Got an iPhone

SkyHog

SkyHog

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
18,433
Location
Castle Rock, CO
Display Name
Display name:
Everything Offends Me
Sigh.

It was assigned to me from work. Trying to make the best of it....anything I should know?
 

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Test how many stories it has to fall before it breaks.
 
What did you want instead?

The people I know who have them like them. I have a Droid because ATT sucks in my neighborhood and Verizon sucks less, but I would have gone iPhone.

I've played with other peoples and found it fairly easy to navigate.

Joe
 
Get ForeFlight from the AppStore...

Currently they have a 30 day FREE trial, and it's some pretty nifty software for aviators.

Also, head to Best Buy and get one of the better cases/skins as well as the clear screen protection film. I purchased one of the better (read $$) of both and it's been a good investment. Lots of sticky fingers, dropped a few times, rides in pocket with keys, etc.
 
Otterbox. Rubberized armored case and screen cover. Not completely waterproof but about the best you can get for it.
 
I like mine and there are a lot of good aviation apps. Search for aviation.

My daughter was originally against getting one because "Dad" had one...well now I couldn't take it away from her for anything.

As said above, they can get scratched and break when dropped...oh, you will drop it....I don't like cases but a good one will protect the iPhone from drops.

Make sure you ALWAYS back it up before upgrading firmware. You never know when it will crash and having the backup is good insurance.

Report back in a month or so.

Allan
 
AggieMike88 said:
Get ForeFlight from the AppStore...

Currently they have a 30 day FREE trial, and it's some pretty nifty software for aviators.

Also, head to Best Buy and get one of the better cases/skins as well as the clear screen protection film. I purchased one of the better (read $$) of both and it's been a good investment. Lots of sticky fingers, dropped a few times, rides in pocket with keys, etc.
Click to expand...

I can get that for my Droid, worth the $20 charge?
 
If you have a 2 year old learn how to reset it when the child magnifies it so much you cant read anything. Or turn off magnify.
 
SkyHog said:
....anything I should know?
Click to expand...
Yes, you WILL drop it, usually taking it in or out of the holster or pocket.
Get a protective rubberized case.

Have fun! I have a Storm2 (work) and an iPhone (personal). I like them both. The BB and iPhone are for different purposes and do different things well.
 
Bill Jennings said:
I can get that for my Droid, worth the $20 charge?
Click to expand...

IMO, yes. But do check out their website to be sure you will use the features before you spend the money. At the moment, I'm operating on the free full featured trial version and like it.
 
Bill Jennings said:
I can get that for my Droid, worth the $20 charge?
Click to expand...

FWIW, you can get ForeFlight Weather - It's only a subset of ForeFlight, so none of us with iPhones can really give you an accurate idea of it's worth $20. However, I can say that all of the ForeFlight software I've used has been exceptionally well-designed and worked really well. :yes:
 
Flyer522 said:
Make sure to load up the FlightAware App!
Click to expand...

No, really, don't bother. It's crap, I'm sad to say. One of the worst iPhone apps I've ever seen, if not the worst.

I thought I saw someone from FlightAware pop in here the other day. If so, I'd love to chat about how it can be improved - PM me.

Unfortunately, they seem to be hard at work making their mobile web site LESS functional instead of the iPhone app more functional. :mad2:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
No, really, don't bother. It's crap, I'm sad to say. One of the worst iPhone apps I've ever seen, if not the worst.

I thought I saw someone from FlightAware pop in here the other day. If so, I'd love to chat about how it can be improved - PM me.

Unfortunately, they seem to be hard at work making their mobile web site LESS functional instead of the iPhone app more functional. :mad2:
Click to expand...

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel! :) Yeah we know the iPhone app sucks. We did a lousy job. We are giving it a major overhaul with a new look and tons of new functionality.

I felt like most of the mobile website changes improved it a good deal. Our mobile traffic has gone up a lot since we made them. So yeah I'll shoot you a PM with my email.

- karl from flightaware
 
flyingcheesehead said:
FWIW, you can get ForeFlight Weather - It's only a subset of ForeFlight, so none of us with iPhones can really give you an accurate idea of it's worth $20. However, I can say that all of the ForeFlight software I've used has been exceptionally well-designed and worked really well. :yes:
Click to expand...


I have Foreflight Weather for my droid phone. IMO it's well worth the $20. There aren't many aviation apps available for droid yet and this is by far the best aviation weather app I've tried. They just recently added radar and satellite pages for each weather location.
 
I think the foreflight app is great also, at least while it's free.

I usually have my phone strapped to my kneeboard so I can look at runway info, ctaf, awos, ect while flying. The fact that you can save everything to your phone by state is essential for this type of app. Whenever cell reception kicks in, on approach or touch down, it will auto update the weather.

Problem is, I don't want to subscribe at the end of my free trial. I would have rather payed $50 up front and then be done with it.
 
Foreflight is awesome. The liveatc app is great too. If you have an aux input in your car you can listen to atc through your speakers. It's worth the $2.99.

Tim
 
sanforce said:
I think the foreflight app is great also, at least while it's free.

I usually have my phone strapped to my kneeboard so I can look at runway info, ctaf, awos, ect while flying. The fact that you can save everything to your phone by state is essential for this type of app. Whenever cell reception kicks in, on approach or touch down, it will auto update the weather.

Problem is, I don't want to subscribe at the end of my free trial. I would have rather payed $50 up front and then be done with it.
Click to expand...

Oh sheesh. A full year of ForeFlight costs the same as six weeks of XM weather or a half hour of flying. Well worth it to keep them in business. :yes:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Oh sheesh. A full year of ForeFlight costs the same as six weeks of XM weather or a half hour of flying. Well worth it to keep them in business. :yes:
Click to expand...

haha, well I need every half hour of flying that I can get! I'm still living off of dad until I graduate school this May.:mad2:
 
smigaldi said:
i'll swap you my Q for it. I'll even pay for the postage.
Click to expand...

LOL. You don't want this POS. Since it wasn't new, I inherited the prior owner's behaviors. Battery dies, it randomly powers off, screen has streaks across it.

So much for the "indestructible" iPhone.
 
Aeroweather (free app), foreflight mobile 3, mye6b, AOPA airports, liveATC, pilot aim and far.

I really like the iphone for a smart device. However it totally sucks as a telephone. Can't hear it, dialing is terrible with no tactile feel. So, i carry the iphone for the email and internet and aviation stuff and have a real phone for talking.
 
pbramlett said:
However it totally sucks as a telephone.
Click to expand...


Good application recommendations. But all lies about being a bad phone! I really think it works fine, as long as AT&T is crapping out on ya.
 
sanforce said:
Good application recommendations. But all lies about being a bad phone! I really think it works fine, as long as AT&T is crapping out on ya.
Click to expand...

The iPhone is so good, it's actually worth being an AT&T customer... But just barely. :mad::mad3::mad2:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
The iPhone is so good, it's actually worth being an AT&T customer... But just barely. :mad::mad3::mad2:
Click to expand...
I know they talk about AT&Ts lack of coverage in major metropolitan areas like NY and San Francisco. I have an iPhone and the service at my mom's place which is right in the city of SF is sometimes sketchy. I got tired of waiting for them to open up tethering for iPhones without some hacking so I got the bright idea to buy a Verizon USB wireless modem. The signal on it isn't much better. So this is either a dead spot in the middle of the city or Verizon has the same problem as AT&T only it hasn't been as publicized.
 
Everskyward said:
I know they talk about AT&Ts lack of coverage in major metropolitan areas like NY and San Francisco. I have an iPhone and the service at my mom's place which is right in the city of SF is sometimes sketchy. I got tired of waiting for them to open up tethering for iPhones without some hacking so I got the bright idea to buy a Verizon USB wireless modem. The signal on it isn't much better. So this is either a dead spot in the middle of the city or Verizon has the same problem as AT&T only it hasn't been as publicized.
Click to expand...

Tethering can be done easily on the iPhone without "hacking" (just browse to http://help.benm.at/ ) as long as you haven't upgraded past OS 3.0.1. (Actually, they may have figured it out for later OS's by now, I haven't looked.)

I've thought about getting a Verizon MyFi so that I'd have a better chance at 3G coverage no matter where I go... But you're right, there are spots that are dead no matter who your service provider is... Just ask Pete!

Okay, I'll tell the story: Pete was on his way out to the Vintage soaring meet (driving and towing his glider trailer) and called me to tell me that he had made it through Chicago but was wondering where he could stop for gas and where he'd be best able to find a hotel for the night. Then, his phone dropped out. A couple of minutes later, he called back and I said "Well, since your phone cut out, you're at about the 40 mile marker on the Indiana toll road, there's a service plaza where you can buy fuel at the 56 mile marker, and you'll want to find a hotel in Elkhart, exit 92." :rofl: There's a spot at MM38 where everyone (well, at least VZ, ATT and Sprint) cuts out... BTDT many times. Pete's response: "You drive too much!" (correct!)
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Tethering can be done easily on the iPhone without "hacking" (just browse to http://help.benm.at/ ) as long as you haven't upgraded past OS 3.0.1. (Actually, they may have figured it out for later OS's by now, I haven't looked.)
Click to expand...
I upgrade every time they have one and I know I've upgraded past 3.0.1. Besides, I wasn't comfortable messing around with stuff like that.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
The iPhone is so good, it's actually worth being an AT&T customer... But just barely. :mad::mad3::mad2:
Click to expand...

I have a corporate Blackberry on AT&T and the voice coverage sux. Seems to have gotten worse over the last year.

My Sprint EvDO card works OK in most places, but the LAX airport stinks out loud (connect but very slow speeds/high latency). It does drop out, too, but works better than the folks I know with iPhones.
 
What really grinds my gears is the fact that my phone consistently drops calls with full 3g coverage. I can look out of my window and see local "cell towers" less than 100 yds away. It rarely happens with local calls, but its safe to say that 1/3 of my calls back home to Texas will eventually drop. We can even tell when it's about to happen. My dad and I joke about it whenever I call. I'll get a little hickup and say "i'll call you back in a few," & sure enough it will drop. It even happened the other morning at 6:30 am before my "help me with icing" flight. There is absolutely no way the lines were busy at that time.

BUT, I still love the phone. There is nothing else like it (IMO). So, I'll stick with AT&T as long as they have a corner on the market. As soon as Verizon get's access, I'm going to switch... if just on principal. (SP? :D)
 
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