A quick iphone query....

[mark barker]

I've been looking at getting an iphone (I know, android is better!), but I've just read on the apple tech support site (linky) that I'll need an upto date computer to use the phone!? WHY? I thought the idea of the magic little box was that it could do the basic internet thing, make calls and general phone stuff. So, do I really need a computer to connect it to before I can start, or is this just complete garbage and are apple assuming that I'm going to want to sync the iphone with something on my computer?

FWIW I'm using a 1999 imac which can't run the required version of macOs.

 

[rusky]

it's probably for running itunes so you can sync it & update the IOS.

 

[jann71]

You need to connect to itunes to activate it before it can be used.

 

[Furkz]

BUT as of next month or August latest the new update will let the iPhone run on its own like android... so in theory it doesn't matter what pc you have...

also check out ios5 on apple site and how it runs. worth researching and believe me ive had both the user experience overall is a lot better on apple than android.

 

[2Loose]

You say Android is better (and cheaper ime)...there is your answer! lol.

Rusky is right though, you can't have the complete Apple experience ie.itunes etc. unless you have more of their products, without them the experience is a bit more lacklustre than they would like it to be. Apple sell the WHOLE experience, everything joins up with every other Apple product easily and it does take some thought out of the deal. Unfortunately it also takes some personal choice out of the deal too.

EDIT: I dispute Furkz opinion.
I like choice. I like to use my phone for whatever I fancy. I don't want someone to restrict what I want to do based on their ideas. If I want to use my phone to scan networks I can. If I want to use iTunes I can. If I want to use any of the free ebook systems, I can. If I do not want to be treated like an idiot about bad signals or whatever they choose to lie to me about next, then I can. To be fair, Apple's designs are great, however the company themselves choose to restrict choice based on what they think, not what I think. Maybe I am a geek and only a small section of the potential market, but I like things my way, not their way.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Jailbreak

 

[rusky]

You say Android is better (and cheaper ime)...there is your answer! lol.

Rusky is right though, you can't have the complete Apple experience ie.itunes etc. unless you have more of their products, without them the experience is a bit more lacklustre than they would like it to be. Apple sell the WHOLE experience, everything joins up with every other Apple product easily and it does take some thought out of the deal. Unfortunately it also takes some personal choice out of the deal too.

EDIT: I dispute Furkz opinion.
I like choice. I like to use my phone for whatever I fancy. I don't want someone to restrict what I want to do based on their ideas. If I want to use my phone to scan networks I can. If I want to use iTunes I can. If I want to use any of the free ebook systems, I can. If I do not want to be treated like an idiot about bad signals or whatever they choose to lie to me about next, then I can. To be fair, Apple's designs are great, however the company themselves choose to restrict choice based on what they think, not what I think. Maybe I am a geek and only a small section of the potential market, but I like things my way, not their way.

You mean like this http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/14/imac_hard_drive_replacement_woes/

 

[2Loose]

And indeed the following; (Forgive the links from the same site, but a quick scan of this weeks stories gave me the following, all related to locking the customer in, or Apple making decisions for their users)

http://www.theregist...s_rejected_app/

http://www.theregist...idevice_police/

http://www.theregist..._cloud_lock_in/

 

[2Loose]

It really doesn't matter though.

iPhones ARE shiny.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

And probbaly the best thing about the iPhone is I don't have to pay for it!

That's the great thing about mine too - that and it's shiny.

 

[mark barker]

Thanks for the replies folks. As has been mentioned above I just like the way the iphone works, the software and hardware seem to work seemlessly.... BUT.... I do think they've screwed up a bit with the need for a computer! Looks like it'll have to be an android phone for me afterall...

 

[ian turner]

They do seem to be shooting themselves in the foot, don't they? There must be millions of people running older Macs and if I was I wouldn't upgrade the computer just to get a phone, I'd buy an Android.

Not really as the iPhone is an entirely different and much bigger market covering people who wouldn't even consider buying an Apple PC. Steve Jobs has said that the apple computers are no longer a central data hub but merely a device fueling speculation that they will be concentrating on IoS and ignoring OSx in future so a relatively small group of people who don't upgrade their apple products every year will be considered irrelevant.

 

[mark barker]

Decided to go with the Android... Picked up a Samsung Galaxy S2, so now its play time!

 

[2Loose]

Enjoy!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

oddlt, i tested my ipod touch with the computer (04 emac) that my daughter has and it wouldn't have any of it. we got her a 'touch for her birthday, and she finds it works fine, which is nice.

i had an ipod nano that worked fine in an old powerbook wallstreet, despite what apple said on the box…