I have been a big iPhone lover in the past; but I’m unexcited about the iPhone 3G S and I refuse to incarcerate myself in anticipation, longing and waiting for iPhone wish fulfillment ever again.  The White Apple of Death still leaves a hauntingly bitter taste in my mouth a year later.


The fact that the iPhone is imprisoned on the awful AT&T network is a big reason for waiting and hoping that, one day, Apple will set us free from the AT&T awfulness.

For all the hoopla about increased speed on AT&T, my 3.0 upgraded iPhone from last year still gets lousy connections and internet throughput in Northern New Jersey.

AT&T also cranked us loyal users with a crazy upgrade scheme that confirmed for us hardcore haters that all our rueful feelings against AT&T are, indeed, justified.

Even though AT&T recanted this week and modified their upgrade policy for new phones – it’s all still just too little too late.  AT&T already forced the bile from us in a punishing upgrade policy that made no sense for family plan iPhones with different upgrade dates even though all were purchased on the same day — and we’re all still awash in neverending lines of last summer.

If Apple had done the right thing by the new iPhone 3G S by giving it live video chat — I would be the first in line — but the iPhone 3G S is just an incremental update and not the mind-blowing, trendsetting, joy-inducing phone we had come to worship.  A built-in compass?  Am I buying a phone or a box of Cracker Jacks?

What Apple risks in this nothing 3G S “hardware upgrade” is a loss of the glisten and the gleam that made the phone a need instead of a want — but perhaps Apple are saving their best for the next version of the phone that will be unshackled from AT&T and set free to run on the network of our choosing.

It won’t take much improvement for all of us to pay AT&T an early termination fee to move the next generation iPhone to a new network — we just hope Apple gets us there in time before something prettier and better tickles our fancy and wants our wallet.

6 Comments

  1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    Gordon Davidescu says:

    I have to buy a new phone – my blackberry that I bought three and 1/4 years ago because I love your reviews that much is slowly dying. I was actually thinking of getting the $199 iphone.

  2. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    In your situation, Gordon, I would definitely get the 3G S! You’ll love it! Buy the 32gigger because you will fill up your iPhone fast even though you don’t think you ever could.

  3. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    Gordon Davidescu says:

    I go by what you say, David! 🙂 It has served me well thusfar. 🙂

  4. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    How soon will you buy, Gordon? We can’t wait for your review!

  5. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    Gordon Davidescu says:

    I have one in my hands now. I couldn’t wait any longer. My blackberry kept on dying after 12 hours even if I didn’t use it at all. I will get a review this week – asap! 🙂

  6. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    OH MAN!
    You’re killing me, Gordon! SMILE!
    Janna’s assistant at work and her hubby bought iPhone 3G S(es?) over the weekend and we’ve been helping them set up their phone to be a “Deaf iPhone” and our envy is growing every hour and now GORDON HAS ONE TOO and suddenly I’m feeling abandoned and left out and non-techno savvy and I’m beginning think I better burn a hole in my pocket ASAP or be left out of the bandwagon o’ fun!
    I can’t wait for your review! It will be very cool to get a first time user iPhone critique!

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