iPhone and apps

rafiki_

rafiki_

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Interesting article in MBM in apps for the iPhone. What it does not explain is how succeptible the iPhone is to damp and humidity. While returning an iPod Touch (same technology as the phone) to the local Apple store, as the screen had failed, there was an endless stream of people returning iPhone's. The first thing the helpful Apple Assistant's do is get their Dr Who sonic screwdriver out, shine it into the jack plug socket, and declare that it has been water damaged, as the tell-tale white tape has gone red. This happened to 4 people while I was there, all of whom had to write off their phones. Now, how is this going to work on a boat?

Note they tried this with SWMBO's Touch, and after a fair bit of red mist, concurred with me that the tape was still white, not red or pink as they stated. We got a replacement, but now never take it out of the house, just use the original Pod on the mobo.

We were going to take the iPhone route at work, but have now dismissed this idea as a result of the above.

I know there will be many of you who say that your iPhone is better than sex, but check the appropriate forum's, there are many disatisfied custemers.
 
The iPhone is a great toy, and the apps make it a very good product for passing the time of day, but as a phone and a business tool it is useless, battery life is ****, signal is **** (not talking about the 4) and also if you use outlook if you reply on your iPhone it does not appear in you outlook folder.....

I am looking at the HTC Desire as a good phone, toy and business tool, let’s hope it is a lot better than the iPhone....

As for iPhones and boats, bit like chickens and hungry lions in the same coop, interesting for a bit of fun, but not a good combination if you want harmony….
 
Love my iPhone take on the boat all the time but it stays below deck. Got a VHF to talk to people on the water.

iPhone apps very useful and you get to check the weather online when on board. Oh and check the forum.

But they don't like water for sure.
 
SteveE said:
The iPhone is a great toy, and the apps make it a very good product for passing the time of day, but as a phone and a business tool it is useless, battery life is ****, signal is **** (not talking about the 4) and also if you use outlook if you reply on your iPhone it does not appear in you outlook folder.....

I am looking at the HTC Desire as a good phone, toy and business tool, let’s hope it is a lot better than the iPhone....

As for iPhones and boats, bit like chickens and hungry lions in the same coop, interesting for a bit of fun, but not a good combination if you want harmony….
Click to expand...

Agreed. We use Blackberry's for work. Very reliable so far, but not as adaptable a toy as the iPhone.
 
I agree the I-phone in its various incarnations just isn't up the stresses and strains of everyday life, let alone the rigours required for usefulness on board the boat.

I've had a HTC Hero for over a year - very happy with it. Its been to the boat with me every trip, and lives in the Nav compartment quite happily. It runs Android so is very PC compatible - with Outlook even in standalone (non-exchange) mode and there are loads of toys and widgets for it. Definitely much better for a boater than any of the Apple offerings.
 
Ah. I guess your using pop access to your email. I find imap much better for syncing on multiple clients

My iPhone has been with me all season and swmbo had hers all last season too. No probs so far and all the apps we need (which isn't much). I even carried on remote support for work whilst away so yes. The iPhone is very poor at standing up to the rigours of life aboard. NOT.
 
Nice polarisation here. It will be Betamax vs VHS and, with wry amusement, all the noises I recall about Betamax are being made by both sides in the current war.

I must say that I do feel there seems to be quite a lot od backgorund noise about iPhone and water resistance. I am wondering if its a bit like the issues the USAAF had in WW2 with the Norden bomb sight and Ford had with some of their ignition systems in the 1970s and 1980s, products designed in California to cope and work in California's weather that find cold and damp conditions less benign. Will the iPhone stand up to being in your pocket in a sudden serious rainstorm?

Quote from a colleague: "this phone cost £400 of course its good"...
 
SteveE said:
I am looking at the HTC Desire as a good phone, toy and business tool...
Click to expand...

I've had my HTC Desire for about 3 months and am generally very pleased with it. Being able to read various weather forecasts when on the boat, in many places around the coast, without needing the laptop, is particularly useful.

However the battery life is poor, even with light internet use. The device needs charging once every 24 hours. I bought a cheap charger to use with a 12V socket but it didn't work. Having now acquired two more expensive 12V chargers (one for the boat and one for the car), and leaving the device on charge, on the chart table, overnight is now working well.

Don't expect the battery to last for days.
 
Moisture indicator sharp practices...

Hi-
I don't know how poor Iphones are with water but I do know from experience how the 'Warranty's void mate, you got it wet and here's the proof...' is used across the industry.

It was used on me with a '3' dongle which turned out to work perfectly, still does, when the network failed (some time ago)

Nick-
using Memory Map charts on a Windows Mobile HTC Touch
 
NickRobinson said:
Hi-
I don't know how poor Iphones are with water but I do know from experience how the 'Warranty's void mate, you got it wet and here's the proof...' is used across the industry.
Click to expand...

There seems to be an increase in evidence that the water detection strips used are overly sensitive and react to perspiration etc. meaning that genuine failures are being put down to water as the strips have turned pink incorrectly.


Martin (using an HTC Desire)
 
SteveE said:
The iPhone is a great toy, and the apps make it a very good product for passing the time of day, but as a phone and a business tool it is useless, battery life is ****, signal is **** (not talking about the 4) and also if you use outlook if you reply on your iPhone it does not appear in you outlook folder.....

I am looking at the HTC Desire as a good phone, toy and business tool, let’s hope it is a lot better than the iPhone....

As for iPhones and boats, bit like chickens and hungry lions in the same coop, interesting for a bit of fun, but not a good combination if you want harmony….
Click to expand...
Does on mine
 
mlines said:
There seems to be an increase in evidence that the water detection strips used are overly sensitive and react to perspiration etc. meaning that genuine failures are being put down to water as the strips have turned pink incorrectly.


Martin (using an HTC Desire)
Click to expand...

True but there are more scum bags out there that deliberately throw their phones down the loo so they can have the latest model. I know someone who is involved in this game and the spike they seem in claims when a new model comes out is quite simply staggering.

I use two iphones on boat, skiing, cycling in all sorts of conditions and never had a problem, with 3g or 3gs. I use nave and weather apps. Of course I appreciate that one good wave and it is probably wiped out but I still don't bother to put in a protective cover as it is then less useable. I find it hard to believe that the iphone is any more susceptible than an HTC or a nokia for that matter .
 
I'm surprised to read quite a bit of negative stuff about the iPhone here. I've had one for the last couple of years and think it's amazing. It's not billed as being particularly water-proof so treat it with respect and it'll serve you well.

With Navionics charts on the boat, the £15 (I think) Navionics iPhone app is a must as I can plan trips anywhere (also good for a plotter backup if all fails although I've got a hand-held GeoNav that would be first backup).

Battery life on new iPhone is better and currently gets me through 2 days, but even 1 day's enough I reckon - just get used to charging it daily......

So thumbs up from me - it's easily the best 'phone I've ever had.
 
My old nokia finally succumbed to dampness .... in 6 meters of water .... I suspect most phones would succumb to the dampness in those conditions! ;)

I've used a couple of blackberries - not impressed, I've used a couple of HP Windows Mobile devices - still not impressed - I've looked at the HTC devices - I'm sure they're good, but TBH I prefer an iPhone - simple, intuitive and versatile. I would prefer a slightly better camera and even a flash - but that's not what I got the iPhone for.
 
fireball said:
I would prefer a slightly better camera and even a flash - but that's not what I got the iPhone for.
Click to expand...

And that's why I went for the Xperia. I can't justify a digicam for family and freinds type snapping so an 8 megapixel camera is fine. As far as I know (not looked) there is no Grinder for Android which must say something, no idea what though:-)
 
Andrew_Fanner said:
And that's why I went for the Xperia. I can't justify a digicam for family and freinds type snapping so an 8 megapixel camera is fine. As far as I know (not looked) there is no Grinder for Android which must say something, no idea what though:-)
Click to expand...

Some people buy Audis or BMWs, some will even buy a Proton :o
 
fireball said:
I would prefer a slightly better camera and even a flash - but that's not what I got the iPhone for.
Click to expand...

iPhone 4 camera is brilliant compared to the iPhone3 (also has a flash now too)


...... I sound like an iPhone salesman!!
 
Last edited:
Sorry, my issue has got a bit lost. What is the point of great nav and met apps, if you can't really use the iPhone outside?

I'm not plugging any sort of phone, but I think MBM should consider the practicalities of their articles.
 
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