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story category iPhone Data Rates Revealed
Also: iPhone activation possible via iTunes
(old news - 09:42AM Tuesday Jun 26 2007)
tags: prices · business · hardware · bandwidth · Mac
In a flood of almost deafening iPhone non-news chatter, Apple has revealed the data pricing plans for AT&T's upcoming iPhone. Here goes: $60 monthly will net users 450 minutes and "unlimited" data consumption on AT&T's EDGE (200kbps on a very good day) network; $80 upgrades you to 900 minutes of talk time, unlimited data and unlimited nights and weekend minutes; $100 a month will bump your minute total to 1350.
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Apple has also announced that iPhone users will be able to activate the phone at home via iTunes (also see this new video).

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Jeffrey
Bye George, 1937-2008
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join:2002-12-24
Long Island
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Unlimited :)

So what are the limits on the unlimited data? Anyone find it yet in the small print? I have a feeling we're going to see one of those invisible verizon unlimited limits. May be I'm wrong, but come on--no such thing as unlimited.

I'll say it again, I like the way that phone looks and I hope Apple does well with it. The geek factor seems pretty high on it, but it's just not for me.

fcisler
Premium
join:2004-06-14
Riverhead, NY

Re: Unlimited :)

I use plenty of data on AT&T, and have never seen a "letter".

Is using iTunes OPTIONAL to activate the phone? Geez...I guess that Apple/AT&T figured calling a number was too hard....

ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
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join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA

Re: Unlimited :)

Ditto, I've never gotten a letter either and I've had months where I downloaded a bunch of stuff.
--
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TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
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Margate City, NJ
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·Comcast

said by fcisler See Profile :

I use plenty of data on AT&T, and have never seen a "letter".

Is using iTunes OPTIONAL to activate the phone? Geez...I guess that Apple/AT&T figured calling a number was too hard....
Yes it is optional. You can activate at the store the usual way, with the salesman doing it.
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD


edit:
June 26th, @10:16AM

said by Jeffrey See Profile :

So what are the limits on the unlimited data? Anyone find it yet in the small print? I have a feeling we're going to see one of those invisible verizon unlimited limits. May be I'm wrong, but come on--no such thing as unlimited.
Actually, AT&T could probably get away with billing the service as unlimited without actually cracking down on people. EDGE is so slow (80kbps, I don't know how they made up 200kpbs) that there is no way most users will reach any limit. Even if a user is on the data connection continuously, the worst they will do is download about 25MB to 26MB a month. This assumes 80kbps as the speed, 86400 seconds in a day, 30 days in a month, 8 bits in a byte and 1048576 bytes to a megabyte.

ed. Bad Math - blame lack of coffee.
--
Only SHATNER is Kirk.

MattE
Obama '08
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join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
·Corporate Colocation

Re: Unlimited :)

said by pnh102 See Profile :

said by Jeffrey See Profile :

So what are the limits on the unlimited data? Anyone find it yet in the small print? I have a feeling we're going to see one of those invisible verizon unlimited limits. May be I'm wrong, but come on--no such thing as unlimited.
Actually, AT&T could probably get away with billing the service as unlimited without actually cracking down on people. EDGE is so slow (80kbps, I don't know how they made up 200kpbs) that there is no way most users will reach any limit. Even if a user is on the data connection continuously, the worst they will do is download about 25MB to 26MB a month. This assumes 80kbps as the speed, 86400 seconds in a day, 30 days in a month, 8 bits in a byte and 1048576 bytes to a megabyte.
What is that, the ONE YouTube video they are touting in their commercial?

"This is YouTube on your phone. It'll take a month to buffer before you can watch it, but it'll eventually come in."
--
Oh I'm so creative and all my programs are so easy to use ...

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

Re: Unlimited :)

said by MattE See Profile :

What is that, the ONE YouTube video they are touting in their commercial?
Perhaps they have it cached in the device
--
Only SHATNER is Kirk.

PhoenixAZ
Joshua
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Phoenix, AZ
·Cox HSI

said by MattE See Profile :

said by pnh102 See Profile :

said by Jeffrey See Profile :

So what are the limits on the unlimited data? Anyone find it yet in the small print? I have a feeling we're going to see one of those invisible verizon unlimited limits. May be I'm wrong, but come on--no such thing as unlimited.
Actually, AT&T could probably get away with billing the service as unlimited without actually cracking down on people. EDGE is so slow (80kbps, I don't know how they made up 200kpbs) that there is no way most users will reach any limit. Even if a user is on the data connection continuously, the worst they will do is download about 25MB to 26MB a month. This assumes 80kbps as the speed, 86400 seconds in a day, 30 days in a month, 8 bits in a byte and 1048576 bytes to a megabyte.
What is that, the ONE YouTube video they are touting in their commercial?

"This is YouTube on your phone. It'll take a month to buffer before you can watch it, but it'll eventually come in."
Wi-Fi
--
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cpayne5

join:2004-01-06
Amissville, VA
25-26GB

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

Re: Unlimited :)

said by cpayne5 See Profile :

25-26GB
Yea you're right... I forgot to convert kb to b (and multiply by 1024).

I guess AT&T will be cracking down on unlimited users then
--
Only SHATNER is Kirk.

ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA

Re: Unlimited :)

They haven't yet. I haven't, nor have I heard of anyone getting an abuse letter from AT&T for excessive use.
--
Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

Re: Unlimited :)

said by ColorBASIC See Profile :

They haven't yet. I haven't, nor have I heard of anyone getting an abuse letter from AT&T for excessive use.
True true... and to be fair to AT&T, if they were doing this, we'd be hearing more about it here, as we have with Comcast and Verizon. It is entirely possible that AT&T won't care about unlimited data.
--
Only SHATNER is Kirk.
bogey780

join:2004-03-19
Covington, LA
I haven't got a letter yet and I stream things constantly to it on EDGE. Typically in the boonies I'll get dialup speeds but in a fairly dense area I'll get around 200kb reliably.

djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
Edge is typically around 70-150kbps (have seen 200 but its kind of rare). It kind of limits itself!
--
Laser eye surgery rocks! I love frickin' laser beams.

cvrefugee
Premium
join:2003-09-15
Corona, CA

Re: Unlimited :)

Tell me again why Apple didn't go with a CDMA carrier (Sprint/Verizon) so they could have faster EVDO speeds? I can't remember.
DMS1

join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX

Re: Unlimited :)

said by cvrefugee See Profile :

Tell me again why Apple didn't go with a CDMA carrier (Sprint/Verizon) so they could have faster EVDO speeds? I can't remember.
Because CDMA is only of use in North America, which renders it a non-starter for a lot of potential customers (myself included).

cvrefugee
Premium
join:2003-09-15
Corona, CA
·AT&T Yahoo

Re: Unlimited :)

said by DMS1 See Profile :

said by cvrefugee See Profile :

Tell me again why Apple didn't go with a CDMA carrier (Sprint/Verizon) so they could have faster EVDO speeds? I can't remember.
Because CDMA is only of use in North America, which renders it a non-starter for a lot of potential customers (myself included).
I thought it was only being released in North America, my mistake.
DMS1

join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX

Re: Unlimited :)

said by cvrefugee See Profile :

said by DMS1 See Profile :

said by cvrefugee See Profile :

Tell me again why Apple didn't go with a CDMA carrier (Sprint/Verizon) so they could have faster EVDO speeds? I can't remember.
Because CDMA is only of use in North America, which renders it a non-starter for a lot of potential customers (myself included).
I thought it was only being released in North America, my mistake.
It's not where it's being released, but where it can be used. If you travel outside North America with a CDMA phone it becomes a useless paperweight, whereas GSM phones work world-wide.

cvrefugee
Premium
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Corona, CA
·AT&T Yahoo

Re: Unlimited :)

said by DMS1 See Profile :

It's not where it's being released, but where it can be used. If you travel outside North America with a CDMA phone it becomes a useless paperweight, whereas GSM phones work world-wide.
I don't travel outside of North America, so what's the allure of purchasing a $600 phone that has shitty data speeds?

ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
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join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA

Re: Unlimited :)

If you don't see the allure of it, don't buy it.

Very simple.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

said by cvrefugee See Profile :

said by DMS1 See Profile :

It's not where it's being released, but where it can be used. If you travel outside North America with a CDMA phone it becomes a useless paperweight, whereas GSM phones work world-wide.
I don't travel outside of North America, so what's the allure of purchasing a $600 phone that has shitty data speeds?
having a cutesy device with an apple logo on it.
just slap an apple logo on something and people will flock to it paying double/triple what its really worth.
--
You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth
stufried
Premium
join:2003-10-13
·Verizon BroadbandA..

I think Apple went with EDGE because of battery life. There is a fair amount of HSDPA or UMTs in the US. My Hermes Tytn has 3g in plenty of spots in the US.

I'm not sure whether EVDO has better battery life than WCDMA. I'd note that the new Hermes iPhone competitor is also in EDGE.
PhilAIV

join:2002-02-16
Carrollton, GA
clubs:

Re: Unlimited :)

Apple went with AT&T b/c Verizon said no thanks when Apple was shopping around. (As I recall, vzw declined b/c Apple wanted too much control)
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stufried
Premium
join:2003-10-13

Re: Unlimited :)

There is no question that Verizon told Apple what to do with its iPhone. My question was if Verizon said "yes," would be complaining about a CDMA 1RXTT "iPhone."

PhoenixAZ
Joshua
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Phoenix, AZ
·Cox HSI

said by cvrefugee See Profile :

said by DMS1 See Profile :

It's not where it's being released, but where it can be used. If you travel outside North America with a CDMA phone it becomes a useless paperweight, whereas GSM phones work world-wide.
I don't travel outside of North America, so what's the allure of purchasing a $600 phone that has shitty data speeds?
Not only CDMA has higher speeds. If Apple wanted faster speeds, they could have stayed with cingular and just added 3G to their phones. Who knows, maybe like in some macs with Wireless-N, 3G is there ,and just needs to be enabled via software.
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AdamB

join:2001-01-07
Westerville, OH
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said by DMS1 See Profile :

said by cvrefugee See Profile :

Tell me again why Apple didn't go with a CDMA carrier (Sprint/Verizon) so they could have faster EVDO speeds? I can't remember.
Because CDMA is only of use in North America, which renders it a non-starter for a lot of potential customers (myself included).
I guess a lot of Asia is in North America now
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DMS1

join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX

Re: Unlimited :)

said by AdamB See Profile :

said by DMS1 See Profile :

said by cvrefugee See Profile :

Tell me again why Apple didn't go with a CDMA carrier (Sprint/Verizon) so they could have faster EVDO speeds? I can't remember.
Because CDMA is only of use in North America, which renders it a non-starter for a lot of potential customers (myself included).
I guess a lot of Asia is in North America now
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all the Asian CDMA systems W-CDMA, which is different from the CDMA and CDMA2000 systems used in North America?
jersey7

join:2007-05-14

edit:
June 26th, @06:55PM

Re: Unlimited :)

Yes. HSDPA/UTMS is W-CDMA, used by GSM providers. W-CDMA allows the use of video calling(simultaneous voice/data connections). 2 billion GSM users(myself included), 70% of all mobile subscribers says a lot.

ed. corrected info
wadonoel
Premium
join:2004-11-16
New York, NY

Japan and S. Korea have nationwide CDMA/CDMA2000 and Mainland China, Hong-Kong, Thailand and a few other countries have limited CDMA coverage, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

The CDMA/CDMA2000 of Japan is incompatible with others and dual-mode phones are only sold in Japan. (au users can roam on Verizon using those phones but VZW users can't roam on au because of that)
mlohr

join:2001-05-28
Ellicott City, MD

The contract includes a data pledge against large ftps and downloads. No explanation.

BTW if you are in a 3G area the data rates are 1Meg symmetric( Los Angeles) or even 2 Meg in the enhanced areas (Phoenix)

If they expand 3 G it is supper.

djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
·AT&T U-Verse
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edit:
June 27th, @01:44PM

Re: Unlimited :)

Yep. They just turned 3G access on less than a week ago in my area of LA. I see speeds around 800/256 on average through my Blackjack. Perhaps the symmetric doesn't kick in unless you have a data card.

And you are correct, we were visiting friends in Phoenix. I was pulling over 1.5mbps down, seeing downloads of 220KB/sec or so. I was extremely impressed to be getting that off my cell phone. I had these elaborate plans to install a router in their home just so I could get online, but my Cingular service was more than adequate.

Sorry, no 3g, no iPhone for me.

--
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Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept

join:2004-06-26
I'll say it for the first time: I've seen enough at this point to state that I think Apple has miscalculated a wee bit on this venture
.
VansHSI

join:2005-01-29
America
Does unlimited even matter when you're on edge?

ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
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Corona, CA

Re: Unlimited :)

Compared to what? Per KB? Absolutely.

PhoenixAZ
Joshua
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Phoenix, AZ
·Cox HSI

said by Jeffrey See Profile :

So what are the limits on the unlimited data? Anyone find it yet in the small print? I have a feeling we're going to see one of those invisible verizon unlimited limits. May be I'm wrong, but come on--no such thing as unlimited.

I'll say it again, I like the way that phone looks and I hope Apple does well with it. The geek factor seems pretty high on it, but it's just not for me.
Its unlimited, as they have locked down the phone
--
Joshua| About Me

LordMalak

join:2003-07-02
Brazil
·Net Virtua

Couldn't care less

People, I couldn't care less about the iPhone. I am a cell phone junkie, and I'm eager to see what the likes of Nokia, HTC, Motorola et al. will counter the iPhone with. OK, there's the HTC Touch, but it's quite underpowered.

Which brings me to the next point. With new phones coming out every 6 months or so, will Apple have a stream of new phones coming down the pipeline, or will the iPhone be a one-hit wonder? I'm betting the latter. Not to troll or anything, but I think the iPhone at this price point WITH a contract will be a major flop. That and the Apple TV thing (does it really do anything that other recorders do not???).

Last, but not least, I love my iPod, and I'm sick to my stomach about all iPod-related sites and forums being flooded with iPhone-related crap.

That's all folks!

See 7 replies to this post

PhoenixDown
-- Ron Paul 2008 --
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Fresh Meadows, NY
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No Unlimited N/W?

Maybe thats just a cingular thing but whats up with no unlimited N/W for the regular package? Not that I use 5k anyway but still.
--
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inteller
Sociopaths always win.

join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK
·Cingular Wireless

Re: No Unlimited N/W?

they don't do unlimited on those packages.

5k is virtually unlimited though. And I am pretty sure that place includes mobile to mobile unlimited.

doesn't matter though, EDGE is shit for a phone that touts so many data intensive apps like youtube.

The iPhone fails it.

Sonicus
Premium
join:2002-03-17
Tallahassee, FL

Re: No Unlimited N/W?

Sprint's EVDO Rev A network would have been a perfect match for this phone. Forget YouTube, they could stream 700kbps bitrate DIVX movies in realtime on that network.
--
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inteller
Sociopaths always win.

join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK

Re: No Unlimited N/W?

um, WCDMA is the solution for this phone if and when Apple decides to go global. CDMA2000 is dead end tech....the rest of the world has moved on....to WCDMA.

RadioDoc
Sortofadog
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·AT&T Midwest

said by inteller See Profile :

they don't do unlimited on those packages.
The next one up is unlimited N&W and MtM.
--
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nuftjedi
formerly nuftcrow

join:2000-09-11
Baltimore, MD
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said by PhoenixDown See Profile :

Maybe thats just a cingular thing but whats up with no unlimited N/W for the regular package? Not that I use 5k anyway but still.
it's to get people to cough up the extra $20 a month.

johndoe303

join:2003-01-01
Boca Raton, FL
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Vonage
·Comcast

Sprint SERO

I have 1250 anytime minutes, free N&W @ 7pm, free m2m (sprint & nextel), unl data, unl text, unl pic-mail, unl vid-mail, and it's all for 49.99 a month. You can have it too..

I think it's available to the public right now.
--
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See 8 replies to this post

ColorBASIC
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edit:
June 26th, @10:37AM

No iTunes for Vista Home Basic?

I was just reading through the Home Activation press release from Apple and it lists Vista Home Premium, Biz and Ultimate, but not Basic.

Wonder if that is an oversight or if there is something about Vista Home Basic that would stop someone from running iTunes (and thus activating an iPhone) with it.

said by Apple :
...the latest version of iTunes available at www.itunes.com and a PC or Mac with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following operating systems: Mac OS® X v10.4.10 or later; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later; or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate Edition.
--
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See 8 replies to this post

phoneboy2

@shawcable.net

But really, who cares

You guys are going on about bandwidth limits yada yada, IT'S A PHONE! A $500 phone that plays iTunes and maybe on a good day can stream some youtube video. Whopdedoo!

The math is just so simple and has nothing to do with Edge bandwidth which isn't much faster than a 56k modem half the time.

Upfront cost $500+$36activation= $536
Requires minimum 2 year contract at $60 a years

Annual cost after up front, $720
Taxes, 911 fee's, some other fees no doubt

I don't know a lot of suckers.....errr customers willing to shell out this kind of cash for a phone....a phone.....a mobile phone!

See 10 replies to this post

Iphone questions

@comcast.net

A couple questions....

Will this phone support a faster connection than Edge if and when it becomes available?

I'm somewhat leery of this kind of an investment in what might just amount to a slightly better than dial up service if it's not upgradeable/expandable.

Also, while this is certainly a stylish looking phone, I'm concerned about the way it's accessed, namely by getting ones oily fingers all over the black face constantly.
I wonder, how long will it stay looking good given the potential here for smudges all over the face of it.
tmc8080

join:2004-04-24
Floral Park, NY

Ripoff plans?

First of all... my suspicion about crippling wifi seems to be correct. 5,000 minutes for night and weekends on the cheapeast plan? Not unlimited!? Why be required to pay for evdo when wifi is virtually free plenty of places you will bring your phone. I wonder if they will cripple the evdo data with VOIP apps, probably. God help the poor AT&T share holder if a customer should use a 3rd party provider on the evdo bandwidth which they are FORCED TO TAKE as part of the iscam plan. It's all about the money.. clearly the Bare Assed minimum is that your committing to well over $2,000 contract (between the phone, service, taxes/fees, roaming?). Unless your very well off and $3 gasoline doesn't sting you so much.. your not the iphone customer apple & at&t needs for this phone to be a success.

SSidlov
Other Things On My Mind
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Pompton Lakes, NJ
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Re: Ripoff plans?

said by tmc8080 See Profile :

First of all... my suspicion about crippling wifi seems to be correct. 5,000 minutes for night and weekends on the cheapeast plan? Not unlimited!? Why be required to pay for evdo when wifi is virtually free plenty of places you will bring your phone. I wonder if they will cripple the evdo data with VOIP apps,
I think you have confused ATT's data plans with Sprints or Verizons. Minutes have nothing to do with data service, you are not paying in minutes for data. Unlimited data is Unlimited data not minutes. Minutes are strictly for calls under ATT and nothing else.

There are several unlimited SMS and MMS and Data service plans for under $50, some unlimited data and sms are $19/mo. It has nothing to do with your call minutes. The basic ATT rate for data is .01 per kilobyte, but that means $50 for 5mb. ATT does not turn on data (or messaging or email) service even on a 'per usage' basis unless you ask for it.
--
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C0deZer0
Oc'D To Rhythm And Police
Premium
join:2001-10-03
Davenport, FL
·Verizon Online DSL

iPhone video crashes firefox

Every time I've tried to click the link for that video, it crashes, taking firefox down with it. I try to 'restore session' and then it crashes as soon as it's supposed to be getting video content.
--
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cbrigante2
Cubs 20??
Premium
join:2002-11-22
North Aurora, IL

Re: iPhone video crashes firefox

said by C0deZer0 See Profile :

Every time I've tried to click the link for that video, it crashes, taking firefox down with it. I try to 'restore session' and then it crashes as soon as it's supposed to be getting video content.
Sounds like an issue with your computer? Works with Firefox on mine right now. It does take a while to load though.
Austinloop

join:2001-08-19
Austin, TX

My bifocals

Gosh, wish I could get excited about this phone, however due to advancing age, I am wearing bifocals and anything on a screen that small is darned near unreadable. One of the disadvantages of getting old.

Larry

ztmike
1kwikgt
Premium
join:2001-08-02

600bucks?

600 dollars for a cell phone? No thanks..ill be buying a ps3 that will actually be worth my money.

I have a computer to surf the net and youtube

See 9 replies to this post

NJxxxJon
something good. or your mom.
Premium
join:2005-10-22
00000
·Skype
·GoDaddy Hosting

um....

VISUAL voice mail? ......Thats not voice mail then. Or...wait....does it do what my cell phone already does and puts a little envelope in the corner to tell me I have a new message anyhow?


RANT
--
\\"I don't have a girlfriend, I just know a girl that would get mad if I said that." \\Mitch Hedberg
wadonoel
Premium
join:2004-11-16
New York, NY

Re: um....

You won't need it if you don't expect to have more than five voice mails when you get off the plane and turn on your phone.

To me, it's the one attractive feature of the iPhone yet not attractive enough to make me switch to Cingular/AT&T.

I just wish that it would become popular enough so listening to your voice mail in the order you want (like reading SMS/MMS) instead of the order you received them would be a new standard for all cell phones.
b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?

join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA

*yawn*

Who cares?

It's AT&T, the worst wireless carrier ever.
abward

join:2004-07-14
Cary, NC