[searchingheaven]

Originally Posted by vb-san

Well, it's the two generations old 3GS. Not sure how the status value will decrease because of that (actually not sure if there is a status value attached to a specific phone) . I assume this plan will be attached to specific post paid plans with high rental, locked down for a minimum period.

Still, an iPhone is an iPhone and there is some sort of novelty attached to it. For that matter, any Apple device. It might be old but even today if i see a iPhone in someone's hands, i secretly admire it. With that price tag, the device could become common and that might harm the status value. And i also belive that the So Called Network Lock will be broken in a few days of sale. Any info/idea on this? Can it be done? I have seen an uncles phone which was locked to AT&T unlocked and in use with Verizon network.

[Sn1p3r]

iPhone at less is a welcome change, 3GS was not a great hit in terms of sale as the lock cycle from AT&T didn't justify the pricing for many 3 users. This must be stock clearance from Indian partners as their expensive buy gathering dust doesn't make sense. A genius marketing guy must have had earful from his sales and 3G sales. Data addiction on iPhone is one of the worst form of cutting consumer softly :P

I think this gives a great time frame to bring everyone in the family (granny, grandad, kiddies) become part of the ecosystem.

Best of all 3GS will be part of the iOS 6 package so hurry get yours

[AbhiJ]

Originally Posted by searchingheaven

the So Called Network Lock will be broken in a few days of sale. Any info/idea on this? Can it be done?

Not 100% sure, but it depends on the baseband, and jailbreaking should get rid of any/all network locks.

[Parthasarathig]

Originally Posted by searchingheaven

Still, an iPhone is an iPhone and there is some sort of novelty attached to it. For that matter, any Apple device. It might be old but even today if i see a iPhone in someone's hands, i secretly admire it. With that price tag, the device could become common and that might harm the status value. And i also belive that the So Called Network Lock will be broken in a few days of sale. Any info/idea on this? Can it be done? I have seen an uncles phone which was locked to AT&T unlocked and in use with Verizon network.

Yes that can be done easily at any shop or at home.

However i believe technology should be for everyone and not just someone who can afford it. For status value people should opt for Vertu and Porsche edition phones which give slow processors at ten times the price. (And there are folks who buy them too.)

In the US almost everybody has an iPhone. They have made contracts structured in such a way that anybody with a decent income will be able to afford one. But here it becomes a premium phone to own. Whereas all over the world the price of iPhone 4 reduced after the release of 4s, in India the price of iPhone 4 increased so as to make people opt for 4s.

The premium feel vanishes after 3 to 4 days of use. No doubt its a beautiful thing to look at, but then its just that. And the keypad is the best ive seen in any phone till date. But other than that once you get used to an iPhone then it just becomes a phone and soon the hassles seem to crop up. Oh i cant transfer this. Oh i cant forward this message. Oh this and oh that.

Inspite of all that im still waiting for the iPhone 5 eagerly. Just like every apple product, cause no matter what the facilities in an Apple device are, they all are beautiful to look at Even after years of use and that no other company has managed to do till this day.

Cheers.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

Inspite of all that im still waiting for the iPhone 5 eagerly. Just like every apple product, cause no matter what the facilities in an Apple device are, they all are beautiful to look at Even after years of use and that no other company has managed to do till this day.

Cheers.

The aesthetic appeal of apple devices are something else indeed.
They look so tasty that you just want to go and buy them.
I am almost completely an apple convert now and only need to move to iPhone to become a full convert. Currently use iPod touch wifi, MacBook Air, Ipad2, apple Tv, apple superdrive cd/ dvd reader and writer etc.
I am torn between the Nokia 808 with its superbrill 41mp camera and the iPhone. Im using the N8 now and love it too.
Apple is maddeningly enticing.

[Parthasarathig]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

The aesthetic appeal of apple devices are something else indeed.
They look so tasty that you just want to go and buy them.

I am torn between the Nokia 808 with its superbrill 41mp camera and the iPhone. Im using the N8 now and love it too.
Apple is maddeningly enticing.

I can tell you one thing if you buy the iPhone you will still end up having to carry the N8 or N808 due to its Nav application. And not even an iPhone can get you pics as good as the N808.

If you do want the iPhone, the iPhone5 is coming this september IIRC and probably you can go crazy all over it again. Having an iPhone will however complete your Apple ecosystem, frankly one of the most hassle free ecosystems to be a part of.

But your hands will still itch for a Nokia. Navigation and Photos. iPhone cant match either. Its Navigation coverage maybe good within the US outside US its just going to be like every other phone. Apple being Apple may end up putting a price tag on some features of the Maps but i doubt it. Since every other player offers free navigation.

For me Apple products look so tasty that i want to bite them. Yes i know i sound crazy

Cheers.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

I can tell you one thing if you buy the iPhone you will still end up having to carry the N8 or N808 due to its Nav application. And not even an iPhone can get you pics as good as the N808.

If you do want the iPhone, the iPhone5 is coming this september IIRC and probably you can go crazy all over it again. Having an iPhone will however complete your Apple ecosystem, frankly one of the most hassle free ecosystems to be a part of.

But your hands will still itch for a Nokia. Navigation and Photos. iPhone cant match either. Its Navigation coverage maybe good within the US outside US its just going to be like every other phone. Apple being Apple may end up putting a price tag on some features of the Maps but i doubt it. Since every other player offers free navigation.

For me Apple products look so tasty that i want to bite them. Yes i know i sound crazy

Cheers.

I understand the feeling. Yes, I think I will presently live with all things apple except the phone. I will give off my N8 to my Dad who seems to like it and buy an 808 once the price drops a bit.
Cheers.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

However i believe technology should be for everyone and not just someone who can afford it. For status value people should opt for Vertu and Porsche edition phones which give slow processors at ten times the price. (And there are folks who buy them too.)
In the US almost everybody has an iPhone. They have made contracts structured in such a way that anybody with a decent income will be able to afford one. But here it becomes a premium phone to own. Whereas all over the world the price of iPhone 4 reduced after the release of 4s, in India the price of iPhone 4 increased so as to make people opt for 4s.

Very well said. Here, even our part-time maid has got a iPhone 4 . That’s why I asked if there is a status value associated with iPhone.

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

And the keypad is the best ive seen in any phone till date. But other than that once you get used to an iPhone then it just becomes a phone and soon the hassles seem to crop up. Oh i cant transfer this. Oh i cant forward this message. Oh this and oh that.
Inspite of all that im still waiting for the iPhone 5 eagerly. Just like every apple product, cause no matter what the facilities in an Apple device are, they all are beautiful to look at Even after years of use and that no other company has managed to do till this day.
Cheers.

Yes, the feel of the keypad is the best I have come across, and so is the predictive text. There are negatives, but personally I feel that the positives outweighs the negatives. I have a HTC HD7 as well, which is a great phone, but does not feel like it has aged as gracefully as the iPhone 4.

Originally Posted by searchingheaven

You could not have been more correct. The premium feel vanishes in a few days, usability issues are present as usual and then the man who bought it starts doing what all men do best. Regret.

That depends on the personal preferences and requirements. I have not seen many iPhone users who have regrets on their purchase, even with the higher price tag associated with it. Infact, they are a happy bunch (including me and my family)

Originally Posted by searchingheaven

I didnt notice you were in US, so i was quite surprised to find you saying that the phone has no status value/premium attached. Now it fits in with what you said earlier:-)

OT. I am based on Singapore.

Note: If you are responding to multiple messages within a few minutes, its better to use multiple quotes (to avoid back-to-back posts). This will help to avoid moderator intervention.

[searchingheaven]

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

The premium feel vanishes after 3 to 4 days of use. No doubt its a beautiful thing to look at, but then its just that. And the keypad is the best ive seen in any phone till date. But other than that once you get used to an iPhone then it just becomes a phone and soon the hassles seem to crop up. Oh i cant transfer this. Oh i cant forward this message. Oh this and oh that.Cheers.

You could not have been more correct. The premium feel vanishes in a few days, usability issues are present as usual and then the man who bought it starts doing what all men do best. Regret.

[searchingheaven]

Originally Posted by vb-san

Here, even our part-time maid has got a iPhone 4 . That’s why I asked if there is a status value associated with the iPhone.

I didnt notice you were in US, so i was quite surprised to find you saying that the phone has no status value/premium attached. Now it fits in with what you said earlier:-)

[IronH4WK]

Anybody used an Apple Tv here in India? I wanted to stream the photos and videos on to my Bravia from my iPhone (and my wife's) so asked my sister to get one for me from the US. Don't intend to use NetFlix and other features though. Worth it?

[Parthasarathig]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I understand the feeling. Yes, I think I will presently live with all things apple except the phone. I will give off my N8 to my Dad who seems to like it and buy an 808 once the price drops a bit.
Cheers.

Lets see if you still say the same when the iPhone 5 launches. It will be too delicious to resist

Originally Posted by vb-san

Very well said. Here, even our part-time maid has got a iPhone 4 That's why I asked if there is a status value associated with iPhone.

Yes, the feel of the keypad is the best I have come across, and so is the predictive text.

Definitely no matter how many android keyboards are out there in the market place my typing speeds are much better on the iOS keyboard especially due to its prediction abilities.

There are negatives, but personally I feel that the positives outweighs the negatives. I have a HTC HD7 as well, which is a great phone, but does not feel like it has aged as gracefully as the iPhone 4.

This maybe because you handle the iPhone more carefully than the HD7 the iPhone is the prettiest phone followed by the lumia800 and Motorola razr is a Macho phone with all that Kevlar stuff on its body. Rest all phones are not pretty.(my opinion)

That depends on the personal preferences and requirements. I have not seen many iPhone users who have regrets on their purchase, even with the higher price tag associated with it. Infact, they are a happy bunch (including me and my family)

Depends on whether you buy the iPhones from India or Singapore? The regret comes and goes when they see other phones doing things the iPhone can only dream of. But the regret comes and goes. I bet if you place a galaxy note next to the iPhone lot of regret will start. It happened to me so i got the Note. Atleast now Ive the biggest screen in the market(till the note 2 hits Indian shores)

Originally Posted by searchingheaven

You could not have been more correct. The premium feel vanishes in a few days, usability issues are present as usual and then the man who bought it starts doing what all men do best. Regret.

With the iPhone youd definitely regret oh why did i spend so much for a phone that cant do things that a phone 3 times cheaper can do? Buying an iPhone was a joke to me except for the first generation. Nowadays the iPhone looks best in the showroom display and in other people's hands or in my pocket.(its very slim). I however prefer vfm products. The iPhone isnt vfm in India.

Originally Posted by searchingheaven

I didnt notice you were in US, so i was quite surprised to find you saying that the phone has no status value/premium attached. Now it fits in with what you said earlier:-)

I thought @vbsan ji was based in Singapore. I think the salary of a maid in the US is equivalent to the price of an iPhone in India or even more.

We Indians tend to place a lot of value on the premium feeling whereas around the rest of the world nobody bothers with that stuff most of the time. So the iPhone is cheap, Macbooks are cheap, all British and German cars are reasonably priced(not the sports cars), etc etc. Those who want premium they go for customised special editions of the product to distinguish them from the crowd.

But here in India people want to show off Ive this and that, which ultimately forms a Grand Canyon between the haves and have nots. And manufacturers prey on these sentiments of Indians and price products at levels unaffordable to the common man in India and sell them saying premium this and that. Look at the pricing of the mini, beetle and other foreign cars which are so well priced outside India and here its downright unaffordable except for a handful of people.

I wish atleast Apple stopped treating Indians like that and started pricing products at the global prices. If apple is really sure about how good their product is why not sell it to masses here? Premium feel will give them less than 1,00,000sales a year when they couldve made millions just by the beauty of the product and a reasonable price.

Imagine if iPhone 4 was priced at 20k. No other phone would sell in the market as much as the iPhone. People who wanted to buy <15k phones would save up some money and buy the 20k iPhone and the ones who wanted to buy >20k Phones would be very happy with the iPhone. This is what is happening around the world with the iPhone except India. India posts the lowest sales of iPhone i think.

[CRV2010]

If anyone planning to buy iPhone 3GS online paying Rs. 9,999, please read this.

Just got his reply from Aircel when i inquired for iPhone 3GS.
Again after one year, you will be charged Rs. 399 as base rental.

Once the online payment is placed successfully, a sales representative from Aircel will visit you within 4 business days to get the form signed & collect the required documents and Rs.3000 in cash for plan activation. Following are the requirements:
At the time when Aircel’s sales representative visits you, you need to hand over Rs.3000 in cash for the bundled data plan. The sales representative will issue you a receipt of Rs. 3000
Once the paper-work is completed & money has been collected, the handset will be shipped to you within 5 to 7 business days
If the paperwork & other parameters are not met, the sales representative will not collect Rs.3000 from you & the amount paid ONLINE today will be refunded within 3 to 5 business days without any deduction.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

This maybe because you handle the iPhone more carefully than the HD7

Actually no. The HD7 looks a bit more fragile than the iPhone, and hence I handle that more carefully. Whereas the iPhone is used like an off-roader car. My 4 year old girl takes it through hostile situations day in and out, thanks to all those apps for kids

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

Depends on whether you buy the iPhones from India or Singapore? The regret comes and goes when they see other phones doing things the iPhone can only dream of. But the regret comes and goes. I bet if you place a galaxy note next to the iPhone lot of regret will start. It happened to me so i got the Note. Atleast now Ive the biggest screen in the market(till the note 2 hits Indian shores)

My phones are from Singapore. Got it free with a 2-year lockdown plan with the operator. I hear loads of good things about the note. But I stay away because (1) Past 2 experiences with Samsung was not good (2) Android is not a preferred OS for me – not so good experience with my previous Moto Milestone XT (3) I prefer something which neatly slips into the pocket.

And both iPhone and WP (HD7) caters my requirements well. I am not much into cutting edge apps or customizations. Both these phones are good for basic calls, internet (safari or IE), youtube videos, social networking (facebook, whatsapp), decent navigation etc.

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

But here in India people want to show off Ive this and that, which ultimately forms a Grand Canyon between the haves and have nots. And manufacturers prey on these sentiments of Indians and price products at levels unaffordable to the common man in India and sell them saying premium this and that. Look at the pricing of the mini, beetle and other foreign cars which are so well priced outside India and here its downright unaffordable except for a handful of people.

(OT)Well said. This happens everywhere though. Gadgets (or cars) for me are for personal convenience and not something to show off the status. Just for that reason, I don’t go by status value or brand premium for my purchases.

Edit: Is the timeline for iPhone 5 release (Sep 2012) a confirmed one?

[dre@ms]

Originally Posted by deep_bang

To replace glass you can buy something like this:

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewi...id=16136720136

I strongly suggest looking at YouTube videos to replace the front glass before even attempting to buy it.

As to the home button, if you buy the touch screen plus digitizer assembly it comes with a home button. However I suggest you check with the seller before buying just to make sure.

Lastly most of these sellers ship only to us or Europe. Try checking on eBay India and see if you can get it shipped to India...

For volume button, it involves more work as this is fixed onto the back cover... unless you need it really badly I suggest not to tamper with it!

Lastly none of these options are original apple accessories. They are all made for apple but not by apple. So if you follow any of these, you will most likely void any warranty you already have. So please do this cautiously and at your own risk.

Looking at the phone I fixed, the components are so good that I am not able tell from original and these. So they seem to be of good quality. Still my duty to warn you!

Thanks for the info pal. Will definitely look at the videos first and then decide whether I can source the parts.