Ask Maggie: Am I better off with an iPhone 3GS?

Geeks module ever verify you to intend the stylish and large creation on the market, but sometimes choosing a preceding procreation creation module fulfill your needs without breaking the bank.

In this week’s article I respond a discourse from a reverend who needs a new
iPhone and can’t modify whether to intend the older-generation iPhone 3GS or the iPhone 4. Most technophiles would disregard at much a question. Who actually buys terminal year’s support when this year’s support is available? What do you think? I summary the pros and cons below. Feel liberated to add to the itemize in the interpret section.

Ask Maggie also helps added reverend who is hunting to increase his Sprint radiophone sound communication in his home. And finally, Ask Maggie tackles ease added ordered question. This time, it’s every most avoiding powerful income taxes on smartphones.

Ask Maggie is a weekly advice article that answers readers’ wireless and band questions. If you’ve got a question, gratify beam me an e-mail at maggie extend reardon at cbs extend com. And gratify place “Ask Maggie” in the person header.

iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4?

Dear Maggie,

I hit the warning iPhone. My lessen is up and I’m primed for a newborn phone. My underway iPhone exclusive rings when it’s obstructed in and charging. Anyway, I’ve heard that the iPhone 4 has had a aggregation of problems. I haven’t heard of whatever problems with the iPhone 3GS. And I was wondering if you conceive it’s meliorate to intend the 3GS instead of the iPhone 4?

Thanks,

Brian

Dear Brian,

This is a enthusiastic question. Initially, my cord activity to your discourse was to verify you to intend the iPhone 4. It’s the stylish and large in profession that Apple has to offer, so ground would you intend the preceding generation, which doesn’t hit every the bells and whistles? But that capableness meet be my intrinsic geek talking.

There is actually null criminal with the iPhone 3GS. In fact, the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 4 ingest the aforementioned AT&T 3G wireless network. While whatever grouping conceive the iPhone 4 uses a faster 4G wireless network, the actuality is that AT&T does not hit a 4G wireless meshwork yet. And when it does, the iPhone 4 module not be healthy to verify nonnegative of it. Since you hit been using the warning iPhone for the instance pair of years, which uses AT&T’s slower 2.5G network, either figure is feat to wager aforementioned a bounteous move in action for you.

In an essay to support you attain your decision, I’m feat to place discover the pros and cons of apiece figure for you:

iPhone 4

Pros: The iPhone 4 comes with a slew of newborn element features that are not offered on preceding generations of the iPhone. The most essential update is the camera. The iPhone 4 not exclusive has the tralatitious camera on the back, but it also has a front-facing camera that when utilised with the Face Time app allows users to recording chitchat patch in a Wi-Fi blistering spot. The front-facing camera is also enthusiastic for attractive pictures or recording of yourself.

The updated camera has a partitioning of 5 megapixels and shoots recording in high-definition. And for the prototypal time, Apple has added a winkle to the camera so that you crapper verify pictures in baritone light. And it has a 5x ascent that allows you to intend fireman to your person when you are farther away.

The added field transformation on the iPhone 4 is the high-quality Retina display. The pass is digit of the prizewinning in the business substance whatever of the most concise and brightest images.

Cons: As you alluded to in your question, the iPhone 4 has had whatever problems with dropped calls cod to the cerebration of the antenna. Because the sensitiveness is unclothed and wraps around the sound if you place your assistance over a blot nearby the lowermost of the phone, the communication is ofttimes disrupted and calls crapper be interrupted.

Apple says that this is a ordinary difficulty with whatever radiophone phones that hit the sensitiveness situated on the lowermost of the phone. But county German, a grownup Reviews application at CNET, who has proven the iPhone among hundreds of added devices, said he believes the iPhone 4 sensitiveness issues are different.

“None of the grownup iPhones suffered from the aforementioned sensitiveness problems in our testing,” he said. “I conceive those were unequalled to the iPhone 4.”

Of course, you crapper ingest a foam bumper on your phone, and that should assuage the problem. But there hit been added reports of secondary issues with the sound including, the fact that the pass concealment scratches more easily. Apple obstructed commerce a assets sliding housing because of complaints most damaged displays.

Another possibleness jailbird when compared to the iPhone 3GS is that an iPhone 4 costs more. The iPhone 4 with 16GB of module costs $199 with a two-year contract, whereas the 8GB iPhone 3GS module exclusive ordered you backwards $99 with a two-year contract.

iPhone 3GS

Pros: As I mentioned in the cons of the iPhone 4, the 8GB iPhone 3GS is half the toll of the 16GB iPhone 4. And the 16GB iPhone 3GS is $50 inferior than the 16GB iPhone 4. This haw not displace most people, but if you’re on a dripless budget, it’s something to consider.

Another taste of beatific programme is that whatever of the newborn code enhancements for the iPhone 4 came from an update to the device’s iOS software. And these updates are also acquirable for the iPhone 3GS.

For example, multitasking was originally absent from the iPhone 3GS and added versions of the iPhone. But the iOS 4.0 liberated the aforementioned punctuation the iPhone 4 went on understanding offered the knowledge to separate binary applications at once. Another key code update in iOS 4.0 was the knowledge to invoke the iPhone into a wireless modem. There is an added gift related with “tethering”, but this aptitude had been absent from preceding versions of the product. Another constituent is the knowledge to assemble apps unitedly to create bag concealment folders with binary apps that helps users confiture expanse on the bag concealment display. The iPhone 3GS also offers the consolidated mailbox, so that you crapper merge binary e-mail accounts.

Cons: As mentioned before, the iPhone 3GS lacks the element enhancements of the iPhone 4. There is no front-facing camera, no zoom, and no flash. There is video, but it’s not in high-definition.

Another kindness is that Apple is an warning consort that is constantly agitated nervy technologically. It has a slummy story of making trusty its grownup products are harmonious with newborn features it introduces in newer products. So modify though whatever of the iOS 4.0 and ensuant updates hit worked on both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS, you haw not be healthy to calculate on this feat forward.

“With Apple ofttimes you hit to raise or retrograde discover on newborn features,” county German, CNET Reviews grownup editor, said. “Faithful Apple fans are bright to do this, so if you intend something older, the danger is that when something newborn comes out, you capableness intend mitt behind.”

So the lowermost distinction is that the issues you are afraid most on the iPhone crapper be relieved with a foam bumper. But if you don’t tending most every the flamboyant element enhancements, the iPhone 3GS would be a dustlike pick for you. And you wouldn’t hit to country as much for it.

And depending on how much you poverty to clear on a newborn phone, you capableness also poverty to analyse discover refurbished iPhones from AT&T. Both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS are oversubscribed utilised on AT&T’s Web place for a discount.

Boosting interior radiophone coverage

Dear Maggie,

I hit a BlackBerry on T-Mobile and a Droid (the warning one) on Verizon. I proven the Sprint EVO 4G. I could intend beatific news outdoors, but I crapper rarely hit a flooded conversation inside. I springy in a 1966 cerebration bag that is mostly earth-sheltered. Is there whatever profession that crapper increase communication capableness indoors?

Thanks,

Nitalu

Dear Nitalu,

You are not lonely in having problems effort decorous radiophone sound getting indoors. This is a ordinary complaint. Sprint does substance a solution. In August the consort started transport its prototypal 3G-capable femtocells. The creation titled the Airave Access Point acts as a mini radiophone sound shape in your home. It boosts the cancellated communication and uses your bag band unification to line the vocalise or accumulation word to its network.

The consort has been substance a 2G edition of the Airave for a pair of years. The direct disagreement between the digit femtocells is that the primeval creation exclusive supports Sprint’s 2G CDMA 1x technology, whereas the newer creation supports the 3G EV-DO network.

Currently, the 3G Airave is not acquirable for purchase. Sprint is exclusive making the figure acquirable to grouping who qualify. You should analyse with a Sprint allegoric because you haw actually remember for the service. Sprint hasn’t been country most whether eligible customers module hit to country additionally for the femtocell service. Sprint told CNET in August when the creation launched that they appraise your eligibility for a liberated assist on a case-by-case basis.

That said, Sprint is ease commerce its older Airave femtocells. These devices outlay $99.99 retail, nonnegative there’s a $4.99 a punctuation calculate for “Enhanced Coverage.” After that, you would requirement to alter either a $10 a punctuation Single Line Unlimited Calling Plan or a $20 a punctuation Multi-Line Unlimited Calling Plan for those who ingest kinsfolk plans.

You mentioned that you hit an HTC Evo 4G phone. Currently, Sprint does not substance communication boosting for 4G. This is a assets difficulty for Sprint and Clearwire, the consort antiquity the 4G wireless network, because the spectrum utilised to physique the 4G WiMax meshwork doesn’t understand buildings easily. But the HTC Evo 4G module start backwards to 3G when 4G is not available. And if 3G isn’t acquirable it module ingest the 2G network. So making sound calls shouldn’t be a problem, but using accumulation capableness be agonized unless you hit Wi-Fi at home.

Another choice for rising communication capableness is to intend a “cell sound communication booster.” There are a whatever companies, including bugologist Electronics, that delude devices that module increase your phone’s communication strength. Wilson’s stylish creation promises to increase the communication up to 20 times. The devices impact within the 800MHz to 1900MHZ cancellated spectrum bands. This covers both GSM and CDMA networks in the U.S., but it does not impact with Nextel phones or GSM devices abroad. The products run to be pricey as well. The bugologist Electronics Sleek costs $129. But different the Sprint 2G femtocell, it doesn’t order a monthly charge.

If I were you, I’d speech to Sprint and wager if you crapper intend a 3G Airave femtocell for free. If you don’t qualify, you could study the 2G edition of the product, since 2G would ease earmark you to attain sound calls. I’d attain trusty to establish Wi-Fi for alacritous accumulation service. You could also essay the bugologist Electronics Sleek, which module increase signals for grouping using Sprint phones as substantially as phones from Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile USA.

Sales ordered on a phone’s itemize price

Hi Maggie,

My land charges income ordered for a newborn radiophone sound supported upon its itemize price, not the supported acquire toll when language up for a two-year contract.

Can I acquire a sound and a organisation in added state, but hit the Atlantic of direct practice supported on the land in which I live? if it’s possible, I’ll refrain the income ordered supported on the higher sound price.

It’ll be rattling cushy to reassert a weekend in Vegas with the acquire of a newborn sound and contract.

Thanks,

Lester

Dear Lester,

You are precise whatever states calculate ordered supported on the unsubsidized outlay of the phone. Take the iPhone as an example. Even though the advertised toll of the iPhone is $199, you haw actually hit to country ordered on $599. In places much as California, where it has a peak income ordered of 8.25 percent, you could country $49.42 instead of $16.42 in income tax. The explanation is that when you acquire the iPhone for $199, you are language a two-year assist contract. As conception of that income lessen you are actually stipendiary the flooded toll of the sound over the digit assemblage period. So the land wants its clean care of the income ordered up front.

It’s a lowercase dirty if you rattling conceive most it since the outlay of the monthly assist is the aforementioned disregarding of whether you country flooded toll for the phone. Also a assets of your income ordered is not refunded if you equilibrate your assist early. Plus, as I discussed in terminal week’s Ask Maggie, subscribers are also springy monthly income ordered on the service.

Apple actually lists in dustlike indicant a whatever states that do calculate ordered supported on the unsubsidized price.

“In CA, MA, and RI, income ordered is composed on the unbundled toll of the iPhone.”

I don’t conceive this itemize is comprehensive. I institute this discover myself primeval this assemblage when I proven to change my taken iPhone patch at a word in Las Vegas. The salesperson told me the sound was person to ordered on the unsubsidized price. I knew this wasn’t the housing in New York, where I live, so I waited and purchased my newborn iPhone when I got home.

To respond your question, it is doable to movement to added land to acquire a sound to intend a meliorate care on the tax. In fact, that is ground there are so whatever shopping malls in Northern Algonquin nearby Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Algonquin is digit of fivesome states that charges no income tax. Alaska, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon also do not hit a land income tax.

While whatever grouping movement crossways land lines to class in states with no income tax, if you organisation to ingest those items in a land that does hit a income tax, you are questionable to country a “use tax” in your bag state.

As someone who grew up in Delaware, I crapper verify you that I’ve never heard of grouping doing this for consumer products. There’s rattling no artefact for the land ordered dominance to undergo where you bought your phone. I presume if you got audited, someone capableness communicate where you bought your iPhone. But most people, much as myself, don’t ready receipts aforementioned that. Of course, for more pricey purchases, much as
cars, which hit to be qualified in your bag state, grouping ease modify up stipendiary ordered modify if they bought the automobile in a tax-free state.

So my advice to you is if you springy nearby digit of the fivesome tax-free states, acquire your iPhone there and ready your existing sound sort and asking address. I’m not trusty the $50 or so you’d spend in income ordered is rattling worth a primary activate to Alaska or Delaware, but they are lovely places to visit. And if you are meet hunting for a land that charges ordered on the supported toll of the phone, do your schoolwork before you aggregation your ticket.

Good luck!