Upgrade time: TMobile G1 vs. iPhone 3G

[smoothvirus]

So here's my current situation: I currently own a Motorola RAZR V3, I have had it since 2006 or so, service is through T-Mobile.

I've been satisfied with T-Mobile's service and coverage for some time now. Their rates are competitive.

But the problem is my RAZR is on its last legs. The camera doesn't work anymore (not that I really care), and it has developed a nasty habit of resetting itself, sometimes while I'm right in the middle of a call. Sometimes closing it too hard will cause it to turn off. I've also dropped it a bunch of times so it's been dinged and scratched up.

For the last year or so, I have been texting a lot, which is a bit cumbersome with the RAZR's keypad. I do like to play games on my phone when I'm on the bus or waiting in line for something. I can't really play Poker on it anymore though because when it resets itself I lose my poker game.

I have been considering upgrading to the G1, since I can do so easily through T-Mobile's website. I would, of course, have to add a data plan, and there's an $18 "upgrade fee" associated with that.

If all I have to do is move my SIM card over to the G1 then transferring my contacts should be easy to do.

The competitor to the G1 is the iPhone. G1 was supposed to be an "iPhone killer" but it fell short. The iPhone is sleeker and sexier than the G1. Of course, switching to the iPhone means switching to AT&T and I have never had them before. Their plans are more expensive than T-Mobile's are. I also have no idea how to transfer my contacts from the RAZR to the iPhone.

I did a price comparison between both phones with the plans I'd go with:

iPhone cost after 1 year = $1374.76 after 2 years=$2514.52
G1 cost after 1 year = $1217.75 after 2 years=$2237.51

So in the price department, the G1 wins.

The thing that bothers me about the G1 is that it does not seem to be developing the number of apps the same way the iPhone has. The iPhone seems to be a better design to me. Also, odds are pretty much certain that at some point I will drop my phone and I have heard that the G1 does not respond well to being dropped. Whatever phone I get, it will have to be sturdy enough to take being hauled around in my camelbak when I'm bicycle commuting to work.

I talked to people who own both phones and I get mixed opinions. Most owners I talk to seem to like the iPhone OK. I talked to one G1 owner who loved it and one who hated it.

so I guess my questions are:

Is the iPhone worth the extra cost and hassle?
Is there an easy way to transfer my contacts from the RAZR to the iPhone?
If I get the G1 am I going to wind up regretting it?

I've been putting this off since forever, but the performance of my RAZR is getting worse by the day. I'm well past the time when I should have upgraded the thing.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I have both, and honestly, I can't decide either.

When running 3G, they both suck batteries like nothing you've ever used.

 

[vshah]

i have a g1, and i like it a lot.

things i like about it:

- ability to run apps as services in the background
- tethering over usb (maybe iphone can do this, i don't know)
- push gmail/calendar/contacts integration
- keyboard. i text a fair amount, and i can type crazy fast on this thing.

the app store, in my opinion, is coming along nicely. with the large number of android handsets coming out in the next year, i think the market will really take off.
some of my favorite apps:

- locale: modifies phone settings based on your location (automatically silences it at work for example)
- google star map: just got this yesterday. lets you know what starts/planets you are looking at in the night sky, using the compass and accelerometer.
- abduction: a very simple but addictive game.
- shop savvy: awesome price comparison tool. scan a barcode using the camera, and it gets the cheapest prices online and in stores close to you.
- gmote: control playback of your PC's music library through your phone.
- geobeagle: good geocaching app
- phoneflix: update your netflix queue from the phone
- snap photo: uses the accelerometer to take less blurry pictures
- remote: remote desktop client, useful at work where remote desktop is blocked on the network.


-Vivan

 

[pm]

One question is whether you are in an area with T-Mobile 3G service, and whether you are in an area with 3G AT&T service. 3G is substantially faster than EDGE - enough that it's worth adding into the equation. So if you can't get 3G from either one or you can get it from either one, that's one thing, but if you'll be getting AT&T 3G on an iPhone (at 1Mb/s) and EDGE on a G1 (at 0.1Mb/s) it's worth taking coverage into account.

To get contacts from a RAZR to an iPhone:
1. Pay AT&T to do it. Or ask nicely and maybe they'll do it for free.
2. Download Motorola Phone Tools and transfer them over the USB connection. (this is what I did, but Moto Phone Tools was included with my RAZR when I bought it)
3. Borrow a friend's phone that has sync'ing ability, swap SIM's, and port them over by using their connection.
4. Find someone with a Mac and pair your RAZR with the Mac using iSync.
5. If your RAZR has internet, sync them with Yahoo Contacts using WAP.

I have used iPhones and I have played with G1's and I like the iPhone better for the apps. But I liked the keyboard on the G1 and I think the G1 GUI is slick. But overall, the apps carried it for me.

I doubt you would end up regretting a G1 - it's a very nice phone.

I bought an iPhone and unlocked it and use it on T-Mobile - I've been iPhone'ing on T-Mobile since late Aug. 2007. I commute on my bicycle 3-4 days a week and I usually have it in my front pocket and I listen to music while I'm riding. It nice being able to answer the phone from the earbuds and skip and pause songs without digging it out of my pocket. Not sure how the G1 handles this. I dropped my iPhone several times and it's been fine - one time it fell out of my jacket pocket while I was running through the airport, landed on concrete and skid about a dozen feet. It was fine but I have always had it in a case (Agent 18 EcoShield). I have a screen covered and I have a thick plastic case and there's not a scratch anywhere on the phone - although the case is a bit scuffed.

I think you would be happy with either Phone. If you really text a lot, that might swing it to the G1, if you really like playing games then the game selection on the iPhone is unmatched for cell phones (and a lot of them are good enough that I play them even when I'm at home). If you can get 3G on AT&T, but not T-Mobile (or visa-versa) this will make the phone a lot more fun to use and could sway the decision. If you really do drop phones a lot (I don't recommend this by the way with expensive smartphones ), then I agree that an iPhone in a case is likely to be more sturdy when dropped compared to a G1 in a case.

Other things:
1. I would buy the iPhone as a refurb. They look, and act like brand-new phones and they are $100 cheaper. If you have any issues with the refurb, Apple's warranty support is very good.
2. Rumors says that there is almost certainly a new iPhone coming out in the next 4-5 weeks with an autofocus camera and some other features. And there's rumors of a cheaper iPhone plan at AT&T at the intro. I can provide links if you want them. They are rumors, but they seem fairly believable.
3. There is likely a new G1 coming over the summer, but the rumors seem unclear on when exactly or what the "G2" will look like. I have links for this set of rumors too.

Good luck with your decision - not sure if I helped make it easier or not though.

Personally, rather than ask people here which they like better and getting mixed messages, I would highly recommend going to an AT&T or Apple Store or Best Buy and playing with the iPhone for at least 30 minutes. And then going to a T-Mobile Store and playing with the G1 for at least 30 minutes. Look at the App stores, check out the features, play with the GUI, try typing on them both.... then decide.

 

[vshah]

with the G1, you can get root access/install community builds on your phone for additional features. i haven't taken advantage of this as I don't like messing with stuff too much, but if you do, there is a great modding/hacking community out there

if you like messing with stuff, i'd say G1. if you don't, then consider other factors.

 

[Rottie]

One thing is missing from G1 is camera flash....I know you wouldnt care much about camera but just in case you end up wanting to take a picture but the indoor picture is not that great and my roommate has one before switch to BB Bold said he was not happy the way camera operating it shut out or itself turn off right after taking picture. I would buy a G1 because I am a tmobile and no plans to switch to other provider but I might have to if I wanted BB Bold or Curve.

 

[sactoking]

Originally posted by: smoothvirus
I did a price comparison between both phones with the plans I'd go with:

iPhone cost after 1 year = $1374.76 after 2 years=$2514.52
G1 cost after 1 year = $1217.75 after 2 years=$2237.51

So in the price department, the G1 wins.

I have a G1 and really like it. I think the iPhone is for douchebags.

That being said, I think your costs may be off. The service costs (defined as cost after 2 years - cost after 1 year) for the two companies come out as:

AT&T = $94.88/month
TMobile = $84.98/month

As a TMobile customer since 2006, you qualify for their "Loyalty Pricing". Should should be able to get unlimited voice at all times for $49.99/month. Add in internet with unlimited texting and it's the $84.98/month you came up with.

With the AT&T price of $94.88, subtract the iPhone data plan. That leaves you with $64.98/month. Then take out the unlimited iPhone texting and you only have $44.98/month for a voice plan. For $44.98 you can only afford the 450 anytime minute plan. A comparable Unlimited everything plan would actually be $149.99/month.

I calculate your true cost comparison at:

G1 = $2237.51
iPhone = $3834.76

for 2-year contracts.

 

[Muadib]

There are rumors that at&t is going to lower the data plan of the iPhone back to $20 when the new one is released. Even if they don't, it would be worth it because the iPhone would be 3G for you. Here is the coverage map for at&t

T-mobile is still only EDGE in VA according to their coverage map.

As for transferring your contacts, the iPhone will take them off of your sim. It's better if you use Outlook, Google, Yahoo or Windows contacts though.

Originally posted by: smoothvirus
The competitor to the G1 is the iPhone. G1 was supposed to be an "iPhone killer" but it fell short. The iPhone is sleeker and sexier than the G1. Of course, switching to the iPhone means switching to AT&T and I have never had them before.

I totally agree with this, but then I'm biased. I totally love my iPhone, and I know if you got one, you would love it too. However, be sure & do your homework before you choose. Go & spend at least 30 minutes with each phone. Talk to those on at&t in your area, and make sure there are no call quality issues.

 

[bonkers325]

the iPhone is extremely user friendly and is very slick. i have a Storm... but if the iPhone came to Verizon i'd be all over it!

 

[pm]

Originally posted by: Muadib
As for transferring your contacts, the iPhone will take them off of your sim.

Are you sure about this? Is this a new feature? I tried do this when I got my iPhone and it didn't seem to know anything about the contacts that I'd saved off of my Nokia onto it. I couldn't find any way to read them using the Settings menu and it didn't seem to see them.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: pm

Originally posted by: Muadib
As for transferring your contacts, the iPhone will take them off of your sim.

Are you sure about this? Is this a new feature? I tried do this when I got my iPhone and it didn't seem to know anything about the contacts that I'd saved off of my Nokia onto it. I couldn't find any way to read them using the Settings menu and it didn't seem to see them.

I'm wondering the same thing. Most phones read contacts from sim so most assume the iPhone does. That's not the case as of now.

 

[Muadib]

It's in the settings under Mail & contacts.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: Muadib
It's in the settings under Mail & contacts.

Sorry, I meantyou can't SAVE contactsto thesim from iPhone.

 

[pm]

Well, I meant that I couldn't read them... and I stand corrected. Thanks, Muadib. I see it now.

I wonder if that was there in the earlier versions of the iPhone OS... using that works a lot better than the roundabout way that I used to get them onto my iPhone.

Thanks for the correction and then info.

 

[smoothvirus]

Thanks for all the information everyone! Wow!

OK so this weekend I stopped in the T-Mobile store on Captiol Hill in DC but they only had a "dummy" G1 to look at but not a live one to play with. I also met someone on the street who had one in front of the Library of Congress who loved it, and then later I was at a potluck dinner and met a guy who had one but did not like it. He thought I should get the iPhone.

If I went with the G1 it's 3G in the DC Metro area which is where I am. However if I drive down to see my Mom in Fredericksburg I'd be Edge down there.

 

[smoothvirus]

Thanks for the tip about the Loyalty Pricing BTW. I've been with T-Mobile since 2002.

 

[Deeko]

I've had the G1 since launch, I love it, my only complaint is the battery life.

 

[czech09]

I wouldn't really compare the AT&T vs. T-Mobile here, as you can get either of the phones unlocked on Craigslist or Ebay and use them for pay as you go or any other plan for that matter - it'll could end up being a lot more cost efficient in some cases.

 

[smoothvirus]

a quick update...

I kept comparing prices and thinking.. DAMN this is going to be expensive. So I held off for a while, truth is I'm paying some debt off, and this will be completed in November, so I thought it would be better to wait until then to sign up for a new $30 a month bill.

but two things have happened..

The iPhone 3GS comes out this Friday, which would tip my preference more to the iPhone side of things.

Also, while having a nice dinner on a rooftop bar this evening, my old Razr went into spasms.. I had it sitting on the bar, went to check on it, and it was dead. This didn't make much sense as I had just charged the battery. Nothing I did could get it to come back on, I took the battery out three times trying to get it to work, and nothing happened. About 45 minutes later I took it out of my pocket and fiddled with it again and it came back on.

So I think we have now entered phone crisis mode. Razr works, for right now, but I don't think it will last until November.

 

[smoothvirus]

oh yeah, on the bike commuting thing, there's a bike mount for the iPhone, that could be very useful with the GPS functionality of the iPhone.

http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1673

 

[smoothvirus]

Took the plunge and pre-ordered the iPhone 3GS, we'll see how it goes.

 

[Rottie]

You should have bought G1 over 3GS because you are happy with tmobile.

 

[smoothvirus]

Originally posted by: Rottie
You should have bought G1 over 3GS because you are happy with tmobile.

Yeah, I'm a little sad over leaving Tmobile. Never had any complaints with them. But I talked to a bunch of people who had iPhones and G1's, and I met three people that hated their G1's but were stuck with it for 2 years. That started to swing me back over to the iPhone side of things. Then the 3G S was announced and I went even further over to iPhone, but was going to see how long I could wait things out. But when my Razr went dead on Sunday evening my hand was forced. Right now it's working but if it dies completely before the iPhone gets here I'll have to go back to my ancient Sony Ericsson T300 that's sitting in a drawer.

One other factor was that I expect the G2 will be available soon. I was hoping to wait and see how everything plays out and hang on with the Razr until the fall, but it was not to be.

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: smoothvirus

Originally posted by: Rottie
You should have bought G1 over 3GS because you are happy with tmobile.

Yeah, I'm a little sad over leaving Tmobile. Never had any complaints with them. But I talked to a bunch of people who had iPhones and G1's, and I met three people that hated their G1's but were stuck with it for 2 years. That started to swing me back over to the iPhone side of things. Then the 3G S was announced and I went even further over to iPhone, but was going to see how long I could wait things out. But when my Razr went dead on Sunday evening my hand was forced. Right now it's working but if it dies completely before the iPhone gets here I'll have to go back to my ancient Sony Ericsson T300 that's sitting in a drawer.

One other factor was that I expect the G2 will be available soon. I was hoping to wait and see how everything plays out and hang on with the Razr until the fall, but it was not to be.

There are probably more people unhappy with AT&T than are unhappy with their G1's.

 

[BabaBooey]

iPhone...even though it runs edge for t-mobile the 3g speed thing is not a constant thing in any sense of the term,I can get a 3g signal all over town but once ya start browsing it is gone and I have never had a better sounding call from any t-mobile phone,my memoir is pretty close but....

I had the G1 since last year when they were released and it was o.k. but just not quite there,the iphone trumps it,for me.