iPhone questions.

[de8212]

Thinking of getting my wife a new phone for her bday. It's not until July so I have plenty of time but wanted to start getting some info.
Her (our) sister in law has one and loves it. I guess they are only available in black or white? I haven't seen other colors. And white is more $$ then black. It's $300 and 16GB w/2yr contract while I could get black for $200 but only 8GB. They do list refurbished phones for cheaper. Anyone ever bought one?

Not sure if plans vary by state/region but how much do you pay after taxes for your plan and what all is included? She wouldn't need any kind of unlimited plan. Maybe 500 minutes or so and she would text a little but not much. Also, is it a full browser that she could check facebook and stuff like that?

Any other info is appreciated.

Moved from Off Topic
Moderator allisolm

 

[TheStu]

The 8GB iPhone is only available in Black, it is the 16GB that is available in both Black and White.

As for the plan rates, you need the data, which for 3G is $45/month I think. Then whatever minutes/texting plan you get will add to that. I think all said and told, after taxes you are looking at $80-90/month for unlimited (read: 5GB/month) data, 200 text/month, and I think finally 450 minutes.

 

[de8212]

OK, I stopped by an ATT store for a minute just to get an idea. Girl wasn't very helpful but she did mention the data plan or whatever it's called that is required is $30/mo.
Lowest plan (39/month) with 450 minutes +$30 is 69.99/month. Then text messagin is an extra 5 or 15/month for 200 or 1500 respectively.

Still not sure about taxes??? And is the 200 text messages incoming/outgoing?

Anyoen here actually own the iphone?

 

[pm]

OK, I stopped by an ATT store for a minute just to get an idea. Girl wasn't very helpful but she did mention the data plan or whatever it's called that is required is $30/mo.
Lowest plan (39/month) with 450 minutes +$30 is 69.99/month. Then text messagin is an extra 5 or 15/month for 200 or 1500 respectively.

That sounds right.

Also, is it a full browser that she could check facebook and stuff like that?

It's a full featured, complete web browser but there is no Adobe Flash support.

You can browse Facebook fine from the web browser and it looks about the same as on a regular computer, but the Apple iPhone App store (which you can reach on the iPhone or from a computer running iTunes) has a really slick Facebook app for free that's (IMO, anyway) better than using a computer in some ways.

Still not sure about taxes???

Taxes vary by state, and are not included in the price. They will likely be around $10-18 more by the time all the fees and taxes and whatnot are rolled in. But it varies.

And is the 200 text messages incoming/outgoing?

It's both. 200 incoming or outgoing messages. Bear in mind that Internet usage is free, so you can IM (AOL, MSN, etC) and email all you want for free.

Anyoen here actually own the iphone?

Quite a few people in the All Things Apple and the Gadgets and Gear own them. I have one - although mine is hacked over to T-Mobile (which results in a much cheaper plan, but more hassle with firmware upgrades, requires buying a used phone and has generally slower internet access).

As far as buying one in July, there will likely be a new iPhone coming in late-May, early June - at least there's plenty of rumors that a new iPhone with more memory, and a better camera is coming.

 

[de8212]

thanks pm.

I'm sure this might be rumors also but does anyone know if att/apple offers any type of discounts periodically? Maybe waive the activation fee or somethign? Or are they just always 199/299 and plans the same?
I will keep on the lookout but would buy one before her bday if there are good deals on them from time to time.

 

[tdawg]

I don't think AT&T ever gives discounts on iphones, due to the ease with which they sell them at their current prices. I recently bought one of the refurb 8gb black ones and just extended my contract an additional two years (was only 6 months or so into a 2-year contract)

For frame of reference, I pay about $75 a month in Seattle, when all is said and done, the same price I was paying with my blackberry.

 

[Cybertronic]

Yeah, it's only in black and white. However, you can purchase those decorative skin for it to so that you can customize it into anything. And yeah, it has a full browser for you to check facebook and stuff. I do that like ALL the time LOL

 

[de8212]

thanks tdawg and Cyber

tdawg - how is the refurbished? Could you tgell it wasn't new? did you buy it online or at the local store? I hate to be a cheapskate but if I can get a good unit for less $ then I may go that route. And what plan do you have as far as talk minutes/text messages/etc?

Only issue is that I want to get it for her bday and that is at the end of july so I don't know if they will still have refurbished ones.

 

[boomhower]

Originally posted by: de8212
thanks pm.

I'm sure this might be rumors also but does anyone know if att/apple offers any type of discounts periodically? Maybe waive the activation fee or somethign? Or are they just always 199/299 and plans the same?
I will keep on the lookout but would buy one before her bday if there are good deals on them from time to time.

You typically are not going to get much of a discount beyond the refurbs. But as PM mentioned a new model will be coming out in a couple months so I wouldn't be surprised to see the current model discounted to clear inventory. A lot of times you can get activation fees and suck waived if you call. "Sure, sign me up if you can waive the activation fee..."

 

[TheStu]

If you get your refurb from Apple, it is as good as a brand new phone, it just won't be in the nicer cardboard box. It has a new shell and a new battery, it is a new item.

 

[2Xtreme21]

AT&T cells refurbed iphones for $99/$149 (8gb/16gb respectively) with 2-year contract. Definitely the best way to buy an iphone at the moment, in my opinion.

Linky

 

[de8212]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
AT&T cells refurbed iphones for $99/$149 (8gb/16gb respectively) with 2-year contract. Definitely the best way to buy an iphone at the moment, in my opinion.

Linky

I saw that earlier. I am thinking she would probably want the white one so saving $150 would be wonderful since their plans are higher than I thought.

Almost makes me want to just go ahead and tell her and let her get a phone now, before her bday.

Do you happen to know if the refurb "sale" is on going or is it something new?

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: de8212

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
AT&T cells refurbed iphones for $99/$149 (8gb/16gb respectively) with 2-year contract. Definitely the best way to buy an iphone at the moment, in my opinion.

Linky

I saw that earlier. I am thinking she would probably want the white one so saving $150 would be wonderful since their plans are higher than I thought.

Almost makes me want to just go ahead and tell her and let her get a phone now, before her bday.

Do you happen to know if the refurb "sale" is on going or is it something new?

It fluctuates between the $99/$149 price and $149/$199 price often. It seems to have been $99/$149 for some time now, though-- but I haven't been religiously checking the site, so who knows?

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: de8212

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
AT&T cells refurbed iphones for $99/$149 (8gb/16gb respectively) with 2-year contract. Definitely the best way to buy an iphone at the moment, in my opinion.

Linky

I saw that earlier. I am thinking she would probably want the white one so saving $150 would be wonderful since their plans are higher than I thought.

Almost makes me want to just go ahead and tell her and let her get a phone now, before her bday.

Do you happen to know if the refurb "sale" is on going or is it something new?

The refurb price probably won't be changing much. I bought an 8gig refurb a couple months ago and it's been working great. You'd never know it was refurbished. I'd definitely recommend that route.

 

[S Freud]

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: de8212

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
AT&T cells refurbed iphones for $99/$149 (8gb/16gb respectively) with 2-year contract. Definitely the best way to buy an iphone at the moment, in my opinion.

Linky

I saw that earlier. I am thinking she would probably want the white one so saving $150 would be wonderful since their plans are higher than I thought.

Almost makes me want to just go ahead and tell her and let her get a phone now, before her bday.

Do you happen to know if the refurb "sale" is on going or is it something new?

The refurb price probably won't be changing much. I bought an 8gig refurb a couple months ago and it's been working great. You'd never know it was refurbished. I'd definitely recommend that route.

I really wish I would have gone this route. I was impatient and just wanted to get one, I still had to wait two weeks for the store to order it in. I would have jumped on the 16gb considering I paid about $50 less and only got the 8gb.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: Cybertronic
Yeah, it's only in black and white. However, you can purchase those decorative skin for it to so that you can customize it into anything. And yeah, it has a full browser for you to check facebook and stuff. I do that like ALL the time LOL

Facebook has an iPhone version on Safari. It looks different from what you get on say Opera Mini. I've gone there on my iPod before and it definitely looks different than the mobile version I get on Opera Mini/Mobile and the S60 browser on my N82.

The Safari version is quite sufficient although you can always visit the full fledged site and have to scroll around though. Of course there's also the free Facebook iPhone App which I use also.