If EDGE is slow for some...

[space-time]

what else is out there and how fast is it? I am not sure what the latest and thre greatest technology is out there, but is it fast enough to replace the stadard internet cable connection? even though it may be slower and more expensive than cable or DSL, it is portable. also, is there a wireless plan for data only, I am not interested in voice.

Thanks

[Chupa Chupa]

That is the rub. It's called HSDPA, and AT&T already has a network set up. Most newer smartphones like the Treo and Blackberry use it today in large cities. It's about 3.6 to 6Mbps. EDGE is old technology and is about as fast as 2x dial-up, maybe faster in some spots, certainly slower in some. That is why many are scratching there head as to why the iPhone has EDGE, not HSDPA. The answer is probably battery life, but if Apple had put a user exchangable battery in the iPhone that wouldn't be an issue. I know Apple likes to keep things simple, but we aren't dummies. We can change a battery.

And, no the iPhone apparently is only available bundled w/ data + voice, although current AT&T users seem to be able to add data to their existing non-iPhone plan for $20, so maybe if you ask for just voice they'll give it to you. I'm not sure what fun an iPhone would be with NO data though. I mean EDGE is slow, but it's something, and something is better than nothing.

[vision63]

wifi? Which I would imagine to be one thousand percent better.

[space-time]

[quote vision63]wifi? Which I would imagine to be one thousand percent better.
well, wifi, as far as I understand, it's the 802.11 standard, wich conencts devices to wireless acces point (routers) in building, airports, hotels, at home, but not on highway, where the distance is too long. I don't think there is 802.11 receivers/transmitters on the cell towers, but I could be wrong.

and the iPhone has WiFi already

[vision63]

How connected do you need to be? Be kinda like having one of those beer can holding hats with the tubes leading to your mouth.

[space-time]

[quote vision63]How connected do you need to be? Be kinda like having one of those beer can holding hats with the tubes leading to your mouth.
bad analogy. let's just say that I would rather pay a cell phone company maybe $50-55 per month for broadband rather than pay $42 to comcast, if the speed was about the same. The extra price would be worth it if you could take the broadband with you.

just broaden your vision a little bit, "vision63"

[Silencio]

[quote vision63]How connected do you need to be? Be kinda like having one of those beer can holding hats with the tubes leading to your mouth.
LOL! That's an apt description for surfing the web on a Treo, WM, or Blackberry device with 3G data access -- sure, the speed is great, but the browser sucks rocks and the processor in the device can't render what text and graphics it can actually display very quickly anyway.

I mean, if I were to get an iPhone I'm sure I could pattern my data access habits around the strength or weakness of the network I'm on (just stick to lower-bandwidth apps like Google Maps while on EDGE), but I'm leaning towards not spending iPhone kind of money on a device that doesn't do 3G. iPhone absolutely must do 3G before launching in Europe because it's far more widespread over there, so I expect iPhone the Next to be out in fairly short order.

[vision63]

I got my little devil horns on space-time. () Best I could come up with at that moment.