Under intense pressure from the New York tech world, I finally decided to give the iPhone a try.
I needed a phone with internet, microsoft exchange server support and for usage as a normal telecommunication device.
Now, as they say, the phone is useless without a good network. AT&T is ok as a network, although I have always preferred Sprint/Nextel because of the Nextel Direct Connect feature.
I had two options in front of me: either I buy an unlocked iPhone and use it with my Sprint account - cost of the unlocked phone is $750 plus $99(+tax) for my unlimited Sprint data plan; or I pay $299 for the AT&T locked iPhone and get tied for two years with a $129(+tax) unlimited calling plan.
I still wanted to go with the unlocked Iphone. However, I realized that it was pointless. Considering the Iphone is a 3G Phone; the best 3G newtork is, whether I like it or not, AT&T. I drove past an AT&T shop, told the manager I was there to buy the iPhone. This is what the conversation looked like:
Me: I want and iPhone for business use.
Manager: Well Sir, You have come to the right place. The iPhone is the best phone for business out there.
Me: (Sensing that this was a marketing ploy, because they had a window ad about the Blackberry Bold saying that it was the best business phone on the market, I decided to bargain.) Well, I don't really need the iPhone, I am already a customer of Sprint and I already was planning on getting the Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8330.
Manager: Well, I must tell you that the iPhone has over 20,000 applications that you can download, and quite honestly, I use it myself, and there is no comparison to any other phone I have had before. The Blackberry doesn't even come close to the iPhone in terms of phone usage and entertainment.
Me: Well, I beg to differ. I think I am quite knowledgeable in this field to tell you that you are half wrong and half inaccurate. In any case, I was just driving by with the intention of buying the iPhone. But I just changed my mind, I will probably wait for the new Samsung MBP200 to get to the US market. (Yes, this is how I bargain... I came to buy, but I never let him know that I can be taken for granted!)
Manager: I am so sorry to hear that you have changed your mind Sir. As the manager, I can offer you this deal: you buy the phone today and I will waive the $36 activation fee and give you a car charger, bluetooth headset, leather case (total value of $80 for the three accessories) for free.
Me: Deal! Here's my driver's license, my social security and my plastic. Unlimited everything plan for me. I don't want to be bothered counting my minutes!
Manager: Ok please hold on while I run your credit check.
Me: I have 5 minutes, I need to run to a meeting.
Manager: Ok Sir, your results came back. You do not need to pay a deposit - your credit is fine.
Me: Four minutes is all I have now - otherwise I walk out of here and come back later this week.
Manager: (Two minutes later) Here is your phone Sir, already activated, and here are your accessories.
Me: Thank you, great experience shopping at your AT&T dealership. I'm glad you set me up running in 4 minutes and thanks once again for the freebies.
Ok, so this is the story on how quick I 'meteorized' my way around to get an iPhone. I know that I got a good deal, although I know AT&T will be making money with the hefty $129+ monthly fee that they'll be collecting from me.
I will probably be posting more about the iPhone itself once I start using it for real, right now I'm just hooked to watching youtube on it... and someone was talking about using the iPhone for work??
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