There however are several drawbacks that I’m still researching and I would appreciate input from any of you who are reading this. First and foremost I am concerned about the price of the Iphone and the data plan that you are forced to purchase with your contract. It seems a bit expensive and makes me wonder whether it might be better to get an unlocked Iphone and use it on a different network such as T-Mobile. Secondly, how well does AT&T service work. I have heard really good and really bad things about it including a norm of 30% dropped calls in New York.

For current Iphone users out there, do you think it is worth the extra monthly fees and initial cost for the Iphone? Does it really blow away the competition by that much?

Vodafone just recently announced that it will be selling the Iphone in the UK and Ireland in early 2010. It was an interesting announcement that came with great relief only a day after a French mobile carrier made a similar announcement.

This is great news for people who live in these countries and will provide instant price relief for those that were being forced to purchase unlocked Iphones on Ebay at ridiculously high prices. Although there has not been any information released regarding prices I think it is safe to assume that it will be sold for less than what people have been paying on Ebay.

The Iphone craze may have cooled off somewhat in the United States but it still seems to be in full force around the world where it has been tougher for individuals to get their hands. In other news China’s Unicom will begin offering the Iphone for just over $725 within the next month. Unicom has a 3-year deal with Apple to sell the Iphone.

What’s your take on the Iphone? If you are from outside the U.S. are you excited that you can finally get your hands on what has been tabbed as the best cell phone ever?

]]> http://mobiletechguide.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/iphone-soon-to-be-carried-in-uk-ireland-france-with-others-to-come-later/feed/ 0 showstopper http://mobiletechguide.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/maybe-you-shouldnt-get-att-if-you-live-in-new-york-city/ http://mobiletechguide.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/maybe-you-shouldnt-get-att-if-you-live-in-new-york-city/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:42:43 +0000 showstopper http://mobiletechguide.wordpress.com/?p=15 ]]> I highly recommend that anyone who lives in New York City do their own research before going with AT&T cell service. Of course if you want the Iphone you may not have a choice. The reason for avoiding AT&T service is because a report recently came out on the Internet that stated that dropping 30% of your calls in New York City with AT&T was standard. The story however was confusing and we couldn’t figure out whether it was 30% of Iphone calls or 30% of all calls that were dropped on average. You can see the Gizmodo story for yourself.

The story has no been confirmed or denied by AT&T or Apple but it was said that an AT&T customer brought his phone into an Apple Store after it kept dropping calls only to be informed that his 22% dropped call rate was way better than the average of 30%. I don’t know about you but dropping 30% of my calls would be pretty darn annoying.

Maybe its best to just avoid AT&T all together in New York City, however I will say that I was in Long Island a few weeks ago and when we went into the city my friend didn’t mention any problems with his Iphone. It is also important to note that AT&T has been making improvements to their network in the area in an attempt to alleviate the problem.

If you are one of those people that likes to surf the web on your phone all the time then 4G would mean greater upload speeds and less time waiting.

Doesn’t it seem like most companies just recently start touting their 3G speeds?  How much faster speeds do wireless customers need? I personally am not on the web a whole lot on my cell phone because I have a standard Samsung slider phone so I’m not actually sure how fast/slow 3G is.

Chime in in the comments section below to give me your opinion regarding 3G and 4G speeds. If you are interested in more 4G information check out the 4GWorld Conference that is coming up in Chicago in a couple weeks.

Despite laws being enacted people still want to and often need to make phone calls while driving so cell companies began coming out with traditional hands free headsets and eventually wireless bluetooth technology. For most these are the only two options people know about but Telebrands/R&G Products has now brought us a product that could be better and further reduce cell/driving distractions.

The product in question is called the Jupiter Jack and it is designed as a FM transmitter that works in the same manner as your typical MP3 car adapter. It works by syncing your JupiterJack, Cell Phone, and Radio to the same frequency and then transmits your phone conversation straight through your car radio speakers. The result is a much louder and clearer conversation without having to mess around with a headset while trying to drive.

Of course whether the Jupiter Jack is any good is completely dependent on how well it actually functions. In theory the Jupiter Jack is an amazing idea but I have no idea how it actually works because I don’t have one and don’t need one.

If you have used the Jupiter Jack or know someone who has any input in the comment’s section would be appreciated.

At first glance this sounds like a silly idea but when you think about it more you realize that it could be very useful in certain situations. Take burglary as one example. Let’s say you realize someone has broken into your house and you quickly grab your cell phone and then hide in a closet. Common sense would say to call 911 but this would require you to talk and the burglar might hear you. With new emergency service text messaging you could send a text message instead and go undetected and potentially stay hidden until police arrive.

Text messaging to emergencies services could also help the hearing impaired communicated much more easily when there is an emergency.

Despite the benefits there are still some aspects to be worked out including being able to determine the texters exact location. And what about the potential for more jokes and pranks. Someone would probably be a lot more likely to make a prank text to a 911 emergency call center than an actual phone call.

What do you think of 911 emergency texting capabilities? You can read comments from others and let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Leave me a comment if you stop by so that I can see that people are actually reading my blog.