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Tilt or iPhone?

I am in the market for a new phone(we are switching from Sprint to AT&T) mainly because of dropped calls and no service in many areas with Sprint. I have decided I am either getting the AT&T Tilt or the Apple iPhone. I will explain my usage habits and hopefully you readers can help me decide which one would be best for me.
I am a commuting college student who works part time. The degree I'm working on is in Computer Science. I get wi-fi access at work, school, and home. I still live with my parents and have two jobs. I am contributing 30% of one of my jobs' paychecks to a 401k and am about to make a large one-time investment into a Roth IRA for retirement. I have a good bit of time imbetween classes and it would be nice to have something to do either for fun or productivity. I will be getting $5/mo phone insurance with whichever phone I get. Another plus would be an easy-to-use calendar so I can get rid of my paper calendar. Using the T9 texting method to enter things into my current phone for the calendar function is just too tedious, so I don't even use it.
Apple iPhone:
-Nice touch screen interface
-Very intuitive and easy-to-use
-Good battery life
-Internet access should be easier to use than with tilt due to interface
-App store makes finding new applications much easier
-Can use one-handed
-Multi-touch technology
-Ambient light and proximity sensors
-It would be nice to have something in my life that "just works" without hours of tweaking
-Required to pay $30/mo for a data plan
-Phone Cost $200, Data plan $30/mo*2 yrs=$720, Final cost 2 yrs $920
AT&T Tilt:
-External keyboard
-Could take notes in class with Microsoft Office and an external bluetooth keyboard(wouldn't have to lug around my laptop or as many spiral notebooks)
-Okay battery life
-Could use wifi and not have to pay $30/mo for internet access
-Can take videos
-Many complain it's more of a two-handed phone
-Sucks at playing videos or gps navigation due to driver issue htc will not fix
-Takes time to learn to use
-If purchased, I would not get a data plan, although it would be nice to have internet anywhere, it's not necessary
-Phone cost $150(refurb) $300(new), Final cost 2 yrs $150, if there's a problem because it's refurbished after 3 months, $125 extra(insurance deductible)
Both have:
-Phone
-Music device
-Accelerometer
-Slide to unlock(could be downloaded for Tilt)
Other points:
-I know it may be going out on a limb saying this, but the iPhone is going to cost me $645-$770 more in the 2 years that I'd have a contract for it. Internet access anywhere would be nice, though(especially on vacation, long drives, and waiting).
-The refurbished tilt is currently "temorarily out of stock." I think it'll probably come back in though. If not, it'd cost me $300, making the iPhone $495-$620 more over the 2 years I'd have it under contract.
I know all of my information is a bit strown about, but which phone do you guys suggest I purchase and why?

Tilt. Because.

i don't think the tilt has an accelorometer... never had or played with a tilt, but i'm pretty sure it doesn't

I have been contemplating getting an I-phone because the newer version is very nice and since you only pay $30 for internet, I would interchange the sims and use the internet on my tilt. The tilt does ahve video but it usually sucks along with the camera unless you have the ideal lighting... The I-phone is limited in what is does such as taking pictures and sendign it to friends. Your friends have to log online just to see your photos. It's pretty sad... However even though the I-phone is limited, what it does do; it does very well. The MS office suite is very nice and has helped me out numerous times during college as well as the WiFi. So my bottom line answer is this. If you want to use it for work, business, college then I would go with the Tilt or even a newer version such as the diamond and use a different Rom. For fun I would go with the I-Phone. The downside is that you cannot change roms though. It is almost like getting a new phone everytime you put a new rom onto your Tilt which is still not utalizing all the drivers at this time. Thanks to the hard working people in in these forums, that is close to being changed. I hope this helped.

tilt...
only cause its the balls!

With the iPhone, what you see is what you get. It works very well, but everything comes from Apple.
The Tilt can do virtually anything. It may get buggy sometimes, but pretty much, if you can think it, you can do it.

honestly?
iphone.
tilt's old.
now if you ask "diamond or iphone", you know my answer.

Thanks for the insight guys. I decided to go ahead and get the iPhone simply because it'd be nice to have something that "just works," not to mention I don't have the time to mod it the way I want it. After running several linux servers and desktops, some of you may see where I come from(where nothing ever works like it should!). I ordered the iPhone from the AT&T store(business account, can't use apple store) and they said they'll email me when it arrives in 7-10 days.
It would have been nice to be able to get a wireless keyboard and type notes on my phone like I could have with the Tilt, but I think for a phone the iPhone fits my needs better. If I had the time, though, I'd get the Tilt in an instant. I'll probably be buying an Asus EEE for note typing so I don't have to carry my 15" laptop or a bunch of notebooks around all day.

This reply might be a bit late ... but ... what about the Touch Pro?

never heard of the touch pro until you just said something about it.. too expensive anyway though since it won't be subsidized by the cell carrier for a service contract

Tell us your stories/reviews about your device

I think mobile computing got a kick in the ass witht he release of the Apple iPhone. Microsoft and Palm beat Apple to the punch but Apple made it a lot easier and more friendly to use. if you would like to comment on any funny, sad, or a review of your device, post them here.
i will get the ball rolling... I own a Windows Mobile 5.0 powered device that i purchased back in december 2007 as a christmas present to myself. i won my device at auction in spite of the condition it was in. the mic is broken so i have to use my bluetooth earpiece to make phone calls. the device itself was in ok shape (i added some more body damage to it. but nothing major). i was always skeptical about smartphones and such. i test drive the iphone and liked it but expensive. the phone i currently use was not expensive at all (again with its defects). i overlooked all those and saw the potential my phone had. it is an ETEN G500 in case any readers were wondering. Being in college, my phone made my life a lot easier and being connected everywhere made me rethink my position and now i am all about my phone. Since it is GPS enabled with one of the best chipsets out on the market (SirfStarIII), i can go anywhere i want. it blew me away after i got it to work with TomTom 6 software. i am late to the game with smartphones and such but i did my thorough research before i made an offer on ebay, where my phone came from. i am glad i never regretted purchasing it at all. having a device that can compete with todays devices made me take even more pride in my phone. i don't care if it is bulkier and heavier. for my phone being relatively old since it is an '05/'06 phone. it is far from being obsolete by my standards. once i get enough money together i will upgrade to a better one, but for now, my phone i konw will last me another few years at least.
one success story i would like to share. i was with a friend and he needed some books to help him with a paper for a class. we were in borders store and he bought the first book ($20) b/c of the amount of info it had. the second book he was gonna buy had some info (a lot nonetheless) that was missing from the first book he bought. So he took my phone and typed all the info he needed in Word Mobile. After he was done, i sent it to him through e-mail on the spot and he was able to retreive it and open the document with no problems at all. i saved him $30 (which what the price of the second book) and helped him get a good grade on his paper.
there you have it. i maybe just obsessive with my phone, but i feel like with situations like this, my phone came in handy. i am a technology fanboy, not a microsoft, and not an apple fanboy. But, having a pocket pc/phone powered by microsoft certainly helps a lot especially in a school setting.
Tell me about your stories!

I use my device as a flashlight almost everyday thanks to VJCandela. It also does everything I need and if it doesn't I just have to install some software and it will. It's highly customizable, allows for countless mods and not anyone has one.
With affordable data plans coming to Canada there will be even more features unlocked on my phone like instant Wikipedia access, on-the-go blogging...
Unlike the almost obsolete PalmOS, Windows Mobile is here to stay.

tp vs iphone 3g trade question

my friend wants to trade his iphone 3g 16gb for my tp. both of ours have been used within the week... should i? and even if i do, are the prices equal? i dont know much about the iphone prices :/ can anyone help please? thanks.

auriken said:
my friend wants to trade his iphone 3g 16gb for my tp. both of ours have been used within the week... should i? and even if i do, are the prices equal? i dont know much about the iphone prices :/ can anyone help please? thanks.
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In my opinion with HTC releasing the Touch HD just around the corner, the TP will be outdated and the prices will take a hit. As for the 3g iPhone, it is still the phone to beat especially with all the apps that are being released for it lately plus I dont see a price drop coming within the near future on the blackmarket for these devices since the only other way to get one is thru ATT and a ridiculous plan and 2 year contract.
My $0.02
Cheers!

and the fact that the iphone is overhyped.
meaning, even the stores had plenty of them in storage but they where only to be sold a few on a day (creating a hype).
if you write a problems over the iphone, most of the time you get sabered down by iphone lovers.
iphone is not sold for tweakers.
ppc is tweakable, and you can write down youre problem if you find any.
not that i am trying to put the iphone in corner.
i don`t own one.
and i like the looks, and how fast it works (tried it in the store).
i guess you have to find out yourself.
maybe try to swap with youre friend for a week for testing.
ooh and did i mentioned that i like it that wm isent the only phone OS on the market.
i welcome the idea of google`s android operating system.

thank you guys for your input. anyone else?

The the iPhone 3G is approx $6-700, the TP is about $900.
But over a 2 year contract, the iPhone will probably retain its value better than the TP (namely because Apple releases only one phone a year, while HTC is continually making better and better products).
Of course it also depends on if both are unlocked; if you're forced to use AT&T (or if you really need US 3G) then there's no clear winner since you'll end up paying a lot more for the plan itself.
Otherwise I would say the biggest consideration is what kind of smartphone user you think you are. If you have no problems with using iTunes and Apple's walled garden called the App Store, then the iPhone is a fair choice. But if you're a DIYer and have no problems copying files and making some registry edits, you'll find WinMo much more empowering.
Of course you should definitely also consider your warranty, insurance and replacement options. What will you have to do to get the 3G replaced versus the TP? Etc.
If you want a no-nonsense opinion, I'd say stick with the TP. We're only getting started here at XDA, and the TP has nowhere to go but up in terms of its software. The bulk of what the iPhone has to offer is already on the table, and will probably slow down once developers jump ship to Android. But that's only my opinion

i own both, what do u basically use your phone for? for a normal phone, iphone is great, top of everything, and for multimedia, it's still the phone to beat. and like said, it's fast, and very fast, Apple doesn't need to tell how it works, but watching movie is very pleasant compared to TP, despite the latter has more resolution to the screen.
anyway, if you really need a WM device, stay with TP, and like said before, it's tweakable, whereas the most you can do with iphone is jailbreaking to let other cracked 3rd party applications and games to be applicable on your iphone. not a straight through way to install anything you want.

I hate IPhone, apart from a massive screen & some eye-catching animation it has nothing else to offer and cummon, if u talk about speed, I have tried both IPhone & TP over 16mg Wifi and they both load a page almost within in same time.
How can you even call IPhone a smart phone??? It doesn't even have the basic functionality that a mediocre s60 has...

Opinions; opinions...help me choose my next phone

Major Question Update:
So rather then start yet another "what phone should I get thread", I decided to just update this one with my new question.
It's down to just three options. The Fuze. The Touch HD. Or wait till the next round of phones.
I prefer the touch hd compared to the fuze. But I have a really hard time justifying a $700+ phone that I can't use to it's full potential (no 3G )
So; how long do I have to wait for the new round of phones? It's already almost February...am I looking at Q2...Q3...2010? I really can't wait much longer; carrying two phones is really starting to get on my nerves.
Old stuff below:
Horray for tax season! This is the last year I will likely see a tax refund (new job, new tax bracket...)so I plan on spending it wisely. And by wisely; I mean buying the coolest mfking phone available! Only problem is; I have no idea what that phone might be.
Here's my requirements...
Needs to work on AT&T in the US. It's not that I love the carrier; it's just that my new company provides me with a number there which has unlimited data/minutes/text. Kinda hard to justify paying for more service...
Would prefer to avoid a slide out keyboard. I don't mind on-screen keyboards if they are large enough to actually use.
If I'm going to use a stylus; there must be a "dock" for it. The Fuze is out because of this. ((Why in the world would they think I would want my stylus hanging off the side of my darn phone???))
MicroSD card must be accessible without totally restarting my phone. I don't mind TOO much if the port for it is under the battery cover; but for the love of god don't put it under the darn battery! ((I'm looking at you BB Curve which I hate...))
Standard headphone jack would be swell. I have yet to find a stereo bluetooth headset that I like; so for now I'm stuck using the wired kind. And MicroUSB->3.5mm are ugly; and like to slip out alot.
GPS, but that should really be just about standard now; right?
Far prefer WinMo to anything else I've used; but I'm not opposed to using android if I can make it work.
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So...any ideas?

x1 fit the bill
not android though

Or wait a few months and the new HTC 09 models will start to come out!

here's a few ideas in a recent thread discussion: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=474933

Sry; totally wrong button. Mod can delete this one if you notice.

So long microsoft!

Well it's been a long time coming but I'm finally giving up on microsoft to produce a decent handheld OS. I've used the XDA's since the first one, I've owned an XDA, XDAII, mini, jamin, k-jam and a polaris and I can honestly say that the OS has not improved one iota all these years.
No i'm not going with the iPhone, I'm going to get a simple old nokia and just use a UMPC for any mobile trickery needed.
This is NOT a jab at all the brilliant developers of this community which have carried MS's cash cow all these years on their shoulders - you truly were the ONLY reason to buy a PocketPC.
Here's hoping things improve, but don't hold your breath.
*Polaris eBayed*

I give him 3 weeks.

addicus said:
I give him 3 weeks.
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lulz indeed

i give him 4 weeks... hehe

considering the amount of mobile phones he has had with WinMO, it will be a huge shock to go back to a nokia... He will for sure be back soon! Just a crisis like we all have some times...

I´ll stick to WM till Android has a more stable and mature OS
Symbian and Iphone systems never!

Well best of luck with the OS change. We'll be here if you decide to return someday...

I will join this guy as soon as the next Android drops.

Ev0luti0n_ said:
considering the amount of mobile phones he has had with WinMO, it will be a huge shock to go back to a nokia... He will for sure be back soon! Just a crisis like we all have some times...
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I went to a nokia after the jasjam aka: tytn. It took me 8 months to come back

I think Defroster has been understood wrongly. As I believe he doesn’t think there is better OS but he just voicing out his disappointments of MS and WinMo improvements.
I have to say I fully AGREE with him on this.
My device history is almost the same. The reason that I bought my first WinMo was to combine PDA with Phone so that I don’t need to carry 2 devices. I paid for my first device (2002) almost 1000USD. Many of my friends and colleagues thought I am crazy to spend so much money.
Yes it was not fully Phone but also not fully a PDA (computer) but I though just hang on for couple months then MS will improve the things tremendously.
But look to the changes/improvement that WinMo has made in last 7-8 years which are in my opinion Almost Nill. However the devices cost still ca.1000USD..
Be frank just for comparison: Do we see any desktop software that has almost the same capability and same UI after 8 years???….but cost the same money??
Furthermore look in to the upcoming WinMO 6.5. I believe it is just ridiculous to put such crap in to the market after 1-2 years development by a Huge Company like Microsoft. Again I don’t see any improvements and Still there is nothing out of the box..
If I would be Bill Gates I would immediately Fire all the WinMo Team. It is unacceptable for Engineering company to rest on a product for more than 8 years and don’t have any major changes. The best example for such behavior is the American Auto Industry.
Ohh well It is well known that if a Company is to large the efficiency of that company compare to middle sized one much much lesser but they DO have longer breath.
Yes Yes I know the bad thing is there are no much better alternatives right now.
However same As Defroster I am considering getting better value for same money (1000 USD) Therefore I am seriously Looking to the new 9-10inch Netbooks like Asus Eee ; Acer aspire, MSI Wind etc. They are costing less than 500 USD (some of them around 300USD) those have Standard battery live up to 8hous. Additionally I am thinking to get one of those simple Smart phones like HTC Excalibur or Cavalier. Yes that would set me back again 8 years but I get better value for my money and can be much more productive then I am with a single expensive toy…

I too totally agree. Microsoft is such a big company and yet it never deliver what a user want or need for so many years! Is it that they have no Competitors for the pass 8 years?
The biggest change I saw was when HTC came out with TouchFlo 3D. Nice cool looking interface, smooth scrolling, Finger friendly, Easy access to messaging, web, ETC. And they are only just covering up the ugly part of microsoft winmo. And HTC did it in just a short time. Even now with the new Winmo 6.5, the Titanium screen looks crappy! The font on the screen are so ugly, the item list covering the whole screen. scrolling thru the list is a torture to my eyes. It scroll the list not the selection!!
I believe with enough time Android will be far ahead.

Let us all cross our fingers than 6.5 becomes a flop.
Don't you remember what happened to the flop we call Vista? The successor Windows 7 has fixed all those bugs and works like a proper OS.
Hopefully a flop will make them realize that they need to take their finger out and actually produce something decent (not saying WinMo is bad or anything).

/me joining the android bandwagon asap. For sure the OS for the future

PPC is too good to be replaced..
I definately won't change back to nokia, SE or any non WM devices..
I need alot of medical softwares.. and those can't provide any decent 1

Ehhh, If you think about it, Microsoft is always going to be a Big Company.

DhaMajoR said:
Ehhh, If you think about it, Microsoft is always going to be a Big Company.
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Oh yes! another great comment!
And Cocacola too

orb3000 said:
Oh yes! another great comment!
And Cocacola too
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Okay mister 2000 Posts... Will im at 100 ,
Another genius!

i am fine with the way it looks. if you are unhappy with the software make your own; or find some one else to make some for you.

josefcrist said:
i am fine with the way it looks. if you are unhappy with the software make your own; or find some one else to make some for you.
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I don't either. There are many choices for looks. It can look like nearly anything out there. Flexibility. Name of the game.

everyone has their own point of view,
as for me?
i think its good as long as this forum is up and running
lots of ppl hlps ere so i dun care what microsoft does...