Get cheap Iphone 3Gs now...or wait for 4G?

[Fallguy]

Although not showing on their website today (it was yesterday) Wal-Mart is selling the 16gb Iphone 3Gs for $99. As a tech show I watched said, presumably getting ready for the release of the new 4G soon.

I'm going to guess the 4G will be around the same $200-$300 as the 3Gs was/is, if not more. (Which don't really have that much extra at the moment)

This would be my first smart phone...so I think I would still be "impressed" even if there was a newer one that came out.

But the one real motivational factor on maybe getting the 3Gs now is, AT&T is changing their data plans for smart phones on Monday.

Right now you can get unlimited data for $30/month. Starting Monday it will be $25 for 2gb or $15 for 200mb. They have said all that have the unlimted already will be able to keep it. So that is one reason I've thought about trying to get that in place before then.

Now honestly I have no idea if 2gb would be enough. AT&T says it will be for about 98% of its users.

I don't live in a 3G area...so I figure most of my heavy data consumption would be when I'm on Wi-Fi anyway....so 2gb could be enough.

However on my trip out west last one place we stayed Wi-Fi wasn't free and I was able to tether my current phone to my laptop (in a 3G town) and it worked out pretty good. However I'm not sure if I would have done that if I didn't have an unlimted data plan on my non-smart phone. Of course that is only a far-and-few-between occurence for me...so not sure I should make a decission based on that.

You can tether a jail-broke 3Gs, but it looks like the 4G will be able to tether, but not sure if that is included in the $25/$15 per month. ..and as I said above...I don't usually need to tether much anyway.

Ok..sorry..forgive my ramble. My main question is...would you go ahead and get a cheap 3Gs or wait for the new 4G?

[Il Duce]

the only benefits over the 3gs that the 4g has is a sleeker body and a slightly better camera. all the other things it can do can be done with a 3gs if you jailbreak it. i would get the 3gs now and have the unlimited data and jailbreak it. once jailbroken you can add MiWi which turns the iPhone into a wifi hotspot for 10 items.

[Fallguy]

the only benefits over the 3gs that the 4g has is a sleeker body and a slightly better camera. all the other things it can do can be done with a 3gs if you jailbreak it. i would get the 3gs now and have the unlimited data and jailbreak it. once jailbroken you can add MiWi which turns the iPhone into a wifi hotspot for 10 items.

Thanks...

That is what I'm wondering about the most...what exactly does the 4G do, that the 3Gs doesn't.

I still have the episode of "App Judgement" saved on my Tivo that deals with the MiWi app....

[Defender]

Jow hard is it to "jailbreak"?

[gnmwilliams]

I am a heavy data user and haven't reached 2gb with my orignal 3g Iphone. Not saying it can't be done but it seems really unlikely. I do understand what your saying about the unlimited data and getting in now though. I realize that my unlimited won't be affected since I already have it but it still ticks me off that it won't be an option for new 4g buyers. Having said all this, I will be buying a 4g due to the better battery (5.25mv) camera (5mp), screen (960x640), processor (1ghz same as Ipad), and wireless capabilities (802.11n) and would do so even if I wasn't on unlimited data. Just too many new features for a gadget guy like me to ignore.

Edited June 3, 2010 by gnmwilliams

[Il Duce]

if you tether you will eat the 2gig up QUICK. i apologize as I forgot you get a better screen and a better processor but to me that does not outweigh the data plan. id rather get the 3gs for cheap now and then purchase a used 4g later or something

[Il Duce]

btw to jailbreak the iphone i recommend using a program called Spirit. it literally takes like 2 minutes and like 3 clicks. it does all the work for you.

iPad and iPhone 'Spirit' jailbreak allows multitasking

[gnmwilliams]

if you tether you will eat the 2gig up QUICK. i apologize as I forgot you get a better screen and a better processor but to me that does not outweigh the data plan. id rather get the 3gs for cheap now and then purchase a used 4g later or something

Oh I agree with the tethering. That's what really ticks me off. At&t is basically dictating how you use your data that you've already paid for by charging you a tethering fee just to use the same pool of data. Grrrrr. I just never tether (hey that rhymed) so it's never been a problem for me. And the idea of buying a used 4g later sounds pretty good. Sell the 3gs to someone looking for a basic Ipod/phone replacement. That's what I'll be doing with my original 3g.

[Fallguy]

if you tether you will eat the 2gig up QUICK. i apologize as I forgot you get a better screen and a better processor but to me that does not outweigh the data plan. id rather get the 3gs for cheap now and then purchase a used 4g later or something

That is something I've thought about as well...

But....I don't tether that much and I guess I just wouldn't if I was that worried about going over. So not sure that should be the main factor in figuring out what to do.

But don't you surf the "normal" web with an Iphone? If so doesn't it use about as much data as if a laptop was tethered to it?

However if I have done without a smartphone for this long...worst case may be get the 3gs now, lock in the unlimited, then in 2 years upgrade to the 4g.

[Fallguy]

Oh I agree with the tethering. That's what really ticks me off. At&t is basically dictating how you use your data that you've already paid for by charging you a tethering fee just to use the same pool of data. Grrrrr. I just never tether (hey that rhymed) so it's never been a problem for me.

To note...

I have a Motorola Z9 now.....I tether by using it as a modem and I fould the dial-up string I need to use online somewhere. So I don't pay for the tethering I do now....on the very rare occasions I do.

[gnmwilliams]

That is something I've thought about as well...

But....I don't tether that much and I guess I just wouldn't if I was that worried about going over. So not sure that should be the main factor in figuring out what to do.

But don't you surf the "normal" web with an Iphone? If so doesn't it use about as much data as if a laptop was tethered to it?

However if I have done without a smartphone for this long...worst case may be get the 3gs now, lock in the unlimited, then in 2 years upgrade to the 4g.

Web pages are compressed when you view them on a smarphone. It's streaming video and downloads that will bite into your data allotment. For example, I usually stream about 30 minutes of TV episodes, send around 50 texts, and use news and article apps about 10 minutes total a day and have so far been seeing about 20mb downloaded and 1-2mb uploaded a day. Round that up to 25mb a day even and that's still less than 1gb a month. The only thing I'm not sure of affecting your totals are downloading apps that can run into the gb's themselves. I don't know if they count towards you total usage. But, you could always use wi-fi for the really big ones.

Edited June 3, 2010 by gnmwilliams

[Il Duce]

i dont pay the extra charge ATT uses cause mine was jailbroken. yes you "can" browse normal sites on the iphone BUT you CANNOT see anything that uses Flash cause Apple refuses to use it in the iphones which is why i tether. btw apple comes out with a new iphone every year so next year when you are eligible for upgrade you can get the upgraded 4g.

[Fallguy]

I don't think you can view flash on droid phones either.

I saw an App fir the droid advertised that would let you view the flash in a seperate window though.

My trouble is...not having used a smartphone, not sure what my browsing habits really would be.

But considerig there are so many free Wi-Fi spots now (All Mickey D's) not sure how much EDGE/3G surrifing I'd be doing anyway.

LOL...real decisive, aren't I? Guess I have a day or two to make my mind up.

[Guest db99wj]

I went ahead and got the 3gs two weeks ago. Tethering is not that big deal for me. Just don't have the need. If I'm out in the field, the iphone browser works fine for me when I need to get online. The 4.0 OS update, that comes out next week??????, will allow the 3gs to multitask which is the biggest deal in my opinion. To be able to run Pandora radio and my CoPilot GPS at the same time is priceless and makes getting rid of Sirius that much more special. I am on the unlimited plan so I have it for the next two years. I am not sure how much data usage I will go through in a month but I guess it will be higher than normal due to the pandora streaming. I hook it up to my Jeep's AUX port just about every time I get in. Will be interesting to see my usage.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/preview-iphone-os/

[Fallguy]

Web pages are compressed when you view them on a smarphone. It's streaming video and downloads that will bite into your data allotment.

Got ya...

Probably wouldn't download much, would just wait till I was home.

It's the video that I think about. I have a slingbox at home (although not working now, won't let go of old IP assignment) thought of trying to get it going again or get a new one. If you don't know...slingbox allows you to watch you home TV connection over the web. So that would be a fair amount of data I figure.

[Guest db99wj]

Oh, the slim design of the thing didn't come into play fo me either. I got the Otterbox Defender case and it adds bulk but is very protective. I already dropped the phone once. 100% protected. Pricey though but I'm a believer.

Edited June 3, 2010 by db99wj
Love the iPhone, but can't spell for crap with it!

[gnmwilliams]

Droid tried to demo flash running on one of their phones but it really slowed down the phone and from what I hear, it kills the battery. Html 5 is what developers are looking at now. Just getting everyone to switch is the hard part since everything is so dependent on Flash right now.

[Mike]

That and flash has absolutely no provisions for touch screen compatibility.

[jeffmem]

My vote would be to wait until Monday and see what Steve announces.

[Il Duce]

I think now dont hold me to this is that with ATT you can sign up for the phone now and have 30 days to swap it out. buy the 3gs now and if the 4g comes out within the 30 days then get it and youll still have the unlimited data.

[Fallguy]

I think now dont hold me to this is that with ATT you can sign up for the phone now and have 30 days to swap it out. buy the 3gs now and if the 4g comes out within the 30 days then get it and youll still have the unlimited data.

The 30 days is true on "normal" phones at least...but I think AT&T has applied different rules to the Iphone since day one...but not sure if it would be in this case or not.

[G27]

My vote would be to wait until Monday and see what Steve announces.

This.

[G27]

The 30 days is true on "normal" phones at least...but I think AT&T has applied different rules to the Iphone since day one...but not sure if it would be in this case or not.

It applies to iPhones as well.

[Guest db99wj]

If'n this new OS comes out today....at some freak'n point, are most of the "major" apps going to work with the new capability like multi-tasking?

I understand, that some obscure small apps might not have the correct code immediately, to allow multi-tasking, but are all of them going to have to have an update before it will work?

Apple has publicized this using Pandora, which is the main thing I want to run in the background. Hopefully Pandora is update since the one that came out last week. Pandora, plus my iphone GPS working with each other will be awesome!

[G27]

Wouldn't that be handled at the OS level, not at the app level?