A few quick questions about iPhone 3gs

Hi everyone,

I have been lurking around for a week or so as I researched Iphones. I am going to make the switch over to the 3gs (from a prepaid 'dumb-phone') in the next couple of days I hope (or if we go 'family plan', on Feb.23rd when my wife's Verizon contract runs out, not that I know the date...!) and I am a complete newb when it comes to cell phones! I just have a few silly (read:stupid) questions, if you don't mind me asking as I couldn't really find specific answers that would relate to MY usage of this amazing device. I am familiar with and use iTunes with my 2gb old school nano, but only for music. Please be patient and I thank you in advance!!!

I am pretty set on the 32gb for the following reasons: I have 12gb of music on my desktop and it will grow, and I like having the option to take it all with me! I will shoot video of my kids randomly when they are doing silly things, load pics from iPhoto to my phone ot show my friends, use the app store, etc. 32 seems safe to be able to sync easily to my desktop with-out having to 'check' all the boxes for songs I don't want and have plenty of room for the growing army of apps that keeping being published. Does this make sense? I will be entering a new 2 yr contract from scratch, so the extra 100 bucks seems worth-it AND I don't really flip over phones every two years (like most seem to do on this board), I will prob have this one for 3+. Does the 32gb make sense for me?

Silly questions because I honestly don't know anyone with an iPhone currently that can help (no joke):

Q's: 1) Can you: download free TV shows to your phone or do you have to pay through iTunes for every-one? Specifically, if I wanted to download "sesame street" for my 2 year old to watch while we were flying somewhere, is there a way I can do it legally?

2) when you shoot video on your iPhone, can you save as much as the memory left will allow and upload it on you desktop later and edit it there and save it there as well?

3) I have read about "jailbroken" iPhones, but isn't one of the best things about dealing with apple the fact you don't really have to worry about bugs and stuff? Is there really that much of an advantage to "jailbreaking" a iphone? For my usage?

I guess that's it. Thanks everyone, much obliged.

Mountain

ADK Titan said:

Hi everyone,

I have been lurking around for a week or so as I researched Iphones. I am going to make the switch over to the 3gs (from a prepaid 'dumb-phone') in the next couple of days I hope (or if we go 'family plan', on Feb.23rd when my wife's Verizon contract runs out, not that I know the date...!) and I am a complete newb when it comes to cell phones! I just have a few silly (read:stupid) questions, if you don't mind me asking as I couldn't really find specific answers that would relate to MY usage of this amazing device. I am familiar with and use iTunes with my 2gb old school nano, but only for music. Please be patient and I thank you in advance!!!

I am pretty set on the 32gb for the following reasons: I have 12gb of music on my desktop and it will grow, and I like having the option to take it all with me! I will shoot video of my kids randomly when they are doing silly things, load pics from iPhoto to my phone ot show my friends, use the app store, etc. 32 seems safe to be able to sync easily to my desktop with-out having to 'check' all the boxes for songs I don't want and have plenty of room for the growing army of apps that keeping being published. Does this make sense? I will be entering a new 2 yr contract from scratch, so the extra 100 bucks seems worth-it AND I don't really flip over phones every two years (like most seem to do on this board), I will prob have this one for 3+. Does the 32gb make sense for me?

Click to expand...

It certainly sounds like it. And since you can't upgrade it later, you may as well get more than enough capacity from the get-go.

Silly questions because I honestly don't know anyone with an iPhone currently that can help (no joke):

Q's: 1) Can you: download free TV shows to your phone or do you have to pay through iTunes for every-one? Specifically, if I wanted to download "sesame street" for my 2 year old to watch while we were flying somewhere, is there a way I can do it legally?

Click to expand...

Search on iTunes for what you'd want to download for your kids. There is free content on iTunes - any of that free content will play on your iPhone.

2) when you shoot video on your iPhone, can you save as much as the memory left will allow and upload it on you desktop later and edit it there and save it there as well?

Click to expand...

As far as I know, yes on both counts. More info here: Apple - iPhone - Record, edit, and shoot video.

3) I have read about "jailbroken" iPhones, but isn't one of the best things about dealing with apple the fact you don't really have to worry about bugs and stuff? Is there really that much of an advantage to "jailbreaking" a iphone? For my usage?

I guess that's it. Thanks everyone, much obliged.

Mountain

Click to expand...

Basically jailbreaking opens your phone up to running applications distributed outside of Apple's own channels. Yes, if you jailbreak, you are forgoing any Apple support. You may also be subject to security and stability issues since the apps aren't quality checked like they would be coming from Apple.

That's not to say that you will absolutely run into those kinds of issues, but you certainly incur a bit more risk with a jailbroken phone.

Thanks a lot cwa107, I appreciate the feedback. If anyone else wants to input from their experiences, please, feel free. Also, this may be an old story to most of you, but I laughed today. So my Iphone protector case came today (switch easy rebel arctic) and my wife goes, "I was wondering if you wanted to hold off for a month (when her Verizon contract expires) so we can do the family plan and both have iPhones...." Thanks again, M

When i got mine rather than dump all music on it i made a folder in iTunes called iPh and only put in the the 4 star [my ratings and in a Smart Folder] music that i would listen to, and set it up to just put that folder on the iPh. Good time to get contacts and music sorted ready for the 'Big Sync" and to maximise room for adding videos.

Thanks Collin, that's a good suggestion and I may do that if I ultimately decide to go with a 16Gb instead of a 32Gb, now that the misses wants in on the deal....

ADK Titan said:

Thanks a lot cwa107, I appreciate the feedback. If anyone else wants to input from their experiences, please, feel free. Also, this may be an old story to most of you, but I laughed today. So my Iphone protector case came today (switch easy rebel arctic) and my wife goes, "I was wondering if you wanted to hold off for a month (when her Verizon contract expires) so we can do the family plan and both have iPhones...." Thanks again, M

Click to expand...

You can sign up now and and add your wife to your plan when her contract ends.

MacJ,
That is the plan! I am very excited. Thanks to all and I hope I can learn enough to contribute usefully in the future.
M

If you have any cartoons or kids dvds that you own, there are programs you can download that will convert them to play on the iPhone as well.

I have a 3GS and I love it....congrats and enjoy!

Thanks ZorroAMG, I do have kids dvd's (as well as my own) and I will research some programs to download them to play on my iPhone. Thanks for the tip.