i'm really looking forward to this:

http://iphone.tomtom.com/

6/16/2009 1:24:15 AM

I'm definitely interested in grabbing a turn-by-turn app, but it seems like everyone is so hung up on tomtom because they're the big name, and they were prominent at WWDC. There have already been at least 3 apps that have been rejected or removed from the app store that have the same function. I am interested in seeing comparisons of all of them especially in regards to pricing. Now that individual apps are capable of microtransactions, I'd like to see a pricing structure where you buy the app for a low price (say $3-$5) and then buy individual states for like $1 a piece. Maybe a state pack of 10 states for $7-8 and all 50 states for $35-40 or something like that. That way you can pay as much or as little as you want (and save space for all the places you'll never go). But knowing all the hype for finally getting turn-by-turn on the iphone, I'd be surprised if a big name like TomTom lets their software go for anything under $50.

6/16/2009 1:56:50 AM

neodata686: Thanks for reposting that, I missed it earlier.

RSXTypeS: Yep, it really is an entirely new config, my bad Still going to wait for next year, but at least it looks like it'll be a worthwhile upgrade.

I just hope it gets more reliable. Although I think that probably has more to do with AT&T than Apple.

6/16/2009 2:02:18 AM

Need some clarification. My free upgrade status says I can upgrade with a 2-year commitment for an $18 upgrade fee (I have the original iPhone). When I go to choose a phone, it still shows the prices of the 3gs phones as $99/$199. Is this a prior to credit/rebate price, or is there a real stretch on what the word "free" means? Considering my bill would go up $15/month for basically the same service, I really dont want to pay much for an upgrade.

6/16/2009 11:31:52 AM

^why would your bill go up $15? Isn't the data plan the same regardless of the iPhone?

The pricing for the 3gs is $199 for 16gB and $299 for the 32gB. You may be looking at the iPhone 3g prices ($99/$199).

6/16/2009 11:36:01 AM

Youre right, dont know why I typed that since I even had the 16GB in my cart that totaled $212.xx.

But the original iPhone data plan was $20/month, and came with 200 text messages. The new data plan for 3G is $30, and no text are included ($5/month for 200)...hence $15/month.

6/16/2009 11:44:24 AM

I ordered my 3GS through the AT&T website but it never asked for a shipping address. Does it ship to your billing address?

6/16/2009 11:49:58 AM

sadly i had to return my iphone yesterday (i was still within my 30 days)

as a result i was left with a 2 year apple care code that i never got around to activating and couldn't return. its good for any 3g iphone. anyone want to buy it from me?

6/16/2009 11:56:31 AM

^^ordered my 3gs from ATT website and it asked for a shipping address. Should send you a confirmation email.

6/16/2009 12:04:22 PM

looks like i have an iPhone with my name on it at the at&t warehouse. Still on the phone with AT&T and the company they use for pre-orders. The reason I got charged for the phone is because AT&T has to charge you when your phone arrives in their warehouse and they box it up and put your shipping label on it (even though it hasn't shipped). And they confirmed that its actually shipping to my door and not to a store.

6/16/2009 1:59:26 PM

the online AT&T reference number still says:

Quote :

"We have received your order request, and we expect to begin processing it shortly. "

How long does it typically stay like that before you get tracking information?

6/16/2009 2:04:36 PM

rumor has it that they started shipping already and some will arrive tomorrow

6/16/2009 2:06:31 PM

that'd be awesome. would make my weekend. although i ordered it yesterday so i'm pretty sure i'm in the second round of shipments so i won't get it until late next week or the week after.

-oh also i went to upgrade a phone and the new data plan is $24 a month instead of $30. It said something about a new contract discount or something. Anyone else see this?

[Edited on June 16, 2009 at 2:15 PM. Reason : .]

6/16/2009 2:12:47 PM

So I called AT&T and was on the phone with them for over an hour. Since the wording on the site and email is different then the actual process about when they charge your card they gave me a $175 credit to my wireless/uverse account. I <3 AT&T for now...

6/16/2009 2:17:53 PM

Calling always pays off

6/16/2009 2:30:18 PM

heck yeah. So now I'm even more excited that I am (in theory) getting a phone friday that will ship to my house! I will be hugely disappointed if that is not the case.

6/16/2009 3:06:19 PM

Just got this from AT&T and it's a little misleading. I ordered it online through AT&T so it should be shipped to my house. I guess this just means an Apple store or an ATT store can set it up for you.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3632670701_85e1030ee3_o.jpg

6/16/2009 3:14:28 PM

^I got that same email but thats because I first tried to order one through apple.com

6/16/2009 3:23:43 PM

will the tomtom app work for a 1st gen iphone?

6/16/2009 3:44:12 PM

no, it needs the GPS (and probably the compass too). 1st gen iPhone has neither.

6/16/2009 3:45:10 PM

The first gen does have GPS.

And I think the tomtom dock has a compass, so it may work.

And i'd be surprised if their dock didn't also work with the iPod touches, and had its own GPS receiver in it (they likely would need one that might be more accurate than the iPhone/iPOd's built in one).

[Edited on June 16, 2009 at 3:47 PM. Reason : ]

6/16/2009 3:47:04 PM

the first gen does NOT have GPS. It uses triangulation to give you an approximate location. It cannot track you in real time.

TomTom will probably offer docks to make it work w/ iTouch + older iPhones, like you said. The GPS in the 3G phone is plenty accurate for turn-by-turn directions, it doesn't need a separate GPS unit (though it may need a compass to work properly).


[Edited on June 16, 2009 at 3:52 PM. Reason : d]

6/16/2009 3:49:56 PM

Quote :

"The first gen does have GPS."

no really, it doesn't.

6/16/2009 3:49:59 PM

Quote :

"The first gen does have GPS."

it has "Where am I?" which uses cell towers and hotspots to triangulate your position. It does not track your movement so you have to use 'where am i' every time you want to know where you are. so no its not GPS.

6/16/2009 3:56:41 PM

Apps can request a "constant" update of the where am I feature to simulate GPS capabilities.

I'm actually in the process of loading a turn-by-turn app on my iPhone to see how it works (completely out of boredom, btw) I'll report back how/if it works.

6/16/2009 4:00:17 PM

apps like the TomTom app will turn it into a real gps though. So you don't even need a cell signal to use the gps and maps. Could be in the middle of the mountains with no reception and still use it as a real GPS with full maps.

Quote :

"^I got that same email but thats because I first tried to order one through apple.com"

Well i'm hoping ATT plans to ship it to my house.

[Edited on June 16, 2009 at 4:10 PM. Reason : .]

6/16/2009 4:09:27 PM

Judging from the phone call I had today they are supposed to ship to your house. I'm guessing that email is sent out in regards for the n00bs that wouldn't know what to do so they can come in and talk to a apple rep who will then sell them a bunch of accessories and cases etc.

Has anyone who purchased their phone online through AT&T been billed for it already?

[Edited on June 16, 2009 at 4:14 PM. Reason : .]

6/16/2009 4:13:58 PM

I haven't been billed yet.

6/16/2009 4:16:51 PM

Quote :

"But considering the price tag plus the current large 3G base, I'm guessing that most apps won't really exclusively take advantage of the new hardware for awhile."

Exclusively no. You would have to be stupid to write an app that is exclusive to the 3GS (i.e. GL 2.0) and drop the millions currently on the 3G.

But pretty much any application that is compatible with both is going to see an upgrade in performance.

6/16/2009 4:19:04 PM

^Being first out the door with a 'ground breaking app' that takes full advantage of the new processor and graphics will easily be just as successful.

6/16/2009 4:23:26 PM

Alright, so it looks like that turn-by-turn software (G-Map) runs on a first gen, but it doesn't even try to pull location data from the triangulation feature. Plus the UI is atrocious. Oh well.

6/16/2009 5:19:08 PM

so i don't know if this is an iphone 2.0 or 3.0 feature but you can stack txt messages. If you type out a long text to one person, you can start typing and send the next text before its done sending and it just says "sending 1 of 2" at the top of the UI. neat.

6/16/2009 5:32:05 PM

obsession ITT

6/16/2009 5:49:07 PM

So my roommate brought up a good point. Apparently when you download firmware updates in itunes, they are iphone model specific, so there would be a specific firmware for the 3GS. I sold my 3G and am getting the 3GS but does anyone think it would work to take that firmware file from my itunes folder and try to restore the old iPhone 3G with it. Thus getting voice commands and such? I would think Apple has thought of this but thought it was an interesting point.

6/16/2009 8:04:55 PM

I'm gonna try to flash my iPhone with the firmware for the palm pre and see if I can get background apps running.

6/16/2009 8:09:39 PM

^hahahaha

6/16/2009 8:14:29 PM

lol

6/16/2009 8:49:59 PM

Quote :

"I'm gonna try to flash my iPhone with the firmware for the palm pre and see if I can get background apps running."

Try flashing your router with the iPhone firmware first.

That way you can make calls on it.

6/16/2009 9:18:22 PM

[old] how do you think they invented bananaphone?

6/16/2009 9:23:52 PM

Haha, apparently that was a dumb question

6/16/2009 9:56:32 PM

what time is this shit coming out?

6/17/2009 12:10:47 AM

If I would guess I would say 10ish pacific, so around 1 eastern. Damn west coast sleeping in and shit.

6/17/2009 12:17:02 AM

Quote :

"The first gen does have GPS"

lol your username applies here

6/17/2009 12:36:11 AM

OMG triangulation isn't gps?

Hahahaha WTF I can't believe he said that

6/17/2009 7:24:47 AM

Shit.

I bought some applications since I wiped my windows os and now when I go to sync my phone to iTunes it says I have to wipe the phone and it will add the applications in my library. Since this is a fresh OS, there are no applications (or anything else) in my library.

What should I do?

6/17/2009 8:16:13 AM

if you ever want it to sync you have to just let it wipe them then add them back. it's free to download them again.

6/17/2009 8:17:22 AM

You mean download them using the iphone app store or using the app store on the pc?

6/17/2009 8:19:07 AM

either one. it's stupid i know..but after it erases everything and starts over from scratch it'll sink everything both ways.. so you can dl them on either device for free. it'll act like its gonna charge you then pop up a message saying you've dl'd it before and its free to do it again

[Edited on June 17, 2009 at 8:27 AM. Reason : asf]

6/17/2009 8:26:33 AM

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=1390779
Instructions on how to get the new iPhone with 35% cashback through Bing (formerly Live search). You still have to pay your regular price up front, but in 60 days youll get 35% back (so a net price of $129.35 for the 16gb 3gs).

6/17/2009 8:53:04 AM

k so i'm kinda excited about the OS upgrade.... it says available today, but alas, one can't download it....

6/17/2009 9:18:31 AM