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RussianVodka
August 15th, 2009, 09:19 PM
Ok, so recently I broke my phone. Also my mp3 player has a ever growing crack in it and will probably give out in a month or so.

Also recently I found out that I can get a 20% discount on ATT contracts through my job. So I've been considering getting an ATT family plan for me, my mom, and my brother. My brother doesn't have a phone, and everyone else in the family uses prepaid, so switching plans won't be a problem.

So I was looking at all the ATT phones, and quite frankly, all of them except BB Bold and iPhone suck. They're all loaded with features I'd never use (like in phone music players), locked out of features I want, and are generally very poorly made. But the blackberry bold requires a data plan if I want if for less than $300, and it's built in browser, which by itself i think is good, isn't worth paying $30+ a month for.

So that leaves only the iPhone, which has a pretty decent music player and uses a 3.5mm jack. Which means that it saves me from buying an mp3 player. I used to laugh at the original iPhone for being a useless toy for spoiled children, but I looked at it again and it seems over the years Apple's added/unlocked enough software and hardware features for it to be considered a pretty decent phone. Though I'm still not thrilled about the $60 a month that i'd be paying once the data+messaging plan is factored in, it seems like the best thing that they have available.

I'm willing to acknowledge though, that most people buy their phones, are satisfied with them, and never say anything to anyone. So all the negative reviews about ATT phones are probably coming from a small percentage of people who are angry enough to go online.

TL;DR:

Are there any ATT users here, and if so which phone do you have and how do you like it? And does anyone have an opinion on the new iPhone 3GS?

P.S. My ideal phone would be the Nokia 6650 (http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-6650-Phone-Silver-AT/dp/B001KBZ0YY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1250365279&sr=1-1), since several generations of evolution from my first phone, which was the best, most practical phone that I've ever used (i'm still using it as my backup phone), even though now it's horribly out dated. The only problem with this one though, is it has a PTT button which is placed very close to the volume rocker and can be activated by even the slightest breeze. And when the PTT button is activated, it quits anything you're doing, drops any calls, and goes into PTT mode. And it can't be disabled.

tgalati4
August 15th, 2009, 11:02 PM
Get a used Sony Ericsson w810i, reflash it with one of several tweaked firmwares. I'm using a Nokia-style interface on mine. Decent 2 mp camera. 4 to 8 GB memory cards, Shows up simultaneously as a 3G modem, digital camera, and mp3 player. Drag & drop files. Any mp3 can be used as a ring tone. Limited music video playback capability--need to scale vidoes to phones native resolution. Good bluetooth. Can use device as a bluetooth remote control for your computer (control itunes and other music players)

I agree, most branded phones suck. Unbranded phones are better but $700.

You can find used w810i's for $35.

BloGTK
August 16th, 2009, 12:23 AM
I have an iPhone 3GS, having upgraded from the original iPhone. The 3GS is very fast in comparison to the old iPhone. The selection of apps is great. If you don't mind living in the Apple ecosystem, everything works seamlessly. (Sadly, I don't believe that iPhones work with Linux.)

AT&T is OK. The network isn't bad, but it's not great either. 3G speeds in my area are good enough with not a lot of problems with dropouts. The cost of the data plan is a little spendy, but not ridiculously so.

I love my iPhone and use it all the time. It's an amazing piece of hardware, and even though AT&T's service isn't the greatest, I like the iPhone enough that I'd switch to whatever network carried it.

kaibob
August 16th, 2009, 01:05 AM
Are there any ATT users here, and if so which phone do you have and how do you like it? And does anyone have an opinion on the new iPhone 3GS?
I've been with AT&T for over 5 years. I use my phone as a phone and nothing else, and my phones get a lot of rough use. So, I got a Motorola Tundra, which has excellent reception and is built like a tank. It's too large and heavy for many people, but it's just right for me.

Before getting an iPhone, you may want to review the posts on the HowardForums site. Many AT&T users who have switched from other phones to an iPhone are not happy with its reception and call quality.

The AT&T network in my area is outstanding--landline quality. Of course, this varies greatly from area to area.

ratcheer
August 16th, 2009, 01:36 AM
I've been on AT&T for the past two years and I will repeat what others have said, it is pretty good but not great.

My phone is also 2 yrs old, a Samsung A717. For what it is, I like it. I have managed to add Opera Mini web browser, Gmail, and Google Maps apps. Call quality is good.

Tim