telekinetic

I read that 3G wireless is already $10 more than 2G wireless for existing AT&T customers. So this should have been a no-brainer.

Edit: Nevermind. However, their regular data is $35, so this doesn't seem unreasonable.

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speshul-k

Apple have some serious targets to meet this year, I am sure these price drops will give people that extra added incentive to at least check out the technology now. Smart business as always.

Willravel

I'm really excited about the iPhone being sold to our friendly neighbors to the North. America's hat deserves better. And you're getting 3G on the same day as your somewhat friendly neighbors to the South.

dirtyrascal7

One interesting thing I read yesterday...
So does this mean there won't be anymore unlocked iphones on ebay? Also, does this mean they aren't going to sell them through the online Apple store?

Doesn't really matter to me because I already have AT&T, but I thought that was an interesting change in policy.

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Redlemon

It isn't new for me. With the amount I use my cell (practically not at all), I can't justify ~$100 a month for a phone and data cell phone plan.

And, it isn't really a "wah", it's more of a "less $ now, but more in the future" kind of warning. No free lunch on this.

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Willravel

The battery thing was the "wah". This is $10 a month.

I suspect that if people could afford the iPhone w/ data before, they can afford this without any difficulty. For people who can't afford it, there's the iPod Touch and maybe a free regular phone.

ubertuber

The other thing to consider is why they might charge more for the 3g. I read somewhere that iPhone users were already pulling down massively higher amounts of data than other users. If you can get all that with less hassle (web browsing, email checking, gmaps usage), think about how much more data you'll be pulling in. I think that a $10 increase is entirely reasonable in those terms.

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telekinetic

Yes and no. Yes, you will no longer be able to buy (or activate) them online...they must be bought and activated at an Apple or AT&T store.

I imagine, however, there will be a large influx of the old design on ebay, locked, unlocked, or otherwise, as early adopters ditch theirs

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dirtyrascal7

Judging by the current fees and penalties, there isn't much financial incentive to deter phone unlockers from abandoning their business model. I think much will depend on what AT&T and Apple decide on these new penalties, which I can only assume will be much more harsh.

__________________
"Tie yourself to your limitless potential, rather than your limiting past."

"Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him."

ubertuber

Well there's also the issue of the phone being sold "native" in so many countries. That will undermine a good part of the unlocker market more than any financial disincentives.

__________________
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thespian86

hey, I'm moving to Toronto and I'm wondering if I can get my hands on an iPhone. Any tips?

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Willravel

iPhone comes out July 11 in Canada. www.Apple.ca

Martian

It's aboot damn time.

Note that it's going to be carried by Rogers, who are the main GSM carrier in Canada. Fido is also GSM I think, so if you can somehow get your hands on an unlocked phone you should be able to use it with them too.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
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- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Willravel

In Canada, is it 11 July 2008 in Canada or July 11 2008?

Baraka_Guru

Here's a tip: Prepare yourself for a long-term contract.

Globe and Mail

CBCnews.ca

* * * *

It depends on the house style.

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Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
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telekinetic

How is $80 "considerably more" than 72.39?

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Martian

How is $5.00 per gallon of gasoline 'considerably more' than $4.50?

I would call a more than 10% hike in the fee considerable.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

telekinetic

I left out the word 'average'.

If 'Average' gas prices were $4.50, but fluctuated from, say, $3 to $7, I wouldn't call $5 'considerably more than average.'

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Baraka_Guru

That's $80 minimum and $72.39 average. That 10% is the minimum difference. I would consider that "considerably more."

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

blahblah454

3 year contract, $6.61 a month more, 36 months.

Over your contract that works out to be $237.96. That actually ends up being a decent bit more for a product.

Martian

Check your math. $80 is $7.61 more than $72.39, so the final total is actually $273.96.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Baraka_Guru

And, again, this is a minimum. And don't forget about GST, which would add an extra $13.70, bringing to total minimum difference to $287.66.... But I do suppose you could get a GST rebate.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

MSD

Still GSM only?

Don't give a shit.

Baraka_Guru

I don't think Rogers nor Fido even offer CDMA. One would have to go with Bell Mobility, apparently. (Yech! )

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

dirtyrascal7

So what does everyone think of the rumor that, not only are they raising the data plan rates by $10, the plans will NOT include any text messages?

Personally, I think it's sickening how much of a rip-off text messages are anyway, but this is pretty ridiculous. I currently have a Samsung BlackJack with an unlimited data plan that includes 200 SMS/MMS messages for $20/month. I don't know if I want to pay $35/month ($30 iphone data plan + $5 text message plan) for the same service.

__________________
"Tie yourself to your limitless potential, rather than your limiting past."

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ratbastid

The $10 "increase" isn't REALLY an increase--it's what AT&T has always charged for unlimited 3G data service. It costs more than the EV-DO data plan you got with the old iPhone, and in that way it's more expensive, but it's not the opportunistic gouging that some people are accusing them of.

I heard that (and I probably have the details of this wrong) per character, the bandwidth between NASA and the Hubble Telescope costs about half what SMSes go for. But I guess it's what the market will bear, ridiculous though it is.

Martian

Telus and Virgin also operate on CDMA.

Each network only uses one or the other -- CDMA and GSM are protocols, so they're not compatible and it wouldn't be cost effective for one network to develop and support the necessary infrastructure to do both.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Redlemon

Close: at a minimum, SMS costs 4.4 times the NASA cost.
Source: SMS Texting Costs Are Out Of This World

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Martian

This is primarily why I don't send text messages. I'm not interested in paying the brutally and arbitrarily high cost for the privilege of typing with my thumbs.

I actually can now, because my voicemail and call display services recently got switched into a bundle that also includes text messages, which means they essentially gave me text messaging for free. It's not unlimited, but it's far more than I'd ever send in a month -- I think it's 100 or so. I haven't sent that many text messages since I got my phone a year and a half ago.

I really don't understand it. I know most of my friends are using text messages for practically everything now. I find it odd that actually expecting to speak to someone on my phone is being old-fashioned.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

ratbastid

I knew the librarian would come to the rescue!

dirtyrascal7

I guess I forgot to specify that my current data plan includes 3G access... but it's still only $20/month including texts. Maybe that's why it seems like such a rip-off to me personally.

__________________
"Tie yourself to your limitless potential, rather than your limiting past."

"Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him."

canuckguy

I am glad the iphone is finally coming to Canada, more interested in the data plans that will be included with the iphone.

I've had an iphone since about 2 weeks after they came out in the states. Got if off ebay and it is a good conversation piece. I am going to miss being unique!

Rekna

The $15 a month extra is a lot. That comes up to $30 for my wife and I. Right now we pay under $100 a month for our cell phone plan. If we were to switch to Iphone 3Gs we would be looking at $170 without taxes figured in. Put in taxes and it could easily reach $200 twice what we pay now..... If you figure that cost over 2 years were looking at a $2400 price increase...

Cynthetiq

but... but... butt... its iphone.. its 3G... apple... steve jobs...

kudos to you to seeing the "hidden" costs or total cost of ownership...

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