Why The iPhone 3G S Upgrade Is Not Worth It

I have the 16GB iPhone 3G, which is the best iPhone you can get at the moment. On Monday, I carefully sifted through all the new features on the iPhone 3G S coming out next week Friday and decided that it would NOT be worth it for me to upgrade. Here's why:

First of all, Apple and AT&T are not giving current iPhone owners who are not eligible for an upgrade a discount on the new iPhone. 3G owners who signed a two-year commitment are definitely not eligible since less than a year has elapsed. I bought mine on July 11, 2008 and AT&T says I will be eligible for an upgrade by March 12, 2010. I might as well wait until the next iPhone comes out in June or July 2010.

If I REALLY wanted to get the iPhone 3G S, I would have to shell out $499 for the 32GB version or $399 for the 16GB version AND sign a new two-year contract. Paying $200 more and being ineligible for next year's iPhone is a double-whammy.

Secondly, I really don't NEED any of the new features that are exclusive to the 3G S:

• Faster processor - Great new addition to the 3G S. But, I'm not willing to pay top dollar for it.
• Video recording - Nice feature, but I already have a real video camera that I would use for serious video.
• Better camera - Again, nice features. But, I have already adapted myself to the current iPhone camera and learned to take great pictures.
• Built-In Voice Control - I have already have an app that does something very similar. I hardly use it anyway. So, I wonder if I will really use it on the 3G S.
• Increased Memory - This is the feature I would REALLY love. But, I wouldn't pay $499 for it.
• Digital Compass - Useful when using with Google Maps and that's about it. I wouldn't brag to friends about this one.
• Marginally Better Battery - I have a portable iPhone charger that I can use when I'm in a bind. I am also able to charge my iPhone in both of my cars.

Lastly, next week Wednesday's iPhone OS 3.0 release will affect me MORE than any of the exclusive features for the 3G S. I have been waiting for most of these features and I will be getting them for FREE. iPod Touch users will have to pay $9.99.

So, I believe that the 3.0 upgrade is actually BETTER than the 3G S upgrade.

iPhone 3G S & iPhone OS 3.0

iPhone 3G S

Another year, another iPhone. The 3rd-generation iPhone is the iPhone 3G S. Apple says the "S" stands for speed. Whatever.

Here's the laundry list of features that will ONLY be found on the 3G S:

• Faster processor - Quicker overall OS speed. Apps launch faster, web pages render quicker and games perform better. Apple says it's 2x faster but I'd take that with a grain of salt until I see a real demo.
• Video recording - VGA video recording up to 30 fps with audio. Simple trimming program for minor edits.
• Better Camera - 3 MP camera (which is an odd number; I usually see 3.2 MP) with autofocus and a tap to focus feature. Sorry, no flash.
• Built-In Voice Control - Sure there are free apps available right now that do something similar. But it is nice to have this feature built into the OS. So, you can control your phone and iPod with simple voice commands.
• Increased Memory - Onboard RAM now tops out 32GB instead of 16GB.
• Digital Compass - A compass is a compass. However, it is really useful when using Google Maps. The map will reorient itself when you turn so it is easier to use.
• Marginally Better Battery - The Apple website compares the battery life between the 3G and the 3G S. Better is always better but it's not a dealbreaker.
  

Here's a video of how the iPhone 3G S works:

iPhone OS 3.0

Now, the operating system that comes with the 3G S is iPhone OS 3.0. Current iPhone 3G users can get the upgrade for FREE. iPod Touch users can get the upgrade for $9.99.

Here's what 3.0 offers:

• Cut, Copy & Paste Between Applications - Finally! A feature that should have been there since day one is now a reality. Watch the video above for a really cool demo of the this function.
• Landscape Keyboard - You can now use the landscape keyboard in e-mail, SMS, and notes as well as Safari. Again, this should have been in the OS last year.
• Spotlight Search - One search function looks through your contacts, email, calendars, and notes, as well as your iPod.
• Voice Memos - Hey! You didn't need to buy that voice recording app. It's free in 3.0!
• Improved Calendar & Stocks - Seems to be more cosmetic than anything but we'll find out next week Wednesday.
• Buy Movies, TV Shows & Audiobooks Straight From Your iPhone - I never had the need to do this but it's nice to have the flexibility. You never know when you all of a sudden want to watch "Fanboys" at your local Starbucks.
• Stereo Bluetooth - Thank you! This will allow me to play songs on my car stereo straight from my iPhone. It would be cool to get stereo Bluetooth headphones as well but I'm in no hurry.
• Push Notifications - Again, thank you! This feature would makes running multiple applications virtually obsolete and it would actually make IM apps usable now. Here's a video explaining how push notifications work.
• Peer-To-Peer Networking - You no longer need a Wi-Fi network to communicate with another iPhone. You can do it over Bluetooth. Here's a video on how peer-to-peer works.
• Upgraded Notes & YouTube - Notes will now sync with your computer. You can also now login to YouTube in the native app.
• MMS & Tethering - MMS will be available on AT&T in the late summer. Tethering will be available "later."

I'm sure there's more features I'm missing, but those are the major ones.

I currently have a 16GB iPhone 3G and I will NOT be upgrading to the 3G S. I'll explain my rationale in my next article.

The Sims 3 for the iPhone/iPod Touch

Let me start by saying that I am a Sims veteran. I have played just about every expansion pack for the first-generation Sims game and I have played the second-generation version of the Sims to a lesser extent.

I loved the first Sims but was less impressed with "The Sims 2."

Still, I was very excited to see yet another reboot of The Sims aptly named "The Sims 3." [iTunes link] And now that my preferred platform is now the iPhone, I was even more excited to see what Electronic Arts could do on a mobile device.

Although the iPhone/iPod Touch version of "The Sims 3" won't come close to the versatility of its desktop counterpart, I feel the iPhone version is just as fun and addictive.

The iPhone version is less customizable than the desktop version. There's less choices for the look of your Sim, less furniture for your home, and you can't build invidiual walls or tiles. I didn't

mind this so much, because one can spend HOURS on the look

of your character and the look of your home. So, I welcomed the simplicity.

However, there are some gameplay elements that are probably unique to the iPhone version.

When cooking, you need to shake each pot by clicking on it and shaking your iPhone so your food doesn't get overcooked. Although mundune, I found this to be a nice side game. But, the one thing that frustrated me about cooking is that you now have to buy recipes and EACH INGREDIENT for your recipe. I guess reality has its price.

The BEST side game, though, is the fishing one. Trust me.

Another new element to this latest Sims is the list of goals. Many times it has you doing crazy things like sleeping in other people's beds and using other people's showers.

Well, my character right now is mayor of the town; I'm engaged to my live-in girlfriend; and my fiancee HATES my boss. My current storyline is VERY interesting.

At $9.99, it's a must-have for any Sims aficionado. First-time Sims players will have an easier time getting started on the iPhone version rather than the desktop one.

Couldn't Fight The "Need For Speed"

I couldn't help myself.  I was so pissed off at EA for delaying "Need For Speed: Undercover" [iTunes link] I was planning on boycotting it until there was a price drop.  Well, I picked it up anyway.

I find it ironic that this game is more like the movie "The Fast And The Furious" than the other iPhone game "Fast And Furious: Pink Slip."

And F&F:PS is more of a racing game than NFS:U.

Unfortunately, there is no straight racing in this game.  You HAVE to follow the storyline.  With that said, a few things bugged me about this game.  A couple of events really had me livid: the one where you have to avoid maximum damage to the car you are delivering and the one where you have "catch" the car by hitting them.  As I trudged through those events, I wondered if this was really a racing game.

One thing I liked a lot is the ability to not only customize the performance of your car, but the LOOK.  I chose the Mazda Mazdaspeed3.  I customized the blue paint job, the spoiler, the rims and the racing stripe.  How do you like it?  I have to admit that I wish there were more way to customize but I hope there will be updates in the future.

NFS:U is a pretty game and the driving animation is about the same as Gameloft's Ferrari game.  But, I feel that $9.99 is a bit too much for this game.

Need For Speed: Too Little, Too Late?

Fact:  "Need For Speed: Undercover" [iTunes link] finally hit the App Store at $9.99.

Fact: I've been waiting since November 2008 for this game (which was when it was originally supposed to be released).  That's six months.

Fact: I have exactly six car racing games on the iPhone -- "Asphalt 4: Elite Racing," "Raging Thunder," "Fastlane Street Racing," "Fast and Furious: Pink Slip," "Ferrari GT: Evolution," and "Days Of Thunder."  I also have a motocross racing game called "2XL Supercross" and a cartoon-like racing game called "Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D."  Do I REALLY need another one?

Fact: I've been buying a lot of great iPhone games in the past couple of months:  "Touch Sports Tennis '09,"  "DanceDanceRevolution S," "Trivial Pursuit," "Glyder," "Assassin's Creed," "Tiger Wood PGA Tour," and "Myst."

Fact: I'm going to wait on buying NFS:U until the price gets cheaper.  I don't feel the "need" to buy this right now.  I'm just having too much fun with the other games.

Myst For The iPhone

I go WAY back with computer gaming.  I remember being really addicted to this text/graphic adventure on the old Commodore Amiga in the 1980's called "Borrowed Time."  I loved being able to explore a world and be able to solve a mystery.  It took a long time to figure out but the satisfaction afterwards is something I have not experienced for a while.

Text/graphic adventures eventually gave way to entirely graphical environments which culminated into the popular game "Myst."  As I got older, I could no longer sit at my computer for hours on end so playing that type of game was out of the question.

So, I was esctatic when I found out that Myst [iTunes link] had been developed for the iPhone.

Myst is a very HUGE game weighing in at a whopping 727 MB!  So, if you have "Assassin's Creed," "Tiger Woods PGA Tour" and "Myst" it will take up a solid GIGABYTE on your iPhone or iPod Touch!

I have to say I was a bit skeptical about the game.  I'm glad it is competitively priced at $5.99, unlike the premium $9.99 for most large games.

After experiencing a lot of the Myst world, I have to say that I'm hooked.  The learning curve is a little high, especially for those with little patience.  The great thing is that there is a link in the game that helps with hints if you are completely baffled.  I have to say that I used that for quite a bit until I got familiar with how the game worked.

One piece of advice:  have a pen (or pencil) and paper handy.  Nothing beats something you can refer to quickly.  Taking a snapshot with your iPhone also sometimes helps.

Although the graphics are nice, there is very little animation involved.  I find that to be a strength of the game since it utilizes less resources to run and getting around is faster if you're not in a totally 3D environment.

Along with the other games I bought this past weekend, this is highly recommended for those who are willing to have patience to be enveloped in an adventure.

Here's another great video from TouchArcade.com that shows Myst's gameplay.  Be warned though, it shows a LOT of spoilers!

 

iPhone Games: Assassin's Creed & Tiger Woods PGA Tour

The next generation of iPhone games is here!

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed™ - Altaïr's Chronicles [iTunes link] and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® by EA SPORTS™ [iTunes link] are both for sale in the Apple iTunes App Store for $9.99 each.

That may seem like a lot of money, but these games will give you the best BANG for your buck! Both of these games combined are nearly 1/3 of a gigabyte!  And I doubt either of these games will be playable on a first-generation iPhone. 

"Assassin's Creed" picks up where Gameloft's "Hero Of Sparta" left off.  "Hero" raised the bar for action-adventure games on the iPhone, and AC raises it even higher.

Not only do you fight, but you do interesting things like pick pockets and hit people's pressure points.  There is also now voice narration, which is nice touch and no doubt helped to make this game more epic.

This is, however, a much harder game

 than "Hero."  Ledges can be small and the wrong move and you're dead.  AC takes up 129MB of disk space.  If you thought that was a lot, "Tiger Woods" is a mammoth game.

I would be hard-pressed to find a larger iPhone game than "Tiger Woods PGA Tour" which tops out at 160MB.  Everything is 3-D rendered, the animation is smooth and there is even voice announcers.

"Tiger Woods" also has an innovative way to use the touch screen to swing your club.  The learning curve is high and I still suck at this game.  But, even when I'm 25 shots over par, it's still a fun game.  Especially when you're paired with Natalie Gulbis.

I'm not a real-life golfer, so I think this is as close to real golf as I'm going to get.  Once in a while, I do make a brilliant shot.

I'd recommend both of these games, depending on the type of gamer you are.  But, if I had to pick one, I'd choose the Tiger.

Here's some videos that show the gameplay of both games:

World Of Warcraft For The iPhone?

iPhone Hacks has posted a new article about the possibility of the popular massive multiplayer online role-playing game "World Of Warcraft" being ported for the iPhone.

Do you think the iPhone can handle the 3D graphics?  You probably wouldn't be able to play on servers meant for desktops.  Blizzard will probably set up iPhone-only servers.  Do you think there will be a subscription or a one-time App Store fee?

Check out the YouTube video:

Radical New iPhone Games!

I've bought a few great iPhone games that I think will REALLY push the mobile gaming envelope.

2XL Supercross [iTunes link] - I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a big fan of games that look good.  And so far, 2XL Supercross has got to be one of the best-looking iPhone games out there.  The physics of the game is awesome and it's quite different from other racing games out there.  The controls take some getting used to, but once you get going you're going to get some serious air time.  At 67.2MB, it's a very deep game for the $7.99 you pay for it.

Glyder [iTunes link] - Okay, so you fly around picking up crystals.  Doesn't sound too enticing, but I found it strangely challenging and fun.  I love the 3-D world where you can fly between islands.  Makes it seems like a really huge game.  Also, the graphics are quite amazing for a 7.9MB  game.  However, rebooting your iPhone before starting up is a good idea since it crashed on me every time I didn't reboot.  I purchased this game at an introductory price of $.99 but it also seems that its regular price of $1.99 isn't that bad either.

Trivial Pursuit [iTunes link] - Well, if you like Trivial Pursuit you'll like this game.  I normally don't like quiz games but I like the challenge of Trivial Pursuit.  This iPhone version doesn't give as much eye candy as the other Electronic Arts board game Monopoly.  But, at $4.99, I think it's a steal.  Let's face it.  A lot of iPhone games require that you physically get into the game.  While using the accelerometer is a fun and engaging way to play games, sometimes you're just tired.  That's when I play Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit.

The Masters 2009 Live

This is probably the BEST sports app I've had to date. I mean, MLB.com At Bat is REALLY good, but The Masters 2009 Live [iTunes link] is FREE and streams LIVE video over Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE. And it looks REALLY good on 3G.

Aside from the great streaming video, you got a live scoreboard, tee times and course stats.

It's FREE, so go ahead and download it if you're a big golf fan.

MLB.com At Bat 2009

It's time to play BASEBALL!  And anyone who has an iPhone and is an ardent fan of their favorite Major League Baseball team, MLB.com At Bat 2009 [iTunes link] is a must have!

This year, the big feature is Gameday Audio and I have to admit, it is impressive.  I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan who lives in Honolulu, so games don't get televised a lot here.  And while the video in "At Bat" is nice, it doesn't get posted fast enough to follow it live.  Gameday Audio loads up VERY quickly and sounds very good, even on 3G.  I can hear the audio of the game and watch every pitch be updated in "At Bat" just a few seconds later.  It's a great experience.  Take note NFL and NBA - THIS is how you do a great sports app.

It's not cheap - it's $9.99.  But, I bought "At Bat" last year for $7.99 and it wasn't available until July 11, 2008.  So, I'm getting a much better deal this year.  Most likely, this app will get a price decrease as the season goes along so if you're content for late-season or just a post-season app, you will probably be able to do so.

But, if you're a BIG fan of baseball, you need this NOW.

Skype for the iPhone/iPod Touch 2G Released!

Skype [iTunes link] for the iPhone and second-generation iPod Touch is now available in the iTunes App Store and it's free!  You can make Skype-to-Skype calls for free over Wi-Fi, calls to landlines and mobile phones at lower rates and instant messaging over any internet connection.  Although reviews on iTunes have been tough, a friend who uses Skype a lot really likes it.  I only have one friend who is on Skype and he didn't answer my Skype call.

Not Your Daddy's "Duck Hunt"

The big game out this week on the iPhone is "Metal Gear Solid Touch" [iTunes link] from Konami, which is the latest version of the popular series.
Another tech website called it another version of "Duck Hunt," which was popular at the arcade in the 80s and on the original Nintendo game console. Although you cannot move around, I think that might be a good thing since trying to move your player in a 3-D environment can be challenging on the iPhone (e.g. Brothers In Arms). Here's a video of the game and you decide:

Top Movies I Want On Blu-Ray

With my first several Blu-Ray Disc purchases, I've bought more concert titles than movies because there aren't much movies I want to own that I already don't have on DVD.  And, I have a self-imposed rule:  if I want to buy a movie on Blu-Ray that I already have on DVD, I'll have to sell the DVD first.  So, I'm eBaying a few titles to get the hang of selling and then I'm going through my whole collection and see what I don't mind parting with.

Still, I noticed a lack of variety in the movies that are available on Blu-Ray.  Here's my top picks for movies or franchises I want to see released on Blu-Ray:

1. "Star Wars" - The movies that started my love affair for film.  Although I do want the original trilogy more than the prequel trilogy, I think I'd want all of them.
2. "Back To The Future" Trilogy - We had to wait a LONG time for this to come out on DVD and it would be no surprise if we had to wait just as long for the Blu-Ray.  These are movies that harken me back to my childhood.

3. "Fight Club" - This was one of the best DVD sets in the infancy of the format and it could be equally cool on Blu-Ray.  Fantastic visuals and a kick-ass soundtrack would make this movie a winner in HD.

4. "Indiana Jones" Trilogy - Although "Kingdom Of the Crystal Skull" is already out on Blu-Ray, I'm not so hot on it since I already have it on DVD (especially in my cool steelbook).  The real gems are the first three movies which would be awesome in HD.

5. "The Lord Of The Rings" Trilogy - While I would not appreciate buying more of this movie series (I have theatrical and extended editions on DVD), LOTR would look and sound really awesome on a big screen and in Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio.

This Week's iPhone Apps

TouchSports™ Tennis '09 [iTunes link] - Just bought this wonderful 3-D tennis game for $.99 on the App Store.  The controls are easy:  just touch once to serve; hit the screen again to get the max power; and touch on the screen where you want your player to hit the ball.  Each player has their own strengths and weaknesses.  This game used to be $4.99 at one point so $.99 is really steal.  Highly recommended.

Hawaiian Rainbow: Hawaiian Music Radio [iTunes link] - If you want some Hawaiian Island sounds, look no further than this iPhone app that streams music from Hawaii.  It's a nice little app even for someone like me who actually lives in Hawaii.

On a personal note:

My father passed away this past Monday.  That's why I haven't been updating this site this week.  This blog is dedicated to him because he has always taken an interest in what I'm into - up until the day he died.  One week ago he really encouraged me to buy one particular television that he knew I wanted and it was at a good price.  So, I bought it at his insistence.  Last Saturday, I bought a new TV stand and we put it together and got everything working by the night.  He got to enjoy the television on Saturday night and all of Sunday.  Monday morning he passed away in his sleep.  Looking back, it was one of the most fun weekends I got to spend with him.  Somehow, I think he might have known that the end was coming and made sure I did all of this while he was here.  Thanks, Dad.

Making The Blu-Ray Plunge

I am pretty much waist-deep into the High-Definition revolution.  All I need to do now is buy a new TV stand (and get rid of the old one), set up my new HDTV and Blu-Ray player and switch out our cable box/DVR for a hi-def version.  I'm hoping this will all get done within the next couple of weeks.

It's been 10 years since I made the plunge into DVDs and I have an embarassingly large library of movies, documentaries and television shows.  I didn't plan on investing in a high-def format this early.

With that said, I'm not going to replacing my old DVDs with Blu-Ray. If I'm going to double-dip, I'm going to have to sell the DVD.

I have already ordered Yes: Live at Montreux 2003 and Rush: Snakes and Arrows Live from Amazon.com.

In recent years, I've put some self-imposed rules on my movie-buying.  I ask questions like "How many times will I watch this again?" and "Will I at least watch this once a year?"  Now, I'm thinking about MORE questions about buying Blu-Ray titles.  "Do I already have this on DVD?"  "Is this worth upgrading to Blu-Ray?"  Looking at the available Blu-Ray titles, it doesn't look like I'll be buying much.  I already get Blockbuster DVD titles through the mail and it looks like I'll be using that for Blu-Ray titles as well.

I don't think Blu-Ray will overtake DVD any time soon.  But, I've been waiting a long time to make the hi-def upgrade and I think this is the time.

DanceDanceRevolution S For The iPhone Is Out!

Okay.  I gave in.  I bought DanceDanceRevolution S [iTunes link] for the iPhone for $6.99.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is the largest iPhone game I have seen in terms of megabytes.  This app weighs in at 105MB. My second largest game, "Hero Of Sparta," is 83.8MB.  I believe my largest app is Beatmaker at 149MB.

I like "Saturday Night Fever: Dance!" and "Tap Tap Revenge 2" but DDR S surpasses them both easily.  Highly recommended.