VoIP Vegas

I used to sing the pauses of my BlackBerry 8820 - I have been using it for a little over 3 years.  It was fast and capable.  Lately, I have been wanting more from my phone.  About 6 months ago, the BlackBerry was getting slow (this was probably me and not the phone) and I started to research getting a new phone.   Since i had about $200 invested in applications I thought he choice was obvious - I was going to get another BB.  I went to he AT&T store and tried some of the new BlackBerries including the Bold and 9600, nothing impressed me so I started looking at other brands.

Among other things, I am a software developer, so the next logical choice was Android - some of my friends have them and love them, so I went to he AT&T store again and looked at their Android offering.  Wow, what a piece of junk - I know other carriers have better phones, but I am with AT&T and they have always done well by me, so it not Android an I am not happy with what BB is offering - so I am going to stick with my phone for now.  All the time I was at the AT&T store his last time, the sales rep couldn't stop talking about her iPhone.  I was annoyed And intrigued at the same time.  She told me everything I wanted to wiu a phone could be done by the iPhone and better than anything else.  I know Apple has made some progress with he 3GS, but I really didn't want to go the Apple route because of people I know complaining about their iPhones on AT&T.

Back to Googling for he solution to my phone upgrade.  Then Apple sends me an email announcing the iPhone 4.  Could it be that this new device would be better than the 3GS?  The hype has started an the Apple marking machine has made me believe I want one of these new phones.  I has a few challenges- my apps, can I replace them on the iPhone inexpensively?   Can I learn to type on the on-screen keyboard (I seriously do about 40-60 WPM on the blackberry)?  Will the interface be as intuitive as the BB?

Well, I held off getting one of these critters right away and followed all the initial reports on the iPhone 4.  Nothing I wasn't expecting, the media latches on to anything and creates more buzz about the phone.  Camera problems, antenna problems, etc.  But in general, everyone was happy (I even went to an Apple store and talked to end users).  So I decided to get one.  After a few delays and challenges getting on, I finally have one and have been using it for a week.  Here's what I think of Apple's new phone:  IT ROCKS!  And here's why.

Apps - we have all heard he hype of "there's an app for that.". Well it's true.   Developers have latched onto this things.  I have replaced my $200 in apps on my BB for free.

Typing - this was probably my biggest worry.  While not for everyone, the on-screen keyboard is not bad.  It's been a week and I am almost up to blackberry speed on the wide keyboard and at about 70% on the narrow one.  I typed this article on the iPhone - it's just not that hard.

Interface - It took me all of 5 minutes to learn how to use the basics.  It's been a week and I am still finding shortcuts, but I think I have it down.

You may ask yourself what this has to do with VoIP at all...  Well stay tuned, I will give some of my app picks including a very functional free SIP phone/service for the iPhone.

Until then here are some of the Downsides I have found on the iPhone 4 so far:

Battery - The thing is terrible!!!  I don't see how the phone battery can last a day without being charged unless you are not using the device.  The BB battery would last all day without charging an heavy use.  The iPhone just can't compete, I am going through battery like crazy and must plug it in at least once during the day.

Sound profiles - still don't see a way to have an office, home, sleep, and meeting profile with different notification preferences for each.  Profiles are a very nice feature of the BB I miss already.  

iTunes - this seems like a real antiquated way to manage the phone - a monolythic gas guzzler then it comes to system resources.  I know, I know, it is what it is, but there should be something better.