocre - not waterproof, and again - the battery life.
As a communications device, they pale compared to a real computer with a decent screen and keyboard.
What they obviously offer that is of value to many, is functionality in all of the above areas, in a small and portable form factor.
Now...setting aside my obviously unpopular biases, and complete lack of experience with such devices, I do have an opinion on the iPhone vs. Droid issue. Based mostly, on a knowledge of how software development takes place in the modern world.
Regardless of which phone is better right now, I see no way the iPhone can maintain its dominance. With Google and Open Source behind the Android OS and applications, there will be a flood of new devices over the coming years, running an OS that has far more technical advantages and developer appeal than the iPhone. Application developers are the bread and butter of the iPhone's success - and by and large, they dislike Apple's tight-fisted and restrictive policies. Apple has been successful in mandating such terms to developers, given the popularity of the phone, its proprietary nature, and the restrictions enforced on users given their complete control over the application store.
Application developers have taken a grin and bear it attitude, given the potential financial rewards that come with a successful iPhone app. However, once the cheap Android phones start to show up in droves...such rewards will be available to them in even larger numbers. Without the iron-fisted Apple mandates.
Time will tell...but I've no confidence the iPhone will be the smartphone of choice for long.
ActiveCaptain
New member
People who have had Blackberry's love them. There's a zen-like oneness in the way you learn to work with it. It just feels right, sort of like a good pair of worn out boat shoes.TyBoo":1hxwck7t said:
Not to be argumentative though, the reality is that you can't compare the software apps for Blackberry versus almost every other smartphone. I used tides and currents as a sign for the Droid for when it reaches critical mass for boating use (3 apps is the starting level). There are really no tide and current apps for Blackberry today. There are about 12 for the iPhone - a few free - a few really bad - but most are good enough for normal boating use. Same goes for nautical charting apps. How many for BB? Unfortunately, it's zero.
Having good boating apps on your phone makes all the difference in the world if you want to use the phone while on a boat. It sort of makes sense.
ActiveCaptain
New member
I'm a developer for these platforms with existing products now. I would certainly like to see competition over dominance for smartphones - or phones in general. The iPhone certainly has the attention of every developer right now because of two simple facts:Da Nag":2juyltnr said:
1. The very, very large base of installed units owned by people who buy apps from $0.99 to $4.99 in large quantities.
2. A very easy way to put your product into the app store and generate cash.
It's true that Apple's draconian practices have irritated many developers. But RIM's signing requirements are also annoying and expensive. And Android just doesn't have the installed base at all to make someone drop their XCode (iPhone development environment) to start with Eclipse (Android development environment). It isn't even close.
I keep hearing that Android is going to take over because it's open source, etc. Makes sense. But then, how come Linux hasn't even overtaken the Macintosh in all of these years? For me, Android needs to "show me the money" - show me that there are millions of people with the devices in their pockets. That's what will get me to step up Android development of my boating app.
The development schedule for our next platforms of ActiveCaptain are: iPhone, Blackberry, and Android - in that order. I'm very willing to change things as the market tells me but right now, the market is speaking quite clearly.
I recently got my first smart phone--The Droid had just come out, but we were having trouble with Verizon at our home location. We had dropped A T & T about 6 years ago, because of poor reception--but now it is better than Verizon, at our home. In an area where we would often drop phone calls, I have good internet coverage on the I phone.
As a phone it is OK, but not great--but just as easy or perhaps easier to use than standard flip phones. (Marie got a flip phone, and I found putting in contacts, was easier.
I haven't used any boating apps yet, and the GPS is only fair, but acceptable for some applications. I still use Garmin Nuvi for car navigation and POI--but the I phone is better at POI, plus it will bring up information, phone numbers and then dial if you so instruct. Also the Blue tooth phone works very well, and makes it a better phone.
OK--what can I do with my I phone that really helps me? First weather, including hourly forecasts, and radar--very handy in the Gulf area, when you are away from TV and the internet (but are in cell phone range). Yes, tides are excellent. Wall street Journal, on tap. Conversion tables, Stock and commodity prices and if you want to look up an obscure stock its there. It will also take the place of my I pod, the palm pilot etc.
The other issue, is that most of us "upgrade" our phones every two years. I suspect that I phone will be G4 and with a lot more features when I go for the next up grade. I can always change to the Droil or what every is the latest then.
So far the cell phone coverage is not quite as good in rural areas--we have traveled to Tenn and MS, with a few blank places, where we always had Verizon. I think that there will be some in our cross country trips--but in habitated areas, I think that Verizon and A T & T are close in coverage.
The other question is why has Apple done so well in the last couple of years? I think it is because of Vista--and I just put Windows 7 on a couple of my computers--better than Vista, but still some glitches. Apple is much smoother still than Windows 7. My only concern is what happens if Steve Jobs goes away...?
As a phone it is OK, but not great--but just as easy or perhaps easier to use than standard flip phones. (Marie got a flip phone, and I found putting in contacts, was easier.
I haven't used any boating apps yet, and the GPS is only fair, but acceptable for some applications. I still use Garmin Nuvi for car navigation and POI--but the I phone is better at POI, plus it will bring up information, phone numbers and then dial if you so instruct. Also the Blue tooth phone works very well, and makes it a better phone.
OK--what can I do with my I phone that really helps me? First weather, including hourly forecasts, and radar--very handy in the Gulf area, when you are away from TV and the internet (but are in cell phone range). Yes, tides are excellent. Wall street Journal, on tap. Conversion tables, Stock and commodity prices and if you want to look up an obscure stock its there. It will also take the place of my I pod, the palm pilot etc.
The other issue, is that most of us "upgrade" our phones every two years. I suspect that I phone will be G4 and with a lot more features when I go for the next up grade. I can always change to the Droil or what every is the latest then.
So far the cell phone coverage is not quite as good in rural areas--we have traveled to Tenn and MS, with a few blank places, where we always had Verizon. I think that there will be some in our cross country trips--but in habitated areas, I think that Verizon and A T & T are close in coverage.
The other question is why has Apple done so well in the last couple of years? I think it is because of Vista--and I just put Windows 7 on a couple of my computers--better than Vista, but still some glitches. Apple is much smoother still than Windows 7. My only concern is what happens if Steve Jobs goes away...?
mshepherd":36ew7udi said:
I didn't get an i-phone since coverage is not that good and 3G coverage is what you want if you want to use the network features of the phone (otherwise it's mostly just a phone and an ipod). Also, west of Sekiu there's no AT&T coverage at all. In Neah Bay - nothing but Verizon and I get service 25 miles off shore. So, although I love everything apple, the lack of coverage in Neah Bay made the i-phone a non-starter for me. I want to be able to call people up and brag about the great fishing while I'm fishing (and better yet have to hang up due to another double). :lol:
So, when the droid came out, I jumped on it. I love the thing. Also, the GPS turn-by-turn navigation with google maps is GREAT. Actually it's better than my Garmin Nuvi and I don't have to update the maps. There's an increasing number of apps and I've downloaded many already that I use frequently - shopsavvy (scan a barcode, find the price of the same item in other places), goggle (due a web search with a photo or point the camera at a business and get it's name and web link), weatherbug (good forecasts), calorie counter ( a diet aid - name a food and get the nutritional info, scan a food box and get the nutritional info, log your food and exercise etc), cardio trainer (GPS tracks my runs and calls out my times, distances and pace), Pandora radio and A radio online (both provide online access to streaming music - it's like having XM/Sirius radio at no cost). I could go on and on, but I don't think the i-phone is a slam dunk.
As Bill indicates, the open source approach that google has taken plus their approach to developers makes android based phones serious competitors to the i-phone and things will only get better over time.
El and Bill
New member
Oh, and I forgot to mention:
We took pictures of a g'daughter performing this morning in school (we forgot our cameras), we enjoy listening to our favorite Denver classical music station (wherever we are in the country), we have our favorite tunes stored aboard and can listen to the Olga Symphony wherever we are (like waiting for the dentist), we have an 'internal' seismograph app that allows me to record earthquakes (our hometown in Nevada is among the most seismically active towns in the US), we can track hurricanes long before they reach any gulf or east coast cruising grounds, we get our news from favorite radio news both for US and world news (and our favorite shows are recorded and saved for our best listening times), we are reminded when our library books (or family birthdays) are due, we have 'ship maps' available for virtually all the US and Canada navigable water showing the location, name, speed, direction of virtually all commercial commercial vessels that we may pass during a cruising day, any bright star or planet we spot on a clear night can easily be identified, there is an app we have that gets us up to par on first aid, and checking symptoms -- and all these apps are free. We haven't paid anything for any app except about $20 for all the charts of east and west coastal North America.
Er - and it is also a very good telephone.
We took pictures of a g'daughter performing this morning in school (we forgot our cameras), we enjoy listening to our favorite Denver classical music station (wherever we are in the country), we have our favorite tunes stored aboard and can listen to the Olga Symphony wherever we are (like waiting for the dentist), we have an 'internal' seismograph app that allows me to record earthquakes (our hometown in Nevada is among the most seismically active towns in the US), we can track hurricanes long before they reach any gulf or east coast cruising grounds, we get our news from favorite radio news both for US and world news (and our favorite shows are recorded and saved for our best listening times), we are reminded when our library books (or family birthdays) are due, we have 'ship maps' available for virtually all the US and Canada navigable water showing the location, name, speed, direction of virtually all commercial commercial vessels that we may pass during a cruising day, any bright star or planet we spot on a clear night can easily be identified, there is an app we have that gets us up to par on first aid, and checking symptoms -- and all these apps are free. We haven't paid anything for any app except about $20 for all the charts of east and west coastal North America.
Er - and it is also a very good telephone.
Simplicity
New member
Bill does the east coast navionics app include the gulf coast? The only choices were the east and west coast.
Alan trying to keep it simple
Alan trying to keep it simple
yes I have it ion the touch
It covers all of the Florida
I think I paid $5 during a special
check www.techbargains.com and www.dealnews.com for iphone/touch app deals
It covers all of the Florida
I think I paid $5 during a special
check www.techbargains.com and www.dealnews.com for iphone/touch app deals
Update after a month of Droid ownership... I LOVE IT! I wanted an iPhone in the worst possible way (been a Mac user since 1984), but Verizon works for us... in our travels... because our daughter has Verizon... and we just don't have a problem with dropped calls or internet service. We upgraded our phones and wireless broadband at the same time, to the Droid and the MiFi. Both have been very positive upgrades.
At this point, Navionics doesn't offer charts for the Android phones, but everything else I've wanted has been there. Roger mentioned some of what we use, too. I really like being able to check fuel prices on the roll - and get the best prices with a map to the location. Want to find anything? Click on the voice search and say, "Find Discount Tire"... a couple seconds later you have the closest locations and one click will map it. Feel like something particular for supper in a town you're passing through? "Find Italian restaurant"... yep, there they are.
It goes to my e-mail accounts faster than my main computer. A browser anytime I want. I gotta tell you, I don't know how I did without this thing. Yeah, it wasn't so long ago that I said, "I just want a phone that can make and receive calls." I have seen the light.
I like the zoom in/out feature better on the iPhone, but it only took me about 15 seconds to get comfortable with the zoom on the Droid. Good battery life. The phone sounds/works great. Nice screen - I can use it in the sunlight or the dark. I get a little green light to tell me I have a message, app update, or weather alert. And the weather - one click to radar, current conditions on any number of sites, hourly, 36 hour, 10 day forecasts... it's great for a weather nerd like me.
And the apps? Remember me saying I've been a Mac guy since the beginning? Yeah, I used to laugh at the "less software available for the Mac" argument that PC guys used for years... really, how many word processing programs do you use on your computer? 8) There are more apps for the iPhone... maybe I don't know what I'm missing? I really haven't felt the need to download the "Taxi" app that lights up with the word TAXI on the screen so you can hail a cab. There are more coming everyday... and i probably don't need those, either. :wink:
My needs are simple: I want a phone that can make and receive calls... oh, and check my e-mail... and read and post to the C-Brats any place I might be... and play Pandora Radio... and update stock info... and tell me where the nearest Johnny Carino's Restaurant is located (my diet will start after the 1st of the year)... and... and.
The Droid is good now... and should only get better, with Google and Android.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
At this point, Navionics doesn't offer charts for the Android phones, but everything else I've wanted has been there. Roger mentioned some of what we use, too. I really like being able to check fuel prices on the roll - and get the best prices with a map to the location. Want to find anything? Click on the voice search and say, "Find Discount Tire"... a couple seconds later you have the closest locations and one click will map it. Feel like something particular for supper in a town you're passing through? "Find Italian restaurant"... yep, there they are.
It goes to my e-mail accounts faster than my main computer. A browser anytime I want. I gotta tell you, I don't know how I did without this thing. Yeah, it wasn't so long ago that I said, "I just want a phone that can make and receive calls." I have seen the light.
I like the zoom in/out feature better on the iPhone, but it only took me about 15 seconds to get comfortable with the zoom on the Droid. Good battery life. The phone sounds/works great. Nice screen - I can use it in the sunlight or the dark. I get a little green light to tell me I have a message, app update, or weather alert. And the weather - one click to radar, current conditions on any number of sites, hourly, 36 hour, 10 day forecasts... it's great for a weather nerd like me.
And the apps? Remember me saying I've been a Mac guy since the beginning? Yeah, I used to laugh at the "less software available for the Mac" argument that PC guys used for years... really, how many word processing programs do you use on your computer? 8) There are more apps for the iPhone... maybe I don't know what I'm missing? I really haven't felt the need to download the "Taxi" app that lights up with the word TAXI on the screen so you can hail a cab. There are more coming everyday... and i probably don't need those, either. :wink:
My needs are simple: I want a phone that can make and receive calls... oh, and check my e-mail... and read and post to the C-Brats any place I might be... and play Pandora Radio... and update stock info... and tell me where the nearest Johnny Carino's Restaurant is located (my diet will start after the 1st of the year)... and... and.
The Droid is good now... and should only get better, with Google and Android.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Lucky Day":34in04t0 said:
We're also tied to Outlook at work - I feel your pain.
I don't manage the Outlook system, but my group does. As luck would have it, one of my co-workers picked up a Droid, and I've overheard her chatting with one of our Exchange administrators about getting access. I'll follow up here with details, assuming they get it going.