The Deal Breakers

[bripat22]

Ok, I am tilting on the edge of Iphone purchase but maybe I have read too much about battery life and call quality. I am really buying this for the Net and Multimedia but it is still a phone and I don't want it to be constantly dropping calls and it would be nice to have it last at least 1 day (don't mind nightly charging)

Any reassuring wisdom?? Thanks!!

 

[chobbs1]

It all depends on wh?t your gonna be using the phone for throughout the day. When your not using the phone you can turn off the 3G option( big battery drain). Also turn off the wifii option. Only to turn them on while you browsing the Internet. If I follow these practices my battery will last all day. But when I am constantly browsing ( as you do) I usually get about half the day.

 

[bubbatex]

The battery is really not that bad if you manage it. Phone calls drain it the worse, followed by heavy browsing/GPS stuff. If you can connect to wifi, that will help. I have had multiple Palm and WM smartphones and the 3GS is probably the best battery I have experienced so far.

But as far as the network (ATT) and call quality - that is VERY dependent on where you are most of the time you are using the phone. I tried a 3G back in February and returned it after a week - ATT's network was so bad for me at my primary residence (I home office), that I could not even make a good call on EDGE.

I recently read, and checked with other ATT iPhone users in my area, that the network had improved and been upgraded to 850MHz. So I took a chance again and got a 3GS. The difference is almost night and day. I have not seen EDGE yet. I am not always blazing fast and the signal does not seem to "stick" as well as CDMA (I was on Sprint), but it is working pretty well and I am not dropping calls.

Bottom line - you'll really need to get one and try it for a week or 2. If it does not work, it only cost you the 10% restocking fee and whatever you used of the plan (I got them to waive the $36 activation fee).

 

[bosox0898]

The battery life is definately dependent on usage, but if you cycle the battery every so often and do so especially in the first two weeks you have it you shouldn't have too many problems if you follow the suggestions above.

 

[E Pow]

The battery life depends on your usage. Mine gets me thru half the day, but I'm on it ALL day long (Facebook, Twitter, internet, Email, Phone, text, ipod when driving) but it doesn't bother me. I have a car charger, and I charge it nightly. I live in Cincinnati, and At&t's 3G coverage is GREAT here. I've had an iphone for the past 2 years and I can count maybe 1 time that I've been on EDGE. 99% of the time I'm in 3G coverage or WiFi.

 

[ardoreal]

I've come from a long line of cellphones...and the 3GS' battery is top notch. One thing you need to EXPECT from a smartphone with high functionality is that the battery will drain with use.

Same goes for laptops, RC cars, car batteries, etc.

My previously favorite phone for sipping from the battery was the Nokia E71. I've used the HTC Touch/Pro/Diamond, Blackberry Pearl, Curve, Bold, Palm Pre (WORST of the bunch, by far), Motorola RAZR2, and I use the iPod as a reference.

The 3GS is second, barely, to the E71. Symbian S60 3rd edition is a very conservative, but functional environment. No flashy visuals, no animation, just to-the-point and all business. It does great. It's also virtually a battery with a phone strapped to it. When you open the back, it's ALL BATTERY through the whole internals.

With this in mind the 3GS is admirable, at least mine is. 3-4 hours of heavy use is what I'm getting out of it. If left overnight and with moderate use it's an every other day charge, not every day. I also work in shifts, and feel comfortable that this will reliably serve as an alarm clock for me too.

Mine was perfect and I ordered online from AT&T. No blemishes, no chips, odd bends, it's what you'd expect from the pictures on Apple's website. If you're teetering on the edge and have the money/contractually free situation to buy it, then get it dude. You will NOT regret it, this phone will delight you when you start using it.

 

[cobra302]

my battery life has been getting better and better each day that i use the phone (i just made this comment to my wife a few minutes ago!) and my call reception has been great! i have not dropped one call yet, as opposed to my bold which would drop lots of calls. i think (and have said) that a lot of the reason people have problems with the battery is becuase of playing with the phone sooo much! as the newness wears off, the battery gets normal use, instead of the constant use it gets when you first get the phone. just my opine though.