I still say, Apple/AT&T made a top-level managerial blunder of historical MBA-school case-study proportions by not implementing UMA/GAN with the iPhone. And boy are they paying for it.
I don't need tethering. So much free WiFi out there, it's ridiculous. If AT&T would have actually coughed it up last Summer, I might have considered it. Pass.
Try as I might; I just don't get tethering in this day and age.
Tethering was a great feature when you had some crappy flip phone with data service, and you could plug that into your laptop for laptop internet action. But I fail to see the advantage now that you have a handheld computer in your hand; why bother? With all the VNC stuff available, and cloud storage, etc.
Maybe YOU don't get it, but it doesn't mean that the rest of have to be left in the dark. I've had my iPhone 3G S since launch day, and it wasn't until this week that I finally decided to Jailbreak it to see what all the fuss is about.
First thing I did was to install "Poof" to get rid of those built-in apps that I either don't use or have found superior counterparts for on the App Store (Stocks, Compass, Weather, etc.). Next thing I did was install SBSettings to install control functionality that Apple should have given us from the start -- namely, the ability to QUICKLY access and turn on/off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G.
The final thing I did was enable tethering. Although I've only used it once just to test it out, I can see where it can be beneficial.
1) When I go to the doctor's office or have to wait on my car getting an oil change or whatever, I can still get work done on my MBP (I work from home, so if I run errands during the day which require me to wait around, it's nice to be able to continue my work on a full-size computer).
2) At the airport. I travel quite frequently, and the airports I frequent don't always have AT&T Wi-Fi access points, and those that do don't only allow it for my iPhone and not my MBP (from what I can gather).
3) Since I travel, I often stay at hotels that want to charge me $6 or $7 a day for Wi-Fi service -- F*** that!.
4) There are other scenarios I can think of like working from my MBP in the car while someone else is driving or some other stuff.
Bottom line is, I love my iPhone 3G S, but sometimes it's just better and more efficient to get work done on a larger computer -- especially if you don't have Wi-Fi access. Its not something that I can see myself using every day, but it's a nice feature nonetheless.
Maybe YOU don't get it, but it doesn't mean that the rest of have to be left in the dark. I've had my iPhone 3G S since launch day, and it wasn't until this week that I finally decided to Jailbreak it to see what all the fuss is about.
First thing I did was to install "Poof" to get rid of those built-in apps that I either don't use or have found superior counterparts for on the App Store (Stocks, Compass, Weather, etc.). Next thing I did was install SBSetting to install control functionality that Apple should have given us from the start -- namely, the ability to QUICKLY access and turn on/off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G.
The final thing I did was enable tethering. Although I've only used it one now just to test it out, I can see where it can be beneficial.
1) When I go to the doctor's office or have to wait on my car getting an oil change or whatever, I can still get work done on my MBP (I work from home, so if I run errands during the day which require me to wait around, it's nice to be able to continue my work on a full-size computer).
2) At the airport. I travel quite frequently, and the airports I frequent don't always have AT&T Wi-Fi access points, and those that do don't only allow it for my iPhone and not my MBP (from what I can gather).
3) Since I travel, I often stay at hotels that want to charge me $6 or $7 a day for Wi-Fi service -- F*** that!.
4) There are other scenarios I can think of like working from my MBP in the car while someone else is driving or some other stuff.
Bottom line is, I love my iPhone 3G S, but sometimes it's just better and more efficient to get work done on a larger computer -- especially if you don't have Wi-Fi access. Its not something that I can see myself using every day, but it's a nice feature nonetheless.
I bet with the jail break you can do the other stuff I want in an iphone: the ability to download whatever and view it in a file browser. I find it dumb that the only way media can be played in safari if there was a "quicktime" tag to bring up the player.
Oh well, there is an Android for that. Wait, my old Moto Ming can do that. Wait, even my ancient palm life drive could.
3G is speedy and reliable in Hampton Roads, Virginia (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News). It seems to be better when I'm in more-populated areas, too, for some reason.
So I wonder, what exactly is there to strengthening a data network? Is it just a matter of building more towers? Fortifying towers with better/more equipment?
In other words, why is AT&T having so much trouble?
Oh well, there is an Android for that. Wait, my old Moto Ming can do that. Wait, even my ancient palm life drive could.
Simply put, you want a device that meets all of your wants and needs. So do I. So does everyone. Never going to happen - not with Apple, not with Google, and not with any carrier.
I have a really big issue with tethering. IMO, tethering should not be an extra fee. I understand that laptops would be using more of the bandwidth and downloading traffic would suffer, but to charge an extra monthly fee for tethering is down-right robbery. not to mention that if you already have a smartphone, you're already paying a monthly fee for internet usage. Build a better network already!
It's called 4 Telcos who coincidancely all have nearly the same plan structures within similarly priced ranges.
Gee. Oligopolies hard at work.
You won't get a serious change from any of them until the US stops subsidizing [tax cuts] these pricks.
I don't think it's a matter of how much bandwidth an individual phone uses, it's more of how much bandwidth does a particular group use. I am quite sure that iPhone users are much more data hungry than those customers who use a Samsung Propel Pro.
Correct, iPhone users consume something like 5-10 times more bandwidth than other smartphone users. That's why AT&T is struggling. They had other smartphones on their network before the iPhone's debut (and particularly the iPhone 3G + App Store), but they had no idea that iPhone users would be bandwidth hogs.
As I've mentioned before, AT&T is scared sh*tless of its iPhone customers.
Even today, other smartphone users (Android, WinMo, BlackBerry, Palm Pre, etc.) use far less data than iPhone users.
3G is speedy and reliable in Hampton Roads, Virginia (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News). It seems to be better when I'm in more-populated areas, too, for some reason.
So I wonder, what exactly is there to strengthening a data network? Is it just a matter of building more towers? Fortifying towers with better/more equipment?
In other words, why is AT&T having so much trouble?
If you believe AT&T, their update progress in certain metropolitan areas is slow because of the tedious permit approval process (which is either a municipal or county issue).
Also, AT&T is trying to deploy more 850Mhz cells which provide better signal strength (particularly in-building) and range in markets that previously had 1900Mhz coverage (which is usually adequate for less dense, flat areas without tall buildings, etc.).
Simply put, you want a device that meets all of your wants and needs. So do I. So does everyone. Never going to happen - not with Apple, not with Google, and not with any carrier.
IE jailbreaking perhaps makes it the perfect device. That and the Archos 5 IT does all I need, and so does perhaps the Nexus.
Comments
I will never forgive Steve Jobs for sticking iPhone users with an amateur 3rd rate provider like ATT.
Really? It was Steve Jobs' fault that Verizon turned down the iphone?
Bluetooth maybe. USB? Not at all.
Since when did BT exceed 480mbps in bandwidth? FYI, when I tether with BT it sucks compared to USB.
Really? It was Steve Jobs' fault that Verizon turned down the iphone?
No, Verizon looked at the specs of the iPhone, saw it was data hog and decided to let AT&T choke on it.
Wasnt expecting much of an improvement if anything at all and the San Fran area is not on the 7.2 list, but something is going on in the east bay.
I'd like to see the history of your results, not just one shot. That's just me though.......
I'd like to see the history of your results, not just one shot. That's just me though.......
The problem is 3G calls dropping more than "I can't get 3G data."
Try as I might; I just don't get tethering in this day and age.
Tethering was a great feature when you had some crappy flip phone with data service, and you could plug that into your laptop for laptop internet action. But I fail to see the advantage now that you have a handheld computer in your hand; why bother? With all the VNC stuff available, and cloud storage, etc.
Maybe YOU don't get it, but it doesn't mean that the rest of have to be left in the dark. I've had my iPhone 3G S since launch day, and it wasn't until this week that I finally decided to Jailbreak it to see what all the fuss is about.
First thing I did was to install "Poof" to get rid of those built-in apps that I either don't use or have found superior counterparts for on the App Store (Stocks, Compass, Weather, etc.). Next thing I did was install SBSettings to install control functionality that Apple should have given us from the start -- namely, the ability to QUICKLY access and turn on/off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G.
The final thing I did was enable tethering. Although I've only used it once just to test it out, I can see where it can be beneficial.
1) When I go to the doctor's office or have to wait on my car getting an oil change or whatever, I can still get work done on my MBP (I work from home, so if I run errands during the day which require me to wait around, it's nice to be able to continue my work on a full-size computer).
2) At the airport. I travel quite frequently, and the airports I frequent don't always have AT&T Wi-Fi access points, and those that do don't only allow it for my iPhone and not my MBP (from what I can gather).
3) Since I travel, I often stay at hotels that want to charge me $6 or $7 a day for Wi-Fi service -- F*** that!.
4) There are other scenarios I can think of like working from my MBP in the car while someone else is driving or some other stuff.
Bottom line is, I love my iPhone 3G S, but sometimes it's just better and more efficient to get work done on a larger computer -- especially if you don't have Wi-Fi access. Its not something that I can see myself using every day, but it's a nice feature nonetheless.
Maybe YOU don't get it, but it doesn't mean that the rest of have to be left in the dark. I've had my iPhone 3G S since launch day, and it wasn't until this week that I finally decided to Jailbreak it to see what all the fuss is about.
First thing I did was to install "Poof" to get rid of those built-in apps that I either don't use or have found superior counterparts for on the App Store (Stocks, Compass, Weather, etc.). Next thing I did was install SBSetting to install control functionality that Apple should have given us from the start -- namely, the ability to QUICKLY access and turn on/off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G.
The final thing I did was enable tethering. Although I've only used it one now just to test it out, I can see where it can be beneficial.
1) When I go to the doctor's office or have to wait on my car getting an oil change or whatever, I can still get work done on my MBP (I work from home, so if I run errands during the day which require me to wait around, it's nice to be able to continue my work on a full-size computer).
2) At the airport. I travel quite frequently, and the airports I frequent don't always have AT&T Wi-Fi access points, and those that do don't only allow it for my iPhone and not my MBP (from what I can gather).
3) Since I travel, I often stay at hotels that want to charge me $6 or $7 a day for Wi-Fi service -- F*** that!.
4) There are other scenarios I can think of like working from my MBP in the car while someone else is driving or some other stuff.
Bottom line is, I love my iPhone 3G S, but sometimes it's just better and more efficient to get work done on a larger computer -- especially if you don't have Wi-Fi access. Its not something that I can see myself using every day, but it's a nice feature nonetheless.
I bet with the jail break you can do the other stuff I want in an iphone: the ability to download whatever and view it in a file browser. I find it dumb that the only way media can be played in safari if there was a "quicktime" tag to bring up the player.
Oh well, there is an Android for that. Wait, my old Moto Ming can do that. Wait, even my ancient palm life drive could.
So I wonder, what exactly is there to strengthening a data network? Is it just a matter of building more towers? Fortifying towers with better/more equipment?
In other words, why is AT&T having so much trouble?
Oh well, there is an Android for that. Wait, my old Moto Ming can do that. Wait, even my ancient palm life drive could.
Simply put, you want a device that meets all of your wants and needs. So do I. So does everyone. Never going to happen - not with Apple, not with Google, and not with any carrier.
It's called 4 Telcos who coincidancely all have nearly the same plan structures within similarly priced ranges.
Gee. Oligopolies hard at work.
You won't get a serious change from any of them until the US stops subsidizing [tax cuts] these pricks.
*FAIL*
No tethering = no excuses
I don't think it's a matter of how much bandwidth an individual phone uses, it's more of how much bandwidth does a particular group use. I am quite sure that iPhone users are much more data hungry than those customers who use a Samsung Propel Pro.
Correct, iPhone users consume something like 5-10 times more bandwidth than other smartphone users. That's why AT&T is struggling. They had other smartphones on their network before the iPhone's debut (and particularly the iPhone 3G + App Store), but they had no idea that iPhone users would be bandwidth hogs.
As I've mentioned before, AT&T is scared sh*tless of its iPhone customers.
Even today, other smartphone users (Android, WinMo, BlackBerry, Palm Pre, etc.) use far less data than iPhone users.
3G is speedy and reliable in Hampton Roads, Virginia (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News). It seems to be better when I'm in more-populated areas, too, for some reason.
So I wonder, what exactly is there to strengthening a data network? Is it just a matter of building more towers? Fortifying towers with better/more equipment?
In other words, why is AT&T having so much trouble?
If you believe AT&T, their update progress in certain metropolitan areas is slow because of the tedious permit approval process (which is either a municipal or county issue).
Also, AT&T is trying to deploy more 850Mhz cells which provide better signal strength (particularly in-building) and range in markets that previously had 1900Mhz coverage (which is usually adequate for less dense, flat areas without tall buildings, etc.).
Simply put, you want a device that meets all of your wants and needs. So do I. So does everyone. Never going to happen - not with Apple, not with Google, and not with any carrier.
IE jailbreaking perhaps makes it the perfect device. That and the Archos 5 IT does all I need, and so does perhaps the Nexus.
is gil amelio at the helm of at&t?
hmmm - that name rings a bell