iPhone User

So, I've expanded my Mac world by getting an iPhone. I have the new 3GS and as a smart device it's great. The included apps are nice and I have added in some extra things like games and an entry into Facebook and some others. I made great use of it on vacation a couple of weeks ago. So we're in northern Michigan, a place we've never been before. We're looking for different things. Normally I would have opened up a browser on my old smart phone and looked up something, then written down the phone number and called. With the iPhone I asked for a specific place and it showed me if there were any within my immediate area. I could then click on the closet one to get an address or phone number and if I needed to call, I could call right from the info page by clicking on phone number. And if I needed driving directions, I could get that as well.

The mail app works pretty well and I can keep up with my work mail and two personal email accounts. The games that I have downloaded all work pretty well, although that can seriously depend on the type of controls that the programmer has built into the game. There are two things that I don't like about the iPhone. The first, which is not directly Apple's fault. is that there is no built-in turn-by-turn GPS app. Apple has finally allowed that type of app to be developed, but as of this writing, I don't think that any major GPS vendor has stepped up. The second thing is the phone. The phone has some great features that work well, but the signal strength is inconsistent at best. If I am in the open and near some major population center 3G is good. But at my home just north of a major population center it's iffy at best. For example. I can be sitting in my family room with full bars and the 3G symbol showing. Then without moving, the signal will drop to 1-2 bars and the E for the older Edge network showing. I am almost never able to do anything data-wise in my home without connecting to my wireless network. In northern Michigan I always had a great signal, but never had 3G. Still, it was better than the phones my family use that are on Sprint.