Comments on: The iPhone alternative (for freedom lovers)

Want to know how to get an even better mobile Internet experience, without having to do business with either AT&T or Apple--and no contracts?

[Lazlo666]

would you like cheese with that w(h)ine?

[trbutler]

As I said somewhere else on CNet where this piece showed up, Apple has made it easy to add custom ringtones to the iPhone for months now. It was widely discussed after the 1.1.2 and iTunes 7.5 combo came out, not to mention built in GarageBand support for designing those ringtones in GarageBand 4.1.1. Too bad the author didn't research before making claims against the iPhone -- it looks like he already struck out one of his other (bizarre claims about the iTunes Wi-Fi Store).

It seems kind of odd suggesting a used iDEN phone and a non-cellular Internet tablet are an "iPhone alternative." It's interesting, but one of Nokia's Symbian smartphones or a Blackberry seems more on par with the iPhone than a clunky two device system. Oh well.

[Tabletizer]

I'm not sure why the "two-device system" becomes clunky. The phone never leaves your pocket, except to charge at night.

And the reason this is more of an iPhone alternative than a Nokia Symbian smartphone (which completely blows the iPhone away in all other ways)? We're talking about mobile web access, which smartphones are notorious for having, but only in a somewhat awkward and limited way.

The iPhone does it well, no thanks to it's low-res screen. It has multi-touch, so zooming and panning is done with gestures, and much easier than on other phones, or even the Nokia tablets.

But the N8x0, in its own ways, beats the iPhone (for mobile web access). It has Adobe Flash support, and you don't need to zoom and pan, because it has an 800x480 screen. All websites designed to work on 800x600 screens work flawlessly. The hardware keyboard helps, too.

So you've got two excellent mobile "full-internet" devices, one of which requires a dirt-cheap phone that you carry around in your pocket, and still comes out cheaper. It seems fair to claim the N8x0 as an alternative. Indeed, if you are in a 802.11-saturated area, so that anytime you need serious bandwidth you can get it, it seems hard to argue the iPhone has any real benefit, and I wonder why anyone'd buy it instead of spending $300 to get going with an N800 and _all_ the peripherals.

Also, if you're a hacker, there's a lot to be said for an open UNIX-based device that is intended to be used as UNIX. I know the iPhone runs OSX, but they've hidden all the UNIX away from the user. Chris barely mentions this, so perhaps he's not one, but hackers love carrying UNIX boxen around in their pockets, and so are even more likely to choose this route for the same purpose of mobile web access.

[logos]

Outstanding article for owners of the Nokia Internet Tablets. Not everyone needs high priced network usage. Getting by for quick checks of e-mail and a net search now and then is all some of us need between wi-fi spots. Boost looks like it'll do the job at an inexpensive price. Thanks for the heads up!!

[edenic]

One statement in this article made me chuckle louder than others. Soghoian writes, "Steve Jobs treats his customers with contempt." While I find prevalent the idea that the innovators of this world who make lots of money are considered "evil" or at least people with whom we should have "deep moral problems," it still shocks me to see it in print. Nevermind that Jobs and company have brought to market the best mobile device that has ever been available. Nevermind that that he continues to share his creativity, his ability to build a successful company, his vision to bring better devices and software to the world that benefits the rest of us. Nevermind that devices like the iPhone or the iPod are designed to work and do work (I've used Windows Mobile devices for the past 7 years and they don't work). Yet Steve Jobs has contempt for his customers. Yes, the we'd all be much better off if Jobs and his contemtuousness stopped pushing his swill on the rest of us. We as consumers would be much less abused.

This is not a defense of Jobs as much as it is of innovators. Their innovations are the gifts to the world. They don't need to give you stuff for free.

[squarep02]

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[Thushara.Weligama]

this phone is good for lovers. They have use this got a fun to life

..........................................
baabi

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[geneven]

I have the same problem with Steve Jobs that I have with Bill Gates. I don't want to be in their thrall. I'm happy with my Nokia N800 and my Centro. I can't get excited about being able to add ringtones to anything -- who cares? The sound of a ringing cell phone is sonic imperialism, dominating everyone's thoughtwaves who is in range, just like a car horn honking.

As Patrick Henry would undoubtedly be saying nowadays: Give me free software or give me death!

[frank_pipolo]

Boost has done a nice job on marketing to the younger crowd and I am surprised that they have grown as much as they have.

Frank Pipolo
http://www.frankpipolo.com

[asusreviews.com]

I never thought you could get a data plan for $6 a month... if its slow who cares... its not fun to spend all day looking at a tiny screen aways. Thanks for the sweet post! I'm totally an Apple hater! I will NEVER give in!

-Jason
www.asusreviews.com

[catherine_athos]

Hi,

I our office several people switched from iPhone to Google's G1 with T-Mobile. I did as well. So far I like it much better, iPhone drove me crazy, however that's me.

Thanks,
Catherine Athos
[e-mail]
<a href="http://cheapinsurancedeals.com">http://cheapinsurancedeals.com</a>