tin_the_fatty weblog

I checked out the new iPhone 3G at a Hutchison 3 outlet in Tuen Mun yesterday.

I loaded Google News on Safari over the 3G network. Performance was quite agreeable, and the gorgeous screen! I could read it all day!

It is not cheap thou. HK$4,680 and HK$5,640 to take the 8GB and 16GB models out respectively. 24 monthly rebates. Still, this is no more expensive than other Smartphones with similar data plans.

Having said that, throw in a year of MobileMe subscription (~HK$800), and one would have a very solid push email/calendar/contact system.

James mentioned that (paraphrase) the iPhone 3G is one of the most featureless Smartphone on the market. I replied that if features are the only deciding factor, we would all be using Swiss Army Knifes. Simplicity is how Apple does it.

I really like the kit. Not that I am buying one, for (i) my personal email/contact/calendar lives under Google; (ii) my employer gives me a Crackberry; (iii) I am already addicted to the Internet and would like time away from it.

[Oh, the saleslady said that the iPhone 3G is not SIM-locked. So it could be used in China with a China Mobile pre-paid SIM, althou GPRS charges might be hefty. At least one doesn’t need a seperate phone going in China.]