Dont Trust This Guy why not take my word for it? A blog by Jim Jeffers

So I recently caved to the lower price point of the Apple iPhone and now I’ve put my self into a situation bound to be full of turbulence. Activating the phone tonight, a deceptively smooth process, abruptly came to a halt when the credit check failed. Knowing my credit score is high from quarterly credit reports Discover card sends me; I was genuinely surprised to find out my credit information was not good enough for AT&T’s standards. So I’m left here trying to rationalize the situation. I have a useless piece of expensive technology sitting next to my laptop as I type this. This is very disconcerting.

Further research on Apple’s discussion forums shows customers who have experienced similar problems. It seems like the use of any identity theft protection can cause AT&T’s credit run to fail. So even though I can get a credit card, bank account, auto loan, etc. all while having my identity theft service in action, I can’t get approved without going down to an AT&T wireless store in person. Oh what joyous time awaits me.

Update: I got the phone activated without a hitch after verifying my identity through identity theft protection. My phone number transferred in less than 15 minutes. The process is easy; so easy that I’m actually glad I have the theft protection in place. If not anyone with my social security number and street address could have activated an iPhone in 15 minutes or less and stolen my life! Oh the information age. So far I’m going ga ga ga ga for the iPhone. These things are worth the hype! I’m almost sorry I resisted for so long.

I mosied on over to the Apple store yesterday to get a glimpse at the much alluded iPhone. Some words to the wise: come the day after to avoid standing in ridiculous lines. The iPhone is surrounded by a lot of hype, which a lot of folks don’t think it can live it up to. I for one can see that it doesn’t but it does come close. When I first caught a glimpse of it in the store I saw about 6 different people surrounding the table with display models. The iPhone is spectacular to see in person. It’s probably the nicest, most intriguing little hand held gadget I’ve come across. The device is about the same size as a conventional iPod but so minimalist in design that it has a sort of mystique to it.

Don’t get me wrong, it is VERY cool. The product is amazing in many ways but at the same time it’s equally unimpressive in many ways. For instance, Safari on the iPhone, the best implementation of web browsing online in phone to date, is still not without it’s problems. Scrolling around pages was very laggy. The phone does not zoom in as fast as it does in the commercials. Zooming within the web browser is a bit of a test of patience. The animation is fluid but results in a blurry screen until the screen is redrawn. It’s a bit like zooming in and out in google maps. It’s just not conducive, but I suppose it’s better tha nothing. Additionally, developers such as Joe Hewitt are already facing problems experimenting with the iPhone. So software for the iPhone will be coming but it’s going to still be a while before we see polished products specifically for the iPhone that will ‘revolutionize’ how we do things.

Finally, the AT&T wireless plans are not that bad of a deal considering what you get. I think the price is a really good value when you consider you’re on AT&T’s Edge (premium data network) with unlimited data transfer included in every iPhone plan. Not ot mention rollover minutes. HOWEVER, AT&T’s Edge network blows. The US lacks a true 3G network and the closest carrier to providing anything comparable is Verizon. Edge currently maxes out at 80Kbps. Dialup is 56 Kbps. And while AT&T is investing in their infrastructure to increase the capabilities of Edge to hopefully achieve 200Kbps by next year, Verizon already achieves transfer rates higher than that on their own network right now.

So yeah, I’m a bit bummed but grateful at the same time. I would advise any smart consumer to hold off buying the iPhone unless you need it for testing. Let the silly early adopters spend their money on a device that is well polished for the most part but somewhat frivolous in our present day premature environment. I’m just glad Apple has done something which has put the wheels in motion to improve phones everywhere. And I am counting on it being successful, as you know, I would like to buy a second generation iPhone. One that corrects all of the mistakes from the initial product offering and has a healthy amount of web based productivity solutions and features to encourage the necessity of such a device.

Everyone is raving about the RAZR these days. Despite the fact that the initial version was first introduced to the market over a year ago, today it is the new trendy phone. It’s stylish thin design caught the attention of most cellphone geeks who paid extra to order the RAZR unlocked and become the only person they knew who had one. But it’s really nothing special today. After all, I have one. I got it for free. Now everyone is starting to have one. So what’s the cool new phone for 2006?

Take a close look at the Samsung Serene. This phone is unique not because Samsung builds it, but because Bang & Olufsen has designed it. If you take a look at the phone it’s a completely unique design, something I would have expected to come from the lack-lusting Motorola ROKR (iPod phone). The user interface is unique in that the screen is intended to be the bottom of the phone with the keypad representing the top half. Why flip the screen? Because by placing the screen on the bottom the user no longer places his or her ear onto the screen causing it to become greasy. A significant problem I’ve noticed with my RAZR.

Bang and Olufsen’s minimalism is present throughout the design. There is no screen on the outside, the keypad is circular like b&o remote, and the ring tones are noticeable yet unobtrusive pings which make the phone all the more elegant. The Serene’s unique design comes in a small package. When the phones are closed side by side the Serene appears to be about half the size of the RAZR but not quite as thin.

Indeed it will be nice to see this phone in person. I’m doubtful this one will pick up and become mainstream like the RAZR. If it did it may be disastrous for bang and olufsen as their brand is intended to be an exclusive product only for the privileged. I don’t own any b&o products, and I certainly couldn’t imagine getting one for free. For more information on the serene visit: www.serenemobile.com. You can also check out the detailed review from Mobile Review.