Here is your ethical financial problem of the day! Perhaps you’ve been wondering if you should purchase an iPhone 3GS—but a) you don’t have the necessary funds, and b) maybe you’re thinking it would be better just to wait until the newest iPhone launches. Well, today’s news is not going to help matters much. From PC Magazine…
Right now I’m imagining some spinning empty office chairs as at least some of you are beating feet to the closest Walmart. Then there are people like me who are saying, “Waaaaait a second. A) I swore never again to go into Walmart after that botched Christmas shopping expedition of 1998, where I witnessed a hillbilly slap his screaming child in the face with the back of his hand, and B) What’s inside a ‘Walmart iPhone’ anyway? Old transistor radio parts and stale popcorn?”
You’ll still have the two year contract to contend with, but if you’re okay with that—should you buy your iPhone at Walmart? REALLY??
For those looking for a good reason not to step foot into the Hellmouth, check out this article from Walletpop on why “Walmart’s $97 iPhone 3GS is a bad buy.” An excerpt…
At this point in the game, especially since you will be locked into a 2-year contract with a higher $325 early termination fee, you’re better off saving up for the newest iPhone, which will have a faster processor, better battery life and a front facing camera for video chatting. There’s actually a lot to like about the new iPhone.
[PHOTO REMOVED. We neglected to give proper credit to the owner. Our apologies!]
So what do you think? Would you or wouldn’t you?
Using the camera in the 3GS feels like a time machine…going the wrong direction. The quality is on par with digital cameras from the late 90’s.
If I hadn’t bought the 16gb 3GS a couple weeks after release I would absolutely. I slip into a Wal Mart a couple times a year. Usually just to walk off a sushi coma and get a self esteem booster. But somehow the other day I walked out with some super ridiculously high thread count sheets for like forty buck.
Currently waiting for the iPhone but yeah. Totally would.
AT&T blows, and I’ll never go back.
That’s reason enough to not lust after the creamy, beautiful iPhone 3GS and all of it’s wondrous, amazing apps.
I love my Droid.
If you can’t afford an iPhone, how do you afford the monthly bill?
I’m with you, CC, screw AT&T. Not worth it.
I’ve been with At&t for about 8 or 9 years now. My sole complaint is that whenever I go visit family in Wyoming I have no bars nor anything that resembles 3g.
The data plan cost is pretty ridiculous compared to all other service providers. Like $30 just for the iPhone and another $20 to get unlimited texts. Those two services combined with most other carriers would be like $20-$30 total. I think…
What is it you guys don’t like about ATnT? I have been contemplating jailbreaking the phone and going to another provider to ease the $90 monthly bill.
Why is Walmart considered bad, but DRM-suicide-inducing-Apple good?
Horrible customer service (on a par with US West and Verizon). For example, I once went in to an AT&T store to resolve an issue, where I had to use their phone banks to call support (wtf?)… I was on hold *in their store* for over an hour. Ugh.
Plus, that data plan pricing is ridiculous. It costs less per byte to send data to the space station than it does to send a text message in the U.S.
T-Mobile has provided nothing but good customer service so they have my loyalty. (Plus, I hear they do “unofficially” support the iPhone if you jailbreak it.)
i’ve never understood the hate for Cingular/At&t. the only problem i ever has is the very very occasional dropped call and my phone is screwy sometimes (i usually have Nokia phones) and the latter has nothing to do w/the provider.
also, i love rollover!
i just got an iTouch and i’m happy to only have wifi access to apps/internet, i don’t want to pay $30 more for constant access. i understand it’s good for when travelling, but to me, it’s unnecessary. though i wish it had a camera…
@Distro
AT&T has terrible coverage and service. It’s a leftover from the Cingular days. When it was AT&T before Cingular, it had the best coverage. But after acquiring AT&T, it dumbed down their coverage. Because Cingular was viewed so poorly, they started using the AT&T branding, which is just ruining the AT&T brand. Other than iPhone users, I don’t have any friends or family that have stayed with Cingular/AT&T. When I moved to Sprint, it was a huge improvement. When I moved to Verizon, it was a huge improvement over that. Cingular/AT&T has consistently been rated the worst of the major cell phone carriers. I know plenty of iPhone users that have difficult times getting signals inside buildings in downtown Portland or San Francisco. The other day, I was one floor down in the Hilton and had no problem getting several bars on my Verizon Blackberry, whereas my iPhone using friend had to go up a level to get a bad signal.
I can’t wait for my Verizon Incredible to be delivered, the first phone I’ve seen that clearly surpasses the iPhone.
I covet an Android handset. My iPhone contract is up in two short months. Waiting is the hardest part. Actually, choosing WHICH Android phone to get is the hardest part.
The droid is better in every way. Why are we still talking about iphones?
And McAngryPants, if you do much texting the original Motorola Droid is probably the way to go. The slideout keyboard is an underrated feature.
That’s funny you mention the coverage issues. I noticed that when the switch happened to Cingular, over time the coverage in Portland got really bad. I live out a ways in Portland and I get dropped calls constantly. But I’m in Portland proper…
My new place which is right around 39th and Belmont? It’s a basement apartment, no bars, no 3G. At 39th and Belmont. Shit is weak.
The HTC Evo coming out on Sprint is going to kick the everloving shit out of both the new iPhone and any other Android phone out there. 4G, two cameras (one 8MP with the other 3mp), 1Ghz snapdragon processor, 32GB microSD card, 4.3inch touchscreen, 720p video recording.. and it works great as a phone as well.
oh and it’s also on Sprint, where you can get the plan for $70 and has better reception and customer service than the two GSM carriers (AT&T and T-Mobile). Verizon’s pretty solid in that regard too, but they’re more expensive.
Also, like the unicode travesty up there said, how could you hate Walmart but love Apple? I never got that yuppie double standard.
Everloving snapdragon shit? Works great as a phone as well? How are the handjobs?