Discourse on iPhone 4S & iOS 5.

[malcolmk14]

I'm due for a phone upgrade on December 30th from Bell.

Is the iPhone 4S still going to be the top dog at that point, or should I go with the Galaxy Nexus? Or wait for something else?

I don't want to start a new thread.

[ken0042]

Be careful about holding out for the upgrade:
Bell: “Early hardware upgrade eligibility will be removed from all Consumer profiles”


I was told I can upgrade on December 1st; so I will see what happens then. I will be getting another iPhone; and I'm not a fanboy by any means. I am just comfortable with the interface, I finally have iTunes set to not fata with my stuff, and I have all the apps I need for now.

[Regular_John]

Alright CP braintrust, I bring you my first world problem. My iPhone 3GS appears to be falling apart, sleep/power button has become permanently recessed into the phone and the chrome bezel is pulling away from the back casing in places.

I'm well out of warranty (plus I've you know, dropped it) so if I take it to the genius bar I'll most likely get the old "well we can replace it for $199" option and nothing more.

So do I bite the bullet and go to a 4S right now, or hold out till next October for the iPhone update and run the risk of my 3GS just straight up dying before than?

[KTrain]

Why not try to take the phone into Apple first? Doesn't hurt to try. Then you can hold out till next fall when the 5 is released.

[Russic]

I'd pay iPhix a visit in Eau Claire if Apple can't help you(http://iphix.ca/) and hold out. That being said the jump from 3GS to 4S is quite significant. I'm happy I made the switch, but if you are willing to wait it out until next year you clearly aren't the same type of geek as I.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by KTrain

Why not try to take the phone into Apple first? Doesn't hurt to try. Then you can hold out till next fall when the 5 is released.

Took it to Apple once before while it was still in warranty for a crack in the back case and was told "that's a high impact area sir". So I doubt being a year out of warranty and even more beat up will yield a more positive result.

[CKPThunder]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Took it to Apple once before while it was still in warranty for a crack in the back case and was told "that's a high impact area sir". So I doubt being a year out of warranty and even more beat up will yield a more positive result.

It really depends on who you get at the Genius bar. Took our 3Gs to Market Mall cause the touchscreen wouldn't respond. All they did was reset to factory default and then said I could get a replacement for $179. Made a reservation right afterwards for Chinook for a 2nd opinion and the guy I got there took the phone apart and reconnected the screen and voila it was good to go. Said that both screws were broken though and it would cost $109 to replace the screen but I figure the phone should last long enough for an upgrade in a few months.

Not all genius's are alike so it really doesn't hurt to keep trying.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by CKPThunder

It really depends on who you get at the Genius bar. Took our 3Gs to Market Mall cause the touchscreen wouldn't respond. All they did was reset to factory default and then said I could get a replacement for $179. Made a reservation right afterwards for Chinook for a 2nd opinion and the guy I got there took the phone apart and reconnected the screen and voila it was good to go. Said that both screws were broken though and it would cost $109 to replace the screen but I figure the phone should last long enough for an upgrade in a few months.

Not all genius's are alike so it really doesn't hurt to keep trying.

Spose there's no harm in giving the genius bar another spin before making a decision. Honestly I can live with the cracked case & separating bevel, it's the recessed power button that's driving me nuts.

[Hockeyguy15]

Just ordered an iPhone 4S, get it on Monday. Any tips for a first time iPhone owner that I wouldn't know right out of the box?

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by CKPThunder

It really depends on who you get at the Genius bar. Took our 3Gs to Market Mall cause the touchscreen wouldn't respond. All they did was reset to factory default and then said I could get a replacement for $179. Made a reservation right afterwards for Chinook for a 2nd opinion and the guy I got there took the phone apart and reconnected the screen and voila it was good to go. Said that both screws were broken though and it would cost $109 to replace the screen but I figure the phone should last long enough for an upgrade in a few months.

Not all genius's are alike so it really doesn't hurt to keep trying.

I will second this. My sister in law took in her phone and they said it was $169 or whatever the standard replacement fee if. She ended up buying a 4 and gave the old one to my wife so she could pay to get it fixed and replace her old BB. Wife brought it in and the guy replaced the whole thing for free, her sister was furious that she didn't try again for a different guy.

It makes sense from a business perspective too, this experience means that I will not likely buy a phone that is not an Apple product in the near future.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Just ordered an iPhone 4S, get it on Monday. Any tips for a first time iPhone owner that I wouldn't know right out of the box?

Turn on Find my iPhone. It's in Settings --> iCloud. It's free and it'll save your ass when you lose it (go to iCloud.com, sign in and you'll be able to track it, lock it, wipe it or send a message to display on the screen). Whenever a friend buys an iPhone I ask to see it and it's the first thing I look for. 95% don't seem to turn it on.

Also, consider a case. It's a very pricey computer and slippery as a damn.

[Hockeyguy15]

I'm assuming there is something I have to download on my PC for iCloud to work?

[KTrain]

The interface for Find My Phone is web based so you don't need to install anything on your PC. You will need iTunes on your PC though to get updates and to sync your stuff.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

I'm assuming there is something I have to download on my PC for iCloud to work?

Actually you will need Firefox. Apple has decided to make it no longer work with IE.

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Actually you will need Firefox. Apple has decided to make it no longer work with IE.

Apple is smart.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Actually you will need Firefox. Apple has decided to make it no longer work with IE.

lol really? That's fantastic.

[ken0042]

Would either of you care to explain how it could possibly be a good thing? If you lose your iPhone that means you either need to look for a compatable computer or start installing software.

[Jimmy Stang]

^ What they are saying is, if you use IE, you probably deserved to lose your phone. And you definitely don't deserve to get it back. I kid, I kid. But generally, among geeks at least, IE is considered to be the browser that people use if they don't know how to install a proper one, or if they are forced to use it at work.

Not wanting to wade into a browser war, just explaining how I interpret their comments.

Edit: Although I don't like the idea of one manufacturer not allowing a competitor's browser to access a certain function. Unless the reasons are honestly technical and not competitive, of course.

[ken0042]

Actually I stand corrected. Apple has now released a plug-in for IE compatability:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4022

[Barnes]

Find my iPhone works fine in IE without add ons.