Who has the iphone 5? What are the reviews?

I now have the new iPhone 5 along with the Samsung Note 2 LTE and the battery life on the Samsung Note is much better. Knowing that when the battery on the Samsung Note 2 goes out on me while traveling abroad that I can just insert a new fully charged one is great. Watching videos and reading news on the Samsung Note 2 is also better than reading or watching them on the iPhone 5 but when going out at night and I want something small in my hand or in my pocket I would much rather take the iPhone 5 out with me and leave the Samsung Note 2 in the house or hotel room. If I am going on a car trip and need navigation I would much rather use the Samsung Note 2 mounted to my smartphone holder on my
Windshield.

Each smartphone is good for something and bad for another.

Originally Posted by Emilner

Just curious- what would you want to disable?

Anything non-essential.

Plus, my android is rooted. I'd want the same control over in iphone.

Originally Posted by brkf

Anything non-essential.

Plus, my android is rooted. I'd want the same control over in iphone.

What is non essential, and why do you need to disable it? Just wondering...

Originally Posted by Emilner

What is non essential, and why do you need to disable it? Just wondering...

Disable Verizon/Apple's controls. Right now if you buy an iPhone you can't make it a hotspot (unless you pay extra fees). That's the most obnoxious limit of the current iPhone. The second is the ability to move the phone to t-mobile and other carriers.

Originally Posted by brkf

Disable Verizon/Apple's controls. Right now if you buy an iPhone you can't make it a hotspot (unless you pay extra fees). That's the most obnoxious limit of the current iPhone. The second is the ability to move the phone to t-mobile and other carriers.

I use mine as a hotspot all the time. It doesn't cost anything other than if you go over your data.

You can also use it to move to other carriers, if I'm not mistaken there was a law recently passed making it mandatory.

Originally Posted by brkf

Disable Verizon/Apple's controls. Right now if you buy an iPhone you can't make it a hotspot (unless you pay extra fees).

Same with any Android phone and most carriers out there. If they catch you tethering on a non-tethering plan (yes, they know), they are allowed to bump you up

That's the most obnoxious limit of the current iPhone. The second is the ability to move the phone to t-mobile and other carriers.

This isn't an iPhone limitation. This is a limitation going back since the time of GSM phones. Android phones have the same problem. They are bought subsidized and under contract, therefore carriers are allowed to lock them down. After the contract, they'll give you the code. (Yes, even with an iPhone.)

What's interesting is that now all recent LTE phones on VZW come sim-unlocked. (S3, iPhone5, DNA are examples). They are forced under one of their FCC rulings. Even iPhone5's bought under contract from VZW come unlocked.

And fyi, rooting doesn't unlock a phone from a carrier. It merely lets you install a different OS and grants you root access. You still have to pay a 3rd party or get the code from the carrier.

There are some instances where you can unlock an iPhone by jailbreaking it (ultraslow exploit). Or just pay a 3rd party service off ebay, like any Android phone (if carrier refuses to unlock it)

Originally Posted by stylinexpat

I now have the new iPhone 5 along with the Samsung Note 2 LTE and the battery life on the Samsung Note is much better. Knowing that when the battery on the Samsung Note 2 goes out on me while traveling abroad that I can just insert a new fully charged one is great. Watching videos and reading news on the Samsung Note 2 is also better than reading or watching them on the iPhone 5 but when going out at night and I want something small in my hand or in my pocket I would much rather take the iPhone 5 out with me and leave the Samsung Note 2 in the house or hotel room. If I am going on a car trip and need navigation I would much rather use the Samsung Note 2 mounted to my smartphone holder on my
Windshield.

Each smartphone is good for something and bad for another.

Apples to llamas comparison. It's like coming a 3 series to a 7 series and coming to the conclusion that the 7 series is a better cruiser.

Originally Posted by Griffoun

I thought you're going to bring up Consumer Report's iPhone5 rating compared to other smartphones on each US carrier...

2 points isn't a earth shattering victory for Android.

That being said, I have a hard time believing any rating that puts an LG Android phone over a Samsung/Motorola/Apple product. LG makes crap Android devices with poor support (even worse than HTC)

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Same with any Android phone and most carriers out there. If they catch you tethering on a non-tethering plan (yes, they know), they are allowed to bump you up



This isn't an iPhone limitation. This is a limitation going back since the time of GSM phones. Android phones have the same problem. They are bought subsidized and under contract, therefore carriers are allowed to lock them down. After the contract, they'll give you the code. (Yes, even with an iPhone.)

What's interesting is that now all recent LTE phones on VZW come sim-unlocked. (S3, iPhone5, DNA are examples). They are forced under one of their FCC rulings. Even iPhone5's bought under contract from VZW come unlocked.

And fyi, rooting doesn't unlock a phone from a carrier. It merely lets you install a different OS and grants you root access. You still have to pay a 3rd party or get the code from the carrier.

There are some instances where you can unlock an iPhone by jailbreaking it (ultraslow exploit). Or just pay a 3rd party service off ebay, like any Android phone (if carrier refuses to unlock it)

I know Verizon allows free tethering/hotspot (subject to data usage of course)...

Originally Posted by Emilner

I know Verizon allows free tethering/hotspot (subject to data usage of course)...

Yup, only on their new Shared Data plans though.

Those with the old grandfathered unlimited plan (on VZW) must get a $20 add-on to allow unlimited tethering.

AT&T is similar. They allow it on their shared plans or 5 gb individual plan.

Don't they throttle the unlimited plans anyway??

Originally Posted by Emilner

Don't they throttle the unlimited plans anyway??

Nope. I won't pay for tethering (that's why I root) or go to their horrible new Share Nothing plans. I pay less than $105 a month for 1 smartphone w/unlimited data and 2 regular phones. The same plan on Share Nothing is $160 a month. That expensive 2GB Share Nothing plan includes things we don't need (unlimited text, unlimited calling) while taking away my unlimited data.

Whatever I get next will be purchased outside of the upgrade plan. Should they ever take away my unlimited data, that'll be the time to get a subsidized iPhone and resell it (paying the ETF it's still a moneymaker) before decamping to another carrier.

Been using my rooted phone as a hotspot for work for years. No issues. Gigs of data. I will do the same with my next phone.

Then you aren't using enough data. AT&T and Verizon start throttling at a certain amount of usage. I have 2 iPhones and an LTE iPad on the family share with 5gb of data and the monthly bill is $163. Unlimited calls and texts...

Originally Posted by Emilner

Then you aren't using enough data. AT&T and Verizon start throttling at a certain amount of usage. I have 2 iPhones and an LTE iPad on the family share with 5gb of data and the monthly bill is $163. Unlimited calls and texts...

We go through a few gigs. With LTE I will surely go above that as it'll be easier to stream to the iPad.

I can't stomach $160+ for cell phones when I know $100 will get me what I want.

Originally Posted by brkf

We go through a few gigs. With LTE I will surely go above that as it'll be easier to stream to the iPad.

I can't stomach $160+ for cell phones when I know $100 will get me what I want.

I saved a ton moving to the share everything plan. I was paying 190 for 2 iPhones through AT&T with both unlimited date plus 30 for my iPad through VZ. Now I'm at 160 for everything with 5gb through VZ. I don't see how you would hit 160 if you are only using one smart phone...

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Yup, only on their new Shared Data plans though.

Those with the old grandfathered unlimited plan (on VZW) must get a $20 add-on to allow unlimited tethering.

AT&T is similar. They allow it on their shared plans or 5 gb individual plan.

This is true and was what I had until I picked up two new iphone 5's for me and the better half.

Originally Posted by Emilner

Then you aren't using enough data. AT&T and Verizon start throttling at a certain amount of usage. I have 2 iPhones and an LTE iPad on the family share with 5gb of data and the monthly bill is $163. Unlimited calls and texts...

Pretty much same here. On VZW I am paying 149 including tax (4 gigs) and before I switched to share everything I was paying 198. I basically saved 50 bucks a month and have plenty of data for my needs.

Originally Posted by Emilner

I saved a ton moving to the share everything plan. I was paying 190 for 2 iPhones through AT&T with both unlimited date plus 30 for my iPad through VZ. Now I'm at 160 for everything with 5gb through VZ. I don't see how you would hit 160 if you are only using one smart phone...

Agreed. Share everything saves money unless you use huge amounts of data.

Originally Posted by Emilner

I saved a ton moving to the share everything plan. I was paying 190 for 2 iPhones through AT&T with both unlimited date plus 30 for my iPad through VZ. Now I'm at 160 for everything with 5gb through VZ. I don't see how you would hit 160 if you are only using one smart phone...

1 smart phone + 2 regular phones on 2 GB per month = 160 per month before taxes (and corporate discount). So still comes out to 160.

Right now we have 1 smartphone + 2 regular phones, 1 person w250 text messages a month and unlimited data for $105 a month with taxes and discounts.

Moving to share nothing = a giant increase in costs with no benefits.

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Yup, only on their new Shared Data plans though.

Those with the old grandfathered unlimited plan (on VZW) must get a $20 add-on to allow unlimited tethering.

AT&T is similar. They allow it on their shared plans or 5 gb individual plan.

This extra $20 to add on to allow unlimited tethering is stupid and ridiculous. One should be allowed to tether and share their data usage amongst their own devices. I go into a restaurant order a large pizza and a large drink. Manager comes to my table and sees me eating and drinking with my daughter and demands an extra $20 for sharing the pizza and and drink that I had ordered. Tethering is basically sharing.

One has to wonder why the government does not on after the local telecom companies for price fixing like the foreign manufacturers that they go after.

Originally Posted by stylinexpat

This extra $20 to add on to allow unlimited tethering is stupid and ridiculous. One should be allowed to tether and share their data usage amongst their own devices. I go into a restaurant order a large pizza and a large drink. Manager comes to my table and sees me eating and drinking with my daughter and demands an extra $20 for sharing the pizza and and drink that I had ordered. Tethering is basically sharing.

One has to wonder why the government does not on after the local telecom companies for price fixing like the foreign manufacturers that they go after.

Because they don't want idiots to use it as their primary Internet at home, such as torrenting hundreds of gigs. That is abuse of the network and against the contract everyone signed.

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Because they don't want idiots to use it as their primary Internet at home, such as torrenting hundreds of gigs. That is abuse of the network and against the contract everyone signed.

I see your point as it has some validity to it but what if I have an iPad and want to tether off of from my smartphone as my screen is too small while out at a Starbucks or if I simply just want to take out my SIM card and use it on a different smartphone or use it in my iPad while outside traveling around? I think the unlimited is very limited.

That would be like limiting the speed of cars to just the speed limit as there are people out there who abuse the speed limits of the car.

Originally Posted by stylinexpat

I see your point as it has some validity to it but what if I have an iPad and want to tether off of from my smartphone as my screen is too small while out at a Starbucks or if I simply just want to take out my SIM card and use it on a different smartphone or use it in my iPad while outside traveling around? I think the unlimited is very limited.

That would be like limiting the speed of cars to just the speed limit as there are people out there who abuse the speed limits of the car.

This is why I root...

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Because they don't want idiots to use it as their primary Internet at home, such as torrenting hundreds of gigs. That is abuse of the network and against the contract everyone signed.

Why shouldn't I be able to use what I paid for however I want.