Customize Your iPhone with Accessories

One of the biggest features that people want when they purchase a cell phone is simplicity. They want to be able to make their calls quickly and easily, without having to fret about locating the number that they are searching for. Apple knows what customers want, and they take created the Apple iPhone with this in mind. This is one of the reasons this phone has become so popular. Another reason is that you can customize your iPhone with accessories.

The power of the iPhone is like an uncapped volcano. There are so many applications, features, and ways to customize it that it boggles the mind. The Apple iPhone includes widgets that help you to keep up to date with things such as the weather, stock reports, sports, and anything else that you might desire to keep a close eye on. Everything that you could desire or need to know is right there, available for you to use whenever you need it. The Apple iPhone offers unsurpassed accessibility, convenience, and technology, all rolled into one very portable package. Your iPhone combines the organization of a PDA, the music of an MP3 player, and a camera all rolled up into one device. It is customizable to suit your exact needs and no two people use their iPhone in the same way. It is powerful enough to be used by professionals and easy enough novice users to get started with it quickly.

What can you do to add to the enjoyment from your iPhone? Can you customize your iPhone with accessories? You are in luck because there are many ways to customize and add accessories to your iPhone. First, you can purchase the iPhone case or wallet. Your iPhone will then travel with you by hooking onto your pants, belt, or hang from a shoulder strap. Another accessory that is a must have for ease of use while driving or hands free mobility, is a Bluetooth headset for your iPhone. This is a requirement for using your cell phone in your car in many states. It is also a safety issue. You should always drive hands free. For cell phone users on the move, there is a sports band available. This accessory is used to attach your iPhone to your arm while jogging, walking, or exercising so you can keep in touch with everyone.

Skins and screens are another way to personalize your iPhone's look. The skin pictures are fashionable and attractive but unobtrusive. They maintain access to the essential controls of your iPhone such as those used for navigation, charging connections, and access to the touch-screen. If you desire variety, buy many skins and change the look of your iPhone to match your mood or your clothing. Another option that is a must is a screen protector. The screen protector reduces damage from scratches and dirt. Most skins fit over the screen protector however; you can buy some skins that come with a screen protector already built in. When the screen protectors get dirty, just replace them. The skins are inexpensive enough so that when they get soiled you can replace them instead of trying to wash them.

In addition to being able to customize your iPhone with accessories, there is so much that it offers that it is impossible to list everything that it can do. Apple has put a lot of functionality into the iPhone. This is not surprising, as they have been in the computer and peripheral market for a long time.

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Apple iPhone and AT&T

The Apple iPhone and AT&T, is exclusivity a good thing? The answer to the question depends on what side of the market you fall. If you are a consumer, exclusive agreements are rarely a good thing. On the other hand, if you are a retailer or provider of services, exclusive contracts can help increase profitability and market share. Here is a discussion of both sides of this coin.

Apple entered into an agreement with AT&T so that AT&T is the official and exclusive provider of cell phone service for Apple's highly coveted iPhone. If you happen to be Apple or AT&T this is a great thing. Apple makes money off of the sale of every iPhone and it collects royalties from AT&T for every cell phone contract sold to an iPhone user. Not a bad deal for Apple. AT&T profits because in theory every Apple iPhone sold will have to activate an AT&T cell phone agreement. Nice piece of the cell phone service pie for AT&T. As far as these two companies go, there is a lot of money to be made from this agreement. Furthermore, it saves Apple the hassle of having to make different phones or different SIM cards for all of the major cell phone service providers. From the perspective of Apple and AT&T this is a great arrangement. However, this agreement of the Apple iPhone and AT&T has opened up the door to a massive hacking movement. I am not sure that this is such a bad thing for Apple, although they claim different. Owning and using an unlocked phone is a status symbol in itself. A way of "sticking it" to corporate America. Apple may just be selling more phones because of this. It is free and effective advertising resulting in sales for Apple. I'm sure AT&T does not appreciate the hacking, as they have nothing to gain from it. This is the corporate end of the Apple iPhone and AT&T equation.

What does the exclusive agreement with the Apple iPhone and AT&T mean to the consumer? It means that there is a limited way of acquiring this phone. If you already have a relationship with a cell phone service provider other than AT&T and do not wish to change, then owning an iPhone is going to be difficult. What if you love the iPhone's music and content features but do not want to use it as a cell phone. The Apple iPod does not offer internet access. One of the main selling points of the iPhone is internet abilities and music functionality. If you love MP3's, videos, TV shows, and movies then the iPhone is a dream come true. However as soon as you go to open up your iTunes account and plug your phone into your computer you will be asked to sign up for AT&T's cell phone service with your credit card. If you do not pass their credit check or if you do not want to use AT&T this limits you and actually excludes you from using the iPhone. In this scenario the Apple iPhone and AT&T agreement is bad for consumers because it limits free and open competition in the marketplace. AT&T has no incentive to offer any deals on cell phone service to iPhone customers.

However, no one likes to be excluded not even once. Stating you have an exclusive agreement is an open invitation to every hacker on earth to prove your agreement is not exclusive and they will find a work around. This is exactly what has happened and in this case the consumer may have a partial victory. There are free unlocks available for your iPhone on YouTube for versions of their firmware up to 1.1.3. There are software programs available for under $100 that will unlock your iPhone in seconds, with just a few clicks. An unlocked phone will work with T-Mobile and AT&T in the US or on any other standard GSM cell phone network. All you will need ids the correct SIM card. In addition, with the unlocks available, you do not have to use the cell phone service at all. You will still be able to download content to your phone either via your computer or via WiFi. Furthermore, you can get Skype VOIP service for your iPhone and get around the whole cell phone issue entirely. This is how the Apple iPhone and AT&T agreement has ended up. It looks like in the long run AT&T could be the loser.

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An Overview of the iPhone

Apple knows what customers want, and they take created the Apple iPhone with this in mind. This is one of the reasons this phone has become so popular. One of the biggest features that people want when they purchase a cell phone is simplicity. A cell phone needs to be easy to use. People want simplicity and functionality; they do not want a hassle when it comes to locating phone numbers and contacts. Here we will give you an overview of the iPhone and some of its features.

The features of your Apple iPhone are so numerous that to list them all would fill an eBook. Your iPhone includes widgets (small programs that make everything simple) that help you to keep up to date with things such as the weather, stock reports, and anything else that you might wish to know. Keeping these on your start page gives you everything that you need to know right there, available for you to access anytime you need it. It is this ease of use combined with a plethora of features that has made the iPhone so popular.

Continuing on with an overview of the iPhone, we should talk about mobility – that is hands free mobility. Accessories are essential for hands free communication with your iPhone. For ease of use while driving (and for safety) or moving around, you need a Bluetooth for your iPhone. For cell phone users who run, jog, or walk, a sport band to attach your iPhone to your arm will keep in touch with everyone.

The iPhone takes guessing out of making a phone call. By using a single fingertip, you can make a call to any of the people on your contact list, either by selecting their name or their telephone number. Need to make a conference call? If you are talking to two people, you can merge the calls so you can conference. It does not get any easier!

An overview of the iPhone would not be complete without mentioning the memory capacity of the iPhone. You cannot upgrade the memory or add memory cards. There is a 16 GB model and a 32 GB model. That's it, no more.  Another complaint is with the internet browser. Many feel that the search capability is severely lacking and the browser does not have the ability to save passwords. However, internet access is relatively easy with an iPhone. Let's face it, there is no such thing as a perfect internet connection.

There are other features that you may like and find useful. There are more than 10,000 YouTube videos that have the H264 encoding the iPhone requires. This means that there is a literal sea of video content for you to view for free. If you want to watch any other type of video, you will have to get it converted to your iPhone's format first.  YouTube is working very closely with Apple. The result of this is that videos posted to YouTube are easily viewed on the iPhone. In addition, the enormous selection of movies and TV programs on iTunes means that you will find something to suit your tastes, no matter what genre of video or TV programming you prefer.

There is so much that iPhone offers that it is impossible to list everything that it can do in this article, which is just an overview of the iPhone. This device is one that manages to combine fashion, form and function into a single unit. You can buy the iPhone online or through AT&T. Take the time to get insurance on your purchase. If it breaks, you drop it into a glass of iced tea, or your dog eats it, you want AT&T to foot the bill. Now that you have an overview of the iPhone, why not an iPhone, enjoy it and listen to all the music you can possibly fit onto a single phone. Although it is pricey, it provides a lot of entertainment for the money.

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A Downside to the iPhone

One of the biggest features that people want when they purchase a cell phone is simplicity. Apple knows what customers want, and they take created the Apple iPhone with this in mind. This is one of the reasons this phone has become so popular.  It is easy to stay in touch with your iPhone. Playing around with the iPhone is so much fun. However, the iPhone has missed on a couple of points. There is a downside to the iPhone. It is not the perfect peripheral that it proclaims to be. Some of the issues are with the battery, memory, and AT&T.  

What – there is a downside to the iPhone? Actually, there are several. The first issue is with memory. It is not possible to upgrade or add to the iPhones memory. You have either 6 GB, 8 GB, or a 16 GB model and that is it. If you love to download content and music, you will quickly find yourself running out of space. This means loading and unloading content from your iPhone to your computer. Nothing is more annoying than starting a download and finding out you cannot complete it because your memory is too low. This was one area that Apple missed on. Teenagers can download an amazing amount of music and video content. Having the option to use memory sticks would have been a nice feature.

Many iPhone users are unhappy with the fact that the iPhone battery is sealed and cannot be changed. The overall consensus with the current owners is that they were not warned about the battery situation. Apple is being sued about the iPhone battery and the lack of disclosure on the fact it cannot be changed. I agree with the users here. If you shell out $500-$600 for a phone and it dies in 6 months, you are going to be pretty upset. The ability to change cell phone batteries is standard within the cell phone industry. Perhaps apple would have been better off with making money on battery replacements and this would have many users happy and Apple out of court. Short battery life is the number one complaint of heavy cell phone users. This is another downside to the iPhone.

Finally, the calling plans that AT&T offers for the iPhone leave a lot to be desired. Lacking calling plans that allow free usage between AT&T users, or calling circles, or other forms of unlimited use, AT&T has fallen behind all of the other cell phone carriers. Furthermore, limits on area coverage and interruptions in service reduce the cell phone user’s sense of freedom. This is why most of us chose to have a cell phone – the ability to roam and call when and where we please. The iPhone and AT&T really shaft the consumer on the exclusive contract between the two. AT&T has no incentive to give better rates to iPhone users because they legally cannot go anywhere else. Roaming charges and fees for the iPhone are astronomical. This is a downside to the iPhone and it is compounded by the fact that hackers have found a way to unlock these phones so they can be used on other cell phone networks. Apple set itself up for this one, and until the exclusivity is removed, the hackers are going to be right there breaking into every code update that Apple releases.

Apple has been making computers and peripheral devices for many years now. You would have thought that they would have put a little more effort into researching the effects on users that memory, battery life, and availability of an affordable cell phone plan would have on potential users. I foresee a decline in the iPhones popularity due to these concerns. Hackers will keep having a field day with unlocking iPhones until the agreement between AT&T and Apple expires, or it gets sent to the courts. It will be interesting to see how the battery issues turn out in court. There is a downside to the iPhone and Apple has done nothing to fix it.

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