Comments on: 5 reasons to take the iPhone on vacation

Even if you don't get reception where you're going, the iPhone is a useful travel tool.

[KeeganHill]

Who wouldn't take their cellphone with them while traveling? This article should have just been named 'Helpful Iphone apps for Travelers' or something. Come on Cnet, don't act stupid.

[pcuser555]

Yes, I'll be taking my Nokia N95 with me of course! What would I want with an I-Phone? Inferior video recording, inferior camera. N95 has 5 megapixel camera and DVD quality video recording as well as stereo bluetooth (A2DP) unlike I-Phone. It seems that the ONLY reason people are buying I-Phones is to show off the GUI. Once every phone on the market has a 5 megapixel camera I-Phone users will see it as an embarrassment let alone show it off.

[girl-au]

ahem, why would you use your mobile phone camera on holiday? I have a real camera.
agree about the iPhone's usefulness... but I sill want one!! I love my iTouch and am annoyed at Apple for releasing it so close to the iPhone.

[rdwalton]

cnet isn't acting....

[aztec92154]

LOL. :-)

[srhoda]

"Once every phone on the market has a 5 megapixel camera I-Phone users will see it as an embarrassment let alone show it off."

Camera on phone is a useless feature (at least to me and I am sure for many other folks). For taking any pictures I use my Canon DSLR instead of a phone camera. Once the phone camera's have abilities like controlling the shutter speed or ISO or ability to shoot in RAW then I would think about the "Camera" feature on a phone.

[aztec92154]

DITTO, I have a Cannon Rebel XTi for serious photos on vacation, and a Sony Cybershot point and shoot for those days when I'm too lazy to haul my heavy lens with me. There is NO WAY I would use my phone as a primary camera, or (heh) as a DVD quality video camera?! You've got to be kidding me. Who in their right mind would want to shoot high resolution video (which would quickly fill up many tiny mini-SD cards) with a cell phone? Good luck with battery life. The bottom line is this: I would only use a phone camera in an emergency, and a couple of mega pixels is adequate.

[ChrisMofNS]

This is true but there's nothing like snapping a picture at a critical moment with your cell phone and being able to send it instantaneously to a friend, all while the DSLR is barely out of the bag. Not to mention how much of a pain in the ass it is to carry around a DSLR. Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure the iPhone can do that, as well as any other camera phone that has MMS.

[girl-au]

agree, the camera is useless except for an emergency.
but.... no flash on the camera seems a bit behind the times for a new phone.

[AmrcnHstryX]

It is embarrassing to see that they are posting things like this. ohhh it can take notes and surf the web via WIFI, what garbage. Weak camera, no video recording, doesnt support flash player or java, no camera for video calling, NO MMS and no voice dialing. My 2 year old samsung phone that i got for $50 is capable of doing those things. Are we supposed to be impressed that is can take notes and it can be used as a flashlight? I am disappointed that great phones are overshadowed by a mediocre phone like this and people are actually buying into it.

[o2bpitching]

Can your 2 year old Samsung surf the web, watch video, listen to music, or play amazing games like the iPhone can? I didn't think so... Regardless of what you think, the iPhone is the best phone on the market. So take your 2 year old Samsung and do some really great MMS messaging while I surf the web and listen to music on my iPhone.

[aztec92154]

lol... AmrchHstryX just got pwned.

[girl-au]

lol, the iPhone is NOT the best phone on the market! It's just the coolest. plenty of phones have mp3 players, take photos and can surf the net. plenty of "old" phones have this capability. reality is: the camera is mostly useless, and the websurfing painful. You know what's good for surfing the web? Not a phone! did you write this comment from your phone or are you at home on a real computer with a keyboard and mouse?!

[J Rankin]

Wow definitely an embarrassment for cnet. It seems like they're just searching for one more reason to yap about the iPhone. First of all, duh you'd take your phone on vacation with you. Secondly, ice breaker? emergency flashlight?! you've got to be kidding me. Also it saddens me that they suggest socializing is unimportant when you have an iPhone. Go ahead iPhone owners - sit in the corner and play super monkey ball on your raging source of gadget jealousy.

I'll be happy when all this iPhone buzz is over and we can focus on things like Centrino 2 and the slew of new laptops coming with it.

[texan1977]

Play games while waiting in the airport, emergency flashlight, surfing the web? How long does cnet expect the battery to last while doing these battery intensive things? I don't understand why every review I have read has glossed over the pathetic battery life when using the apps that make could make the iphone great. Do these things while waiting in the airport and you'll end up with a dead iphone during your flight.

[aztec92154]

Texan1977, you need to get around more. The airports have tons of electrical sockets. "In Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport there are currently 2,100 free power outlets, including those inside eight airline-club-inspired Samsung travel centers. Free power-up stations, some complete with stools, desks or work shelves, have also appeared at airports in Las Vegas, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, where 51 Samsung-sponsored free charging stations have been installed in boarding areas throughout the terminals." SOURCE: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/baskas/2008-04-09-airport-freebies_N.htm

[dsadw]

Although some of the suggestions I wouldn't go with, there are IPhone maps for Disney World/Disneyland which were pretty handy when we needed bathrooms for the kids. There are some other nice travel related web apps at www.apple.com/webapps/travel. It's just a shame there isn't a "App Store" interface for them. More people would probably be aware of them.

[kronosqq]

I'd take my cell phone (not an Iphone) on vacation but only for if I needed it for something. Vacation is supposed to be restfull I don't want people calling me every few minutes.

[MakAttak]

You've got to be kidding me CNET. Do you guys sleep in the same bed as Steve Jobs or what?? Of all of the billions of cell phones that are currently on the market, about 2 of them fail to meet these ***Magical,Practical "iPhone Is The Only Phone That Can Do This" Requirements*** I mean you guys could have wasted your time reporting on the price of a bail of hay or some other non important sh*t. I Agree with ***J Rankin, pcuser555, and AmrcnHstryX*** on this one!

[MSMB123]

Hyperbolic,exagerated and totaly inflated comments prior and subsequent to the release of the iphone. I for one, wasted 4 hours in line to get one, only to find a defective machine, with hardware and software problems. Apple QC went down the drain in their rush to sell this PDA with brilliant marketing but a poor phone. My old Motorola Razor performs much better, is voice activated and never freezes like the iphone. Besides when I went to the Apple Store they would not exchange it.(I had to return it). To summarize: poor product and poor service!!!

[aztec92154]

I call BS on this ladies comment. Her account was obviously created today just to flame.

[nbvpb]

Evernote is a great web app for collecting some of the travel info and tips that you pull off the web as you plan for a trip. The iPhone version of Evernote looks great for scaling your notes to the iPhone.

[girl-au]

erm, I know the US is a tad blinkered, but some of us "other Earthdwellers" can put SIM cards into our phones and use the local network without roaming fees. imagine that!! anyone who wants to call me on vacation can phone/txt my local number and they can pay.