Apple Talk Thread

[Joe']

Interesting read, indeed. Finally got to fix that Windows galllery issue on my sister's laptop. It still freezes when opening RAW (Nikon NEF) images, though. No idea why...

Anyway, back on topic. For those of you outside the US (especially those of you in Europe,) would you mind posting how much the iPhone costs (including the monthly cost of your phone plan) in your country?

I'm considering getting one in September if Vodafone change their monthly plans as expected, since right now it's fucking €59/month plus €199 for the phone, and with that plan (the cheapest) I only get 600 MB/month of internet data. The other carrier (Telecom Italia) isn't much cheaper: €199 for the phone plus €30/month and just 1 GB/month of internet data. Crappy 3G reception also.

So yeah, if it's cheaper in other countries, I might take a trip, get it there and then unlock/jailbreak it.

[cyanide]

Anyway, back on topic. For those of you outside the US (especially those of you in Europe,) would you mind posting how much the iPhone costs (including the monthly cost of your phone plan) in your country?

In Canada, since Rogers has a monopoly on the iPhone, it's not that cheap. The following in Canadian dollars: $200 for an 8GB, $300 for a 16GB, both having to be 3 year contracts. As for plans, the minimum is $65/mo which includes:

- 200+50 Bonus Weekday minutes
- Unlimited Evenings and Weekends + 500 overtime minutes
- MY5 (Unlimited Canada-wide calling and text/picture/video messaging)
- 6GB Smartphone data plan

[Cartar]

In here, Estonia, there is 2 packages available.

In the first one:
-100 free minutes
-100 free SMS
-100MB free mobile internet
-Monthly fee about 55$
-8GB phone about 267$
-16GB phone about 396$

In the second one:
-250 free minutes
-250 free SMS
-250MB free mobile internet
-Monthly fee about 89$
-8GB phone about 15$
-16GB phone about 28$

Either way, you have to sign 24 month contract(2 years).

[Joe']

Those are actually good plans. I wouldn't mind paying €65/month for 6 GB data + free minutes and messages. The plans here, well the ones I can afford anyway, don't include free minutes or messages. Those that do are all well over €50/month. Do those prices include sales taxes/VAT?

[cyanide]

Do those prices include sales taxes/VAT?

Unfortunately, the plan I mentioned doesn't include taxes. Then again, we only have one tax, which is good. VAT is terrible

[Joe']

Tell me about it... 21% VAT on pretty much everything here (except first need products like milk, etc. which have 4% VAT). Plus other taxes on determined goods and services.

60%+ of what we pay for gas (€1.55/liter, or about US$8.50/gallon) goes to the government. Same situation on goods imported from North America. A US$13,000 + tax Ford Ranger costs over €25,000 (or US$37,000) here. Then just the other day I found out there's no sales taxes whatsoever in Oregon. I wanted to rip my fucking head off.

Do you guys have sales taxes or VAT in Canada?

[cyanide]

Do you guys have sales taxes or VAT in Canada?

Canada has a federal tax called GST which is 5% (used to be 7%) and no provincial tax. We're lucky in that case. Every other province has GST and PST or HST and averages about to about a combined 13% total tax. Nothing ridonkulous like VAT, though.

[Jackal]

I like oranges.

[cyanide]

So Safari 4's out of beta now.

I'm trying out Safari 4 on Windows, and holy mothercracker, it is blazing fast. Might actually replace Google Chrome that I'm using at work. Considering that Safari has been a p.o.s. on Windows for a while, they finally managed to get this one right.

[AMenace]

Still, the iPhone 3GS shits all over anything apple has made before.

Going to get one when it comes out.

[cyanide]

Just got Snow Leopard, and it's a sweet upgrade, for only $35 Cdn.

Everything is generally snappier. The Finder is insanely quick even when you access a folder with long list of files. The QuickLook and Stacks finally have scrollbars, which is awesome. There's some tweaks to Expose and the Dock for more flexibility and control, which is nice. The new Quicktime X, while some people don't like, I absolutely love it. The video-only window is excellent while controls only appear when your put your mouse cursor over.

This upgrade really is mostly about improving performance under the hood, but the little things that are added and tweaked really make this OS quite polished.

[cyanide]

iPad? I wouldn't mind the iSlate, but goddamn, the associations with a certain female hygiene product gets my blood flowing.

As for the device, I think it's pretty nifty and it will find a niche market, but I wouldn't be buying one as I'd rather have the iPhone and quite happy with my Kindle.

[AMenace]

I've already got an iPad on order on the apple website.

[cyanide]

I've already got an iPad on order on the apple website.

Out of curiosity, why are you buying one? Like, what are your reasons?

[Oznogrd]

Cy speaking of snow leopard, did you ever hear anything about motherboard issues after upgrading? Me and my brother in law's brother both had our macs fry right after installing. Not that big a deal: under warranty and mac was ridiculously quick on the fix (seriously, called on saturday, had it back wed. morning) but just curious as to what you've heard.

[cyanide]

Oh wow, I actually haven't heard about that one. I follow Apple news quite regularly, and that one I didn't hear about. I knew there were some issues with Snow Leopard when it first came out, but it was pretty much software issues. Glad that they fixed it quickly for you; they're known for their customer service.

[cyanide]

iPhone 4 announced.

[J@3]

"People have been dreaming about video calling for decades. iPhone 4 makes it a reality"

Wtf? I had video calling on my old piece of shit Panasonic flip phone.

I like the look of the phone, and I loved my iPhone but they just can't compete hardware-wise. The HTC Evo is already a better phone in basically every way, and by the time the iPhone 4 comes out they'll most likely have released the Scorpion which has a 1.3 or 1.5ghz processor. Apple rest on their laurels too much.

[shadowgrin]

phpBB [video]

Eh, it's still no sliced bread.

[cyanide]

Wtf? I had video calling on my old piece of shit Panasonic flip phone.

Yeah, the feature has been around for 7 years. Nothing revolutionary.

I like the look of the phone, and I loved my iPhone but they just can't compete hardware-wise. The HTC Evo is already a better phone in basically every way, and by the time the iPhone 4 comes out they'll most likely have released the Scorpion which has a 1.3 or 1.5ghz processor. Apple rest on their laurels too much.

Not sure how you came to the conclusion that the HTC Evo is better in every way. Plus, GHz numbers are virtually meaningless since there's other factors in processor architecture. Since it's not just about hardware, the software matters too. With iOS 4 coming out soon, they're pretty much back in the fold.

[Sauru]

i am so pissed at myself for missing this thread back in 08 i would have had so much fun with it

[J@3]

Not sure how you came to the conclusion that the HTC Evo is better in every way. Plus, GHz numbers are virtually meaningless since there's other factors in processor architecture. Since it's not just about hardware, the software matters too. With iOS 4 coming out soon, they're pretty much back in the fold.

Considering Snapdragon are the go-to people for phone processors I don't think the architecture will be much of an issue. It was clearly hyperbole but given the choice between the phones I would still take the Evo (if it worked in my country). The screen is still 3.5" I believe which is subpar. A 5mp camera is laughable in this day and age. The screen is fantastic, resolution is great and I like the design of it but if it wasn't an Apple phone there would be such little hype over it. I'd get the phone if HTC didn't exist.

Edit: I hear it only has 256mb ram... wtf

[cyanide]

Considering Snapdragon are the go-to people for phone processors I don't think the architecture will be much of an issue. It was clearly hyperbole but given the choice between the phones I would still take the Evo (if it worked in my country). The screen is still 3.5" I believe which is subpar. A 5mp camera is laughable in this day and age. The screen is fantastic, resolution is great and I like the design of it but if it wasn't an Apple phone there would be such little hype over it. I'd get the phone if HTC didn't exist.

Edit: I hear it only has 256mb ram... wtf

Why does a bigger screen mean it's better? I don't want to carry an iPad-like phone in my pocket It's a thin phone at 320 dpi with glass being used that is the same kind found on high-speed trains and helicopters, so I don't have to buy a case for it, unlike most plastic phones on the market. RAM and processor speed isn't an issue if everything runs quickly and smoothly, and I would say battery life is more important.

There's a misconception with megapixels, where bigger isn't always better, as a lot of the higher megapixel camera phones degrade quality at higher MPs. Here's an example of a photo taken with the iPhone 4, which is good enough (and it's at 300 dpi).

if it wasn't an Apple phone there would be such little hype over it

Naw, they make quality products, which is why people buy their products despite all the Apple bashing.

[J@3]

Why does a bigger screen mean it's better?

I prefer larger screens. I couldn't go back to a 3.5" one.

RAM and processor speed isn't an issue if everything runs quickly and smoothly, and I would say battery life is more important.

But the RAM and processor speed is what makes everything run quickly and smoothly lol so it is an issue.

There's a misconception with megapixels, where bigger isn't always better, as a lot of the higher megapixel camera phones degrade quality at higher MPs

But what's to say the quality of a photo taken on a phone with an 8mpx camera is no better than the iPhone and its 5? It's got more to do with the lens and other stuff but you seem to be saying that the quality of what's inside the iPhone (from the camera to the processor) is better than others because it's made by Apple, so that means it's alright for it to not be as good specs-wise.

That is a nice picture but I'd rather see some user-uploaded ones (i.e regular people) because on my iPhone 3GS the picture quality was awful.

Naw, they make quality products, which is why people buy their products despite all the Apple bashing.

So does Nokia and I can't remember ever seeing any of their phones being hyped to death like this.

I'm a tech nerd when it comes to phones. I'll buy whatever has the best specs regardless of who is making it. The IPhone is fine, if it had a bigger screen, more storage space and wasn't handcuffed by iTunes and Apple's agreements with various phone providers I would probably be tempted to pick one up. Fact is though when it comes out here, the 32gb model is going to cost over $1,000 to buy without a contract. I can get an HTC Evo for about $650 and be lacking nothing.

[cyanide]

But the RAM and processor speed is what makes everything run quickly and smoothly lol so it is an issue.

But if the iPhone 4's current RAM and processor speed is good enough to run applications quickly and smoothly, then it shouldn't be an issue.

But what's to say the quality of a photo taken on a phone with an 8mpx camera is no better than the iPhone and its 5? It's got more to do with the lens and other stuff but you seem to be saying that the quality of what's inside the iPhone (from the camera to the processor) is better than others because it's made by Apple, so that means it's alright for it to not be as good specs-wise.

That is a nice picture but I'd rather see some user-uploaded ones (i.e regular people) because on my iPhone 3GS the picture quality was awful.

No, I'm saying 8MP doesn't necessarily mean it's better than 5MP. I haven't heard good things from the 3GS quality, but they apparently paid more attention to this version. That photo I linked was a user-created one by an Apple employee. I'd like to see how it performs in low lighting, though.

So does Nokia and I can't remember ever seeing any of their phones being hyped to death like this.

Nokia phones? Really?

Actually, I've never heard of HTC till last year, and now I see that brand everywhere (deservedly so).

I'm a tech nerd when it comes to phones. I'll buy whatever has the best specs regardless of who is making it. The IPhone is fine, if it had a bigger screen, more storage space and wasn't handcuffed by iTunes and Apple's agreements with various phone providers I would probably be tempted to pick one up. Fact is though when it comes out here, the 32gb model is going to cost over $1,000 to buy without a contract. I can get an HTC Evo for about $650 and be lacking nothing.

Yeah, the 32 GB max storage space doesn't make sense now that it can do 720p video @ 30fps. I don't mind Apple's walled garden ecosystem, but I can understand why people dislike it.

I'm not sure what past prices were, but it's $300 for the 32GB phone on a 2 year contract with AT&T. I hope my shitty Canadian mobile phone providers would give a similar deal. I'm paying almost $45/mo on this simple Samsung phone, but I'll only have to pay another $5/mo with an iPhone plan.