Thinking of getting an iPhone but wondered if I should consider anything else instead?

Any other gadget lovers with an opinion?

BB

What do you want it to do?

Mmmmm, not sure really.

Phone, text, camera, mp3, email (home and abroad) internet when abroad, I guess the satnav would be useful too.

BB

iPhone satnav doesn’t do voice.

I got told by a bloke at the Carphone Whorehouse that if you want a phone for “the intenet”, get an iPhone. Blackberies might be better for corporate mail stuff, Nokias might do other stuff better… You get the idea.

They do have the best touchscreen though and the browsing experience is damn good. The only downside with the iPhone is that nearly everyone has one. Do you want to be a sheep like everyone else?

Why not consider the Google Phone? If you are a geek you can modify the code, otherwise you get a decent phone that does internet and stuff.

Paid up member of the Apple fan boy club here. I’ve got an iPhone and a Blackberry pearl (for work). For web browsing there isn’t anything better than the iphone. Email is about as good as the Blackberry – but the interface is much nicer. For making calls its OK, but not as good as Nokia’s I’ve had and the battery life is carp.

The link with iTunes makes it easy to use as an ipod and watch videos on. You can only use BBC iPlayer on it with a wifi connection. And there are loads of 3rd party applications including some pretty good games.

If you can swallow the relative cost and live with the carp battery life go for it. If you can’t then I’d go for a Nokia with push email.

I don’t rate my Blackberry, but that because its a gayer Pearl and not one f the Alpha Male Storm or Bold varieties 😉

HTC have just brought out the Android Magic. Looks OK (if you like white) and at least it’s not Windows Mobile. I doubt it’s as good as the iPhone but probably worth a shufty.

I’m not happy with the battery life claims myself. They sound a bit fishy.

Any of the high-end Nokias will do everything you listed. e.g. N78. How big do you want your screen and do you want touch-screen?

Anybody using the Nokia 5800?

Billed as being an ‘iPhone killer’, but is it really?

I would like touch screen and a big one at that, anyone using the Omnia instead?

BB

My wife has just got the Nokia 5800. The touch screen interface is miles better than my old LG Viewty but nothing near as good as the iphone. Last night she had issues with the screen freezing on it when switching the lock on and off.

I’ve been thinking about the HTC Touch HD but need to have a play with it first. The screen is massive and the overall dimensions are no bigger than the apple. The downsides seem to be poor battery life (similair to the iphone) and it runs windows mobile.

LG renior (GF has it) and Nokia 5800 do everything that the ipod does and then some but the Iphone just does its things so much nicer/smoother/better looking, mostly due to the touch screen and then the UI. If your specifically want a better camera and video or grudge paying for an I phone then these 2 are the best out there (IMHO). there a few others but all have there idiosyncrasies. Ipod also has its apps.
There are lots of phones coming out very soon and windows release 6.5 at the end of the year.
There is a World Mobile Congress over in Barcalona just now with all the forthcoming goodies. check out http://www.engadget.com for all the news.
Best to prioritize your requirements and try a few phones. At the moment you will find that most people will say the Iphone has no competitors for overall usability but that will change this year.

Omnia here and after a month getting used to it I think it is a good option.

Better video / camera than iphone but limited applications if you like your add ons. Looked at the Storm but it has no wifi so if you are abroad and browse or pick up emails you will get stung for data charges. It has push email to fit the corporate role but then good other features for personal use. Outlook is seamless and live which is a real bonus. Google maps with GPS is excellent. Internet browsing is functional (with great links from contacts to google maps).

I would recommend one if you are willing to spend a while on familiarisation but not if you want out of the box performance.

The only downside with the iPhone is that nearly everyone has one. Do you want to be a sheep like everyone else?

The logic of this escapes me. Person 1 evaluates his requirements, finds that they are best met by and iPhone, and buys . Person 2 evaluates his requirements, finds that they are best met by an iPhone, and buys something else. Which one is the loser, compromising his decision by considering what other people think?

Oh and a couple of other downsides to the iPhone
1) No video recording; and
2) No picture or media messanging.