chilisweet Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Is it worth it to get a smartphone for clerkship? My cell phone contract expires in a couple months, so this should be my big chance to jump ship. I have NO interest in games, or apps that make your phone look like a mug of beer or a lighsaber, etc. I just want to know if the extra $$ is worth it for the medical applications and whatnot. I've never had a smartphone or an iPod touch or anything remotely cool before. I have been buying pocket handbooks as I go along. Does this equate out? I know there's some threads on this topic already, but they usually are on the bb vs iphone debate. I just want to know if they are worth it all together. Also, would an iPod touch have the same capabilities as a smartphone with WiFi access? Why is everyone buying expensive phone plans then? Haha, I seriously am not a technology person. Almost every hospital will have easy computer access, won't they? Thanks y'all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 i did fine without a smartphone for all of med school...and will be smartphone-less for at least PGY1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justletmein Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 ipod touch does the trick. people are looking for excuses to buy themselves new toys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 I used an iPod touch throughout undergrad and I loved it. I had my gmail, google calendar and contacts sync to both of my computers and my ipod touch automatically. I loved being able to quickly check e-mail as I walked between class, and to send one off if needed. I can definitely see the usefulness of having an iphone... but whether it is worth the extra $30 or so dollars a month is another question. Maybe it will depend on how good and ubiquitous the wifi is on campus and in the hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Also, having access to wikipedia while out with friends is excellent for settling bets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderpig Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Wow, this is useful information for me! I did not know that the iPod touch had all those capabilities (I've never had expensive toys). So if I've got this right, the iPod touch is like the iPhone, except it can't be used for phoning? Also, having access to wikipedia while out with friends is excellent for settling bets. Are you talking about the iPod touch, or a smartphone here? Because for the former, you'd need to have WiFi access wherever you're out, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannn Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 You can get a phone with wifi (not necessarily a smart phone) and link up the email to only check via wifi (at least you can do it with a Nokia, I love the E series phones) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollester Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Wow, this is useful information for me! I did not know that the iPod touch had all those capabilities. So if I've got this right, the iPod touch is like the iPhone, except it can't be used for phoning? Technically, yes. But one problem I face on iPod touch is the Wifi drains out the battery so fast. Somehow, it needs to work super-hard just to be connected to Wifi. Don't quote me, but I don't think the iPhone has this problem. Can anyone confirm this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderpig Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Technically, yes. But one problem I face on iPod touch is the Wifi drains out the battery so fast. Somehow, it needs to work super-hard just to be connected to Wifi. Don't quote me, but I don't think the iPhone has this problem. Can anyone confirm this? Awww... How long can you go on the battery on WiFi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Wow, this is useful information for me! I did not Are you talking about the iPod touch, or a smartphone here? Because for the former, you'd need to have WiFi access wherever you're out, right? Yeah, I'm talking about my friends with smartphones here. Although sometimes I run into a place with wifi (airport, coffee, friend's houses, etc.) As for the battery issue, I haven't noticed that problem. When I use my ipod touch I'm almost always on wifi, and with normal/heavy use I can go a couple days without charging. I am careful to cycle my batteries with all of my electronics and they always last me a long time. My ipod touch is the first generation one. They may be worse now, but most likely they are better. I'll probably get a 4th gen. one when they come out in September (as the new ones have every year so far). Or I may get an iPhone... depends how confident I feel with my financial situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderpig Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 As for the battery issue, I haven't noticed that problem. When I use my ipod touch I'm almost always on wifi, and with normal/heavy use I can go a couple days without charging. I am careful to cycle my batteries with all of my electronics and they always last me a long time. I'm feeling dumber by the minute here. What's cycling batteries? Is it charging it only when the battery power is very low, so that it goes through the whole de-charging before getting recharged? I was seriously considering the iPhone, but when I went into a store and starting asking about it, I found out it would be way too expensive. If I want the 3 yr contract + much cheaper/free iPhone deal, I'll have to get a plan that's at least $50. And that's a ****ty plan too - 200 minutes, unlimited evenings (9pm-7am) & weekends, and I think 256 or 512 MB of data only. Add that to the voicemail + caller ID + system access fee + taxes (which are not included in the $50), and you're looking at around an $80 monthly bill. That's just too much for me. That's approx $2900 over 3 yrs. The other route to go, I guess, is to pay the $800 (+tax?) up-front for the iPhone and get whatever plan you want. You wouldn't have to get a data plan, and only use it when you have WiFi access. Assuming your regular voice plan is around $40/month (which mine is right now), over 3 yrs, that's approx $2400. Not much difference from the first option, plus the added inconvenience of not having a data plan and being limited to places where you can get WiFi. Now that you guys have informed me about the iPod touch, that gives me a whole new option (other than getting nothing): Sign up for a new 3 yr contract with a new phone (that I desperately need) that's free and still relatively cool. Keep my current plan (if that's possible) - so $40/month. And get the iPod touch (min $200 + tax?) for all the apps and WiFi capabilities. That's approx $1700 over 3 yrs. Or I could do pay as you go, and probably get away with paying much less - I'm not sure how social I'll be in med school, hahaa. Of course, if I'm getting a netbook, then I could just whip it out instead of an iPod touch and use it for whatever I need instead . Sorry for the long post. It helped me sort out my thoughts by typing it out. Decisions, decisions!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 I'm feeling dumber by the minute here. What's cycling batteries? Is it charging it only when the battery power is very low, so that it goes through the whole de-charging before getting recharged? Yep that's what I meant. I've been through your entire thought process as well. The iPhone carries a large premium... but it's just so awesome. Tough call indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Another option is getting a blackberry on the Wind Mobile network. They have some cheaper plans. The worry there is that the network is not as reliable as the big boys' (rogers/bell/telus). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
switchit Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 This is what to do. Are you on rogers/bell right now? If so, at the end of your contract, tell them you won't be staying with them and they will offer you a "retention" phone plan. Say you will shop around, call them back a few days later, and they will offer you an even better retention plan! Right now I am on a Rogers retention plan at $25 per month, 2500 free text msgs, free evenings after 6pm, free weekends, 200 weekday mins, caller id, voice mail, ... and I know someone that got a similar package but without system access fee! (but evenings after 8pm and MUCH less free txt messages...) Then wait til september and get the 4th gen ipod touch. This will get you the best value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
switchit Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 and don't do wind mobile.... their service area is a piece of $%#@. I drove 1.5 hours outside of Toronto and their service stopped and I went into long distance roaming WTF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 and don't do wind mobile.... their service area is a piece of $%#@. I drove 1.5 hours outside of Toronto and their service stopped and I went into long distance roaming WTF Yeah currently Wind only works in core GTA areas, but Hamilton looks pretty well covered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystery_chick Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Yep that's what I meant. The iPhone carries a large premium... but it's just so awesome. The iPhone 4 'nuf said My dear father went ahead and renewed our family plan after 3 years without telling me! So I'm locked into this plan until after 2nd year of med (which I suppose is a good time to get a new plan with a smart(er) phone)... but the iPhone 4 looks soooooo cool and now that I have a LOC, it's just made it that much easier to give into the temptation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 The iPhone 4 'nuf said My dear father went ahead and renewed our family plan after 3 years without telling me! So I'm locked into this plan until after 2nd year of med (which I suppose is a good time to get a new plan with a smart(er) phone)... but the iPhone 4 looks soooooo cool and now that I have a LOC, it's just made it that much easier to give into the temptation But now you'll be able to get the iPhone 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEggman Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 The other route to go, I guess, is to pay the $800 (+tax?) up-front for the iPhone and get whatever plan you want. You wouldn't have to get a data plan, and only use it when you have WiFi access. Assuming your regular voice plan is around $40/month (which mine is right now), over 3 yrs, that's approx $2400. Not much difference from the first option, plus the added inconvenience of not having a data plan and being limited to places where you can get WiFi. Some of the other students in my lab have gone this route, the only thing you have to do is make 100% sure that the provider blocks all data to the iphone. The iphone makes little checks for new mail/updates over the data band so even if you aren't surfing the web you will still get nailed for data fees. Most people I've heard about have to call back a couple times to make absolutely sure that data is blocked to the iphone, the iphone data blocking is different then regular phone data blocking. I think there is a way to get a bit of subsidy on the iphone when you get just a voice plan as well, so you aren't paying $800 for a brand new unlocked one (although unlocked iphone means you aren't locked into a contract for 3 years). From what I've heard you can get the voice + data plan then pay ~$200 to opt out of just the data plan, so you still get the iphone for less then the full price, but this method may not work anymore since the wireless companies seem to change their minds about phone plans every few weeks. Always raise a fuss with the salespeople as well, you can usually get deals (like subsidized iphone with only a voice plan) that aren't written down. I wish Koodo carried the iphone, the Tab and being able to build your own plan seem so much easier to understand and get exactly what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 If you want an iphone without the data plan, isn't it way cheaper just to get an ipod touch and a $0 phone? Unless having 2 devices is too inconvenient I guess... the whole reason I would get an iphone would be for the data. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekazoo Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Does anyone know which platform is better between Android and iPhone for medical apps? I really need to get a new phone anyway (my current phone is five years old and has a battery life of less than a day), so am looking to upgrade to a smartphone. Ideally I'd like to choose a platform that will be useful to me two years from now during clerkship, as I don't see myself upgrading again until the end of med school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meds2014 Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 I'm looking at the iphone plans at rogers/bell/telus... which one is better? The basic voice/data plans at all 3 are $50, but are there extra fees with any of these carriers? What's the difference between "anytime" minutes and "bonus" minutes? Also, which bonus feature is the best? (unlimited text/call to 5 numbers, 2x anytime minutes, or unlimited texting) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkofaname Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 check virgin as well. i think they're bell, but the plan looks different (maybe better) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderpig Posted June 12, 2010 Report Share Posted June 12, 2010 I'm looking at the iphone plans at rogers/bell/telus... which one is better? The basic voice/data plans at all 3 are $50, but are there extra fees with any of these carriers? What's the difference between "anytime" minutes and "bonus" minutes? Also, which bonus feature is the best? (unlimited text/call to 5 numbers, 2x anytime minutes, or unlimited texting) I can speak for Rogers... there are extra fees. I'm pretty sure (unless they improved things since I asked) that $50 is before the extra $6.95 system access fee, before voicemail/caller id/texts, and before taxes. So adding all of that on will make the monthly bill considerably more. I think anytime minutes are just regular minutes to use anytime. If you have unlimited evenings & weekends, then those minutes don't count if you're using your phone at those times. As far as bonus minutes, they're the same as anytime minutes, I think. I think that if you have 200 minutes + 50 bonus minutes, then you have 250 minutes to use up before they start charging you per minutes. For bonus features, whichever suits you is best. If you have like 5 people that you're constantly in contact with, then maybe the first one is best. If you text a lot, then that. Etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meds2014 Posted June 12, 2010 Report Share Posted June 12, 2010 I can speak for Rogers... there are extra fees. I'm pretty sure (unless they improved things since I asked) that $50 is before the extra $6.95 system access fee, before voicemail/caller id/texts, and before taxes. So adding all of that on will make the monthly bill considerably more. I think anytime minutes are just regular minutes to use anytime. If you have unlimited evenings & weekends, then those minutes don't count if you're using your phone at those times. As far as bonus minutes, they're the same as anytime minutes, I think. I think that if you have 200 minutes + 50 bonus minutes, then you have 250 minutes to use up before they start charging you per minutes. For bonus features, whichever suits you is best. If you have like 5 people that you're constantly in contact with, then maybe the first one is best. If you text a lot, then that. Etc. Thanks spiderpig This was very helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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