iPhone App Reviews

Sunday, two days after launch day I went to a shopping center for no reason. As I passed the mobile stands I noticed that they had big iphone ads and a gigantic iphone model standing. There was no line and so I took my chance checking the only model there was. Nice, a bit slow to my surprise. As I asked about the connection I was told that this spot has average connection and around the main train station the access speed is much better and faster.

Okay, I test some more browsing. Safari is really nice and enlarging the webpage as anything else is just great. It is sharp. Building up the page was kind of slow, since I am used to wireless high speed and fiber optics connections. I have to get used to this speed once I am on the run and not anywhere with wireless high speed connection. All the other functions are very nice indeed and I can imagine I will spend a lot of time adding apps or play around with them, it so easy. Reading text an ebook or listen to music and audio books is great. Reading especially with the zoom and flip function.

All over the iphone has something to offer that no other mobile has at this point, not even in Japan. Now why am I not getting one or why am I still a bit reserved? I am not the average mobile user. I have a phone and I hardly use it, talking on the phone is not that easy with changing quality and background noises. Actually I have to test that part still on the iphone. I rather do short messages and I use icons a lot to make writing short.

The iphone can display the same number and alphabet system as you are used to on any mobile phone. Even better it can do it can do it in several languages. But it does not stop there, you also can display a full function keyboard. In both cases you use your finger and it is not a big problem, so you only can use on finger using the keyboard. Typing long messages can be time consuming, depending on your skills. For sure you might have seconds thoughts when you plan on writing a letter or some other long text, plan on some time to finish it. My guess is that some time soon some company will offer a keyboard that will go with the iphone.

I also hope that some programmer will present a solution the missing icons or symbols that you can use when sending a message on Japanese mobile phones. I guess it can be done, but I am sure that the TV and the pay function will not come to this iphone model, but it might be with the next one.

Now lets get to the prices. Often enough it was written it will cost 7280 Yen basic monthly fee and the 8 GB iphone 3G will cost 23040 Yen. I checked today and was asking the sales person what the cheapest plan is. I was told 8200 Yen. This is more as what is advertised and the explanation was not clear at all. For one I do not have to pay the 23040 Yen up front, because the phone is 0 Yen. Sounds good, but I am expect to pay on top of the 7280 Yen Confused?! Me too. let me try to break it down. According to what is in the press and on Softbanks website:
Basic plan called white plan        980 Yen
using SMS mail function             315 Yen
unlimited data packet               5985 Yen
Total                                         7280 Yen This is what you always read

Add to the 7290 Yen 2880 Yen for the iphone itself. 2880 x 24 month is what you pay for the iphone. Of course instead of paying 2880 each month you can pay it at once and the phone is yours. If you now say, that amount to 69120 Yen, where are the 23040 Yen, you are right. No one could explain that part to me on how 23040 Yen magically turn into 69120 Yen. Just stay with me and you should be able to see what happen. Lets continue the fun.

Once you add to the 7280 Yen the 2880 Yen you get 10,160 Yen monthly basic fee. Softbank offers a so called Super bonus which is 1920 Yen a month and it will be taken off the monthly 10,160 Yen so you end up with 8240 Yen. Are  you with me, start to roll the drums….

Lets do the magic: 8240 – 7280 = 960.  960 x 24 = 23040 Yen

Voila there it is your 23040 Yen which your iphone was advertised with.

If you want to get earlier out the contract you have to pay 2880 for each month that is left. So if you decide to step out of the contract one year later, you still have 12 month left with the 24 month contract and you have to pay 2880 x 12 = 34560.

Sum it up. You got two options. Get the iphone as advertised and pay monthly 8240 basic fee or buy the iphone first for 69120 Yen and pay 5360 Yen a month. In both cases you sign for a 24 month contract and you still have to add the fees for each call you make to au, docomo, other softbank users, landline and international calls.

What are your thoughts, did you choose the 0 Yen option or paid the 70000 Yen and opt for a lower monthly fee? Or are  you still on the fence and waiting?

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