....Dare I ask....iPhone recommendations?!!??!!!!

[mirrodie]

Since our phones are near death, and I am gonna miss my Nokia, and the timing was just there, we went and got those new iPhones. I wasn't waiting for the next big thing, it was just the timing....don't think my phone would last another month!

Some background:

I have loved my Nokias. They were tough as nails and easy to maintain. Plus, I tend to use a phone as a phone, so texting and music on a phone has never been a large part of its use. And to be honest, I was never really big on texting cuz I hate typing.

So somehere, *Cough, Tom, cough Phil, Cough Nick, cough cough,* may have hinted that my means are archaic by today's standards.

But with Siri, looks like I may be sending out more texts. Also, with the new phone 8M camera and 1080 HD vid capabilities, we dont have to worry if someone bought the PnS camera...

I've been pretty anti-smartphone.... In fact, I call them dumbphones simply because people allow themselves to become complete imbeciles with these things. I mean its one thing to have a tool and use it. Its another to have to rule your life, to the point it affects your driving and interpersonal skills. People do not know how to tune these things out.

And to be blunt, I'm very big on family. And I nearly blow my stack when I go to kiddie parties and outings and see parents with their face in a cell screen and not even looking at the best thing on earth, their kids. Turn it off, imbeciles!

So I have just bought a tool that I want to use wisely.

That said, I am asking for advice. I think I should get some physical protection for the phone.

A-any recommendations on impact bearing covers?

B-What are some of the more useful apps (not games) that are out there to truly help one's life? (I know its too easy to list games and such, but trying to steer away from that.) For example, someone told me of apps that help translate, which could help my everyday work.

C- Oh, I have not added protection yet, but I can add Verizon protection or Applecare. Big difference there? Experiences?

[gonzalu]

I am getting mine as soon as they are available (The iPhone 4S) and will have an Incase hard shell for it ASAP with a Screen protector from Power Support (the very best screen protectors, just do your research) I have my original one on my 3Gs for over two years and it has NEVER EVER bubbled up or had any corner peel. It has deep gashes on it and never reached the actual Gorilla Glass...

Apps, you must have Angry Birds (of course) and FlightAware, LiveATC, Pandora, Where, Around ME, Starbucks, eBay, Yelp, NYT, WSJ, IMDb, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Weather Bug, Pilot Time, ConvertBot, TeamViewer, Shazam, to name a very few

[NIKV69]

Nice to see you are getting a phone produced after the Reagan administration. Though I am anti Apple enjoy it. As for apps get flightaware. I love tweetcaster. FB is good. Gas Buddy,

[Fighting_falcon_51]

Zagg screen protectors are the best but they do tend to get pocket lint caught under them. Zagg will replace the screen protector as many times as you want for free though.

For a warranty http://www.squaretrade.com/ is the best for accidental/defective coverage. For accidental/defective/ AND theft coverage I would either get Verizon or http://www.safeware.com/ . Stay away from Apple care because the amount of coverage doesn't compare.

[gonzalu]

There is one benefit to AppleCare: Walk in to any apple store, no papers to produce, all "in the system" and no worries for whatever is covered. Not sure how the others work but any time I have to figure out where I put some document, I am bound to fail

[NIKV69]

As also someone pointed out on anet tunein radio is an epic app. I listen to Rush and Michael Savage on it all the time.

[cancidas]

if you really want to get a good case for it get the one from Magpul. they normally make polymer rifle magazines, own a few of those. i'd give you a link, but lowe and behold their website is blocked here at work.

[NIKV69]

Body glove makes some good ones too. I have one for my android and love it.

[emshighway]

I have been buying Seidio products for the iPone for years. The cases and especially the clips last a very long time. In fact any clip damaged is by my stupiduty not the failure of the clip.

[T-Bird76]

Mario just check out this site...its everything "i" Apple...iPhone..iPad...iTouch....i need help with my Apple product ;)

http://www.tipb.com/?utm_source=topb..._term=sitename

[megatop412]

I was in the same predicament with a dying phone before summer and contemplated whether I should get, as you call it, a "dumbphone". I have similar concerns about how much these get used in place of interacting with your environment(people, nature, etc.)

I ended up getting a Samsung Convoy. It's a flip phone and is pretty tough, with insane battery life- I sometimes go a week before needing to recharge it and it gets daily use as a phone. No touchscreen, it's basically for calls because like you I don't tend to text too much.

I read your other thread about what happened at the playground. My guess is that the guy probably had the same intention as you before he got his smartphone, "I won't be dominated by this thing", but it ended up happening anyway. I bet most people say that. But, while the percentage is definitely shrinking, there are definitely non-smartphone options out there, and I ended up getting my Convoy for free through the 'new every 2' program that Verizon just discontinued unfortunately.

My own story of disgust: while in a music studio last May recording an album with my old heavy metal band, I noticed the other guys were CONSTANTLY on their phones, texting away. When the other guitarist was doing his tracks, he actually had his phone on the table and kept looking at it WHILE HE WAS RECORDING. We had waited nearly 15 years for the opportunity of a lifetime to do this, and a damn phone was becoming a distraction???

These phones, to me, are pure evil.

[cancidas]

i'm 99% sure these are made of the same polymers as their magazines, hand guards and rifle grips:

http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG451/125
http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG450/125