jeremy borger [blog]

Jesus wants me to buy an iPhone

I’m an Apple geek, or “fanboi” as some might label it. So when the original iPhone came out last summer, I wanted it. But I’m also not usually a bleeding edge early adopter, especially for something that I really rely on day to day, like my phone. Also, I didn’t want to spend $175 to break my contract with Verizon, which I was only half way through.

So when the new iPhone 3G came out this summer, I was ready. It had the faster 3G network and GPS, which is key for me because I drive around a lot for work. My Verizon contract ended September 1, so you’d think I’d be in line at the Apple Store on that day, waiting for my phone.

But I’m a fiscally conservative type of guy. I was telling myself I should wait until my sales reach a certain level at work. I was saying I should hold off until my condo assessments for our roof is paid off. I was trying to be responsible.

Then my Verizon phone started going on the fritz. This past weekend I was dropping calls, calls weren’t coming through, I was having a hard time dialing out and text messages sometimes wouldn’t send. I brought the phone to Verizon and they ran a software update which took about 30 minutes. (ironically, I wandered on down to the AT&T store while I was waiting…) After all that, the Verizon guy said, “Well, you’re probably going to have to buy a new phone soon. Luckily, you’re eligible for a new one.” Yes, I know.

You can’t really get a better sign from God than that, can you?

My only real concerns with the iPhone are the lack of picture messaging and no turn-by-turn navigation. From what I understand, I can’t send or receive text messages with pictures or video. That just makes no sense to me. The most basic of phones out there can do this and the $300 iPhone I’m going to pick up today can’t?

My other issue is no turn-by-turn navigation. As I said, I use GPS a lot for work. I love Verizon’s VZ Navigator product on my LG phone. The iPhone has GPS and will give you step-by-step directions in list form like Google Maps, but no “Turn left on Lorain Avenue” being spoken to you as you’re driving.

Both of these should merely be software issues, meaning a software update could “fix” the picture messaging and the App Store could have a turn-by-turn navigation system to download in the future. Multiple sources say that turn-by-turn is coming. Hopefully that future won’t be too long.