Apple iPhone Insanity

TehBorken · Jul 01 07 07:37

[font face="Verdana" size="2"]The iPhone by Apple may be cool, but there's no way most of us mere mortals can afford it. Let's pretend I want to get iPhones for my family (3 people). and, of course, get on a Family calling plan (to *cough* "save money" *cough**cough*).

The 8GB version of the iPhone is $599.00. That's $1800 to start.

The monthly cost for 1400 *shared* minutes is $100 per month per phone. That's $300 a month, but for a shared system with 3 users you'd probably be better off to get 2100 shared minutes per month, which costs $120 per month.

So...$360per month for service (!!) and almost two thousand bucks to get the phones. In the first year you'll spend $4320.00 just for calling minutes. (Don't forget the additional $1800 for the 3 phones which brings the first year's cost to $6120.00. For a phone.)

Sorry, but I'm just not willing to pony up that much money for a f*cking phone. My ancient Motorola StarTac costs me $26 per month with 250 minutes, and it's usually more than I need. I don't want to surf the web, take pictures, listen to music, or play games, browse images, or shop online with my phone. All I want to do is a) make calls and b) take calls.

I look at these people wetting their pants over the iPhone and I just don't get it. Yeah, it's cool, but it's not that cool- it's just a f*cking PHONE for god's sake!

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P.C. · Jul 01 07 08:51

Funny you should mention that TB. I was wondering how it starts that 'we' (anyone in their mid 30's onward) start departing from the techno gadgets that come on the market in droves and the need to have them. And I'm afraid to admit, that it's purely an issue of maturity.....erm......age.

I agree. If I need to play games.....I can do it at home. If I need to browse images.....I can do it at home. If I need to surf the web....I can do it at home. If I need to shop online.....I can do it at home. If I need to hear music....I already have a dozen options....at home and on the road. If I need to take pictures....call me crazy, but I can use my camera. For that matter, If I need to make a phone call, I can do it at home. And if I need to get a call.....whoever is calling me will quickly discover when I'm not at home. Frankly I don't WANT everyone to have the ability to reach out and touch me at their whim.

OK....so there is a bit of 'old fuddy duddy' rearing it's ugly head here.....but I can live with it.[img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/haushalt/h052.gif" border=0]

Lise · Jul 01 07 09:19

Who cares? It's the cool thing to have. If I had money and don't give a damn, I'd be flashing my iPhone to anyone and everyone down the street. So there! *sticks tongue out*

Marik · Jul 01 07 08:33

ahahaha you tell them Lise!
Too bad most of us can't afford that kind of phone.
My friend bought the "Casino Royale" cell soon after it came out, and was flashing it everywhere he went. Taking pictures of stuff he normally wouldn't, playing games on it, etc. I must say he attracted a lot of attention.

Sportsdude · Jul 01 07 08:37

I'll wait for a couple years when all phones will look like the iphone and cost 99 bucks or a free replacement for my cell phone.
I remember the big hulablue over the razor. Now every model is a razor and I can get one for free from Verizon now. lol
I'm sure iphone's buttonless interface will go the same route.

kitten · Jul 01 07 09:06

I wouldn't want one. To me it's just another distraction for drivers who are already menacing enough with cell phones. I've heard so many people on cell phones that are simply chatting about what they are doing at the store, and where they are going next, and "Did you see what so-and-so was wearing the other day" that I wonder why they need them. Most of those calls could be made at home instead of the grocery or the theatre or wherever they might be, and traffic wouldn't be tied up in knots because they were too busy chatting to watch where they were going. Just imagine what they can do with a new means of communication!

Sportsdude · Jul 01 07 09:11

well this application doesn't have buttons so it really would make calling on the cell even more dangerous.

But most of the people buying it are buying it because of the interface

Within two years most phones will be like this so why pay the expensive fee now?

kitten · Jul 01 07 09:12

So tell me, why is this necessary? Just to impress people?

Sportsdude · Jul 01 07 09:16

right now? yes. Because as I said about the razor. It was the in thing 2 or 3 years ago when it came out. Now I can get one for free whenever I feel like going to the local verizon store since my contract is up. 2 to 3 years from now all middle to high end phones will look like this iphone. This is just a must have now item. Plus in 2 to 3 years there will be a new iphone going by apple's track record of constantly upgrading and changing hardware.

P.C. · Jul 01 07 09:18

Marik wrote: ahahaha you tell them Lise!
Too bad most of us can't afford that kind of phone.

I've considered myself told.

*I can afford it.....I just haven't figured out why I need it.

kitten · Jul 01 07 09:22

Strange, SD. You tell me it is a must-have item, but I still can't see the need for it in my life. If I want to phone someone, I use my telephone from home. Seems to work for me every time. I have an answering machine in case of emergency calls, but that is all I need.

I don't need to flaunt my wealth...there isn't any to flaunt.

P.C. · Jul 01 07 09:29

I think many of these things are status symbols. It's come across that I have a wall up for new technology. I don't. I love gadgets and new technology.....I just have a problem when someone is trying to sell me something that has no claim on improving my life as I know it.

And when it's just a symbol of 'coolness'......I see it as sucker bait. (on the other hand....I'm old)[img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/more/bigs/c008.gif" border=0]

Sportsdude · Jul 01 07 09:30

its consumerism at its finest I'm afraid. We are told now that once something gets a certain age its old and needs to be replaced.
Really these things are suppose to make our lives easier when in fact they don't, they just complicate them more.

kitten · Jul 01 07 09:37

It's the oldest trick in the world of consumerism. First tell you how it will enhance your life. Next, tell you how not having it will make you seem like you are lacking in knowledge of what is fashionable. If that doesn't work, tell you that your friends are laughing at you because you don't have a certain item that they are trying to sell you. Lastly, tell you that you are behind the times, and obviously a loser.

purelife · Jul 02 07 11:55

Interesting conversations going on in here.

I have to say that the iphone does look very cool, but it's not my thing to stay on top of technology. I also don't see how it would improve my life as well. I find the functions to complicated and too much of a time-waster. I could just imagine myself sitting away on the skytrain figuring out all the components to this all day/year long! Not my thing.

I have a simple phone where it does the basics of making/taking calls and taking that occasional picture. But, some people like the idea of an "all-in-one" system. Look at that printer/scanner/fax idea. I think that there's going to be lots of problems with this lil iphone.