8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

"....Schiller said the existing low-end iPhone 3G, with 8 GB of memory, would stay on the market for $99.....", full article here, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525421,00.html.

I think Nokia would benefit by have a larger customer base, if they can crank out some N8x0 with a price tag of $99.

bun

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Yeah I read all these developments...

It is smart to get rid of the old stock for such price. Furthermore, this isn't a new scheme. Happens all the time. I saw this happening with Nokia N9x devices too. Problem was there, that new device wasn't always better.

One thing which gives me a bad feeling in my tummy is that the price difference is the number of GB the device has. WTF. As if that differentiates quality? What if it just had a (micro)SD slot? It isn't 8 GB of memory though. It is 8 GB flash. In that regard I much better prefer Nokia N97 (and Nokia in general) approach.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

I am NOT talking about the iphone per se, or maybe I am, I am kind of marvel at the price tag $99, able to snatch something called iphone, and how is my honey, or anybody's honey, to justify a Nokia $399 N810 Wimax? I know, there is in deed a time difference. "Honey, why dont we just get an iphone, and we can get 4 of them, and if it breaks, you can do that 4 X :-) ..." What I refer to is this good or bad for the upcoming Nokia,...Rover?

bun

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

$99 is actually a good price that I could buy one... Where can I get one? I do not want a contract... just the phone since I already have a service from other provider.

Oh wait... You can't buy that without contract? Never mind then... :rolleyes:

And I thought the price was $99...I know too good to be true. :mad:

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

It'll make no difference to the people here; since the iPhone is shunned like some type of leprosy... however it does undercut the living daylights out of a lot of Nokia offerings right now.

As it stands, I'm an owner of an iPhone 3G; but you'll never hear me say that it's better than anything else out there because it's not. There's so much room for improvement that it's sick. But it does what I want - besides be a phone - but I can't stand that I can't upgrade the memory. However, most consumers don't even care about that.

Too bad I missed when the Nokia N93i went on clearance as such since it's the last Nokia cell that I liked.

This last release though, does give Nokia enough time to gain some ground. I hope they take advantage... and not release a half-assed Maemo phone.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

I've pretty much given up on the Nokia side (I'm not interested in a Maemo phone, I'd like a Maemo Tablet). So unless Nokia manages to change my opinions of the n900 it's an Android phone for me. And if that fails it's an iPhone.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Considering the current prices on the N810, if it was sold on contract, it would be likely 1$. Then you could crash 99 N810s for one iPhone. Or maybe that calculation thingy of yours was a bit bogus :)

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

$99 is a good buy, but with some of the Moblin, Maemo, Android and other FOSS based smart phones due out soon, why bother? It might be a good hold over for the time being, but in the end, the new FOSS phones are gonna smack down Apple so hard it'll leave them seeing stars for years. :) After that, the only reason to keep an iPhone will be because you're a mac fanboy.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Oh well, I NEVER know you have to buy a phone contract. Rat!

bun

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Well, here's the kicker. Over in Europe they have laws that say that the cellular providers can't bundle the phone with the plan (and in some cases they can't lock you into a contract either). The phone has to be sold separately from the provider as they're not allowed to sell phones. They can only set the requirements for their network, and then leave it up to the phone makers to abide by those requirements. That's why you have places like "car phone warehouse" in Britain.

And if it works so well over there, in fact it works 10x's better than our system here in the US, then why won't anybody try to force this to happen? Oh right, the cell companies are ripping people off, and they don't want to stop doing that. Plus they might actually be forced to compete! Oh wow, what a novel idea, and completely insane as far as the cellular providers are concerned. :rolleyes:

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

While I don't completly agree with your sentiments, I do agree that Android and other FOSS based smart phones will have a better chance than Apple. As long as Apple keeps things locked down to their ecosystem then they will never reach mass market. Which, given Apple's strategy, they have never been interested in (for example, they are quite content with the marketshare for PCs they have, they try to increase it but they know they won't be beating Microsoft anytime soon).

Once Android and other FOSS phones start coming out on several platforms then it will be interesting to see.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

All this really says is that OS 3.0 is about all the iPhone has. Apple is apparently making just incremental improvements in hardware. The fact that even with a presumably faster processor in iPhone 3gS, the OS still doesn't run multiple apps makes me think that perhaps it never will.

Apple has done real well in the short term. They always do. However just like with all of its other past innovative devices, it eventually runs into brick walls of its own design.

Right now, to more and more regular folks, mobile web and mobile web applications = iPhone.

10-15 years ago that same demographic thought that the web was AOL... A whole lot of people were first exposed to Internet technologies from within AOL's "walled garden". Once people became tech savvy and realized that they were being charged a premium to use a particular brand, they quickly abandoned the company that introduced them to the technology in the first place.

Apples got a few good years left with the iPhone. After that if a mobile device ain't open source, no one will want it. (IMHO)

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

It's not that rosy I'm afraid, it's just that in some jurisdictions they are obliged to also offer an unlocked, no-contract version.

Still, to put things in perspective here's the new UK price of the old 8GB model without a contract (but note: still locked to the operator!): £342.50.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

More $ info for iphone (as if you care :) ), apparantly if 'without' contract, an iphone 3G may cost $699 or $599, http://www.informationweek.com/news/...leID=217800166 , "Without a contract commitment or upgrade discount, the iPhone 3G S costs $599 for the 16GB model and $699 for the 32GB model. ..."

This cellphone shopping is way too complicated for me!

When I do grocery shopping in a grocery store, I always wonder how can an uneducated or unsophiscated shopper shop? Even with the same content, they came with all these different units, per oz, per lb, per fluid oz, per liter, per gm, per drain wt, per 'count', on and on and on.... A couple of time, I heard some people kind of just pick up the onsale item said to their love one, "its onsale, must be a good deal." Well, I must confess, I am in the same category regarding shopping for cell :(



bun

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

We're going to have to agree to disagree here. Open source on phones... not yet.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Still no physical keyboard?
Still no open development environment?
Still locked into AT&T in the US?

Still not interested.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

If nokia can announce something before june 17th.... many of the potential customers may actually wait to consider the n900 over the iphone 3gs.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Refer to my title.....$99 a pece, Good? Bad? Dont know about Rover, it is very bad for mr. Ed Colligan, palm decided to switch head, Yak!

bun

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

I love my iPod touch (iPhone without the phone; I'm a happy N95 owner). Its a very good bit of hardware and if they can crank out essentially the same think for $99 then yes, its very good for Apple. Good for Nokia, no! The more ubiquitous the iPhone gets (and people invest in it buying apps) the harder it is for Nokia to coax them away with the N900.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

4 iPhones for $99 and 4 contracts for 2 years each ? That sounds awefully expensive and wasteful rather than one $399 Na810 Wimax and no contract.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

I think he meant for the price of a N810 you could buy 4 iPhones (although the contract issue isn't catered for in that example).

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

More than the contract issue NOT catered for, I simply DO NOT even know you HAVE to have a contract to buy an iphone! Ignorant on my part! Whatever, I just want to bring out a part of the $ issue if the N900 is out now. For some filthy rich royal fans, they probably dont care. For me, I would HAVE to balance between, hobby/fun/practical/use. BTW, Lenovo just put out a laptop, a full function laptop, 1.6GHzwifi/DVD/15.4 inch 1280x800, 6 hr batteries/160G HD/2G ram.....for $379, shipped, no rebate, from Newegg.com, today! Yup, it is cheaper than N810 initial release $. My last laptop is 2 yrs old, and costed $1000 from HP, I am asking permission for my honey to upgrade her computer. Oh, there is NO phone contract this time and this one is NOT a netbook either. One can always wipe out the OS and replace with kubuntu.

And 1.6Ghz with 2G RAM, I think I would just get it as my sole dedicated DVD player and constantly hook up to my projector.
bun

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Except that the Wimax is dead.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Ah ha!

bun

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

The "media" should be ashamed to print that the phone is $99. I'll sell you a bridge in Brooklyn for $99 -- but of course, there's a $100 billion a year contract you also have to agree to.

Now, wow over the fact you can buy a bridge for $99!

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Well, it is 99 dollars. Your bridge in Brooklyn analogy only works if you didn't have to pay for GSM data in the upcoming N900 - which you will.

Either way, want to use anything other than wifi, you're paying for it.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Says who?

I've purchased GSM devices in the past that I never activated for service (backup phones, one of which I later used as a SyncML conduit between two services (via wifi and USB), and it does so without even having a SIM card in it).

So, show us this inside knowledge you have that says we'll have to pay a hidden/not-up-front cost for GSM data in the upcoming N900.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Do you seriously think that you will have access to send SMS via GSM, or access the web via GSM for free?

Oh really?

Show me anybody in the US that is willing to let you do that for free.

GSM voice != GSM data. And every single US carrier will charge you for that. Show me otherwise. There's no "inside information"; that's just how it is. If you people think that you're going to get a device that will use the T-Mobile airwaves for free, you're mistaken.

Even the Peek costs a monthly and all it does is e-mail/sms over GSM (no VoIP).

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

99 dollars is a good price, but you need at&t or t-mobile+ a two year contract. otherwise, it is a lot more $299 for a used one. i would just get a nokia n810 and use it for sip

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

You're being thick headed. Open your mind beyond your assumptions.

As I already said, I've bought several Nokia GSM devices and NOT PAID FOR GSM ACCESS. It's called "using it without a SIM card". There's no reason to believe that the N900, even with a built in GSM data radio, wont be usable in a wifi only mode (just like the N810 is usable without a GPS data subscription). Just buy the unlocked version, don't activate it with a carrier, and use it as a wifi only device.

You can't do that at all with an iPhone (you have to buy an iPod Touch, which doesn't have the same full set of capabilities, last I checked). But you can do it with other Nokia devices. So why are you assuming that you wont be able to do it with an N900, and that you'll HAVE to pay for GSM service?

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

And you're being 100% unrealistic.

Want to prove me thick headed... then show me one American carrier that will allow you to access their GSM network on a device, that's not wifi, for free. It just does not exist unless you're already a standing GSM voice/data customer and they allow it on something else; it just does not exist.

There's nothing to assume. It doesn't exist, those towers cost money, Nokia's product isn't going to get free anything from GSM towers either.

To think that; you'll have to prove it. Otherwise, the assumptions are all yours.

A GSM phone without GSM access is just... well, a sim card less phone.

Unlocked doesn't mean you have carte blanche access to whatever GSM data signal you can locate. It's not wifi. You have to pay to access GSM/GPRS/EDGE data in the US.

It's funny. Not only do I have an iPhone3G, I have an original iPhone - which has the SIM card removed. Guess what?

It's jailbroken now, I use it with wifi... and I can send SMS/Phone calls (via DialCentral and Google Voice), can purchase (still) and download via the iTunes store. But I can't access GSM data at all. Why? Because that costs money.

So... as it stands. Your position is based on that you don't have to pay for GSM data if you don't use it; right?

That's a no-brainer.

If you want to use it with GSM data... you will have to pay for it. Prove my original statement otherwise.

That's all truth dude. You're the person being extremely thick headed.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

As I've said, I've already done it. Not unrealistic at all.

Nice strawman argument. Free GSM service isn't what I'm asserting. It's what you're trying to build as a strawman argument, instead of admitting your assertion (that we would be FORCED to have a GSM fee on the N900) is completely unfounded.

You said:

We will have to pay for GSM data in the N900. (paraphrased as opposed to quoted)

I never said word ONE about "getting GSM data for free", that's your strawman argument, not my assertion. What I am telling you, and what you're being thick headed about, is that you DON'T HAVE TO HAVE GSM DATA (paid or otherwise) on the N900 ... you can go wifi-only. Just like a 770, N800, or N810.

Thus, assuming the N900 is like every other Nokia GSM device out there (and that's my ONLY assumption here, and since it is like every other Nokia GSM device, it's a pretty reasonable assumption), you can use it without any GSM service at all, and go wifi-only. Which means you'd be able to use it just like an 770, N800, or N810.

So, no, I wont have to pay for GSM data on the N900. I can forgo GSM service entirely.

Which means, in comparing the long term costs of an N900 to an iPhone, you do need to factor in the cost of the iPhone's GSM service over time (making it more than just a $99 phone), but you don't have to do that with an N900 purchased unlocked and unsubsidized. Even if you jailbreak the iPhone, you still are on the hook for the rest of the cost of the iPhone (either paying for the 2 years of service even if you didn't use it, or paying the early termination fee), still making it more than a $99 device when all costs are considered.

So, for your original statement to be appropriate, you can't compare the $99 iPhone to a full price N900. You have to compare both of them as unsubsidized, or compare both of them as subsidized + full contract cost.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Either pair the device with an internet capable phone. Or use it in WiFi mode?

As for free SMS, if you use Google Voice as long as you have some sort of data connection you can already send free SMS and get free phone calls.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

So you're in the habit of buying telephones and using them for what exactly?

You've yet to post one GSM data package by somebody that allows free access. Now, I triple dog dare you.

You say that you use telephones without using GSM data; I said simply that you will - if you use GSM data, it will cost you.

Strawman bah. You're just clutching at straws. Seriously... show me how to use GSM data without paying for it.

You wish to go down further down some geek semantic battle; allow me to say this... if you use only wifi - fine. If you use GSM - and THIS IS WHAT I'M ADDRESSING ONLY - you will pay.

Again. Show me how to use GSM data for free or silence. My point stands. Yours is semantics based only.

GSM data costs. What part of that is wrong? Prove me wrong.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

To go further down this dumb path of GSM data - IF YOU USE IT - is "free"

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/C...#Internet+Only

Seriously. Internet only costs $39 USD a month. N900 supposedly supports the T-Mobile

Now, please... show me how in the living world you are plucking this imaginary non-cost out of whatever you're thinking wherever GSM costs are involved. There is a cost involved whenever you use GSM data. Not wifi, GSM.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

At the moment, I use an E61i for a backup phone, and as a data transfer device.

Right now it has no SIM card, and uses Wifi-only for data. I use it to transfer data between my Oracle Calendar (SyncML only) and Google account (so my G1 can access that data, since the G1 doesn't currently have a SyncML client for calendar data). I pay $0/mo for this.

In the past, I had a pay-per-day SIM card in it (to use as a backup phone), which is a data-less service. So it was also wifi-only for data at that time. I paid $0/mo for GSM data when I was doing that.

Either way, no one forced me to buy a GSM data plan (and this was on T-Mobile, as well), nor pay for any form of GSM data for it. I bought a phone, I use it in different capacities (as a backup phone, as a data transfer device, etc.), and I haven't had to ever pay for GSM data on it. That's exactly what I've been asserting.

As I said, I never asserted any such thing. You're just trying to press on with your strawman argument, and divert attention away from you unfounded assertion.

That is NOT what you said. You said that if you get a N900, you will have to pay for GSM data. Those are two VERY different things to say. And now that you're being called on it, you're trying to construct strawman arguments about what I said, instead of admitting that you're wrong.

Re: 8G iphone is now $99 a piece. Good? Bad?
 

Ah, ok. I have an N95 for the same thing (overseas travel mostly) and purpose.

Make sense.

Wifi-only is the key. But ok.

Nobody is forcing anybody. I have an OQO 02 now with WWAN, and I don't use it.

I'm saying though... the moment I want to use it (WWAN), it will cost. That's all I've been saying all along.

Again... where in the living world was I wrong!?

Other than wifi, there's only GSM. And it costs. Period. Stop being thick headed. I said that in the beginning. Not budging because you can't read what I said.