2012-04-07T22:42:44-07:00 http://davedash.com/ Dave Dash dd+atom1@davedash.com 2008-05-12T00:00:00-07:00 http://davedash.com/2008/05/12/smart-pricing-for-iphone-server <p>Going to NYC really made me want a new phone. Primarily just to have Google Maps telling me where stuff is. So I've been looking at prices (theoretically for my wife and myself) more closely. Despite both devices being different, I'm treating them essentially the same:</p> <table> <thead> <tr> <th></th> <th>iPhone</th> <th>Blackberry (AT&T)</th> <th>Blackberry (T-Mobile)</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <th>Cost of two</th> <td>$800</td> <td>Free＊</td> <td>$600</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Ammortized over 24 months</th> <td>$34</td> <td>$25</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Monthly rate</th> <td>$109</td> <td>$60</td> <td>$70</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Data plan</th> <td>Included</td> <td>$60</td> <td>$40 ($30＊＊)</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Total Monthly cost over 2 years</th> <td>$143</td> <td>$120</td> <td>$135 ($125＊＊)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> ＊ If you go through Amazon.com</p> <p>＊＊ My wife is likely to use this mostly for email and less-so for web surfing, and Blackberry has a plan for just that.</p> <p>The way I see it, I'm likely to have a smart phone last me two years &mdash; at least. It's a stretch since most of my phones go about a year (til I get bored of them), but I'm hoping for better results with a smart phone. So initial costs can be spread out over time.</p> <p>So I get a few things out of this chart:</p> <ul> <li>Amazon/AT&amp;T's free Blackberry is a white elephant</li> <li>The iPhone doesn't cost much more than a Blackberry.</li> <li>I will jump at a refurb iPhone since that will be cheaper in the end or a free Blackberry for T-mobile. Unfortunately I am currently with T-mobile so I don't get a lot of the awesome discounts that you'd find on Amazon.</li> </ul> 2008-02-13T00:00:00-08:00 http://davedash.com/2008/02/13/iphone-and-macbook-air <p>I had to wait quite some time at the Apple Store only to find out my MacBook Pro <a href="http://spindrop.us/2006/05/03/apple_batteries_and_applecare_paid_support/">had a battery</a> that had been recalled.</p> <p>So while Apple was wasting my time, I looked at the Macbook Air and iPhone. Yes, this is my blog where I'll give my un-expert opinion on gadgets that people have already written about at length.</p> <!--more--> <h3>iPhone</h3> <p>First the bad news. I think I have fat fingers. I finally "got" how it's supposed to work, but keyboard interface and the gesturing was not to my liking.</p> <p>If someone gave me an iPhone, I definitely wouldn't mind, and I'd probably grow to like it. But at the moment... It really doesn't do much for me. I like that I could access the web, and play with Google Maps, but the interface just doesn't click for me.</p> <p>I do want a smart phone, I think there's a few nice alternatives out there. I think I can wait on the iPhone. But then again, maybe I don't really need a new toy.</p> <h3>Macbook Air</h3> <p>So here's the good news. Despite it's lack of things, it really seems appealing. My biggest problem with my laptop is when I take it somewhere. Granted I bike with my Y! laptop short distances almost daily, but every now and then, I am toting my personal laptop, and the weight starts to drag me down.</p> <p>It seemed reasonably fast, although with little effort I can bring any machine to a grinding halt. I think if one of our laptops go out, we might replace it with a MacBook Air. Although... both my MacBook Pro, and <a href="http://katiebonn.com/">Katie's</a> Powerbook are pretty sturdy.</p>