8:00 a.m.--I unplug my iPhone after a full charge and reset the usage stats. I really want to try the 2.0.1 upgrade but figure that, for the sake of science, I should at least run without it for one more charge just to get another comparison of battery life and reception without 3G. I also decide to break out the i760 and see how it does in terms of battery life. It has a full charge, and I turn on Bluetooth. I'll leave BT on 24/7. The i760 is still set for push e-mail on my firm's Exchange server. Other than that, I don't think I have anything else that will automatically pull data from the net. I still haven't figure out, though, how I'm going to make sure that I use the iPhone and the i760 for the same amount of time. Anyone remember the number to call to get the time (if I make a call on the iPhone, I can always use the i760 to call for the time and just let the call hang there until I hang up the iPhone
)? Also, anyone know of a freeware program that will track data and phone usage on a WM 6.1 device?
I just checked my wife's iPhone. Remember, I unplugged hers and mine about the same time 2 days ago. I had to charge mine last night. Her's is now showing about 80% battery life left, but she has only used hers for 2 hours and 32 minutes (I used mine for nearly 8 hours), and her call time is only 14 minutes. Her data is 201KB sent and 1.5MB received.
8:30 a.m. (appx.)--A few minutes before I arrive at my office, I call my wife just to see if the call drops when I pull into my parking spot. It does NOT!
8:53 a.m.--I am
very impressed with AT&T's customer service. As promised, someone just called me to see how my reception is now that I've turned off 3G. If only AT&T's 3G coverage was as good as its customer support....
8:37 p.m.--On my way to an appointment this afternoon, I talked on the iPhone for virtually the entire 25 minute (give or take 5 minutes) drive. The call held firm. The drive took me from 16th St. & Glendale to McDonald Drive, just east of Scottsdale Road. After my appointment, I made another fairly lengthy call (probably 20 minutes or so). This time I was traveling from McDonald and Scottsdale Road to Miller and Pinnacle Peak, though I ended the call around Hayden and the 101/Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard. Again, the call held firm. I then called my wife's iPhone. We were meeting some friends for dinner near Grayhawk. One of our iPhones (not sure which one) ended up dropping the call after some terrible reception issues. Overall, though, I'd say turning 3G off continues to provide better service for me.
The friends we were meeting for dinner are from Chicago, and one of them has the original iPhone. So, I struck up a conversation about how he likes the iPhone and, particularly, what he thinks of AT&T's service. Now, this friend of mine tends to travel the country quite a bit so I think his comments are quite telling. He told me that he has the biggest problems in Phoenix and that pretty much everywhere else he goes he gets solid coverage from AT&T (keep in mind he is stuck with EDGE because he doesn't have the 3G iPhone). In other words, in his experience, AT&T's coverage in Phoenix is, in fact, worse than in other parts of the country.
In any event, I'm now sitting here 12 3/4 hours since my last full charge, and I've got a good 75-80% battery left. Usage stats are:
- Usage since last full charge 2 hours, 56 minutes
- Standby 12 hours, 44 minutes
- Current Period Call time 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Lifetime 13 hours, 31 minutes
- Data sent 326KB
- Data Received 1.8MB
Looks like if I keep the iPhone, I'll be keeping 3G off unless I truly need it.
9:39 p.m. My wife just got home from her book club. Apparently, the group really enjoyed her iPhone. She actually found a use for Safari--they needed to pull something off the net and were able to do it using her iPhone--on EDGE no less. Then, my wife confessed that while our kids were having their swim lesson today, she started surfing the net using Safari. She's finally exploring her iPhone.
And, she seems to be enjoying it
(And, don't forget, she's operating on EDGE.)
In any event, when she got home she told me that during book club she received the 20% battery remaining message so she's going to charge the iPhone tonight. Her usage starts are as follows:
- Usage since last full charge 4 hours, 45 minutes
- Standby since last full charge 2 days, 14 hours
- Current call time 27 minutes
- Lifetime call time 3 hours, 37 minutes
- Data sent 646KB
- Data received 11.5MB
I find the comparison interesting because I last got something close to 8 hours of usage with 3G off, but she only got 4 hours and 45 minutes. Now, two things could be affecting these numbers. First, I ran my battery below 10% usage when I got the 7+ hours of usage; she stopped at 20%. Second--and probably more significantly--I just noticed that her Wi Fi is turned on (even though mine is turned off). Another interesting factor is her data received--11.5MB, which is much higher than what I typically have (she really has been surfing the net).
In any event, I have no turned off Wi Fi and her iPhone is charging. We'll see how she does with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G turned off (I still have my Bluetooth turned on).
EDIT--8/15/08: Final e-mail count for today=66 received.