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| | | iPhone fans put a premium on its sleek design and versatile touch-screen interface, in addition to its all-in-one functionality. It encompasses a solid mix of business, entertainment and everyday use. Fans also praise its hefty memory capacity of up to 32GB, and the wealth of both built-in and add-on applications. | | |
| Typical costs: | - The iPhone is available exclusively through AT&T or at Apple stores nationwide, with units starting at $99 with a two-year commitment (or as low as $49 for a refurbished unit).
- Current iPhone customers can upgrade to the 3G iPhone and pay $99 for the 8GB device or $149 for the 16GB model, with a two-year contract. The new 3G-S, which boasts a video camera and longer battery life, is $199 for the 16GB handset and $299 for the 32GB version. These prices also apply to new AT&T customers.
- AT&T customers who are new to the iPhone, but have AT&T service on a different type of phone, must first fulfill their old contract or pay a cancellation fee in order to qualify for the iPhone at the two-year contract price. Credit history and time remaining on the old contract can both affect prices.
- Customers who purchased a 2.5G iPhone on or after May 27, 2009, and want to swap it out for a 3G iPhone may do so without incurring an additional handset charge. They will need to turn in their 2.5G model and pay a 10 percent restocking fee.
- The non-contract price for the 3G iPhone is $499 for 8GB and $599 for 16GB. The 3G-S is $599 for 16GB and $699 for 32GB. These prices also apply to customers who are replacing lost or stolen units.
- The monthly AT&T service plan is $74.99 (complete, including Internet coverage).
What should be included: | - A 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display.
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
- Stereo earphones with built-in microphone.
- A 2.0 megapixel camera.
- A 640 x 480 pixel video player.
- USB power adapter.
Additional costs: | - There's almost no end to applications available from Apple's online App Store (35,000 and counting). iTunes, QuickTime video player and the Safari browser are all free downloads. But visitors will also encounter everything from mobile GPS maps to nationwide restaurant locators and games like Scrabble. Costs range from $0.99 for games to $449 for customer management software -- and higher.
- The same wide inventory goes for iPhone accessories where enthusiasts can shop for everything under the sun, from a simple protective case for $19.95 to the Altec Lansing speaker dock for $199.
- Business travelers and road warriors will likely want to investigate a variety of battery chargers.
- iPhoneFreak does a good job of reviewing compatible Bluetooth headsets that start at around $49. There's some grumbling that the battery depletes quickly under heavy use, yet the iPhone 3G is much improved over the original model. Check out iPhoneNuts' battery extension and cost review to bypass this potential frustration. Mophies iPhone Sled is a hot seller at $99. The Kensington Battery Pack extension is also popular and goes for $69.
- Superb usability, great graphics and a rainbow of applications are a huge draw, but is the iPhone ready for full-fledged business use. Quickoffice produces a downloadable application for $19.99 that allows for viewing and editing of Word and Excel documents. But as long as compatibility issues persist over other key Windows applications such as PowerPoint, the jury's still out.
Discounts: | |
Shopping for an iphone: | - The best place to start shopping for iPhones is at either an AT&T outlet or an Apple Store. With so many models available, it's helpful to get an up-close and personal look.
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Article updated August 2009 |
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