iPhone wannabes or smart alternatives? You decide
CORRECTION July 9 at 10:48 a.m. PDT: This article misstated the BlackBerry Bold's display type. It does not have a touch screen. The story has been updated to reflect this change.
Apple's iPhone 3G hits store shelves on Friday, but if you haven't been struck with iPhone fever, don't fret. There are plenty of alternatives that offer similar style and features. And they may even be easier on your wallet in the long run.
To some Apple fans, phones such as the Samsung Instinct or the HTC Diamond are simply iPhone wannabes. But to others they are cool phones in their own right with unique features and capabilities. Below I've compiled a cheat-sheet that highlights key features and points out short-comings of seven possible iPhone alternatives. I've also thrown in pricing information, not only for the phone, but also for the service plans that go with them.
But before I dive deeply into these iPhone alternatives, let's take a look at what the new iPhone 3G offers and what it's still missing.
The biggest change to the iPhone in the new version is speed. As the name implies, the iPhone 3G will operate over AT&T's HSDPA 3G network. Today, that network can theoretically deliver download speeds of about 3.6Mbps. But in the real world, speeds are closer to 400Kbps to 700Kbps. Recently, AT&T's wireless chief said the network is being upgraded and will soon offer theoretical download speeds of 20Mbps and actual download speeds of between 4Mbps and 6.6Mbps.
Apple also added GPS to the iPhone 3G, allowing the device to take advantage of location-based applications and services. The company also opened up the device to third-party developers and will soon launch an Apps Store for new iPhone applications. The new iPhone will also support Microsoft Exchange server, which means subscribers will be able to get their work e-mail on the iPhone 3G. And finally the company has greatly improved the battery life of the device stating that it should get a solid five hours of 3G talk time.
But there are also plenty of features that Apple left out of the iPhone 3G, including support for multimedia messaging or MMS. This means users can't send or receive pictures taken on cell phones via the MMS messaging platform. The device also lacks video recording and voice command. And it only supports Bluetooth for headset voice calls, which means it won't allow Bluetooth file transfers to and from the iPhone.
These missing features could help give some phone manufacturers an edge with consumers looking for the perfect multimedia smartphone. But features aren't the only thing that consumers consider when buying a new phone. They also consider price. And even though AT&T is selling the 8GB model for the subsidized price of $200, the carrier still charges more than any other mobile phone operator for its bundle of services, making the iPhone 3G one of the most expensive to own phones on the market. For 450 minutes of talk time a month, unlimited data, which includes Web surfing and email, and text messaging, AT&T charges about $90 a month. Add unlimited voice and the price shoots up to $150.
Below is a list of seven alternatives to the iPhone 3G. Most of these phones have a touch-screen. All are 3G capable. All offer MMS messaging, which the iPhone doesn't offer. And all come with a full HTML browser. Some offer Wi-Fi, which even the original iPhone offers, and some have embedded GPS just like the iPhone 3G.
LG Voyager - $199
LG Voyager
Carrier: Verizon Wireless
Carrier service plan pricing: Verizon's premium smartphone service with all you-can-eat data and messaging starts at $79.99 per month for 450 minutes a month of talk time. Add unlimited voice, and the price is $139 per month.
What makes it cool? The LG Voyager, which has been on the market for nearly a year, supports Verizon's VCast Video service, which offers a slew of TV channels, including CBS Mobile, Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, and NBC 2Go. It also offers VCast Music, which allows users to purchase music directly over the cell phone network. By contrast, the iPhone plays movies and TV shows purchased from its iTunes media store and doesn't allow for over-the-air music downloads. The Voyager also flips up to expose a full QWERTY keypad.
What are its shortcomings? The phone doesn't offer Wi-Fi, which means it can't access the Internet when not in cell phone range. The lack of Wi-Fi also means that users can't Web surf at super fast speeds when in a Wi-Fi hotspot. And lastly, it's not integrated with Microsoft Outlook, which means subscribers can't access work email. They can only get Web email.
LG Dare - $250
LG Dare
Carrier: Verizon Wireless
Carrier service plan pricing: Verizon's premium smartphone service with all you-can-eat data and messaging starts at $79.99 per month for 450 minutes a month of talk time. Add unlimited voice, and the price is $139 per month.
What makes it cool? The LG Dare has a touch screen that allows icons to be dragged and dropped so that it can be customized for shortcuts on the home screen. It offers a sketch pad that allows users to draw pictures that can be sent via MMS to friends. It also has a 3.2 megapixel camera with face detection, panorama photo stitching, and SmartPic technology designed for taking photos in low light. It offers an embedded camcorder. And like the Voyager, it can be used with Verizon's VCast Music and Video services.
What are its shortcomings? The Web browser and media player is not as good as the iPhone, according to CNET Reviews editor Nicole Lee. There's no Wi-Fi. And also no integration with Microsoft Outlook to access work email.
Samsung Instinct - $129.00
Samsung Instinct
Carrier: Sprint Nextel
Carrier service plan pricing: Sprint's "Simply Everything" plan with 450 minutes of talk-time and unlimited messaging, data services that include email and Web surfing costs $69.99 per month. Add unlimited voice, and the service costs $99 a month.
What makes it cool? This is the "first cell phone we've seen that throws some direct competition Apple's way," CNET editor Kent German wrote in his review of this phone, which just hit the market last month. Physically, the Instinct looks a lot like the iPhone. It also has integrated GPS and works with Microsoft Outlook to allow people to get work email on the phone. But it also offers some unique features. Unlike the iPhone 3G, the Instinct offers Sprint's mobile TV service and has a built-in camcorder.
What are its shortcomings? The screen lacks multi-touch functionality. This means you can't pinch a page and blow it up like you can on the iPhone. It also offers much less memory than the iPhone. It doesn't support Wi-Fi or instant messaging. And German said he wasn't impressed with the email interface. And its call quality wasn't up to snuff to boot.
LG Vu -- $299
LG Vu
Carrier: AT&T
Carrier Plan pricing: Subscribers can get 450 minutes of talk time, unlimited mobile Web, texting, and live broadcast TV for $105 per month. Add unlimited voice, and the service is $165 per month.
What makes it cool? The coolest thing about the LG Vu is that it offers live broadcast TV. AT&T uses the MediaFlo network to deliver the service, which is operating in more than 55 markets in the U.S.
What are its shortcomings? The device lacks GPS and doesn't support Wi-Fi. The MediaFlo TV service isn't available everywhere yet. And the monthly charge for the live TV service along with the data and messaging service charges, makes this an expensive phone to own.
BlackBerry Bold: $300 (estimated price)
BlackBerry Bold
Carrier: AT&T (expected later this summer.)
Carrier plan pricing: This phone hasn't officially launched on AT&T's network. But judging from AT&T's current BlackBerry service plans, subscribers can expect to pay $90 a month for 450 minutes of talk time, unlimited data and unlimited texting. With unlimited voice, that price jumps to $150 a month.
What makes it cool? This device doesn't have a touch screen. Instead, it sports a full QWERTY keypad. But it does have Wi-Fi, and it features an improved Web browser that allows the option of viewing pages in a full desktop HTML style or a mobile version. The phone also comes with an embedded camcorder and GPS for location-based services. Research in Motion is also working on something called the Blackberry Media Sync, which will allow BlackBerry devices to sync with Apple iTunes, so that BlackBerry users can listen to music from their iTunes library.
What are its shortcomings? The BlackBerry Bold doesn't have a touch screen. And it's not available yet. It is expected to hit AT&T stores later this summer and will likely be added to the other carriers' line-ups later in the year.
RIM is also rumored to be readying a new phone called the BlackBerry Thunder that will be the company's first touch screen device. The phone hasn't been announced yet, so this is all rumor. But it's expected to be released on Verizon Wireless and Vodafone networks in the third quarter of 2008, according to the blog The Boy Genius Report. It will likely be launched on other networks after that.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 -pricing not yet available
Sony Ericsson Experia X1
Carrier: This phone will be released mid-September. And a U.S. carrier hasn't been announced yet.
Carrier service plan pricing: Not available.
What makes it cool? This is the first Sony Ericsson phone to use Windows Mobile from Microsoft. It also has a very cool arc slider design. The phone has a touch screen on top and a full QWERTY keypad underneath. It has Wi-Fi and comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera, assisted-GPS, a multimedia player, 400MB of internal memory, and a microSD expansion slot.
What are its shortcomings?
It won't be available until mid-September and even then it could take a while before any U.S. operators pick it up.Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 CNET Review
HTC Diamond --$700 for an unlocked phone without a subsidy
HTC Touch Diamond
U.S. Carrier:Not announced yet.
Carrier service plan pricing: Not available.
What makes it cool? The HTC Touch Diamond has a cool 3D interface and what CNET reviewer Bonnie Cha calls, "a beautiful touch screen." It uses Windows Mobile 6.1 and offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 3.2-megapixel camera. It also offers voice recognition for dialing and a pre-loaded YouTube application for viewing videos.
What are its shortcomings? The Touch Diamond won't be available in the U.S. for months. And the current version isn't optimized for the U.S. market. Cha also described it as sluggish and said the call quality is subpar." There's also no expansion slot for more memory.
Marguerite Reardon has been a CNET News reporter since 2004, covering cell phone services, broadband, citywide Wi-Fi, the Net neutrality debate, as well as the ongoing consolidation of the phone companies. E-mail Maggie. 
"hardware is half the phone..." - absolutley, and if you don't want MMS or HSDPA, bluetooth transfers or the ability to film videos maybe the iphone's for you. Seems like a lot of money to pay for a phone that can't do half the things my little sister's $5 phone can, but then of course it does come in a very nice box...
All depends what you want it for, really.
Apple has the hype machine behind it... Samsung does not. With Apple, it's like watching preteen girls getting excited over a boyband... and sadly that carries over into the news, even here.
Samsung, LG, or any other phone maker simply can't compete on software. First they think about how to look like the iPhone and then cobble together slow and frumpy software.
Microsoft? No thanks, for decades they've proven they cannot write code.
Your phone has "same rendering engine", do you even know what is an rendering engine? Geez, ask anyone here which phone is crap (to use).
It could be another year or two before there is a real contender. But they said this of the iPod 4 years ago didn't they, .............. then it makes for good reading doesn't
The fast processor was necessary to run the OSX port for the phone. So it's pretty impressive that these "kindergarten" phones as you call them, can do stuff the iPhone cannot with their slower processors.
I love my Instinct and it does stand up very well to the first gen iPhone. With unlimited everything an 3g rev a, wifi really isn't that big of a deal.
processor is slower than BB bold...
"gestures" successfully replicated in Android...
graphics driven by open-source, 3d acceleration open-source - same implementations android uses, i believe.
just like the phone, they also said the pod had a duff battery (one that apple refused to replace as part of the warranty - even if it failed just after purchase - instead charging people about 80% of the price of a new pod to replace it... apple customer care...) Does it seem odd that they've had the same (income-generating) problem again?
When the keyboard and mouse fade away, you'll be doing touch. Lift your head up and see where the future is going with Apple leading the way.
Not having WiFi no big deal? It hands down blows 3G out of the water with speeds. I guess you can't miss what you don't have or just convince yourself it's not necessary. But once you have it, you'll always use it.
Last point is SDK. This platform will make give the iPhone millions of quality applications over the years.
But hey, guess what... Apple did not invent multitouch. It's been around for years.
http://www.jazzmutant.com/ for more details! And let's not forget that Microsoft already has Surface.
Yes, not having wifi on my phone is not a big deal because I'm not going to be downloading movies, I'm not going to be playing COD4 online with it... I am mainly browsing pages, reading news and last time I checked, I can do that on 1.4mb just as well as 11mb and I don't have to be worried about being tied down to a hot spot. So I can get up from Smoothie King, walk 4 blocks and not lose connection.
Sprint/Samsung have a new SDK/WDK out today... but how many people know? Not a lot... why? Because once again, the Apple hype machine. As pointed out, there's close to 2000 hits on news.com when searching for the iPhone, but you get maybe 20 when searching for other phones. WHY? These other phones are great and worthy, but news.com takes the bait of the Apple hype and will post away like a preteen gossip girl site.
Doesn't matter what we say or how great a phone is, if it doesn't have an Apple logo stamped on it, it will never be good enough for people like you.
I hung out with one of my friends over the 4th and we compared my Instinct with his iPhone and by the end of the night he was really disappointed. Things like volume and brightness, the Instinct kills the iPhone. As pointed out, MMS, camcorder, integrated GPS, 3g and so on. Try it out if you do not believe me, find someone with an Instinct and compare your volume and brightness against the Instinct. Let's see your SDK fix that one :p
I had much better signal where his iPhone was lucky to get 1 bar. I joked that the brightside would be that he would have signal in Hong Kong where I would not. Not like we travel to Europe and Asia on a weekly basis, so big deal on that world signal crap...
Bottom line is the iPhone is great for some people, other phones will be better for other people. For me, I live in an area with heavy Sprint coverage, 3g rev a, so I always have great speed and signal with Sprint... where AT&T doesn't cover as well. So the Instinct works for me. My friend had moved to the middle of the state and AT&T works great for him there.
I'm happy with the Instinct and will be even happier when we get the MIDP support so pre-existing apps like Opera Mini 4.1 and AIM/YIM will work.
You can resize things but opening your fingers or closing them or scroll through things by just moving your finger left to right. Most of these other phones aren't really that intuitive at all. Apple wins (for now) because it always pays attention to how the user interface.
None of these compare in that regard.
It was a pain, cause not everyone i know has smart phones, so i couldn't send pictures to lots of people.
What an idiotic comment. Too many of you on this site revert to the ole "fanboy" stick if someone likes a product by a certain company. "Microsoft Fanboy"... "Apple Fanboy".... come on get over it. We all use products in our daily lives so by the logic of some of you guys.. we're all fanboys of something.
The truth of the matter is that the interface of iphone is not matched by any of the phones currently shipping.
How many of those phones have you used?
But seriously, the majority of people out there are simply not going to be choosing a device of this type based upon the camera. Think of it as more of a computer (which it it, period), than a phone, or camera, or mp3 player. Then think about the variation of things you can do with it, or make it do, even if the ability does not currently ship with it. The iPhone wins, and no Android is not out yet, but it would be another winner (if it lives up to it's promise).
If you are worried about where this is going, remember the first iPod, and remember the ... well, I guess there never was a last, you could argue that what was learned from the iPod has been used in more than one product at Apple.
Not really see: http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/specials/iphone-info.jsp it is more like $75 per month.
The iPhone 3G is NOT a plain touch screen as these have been around for years. It is multi-touch which screen that does not require a stylist, that is the innovation. Multi-touch is much different from a plain touch screen, The iPhone is innovative enough to make all the other phone makers that have been in the biz for many years, to stop and COPY whatever they could. I am not a fanboy, only pointing out the facts that seemed a bit overlooked and biased.
Are you talking about a Kaiser automobile? If so that brings back memories.
I don't understand the biasness here at cnet with close to 2000 hits on the iPhone and maybe an average of 20 for the other phones.
Nath
http://www.themostpowerfulcompany.com
In all seriousness, when I get new phones (yeah, I always gotta buy in pairs... one for me, one for the wife), it's gonna have to be an iPhone because of the iTunes integration. That's why we chose the RAZRs we currently have.
- by RainCaster July 9, 2008 8:41 AM PDT
- The iPhone won't do what I need, so I will keep my Kaiser. It is not as sexy (if you drink the Apple Koolaid), but it has a huge amount of software already debugged and shipping. I need a BT data connection for my laptop (iPhone doesn't have it), and I need full support for Calendar, email and Exchange. Pity those fatures will never be found on an iPhone.
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- by liven2 July 9, 2008 10:36 AM PDT
- Uhmm you may need to do some more research... It does have full support for Calendar, email and Exchange...
- Like this
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Showing 1 of 3 pages (78 Comments)http://www.apple.com/iphone/enterprise/
Another alternative might be MobileMe... http://www.apple.com/mobileme/
But not for everyone...
Do not forget all the apps the will be available thru the App store that will offer even more functionality...