Apple-iPhone-3GS–a-conversion-story

Apple iPhone 3GS – A conversion story.

I have been a faithful Blackberry user for 6 years, since 2003. My first Blackberry was the 7200 series. It was a great solid phone that had email. That was what I had been searching for. No longer constantly turning on the computer and logging on just to see if I had missed an email. This was the end of my using a Palm for calendar and contacts. I had been a Palm user since 1997. I have enjoyed all the Blackberry devices and have converted many to the Blackberry. My most recent Blackberry was the Curve. It was a good device for contacts, email, calendar, and phone. It also had the QWERTY keyboard, which I really like.

Fast forward to 2009. What I have been wanting and needing more and more is the ability to get on the Internet from the phone, rather than turning on the computer and looking up an address, or checking facebook, or checking the weather. Waiting to start a computer or finding a place to connect is not always convenient, especially when you simply want to do something quick like check the weather forecast for tomorrow. T-Mobile has been dragging their feet to get a 3G network in Salt Lake City, and therefore the Blackberry just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

A couple months ago, I actually started looking at other phones. I asked everyone I saw with an iPhone how they liked it. If they were a former Blackberry user, asked if they missed the Blackberry. I was surprised at how much they liked their phones. I couldn’t find anyone who would go back. Could it be, after years of avoiding iTunes, iPods, and Apple all together, that I might succumb to buying an iPhone? I think it was inevitable. I checked out every available phone on the market, including the Google phone G1 and even looked at the new Palm Pre, which was to debut soon. But the new iPhone 3GS had more bang for buck than anything out there. But the dang cancellation fee at T-Mobile would be $200! Thus my iPhone 16GB 3GS phone would cost $400 total; $200 for the phone and $200 to cancel the T-Mobile contract. Those who know me would think that I’m way too cheap to do such a thing. But there I was in line at the AT&T store waiting for my new iPhone, surrounded by other geeks who had to get the new iPhone on the day it came out. I paid the money, and have not looked back.

Has there been a learning curve? Well, the only learning curve has been the keyboard (refer back to my love for the QWERTY keyboard). It is a “soft” keyboard, meaning there are no real keys, just on the screen. It has taken some getting used to, especially since I have big fingers. But, I’m adjusting very well, and have no regrets. The iPhone really is not a phone. It is a computer that happens to be very small and make phone calls. Everything else is very web-friendly, and almost elegant, with great speeds. I’m a convert, and am worried that many faithful Blackberry users will follow suit.

Until Next Time
The Cable Guy