Why I returned my Verizon iPhone 4

I've had an AT&T iPhone 3Gs for almost 2 years and love it. When I got that phone, I had a Verizon wireless phone, which I kept active for a couple of reasons:

1. My previous experience with AT&T wireless was not good, so I wanted to keep the option of going back to Verizon if things didn't work out.
2. I have a Verizon family plan with 4 different phones, and dropping one one of the lines would only save about $10/month.

My AT&T contract ends next month, and now that Verizon has the iPhone, I figured I could save some money by upgrading my old Verizon phone to an iPhone 4 and dropping my AT&T service. Rather than wait for my AT&T contract to end, I decided to go ahead and do the Verizon upgrade now, so I would be ready to drop my AT&T service as soon as my contract ends.

I got the Verizon iPhone and activated it a week ago. Yesterday I sent it back. Here's why:

1. Where I live, 3G data speed is much slower with Verizon than with AT&T. At times, I couldn't send mail or access web sites because the connection to the server timed out. I use the phone much more for data than for voice calls, so this was a deal breaker for me.
2. Although Verizon has a reputation for better coverage than AT&T, the Verizon signal in my house was very weak, to the point where some incoming calls would go right to voicemail. Since I don't make or receive many wireless voice calls, especially at home, I could have lived with this if it were the only problem. For what it's worth, my next door neighbor also got Verizon iPhone 4, and she has found the voice call performance to be pretty bad compared with her AT&T iPhone 3 (which she still has).

From what I've seen online, a year or two ago Verizon's 3G network was faster than AT&T's, but AT&T has been investing in their 3G infrastructure, and it shows, at least in my area. Part of the problem is the iPhone 4 itself -- another neighbor upgraded his AT&T iPhone 3 to an iPhone 4 (still AT&T), and found he got a weaker signal in some places.

When I called Verizon yesterday to make arrangements to return the phone, they were very accommodating. They charge a $35 restocking fee when you return a phone, but they said they would review my case and consider waiving that fee.

When I spoke with the Verizon representative, she told me Verizon would be getting the 4G-enabled iPhone 5 later this year, but she didn't know when. Given the iPhone 4 issues, I'll wait for the iPhone 5 to come out before upgrading my current iPhone 3Gs -- maybe I'll give Verizon another try at that time.

Samsung Galaxy Tab First Impressions

In April I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab WiFi-only 7" tablet, and posted the following review on Samsung's web site a couple of weeks after receiving the Tab. I've had the Tab for close to 2 months now, and my impressions haven't really changed. Despite the quirks, I'm glad I got the Tab. I had it with me on a recent trip, and it made web browsing a whole lot easier than it would have been using my iPhone.


----------- Original review:

 I bought the Tab because I wanted something larger than my iPhone, but not as large as the iPad (or the new larger Tabs coming out soon). I chose the WiFi model because I only expect to use the Tab at home and when traveling (where I can usually get WiFi access), so it wasn't worth paying for monthly 3G service. I can always use my iPhone if I have access to 3G but no WiFi.

 

The Tab is my first Android device. I knew that the Tab wouldn't support Honeycomb, but there weren't many 7" tablets to choose from, so I figured I could live without Honeycomb.

 

I've had the Tab for a couple of weeks now, and my initial impressions are mixed. On the plus side, it seems well built, the display is good, the e-mail app (which I use more than anything else) is pretty good, and it does what I bought it for. However, there are a number of things that are quirky or could stand improvement. Here are some of them, in no particular order: 

 

* Battery life isn't what I expected. I was expecting about 10 hours of battery life with moderate use. Even if I hardly use the Tab, meaning literally 15 minutes in a day, it will drain the battery in 2-3 days. Yesterday it was completely dead, wouldn't even turn on until I plugged it in. I have it configured to check e-mail every 15 minutes, it must be doing a lot of other background stuff. I don't see how the battery would last more than a few hours if you were using the Kindle app, for example. I'm sure there are settings I can disable or change to improve battery life, but I'm a bit disappointed. 

 

* I use Yahoo mail, but there's no way to sync Yahoo contacts directly with the Tab's contacts. There's a Yahoo Mail app that can allegedly do this, but it doesn't support the WiFi Tab (note that the Yahoo Mail app is different from the Yahoo app, which does support the WiFi Tab, but doesn't sync contacts). I managed to do this indirectly by syncing my Mac Address Book with both Yahoo and Google, and then syncing the Tab contacts with Google, but this option isn't available to Windows users (without third-party apps).

 

* Like the Yahoo Mail app, there are other Android apps that don't support the WiFi Tab. I tried to install the Android versions of apps that I have on my iPhone, and I think at least 3 of the apps that were available in the Android Market don't support the WiFi Tab. Of course, some iPhone apps aren't available for Android, but I was expecting that.

 

* Samsung makes a PC application to sync the Tab, but it's not available in the US, so you have to use WiFi for everything.

 

* The Tab is very thin and smooth, like the iPhone. It looks really nice, but it makes the Tab hard to pick up -- I'm always afraid I'm going to drop it. I've ordered a case, which should help.

 

* Like the iPhone, the Tab lets you set a passcode to help keep your content secure. Unlike the iPhone, the Tab locks whenever the display turns off, which means you have to enter the passcode every time you turn on the display. (I disabled the passcode after discovering that). On the iPhone, there's a separate setting for how long the device remains unlocked, and the passcode is only required to unlock the device, not to turn on the display.

 

* One of the oddest and most annoying things I've found is the placement of the underscore ('_') character on the virtual keyboard. To get an underscore, you have to tap the 123 key to select the number/symbols keyboard, and then tap 123 again to show the second number/symbols keyboard (there are 3), and that's where the underscore is. My e-mail address, like many others, has an underscore, so I would expect the underscore to be more accessible.

 

I'm still learning my way around the Tab, and despite these issues, it's still very useful and does what it's supposed to. I also thought it would be good to get some exposure to an Android device. To be honest, though, if Apple made a 7" iPad, I would have chosen that instead.

Redeeming airline miles: 3 different experiences

Here's another customer service story, this time about redeeming airline miles for flights. I dealt with 3 different airlines, and I had 3 different experiences.

I wanted to redeem miles for flights to Hawaii. My wife and I had miles on both Delta and American, but not enough on either one to cover the entire trip. I figured we could fly Delta one way and America the other, but that didn't work out -- Delta, unlike American and some other airlines, charges you round-trip mileage for a one-way flight. We ended up using American miles for the entire trip, buying enough miles to reach the required number.

What struck me was the different ways in which Delta and American handle customer service. I wanted to ask some questions before booking the flights. Delta's web site provides the ability to submit questions or comments electronically (using a form), while American's web site provides only phone numbers. I much prefer electronic contact over calling, because there's no waiting on hold, miscommunication is less likely, and you have a "paper" trail when you get e-mail responses.

I submitted my questions to Delta via their web site, and they were very quick to respond to the initial request and follow-up e-mail responses. However, I was unable to find award flights that wouldn't require more miles than we had available, so it was time to try American.

Despite the fact that I had to call American on the phone, I was very pleased with the result. The call was answered quickly, and the person I spoke with was very knowledgeable, personable, and helpful. Based on my conversation with her, I decided to buy and transfer miles to make up the difference. She recommended making the reservation right away since there were only a few award seats left, and I could get the miles into the account afterward (within 5 days I think).

The third airline I dealt with was United. I had some United miles that were expiring soon (not nearly enough for the trip), so I wanted to try to redeem them for an inter-island Hawaiian flight. I tried using the United web site to book the flight, but the web site didn't show any award seats available, apparently because the inter-island flights are provided by partner airlines. I contacted United by e-mail via their web site, but they told me I needed to call and speak with someone. I had to call them several times, literally spending hours on the phone in total, but eventually I was able to book the flight using miles.

I was pretty unhappy with the United customer service experience. First, each call was handled by a call center outside of the US, and the agents were not particularly knowledgeable, and some were difficult to understand. Second, I was given conflicting information during each call about how many miles would be required. Finally, I was assured that I would not be charged the usual fee for redeeming award tickets on the phone, because these flights could not be booked online -- I got that confirmation from multiple agents.

Imagine my surprise when I saw a $50 redemption fee on my next credit card statement, even though the electronic receipt when I booked the flights showed no fee (just a few dollars for taxes). The inter-island flight was pretty cheap, so I wouldn't have spent the $50 fee plus miles (and hours on the phone) for that flight. I contacted United via e-mail and asked them to refund the fee, but after going back and forth a few times, they insisted I was misinformed by the agents and refused to refund the fee. They did offer travel vouchers that I will be unable to use before they expire. I contacted my credit card company to dispute the charge, and they sided with me.

Despite the lack of e-mail communication, American was the clear winner in customer service for this experience.

-- Dave

Wait for iPad 2?

I love my iPhone, but I use it almost exclusively as a computer rather than a phone. I'm considering getting an iPad, mainly for the larger screen, but I'm wondering if I should hold out for an iPad 2, rumored to be coming in April.

I have this habit of buying Apple products shortly before they get replaced with a better model (and usually get cheaper too). Case in point:

• A month or so after I bought a 5th generation iPod classic 60 GB, Apple replaced it with an 80 GB model and dropped the price $50.
• About a year later, my wife bought a 5th generation iPod classic 80 GB. Soon afterwards, Apple introduced the 6th generation iPod, with a 160 GB model for the same price as the previous 80 GB model.
• Earlier this year, I ordered a Macbook Pro. The day after I opened the box (I'm not kidding), Apple announced a new model with a better processor, screen, and hard drive. Fortunately, in this case I was able to convince Apple to let me swap for the newer one, even though they don't normally let you do that once you open the box.

Surprisingly, the iPhone 4 didn't come out until almost a year after I got my iPhone 3Gs, so I feel like I did okay there (even through the 3Gs got a lot cheaper). I don't feel a compelling need to upgrade to the iPhone 4, especially given the reception problems people were having.

The one feature of the iPad 2 that I consider worth waiting for is the camera (front and rear), which the current model doesn't have. It's not that expect to make heavy use of the cameras, but I'd like the option of doing so without having to replace the iPad or buy an camera add-on kit. Other features that might be there are a USB connector, lighter weight, and a faster processor.

So, will Santa bring me an iPad or an IOU for an iPad 2? We'll see.

-- Dave

Comcast vs. AT&T U-verse follow-up

It's been a while since I've posted something, and I just wanted to follow up on my Comcast vs. AT&T U-verse postings from last year.

I moved about 8 months ago, and I decided to take that opportunity to switch from Comcast to AT&T U-verse, and I have no regrets. Overall, I'm very happy with my U-verse service, and I'm getting more for my money than I was getting with Comcast. I did have some issues getting my U-verse voice service set up (I transferred my existing phone numbers), but it's been smooth sailing ever since.

-- Dave

iPads on the wall

Okay, so this post isn't about customer service. I just had a thought (which happens once in a while :-), and I wanted to share it.

I don't own an iPad, and I have no immediate plans to get one, even though it is cool. I do have an iPhone, which I love. I haven't thought about getting an iPad because I don't really need something between an iPhone and a "real" computer, which is how I've been thinking about the iPad. Until today.

It occurred to that the iPad could be used in a completely different way than I had been thinking about. Here's what led me down this path: I was upstairs at home, and thought of something to add to the shopping list, which (of course) was downstairs. I knew there was no chance I would remember to add the item to the list once I got downstairs (adult ADD), so I thought it would be a good idea to keep a second shopping list upstairs. Then I got an inspiration: What if the shopping list was on one of my computers, and I could just add to it from different places in the house. I could have the shopping list on an iPad in the kitchen, and add to it from an iPad I keep upstairs. Without considering cost, I could have iPads in every room that I spend time in -- even the bathroom (way better than the "library" I have now).

Of course, I wouldn't do this just to be able to update my shopping list from anywhere in the house. Depending on the room, I might want to check the weather, recipes, read my e-mail, or whatever. But the real value will come with apps to let me do things like manage my shared shopping list, or control lights and appliances throughout my home, or my alarm system, or anything else that makes sense. In certain rooms, I might use the iPads to display photos -- like a digital frame -- when I'm not using them for something else.

My iPhone should be able to play too, so I can interact with my home network of iPads when I'm not home (or even when I am home, but not near one of the iPads).

We've heard about appliances with built-in displays, or smart homes with built-in panels that let you control various things, but those devices are limited in what they can do and where you can put them. The iPads can go anywhere you want them -- all you need is a way to mount them. A mount that would allow you to rotate the iPad and hide an electrical supply would be ideal. You could even do without the electrical supply -- you could just take the iPad off the wall and charge it when you needed to.

Logistics and cost aside, the iPad seems like the perfect kind of device to use in this way, and the apps provide limitless versatility. Of course, TVs will be able to do a lot of this too, but you're not always sitting in front of the TV when you want to do something, and the iPad's virtual keyboard is a lot easier to use than your TV's remote. (It's only a matter of time before someone comes up with an app to turn an iPad into a universal remote.)

This might not be what Apple had in mind, but it seems a much better use of the technology than a laptop or e-reader alternative. I look forward to see how things develop.

-- Dave

Customer service: The right way and the wrong way

The right way: A couple of weeks ago, I tried to log in to the Starwood Preferred Guest program web site to see how many points I have, but I couldn't -- the login page said my account was invalid. I was sure I was using the right login information, so I contacted Customer Service, which the web site allowed you to do via e-mail (among other options). After submitting the form, I immediately received an automated response, and within a couple of hours (on a Saturday), I received an e-mail response from a Customer Service agent. She explained that my account had expired in July due to lack of activity, and my points had been forfeited. However, without my asking, she said she re-activated my account and reinstated my points, as a gesture of goodwill. Needless to say, I was very impressed.

The wrong way: Delta expired my frequent flyer Skymiles last spring, even though they weren't supposed to expire until the end of this year -- the expiration date appeared on my Skymile statements. When I discovered I had lost my miles, I contacted Delta using their online Customer Service e-mail form. I got the automated response right away, but it took at least a week before I got an e-mail response from an agent. The response basically said too bad. I called Customer Service and explained the situation, and they said I would need to fax them evidence that my miles weren't supposed to expire, which I did. Eventually, they sent me a letter to tell me they would reinstate the miles, but they never admitted to a mistake on their part, and the tone of the letter was that they were doing me a huge favor. Needless to say, I was not impressed.

Some companies just get it. Sadly, that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

-- Dave