75ZT Community

I know there are a few people on the site who have iphones and I am eligible for a new contract or upgrade on my current contract. I think the iPhone has pretty much won the smart phone race, I was always a HTC man, but the iPhone has me tempted. Are the issues on the new model that bad, or are they just inflated? The phone looks to be everything I need, and the ease of use is great. I suppose I could sit and wait for iPhone 5 but with the 4 coming out only recently it would no doubt be a while.

The HTC Desire Z would be the only other phone I would consider which comes out shortly. However, the iPhone wins over this one due to it being able to integrate to my car

Decisions... Any comments from those with the phone?

Press Button A on answer............

I had a iPhone 3 for 2 years and I got a iPhone 4 as soon as they came out.

I love my iPhone and can't fault it.

I've found the ease of use of the iPhone to be second-to-none. I don't need to eschew it's greatness because I think you're already won over on that respect plus the adage "There's an app for that." really is true - if you need your phone to do something then someone, somewhere would have probably written an app for it. Just like Tapatalk we use on this server now to let people access the forums whilst on their mobile...!

Back to the antenna issues: Firstly let me explain my experiences. I have found the iPhone 4's antenna to be better than my previous iPhone 3G. I can pick up wireless networks where once I could only get regular GSM although 3G network seems to be on par with my old 3G phone. It is true that if you grasp the phone in a particular way then the signal will suffer - but I've never known it drop a call or anything simply by holding it 'wrong'. I fully appreciate that when you're in an area of questionable signal quality anyway that difference in holding it *may* affect your call quality but I've not found it to be an issue. (For the record I'm on O2 network which I know has excellent coverage in and around where I live).

I was lucky enough to qualify for the free bumper Apple provided to quell users concerns and that has almost eradicated any previous signal issues (not that there were any of significance in the first place). Mostly though I find the bumpers to be a perfect solution to afford a nicer grip on the otherwise metal/glass surface of the phone.

Don't be scared about them being glass front and backed either - mine has had a few knocks and scrapes and still looks brand new. Oh - and the Retina Display is to die for....

I have the clone on the iPhone 4 and the 3GS, they look exactly the same as the real iPhone but don't have all the benefits of the Apple functions.

.................. BUT! they are Dual Sim thats 2 sim cards running at the same time, 2 networks and 2 numbers all in one phone (x1 work number and x1 personal private number all in the one phone) at the fraction of the cost of a real iPhone which does not have the dual sim option.

Food for thought!

Thats the kind of response I was looking for, cheers Simon! I'm on O2 as well and find their network coverage superb, so quite glad to hear everything is tickety boo.

Kandyman have you had any issues with your iPhone 4?

Dallas whats this copy phone??

edit. I take it the bumper case is no longer free? Is it just a case or does it have extra booster type technology??

Its a SciPhone i9 or i68, they have built in WIFI and Dual Sim. They are a cheap clone made in Hong Kong and China by some back street manufacture most probably, but Cect SciPhone is the original clone, then you have the clone of the clone (it just dont stop).

Take a look, they are everywhere...... Prices are as little as £20 for a 2G and 3G, £40 upwards for a 3GS and the new 4G, you can even get them with built in TV even DVB TV (the model is L007) cost is from £60 to £100.

New 4G Clone £55
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-3-5-Inch-HD-Screen-I68-i9-4G-Unlocked-Cell-Phone-/260670527483?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb12c97fb

This is the L007 at £87 GBP
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/L007-3-6-inch-Touch-Dual-TV-Mode-WIFI-JAVA-phone-2GB-/270630938277?pt=US_Display_Phones&hash=item3f02dc66a5

Some models have a 3.2" screen where others have a 3.5" or 3.6"..... but all are dual sim.....

Dallas wrote:Its a SciPhone i9 or i68, they have built in WIFI and Dual Sim. They are a cheap clone made in Hong Kong and China by some back street manufacture most probably, but Cect SciPhone is the original clone, then you have the clone of the clone (it just dont stop).

Take a look, they are everywhere...... Prices are as little as £20 for a 2G and 3G, £40 upwards for a 3GS and the new 4G, you can even get them with built in TV even DVB TV (the model is L007) cost is from £60 to £100.


Some models have a 3.2" screen where others have a 3.5" or 3.6"..... but all are dual sim.....

Those actually look pretty good!

Yep! the wife and I have had the 3GS for 2 years now with no probs and I have just purchased the new 4G which arrived in no less than 10 days from China.

If you want all the functions that the Apple iPhone has then these aren't for you, but if you just would like the look and feel of the iPhone then defiantly get one or two for the money they are just great. These phones are not supported by any Apple download site, so iPhone apps will not work (but you can get support and downloads from the SciPhone i9 / i68 sites).

The firmware is obviously different but there are lots of firmware updates across the web for these phones which can be upgraded by yourself, the earlier models have a slow processor but if you get a 3GS or the new 4G which have the newer faster processor version.

So if you want the cool look of the iPhone and the added bonus on having Dual sim (two sims working at the same time) where you can make and receive calls with either sim in the one phone, you will be over the moon with these phones + the inbuilt WIFI is an excellent feature.

Pay over the £50 £60 bracket and you should get a good one, anything less you may get a clone of the clone, thats where the original SciPhone has been cloned and then that clone gets cloned and so on (quality then suffers which you can see).

Dallas,i,ve got the one with tv that looks like a Blackberry,trouble is,it won,t let me connect to internet,keeps saying "no connection" Did you input any settings to enable Java connection?I,m on Vodafone,but all the profiles are Chinese mobile companies.Any help would be appreciated,as it,s a good phone otherwise.

I will try and explain, I take it you want to connect to the Internet via using Vodafone service and not using Wifi connection.

Here goes,

1. Select the SERVICE icon.
2. Select DATA Account'.
3. Select GPRS.
4. You should see all those Chinese account profiles.
5. Now select any of the accounts and click on EDIT.
6. Delete what text is currently there and now type your service provider name (Vodafone).

Now for the next option you will need to contact Vodafone and ask them for the APN, User Name, Password AND IP Number.

7. Once you have those details, you can input them in following from step 6 by selecting EDIT.
8. Now make sure the Auth.Type is set to NORMAL.
Now save these settings.

Next you will need to goto back to the main menu screen and select SERVICE icon again.

9. Now select WAP.
10. Select SETTINGS.
11. then select EDIT PROFILE.
12. Now you should see the profile that you set for your Internet account (Vodafone) and select this option.
13. Now select EDIT PROFILE.
14. Select CONNECTION TYPE.
15. Select WAP and press OK.
16. Just make sure the IP address that Vodafone gave you is correct, re-type it if its different.
17. ........... and make sure the SECURITY option is set to OFF.
18. Now click Done or Save and thats it....................................

Hope it works...................

Thanks mate,will try that.

Sorted, thanks very much.

Excellent! no problem glad it worked.......

Well i know i'm coming late to this party, but i'd simply say yes!

The iphone 3G/3Gs/4G are great phones, work very well and the huge app store and eco system of ipod compatible bits and bobs is hard to ignore. Sure there are some niggles, just as there are with any other phones, but they just work so well.

John

Thanks I pretty much decided on the iphone I'm just waiting to see if merc are going to create a car cradle for it.