Returning The iPhone After Two Weeks Of Daily Use

The iPhone 3G is not for me. I've returned mine exactly two weeks after I committed a Friday and Saturday morning to buy one. Good thing I was on assignment. No one likes wasting time in line, especially ones that move slow due to poor planning. I can't deny how remarkable it is to browse the internet and use those cool applications, but as a phone and communications device the iPhone leaves me wanting more. My biggest gripe ? battery life. I couldn't get through half a normal day before I got the red battery alert. It's easy to keep it plugged into your PC to charge at the desk during the day, but anytime I went "mobile" I did so with hesitation. The iPhone battery doesn't last as long as the comparable 3G devices running on Symbian, Windows Mobile and other platforms. I didn't notice much improvement when I kept Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off either.

My typical day consists of mail via an Exchange server and some voice calls ? that's the gist of it. I used the applications and played some games every now and then (they lose their initial draw after a couple days), but never played music on the iPhone 3G and rarely played video. Then, there were the dropped calls due to a still seemingly weak cellular radio that also affected the first iPhone. Low-end 3G feature phones would hold a strong signal while the iPhone sat on the edge between a low signal and "no service." Hand-off between 3G and 2G seemed to strain the device unrelentingly.

Still, I think Apple's got the most impressive mobile gaming platform around. It's casual and fun for just about anyone. Moreover, it's opened up an entirely new development arena that's gotten immediate interest from big, small and venture capital. Everyone's talking about the iPhone, thinking about the iPhone and watching the iPhone. In fact, so much so, I can't give it up. I may have returned the iPhone 3G because it doesn't meet my needs as a phone and email device, but I can't say goodbye to everything the platform does best. I'll be getting an iPod Touch for that very reason soon. I want that web browser, music and video player and all those games and applications ? Wi-Fi connectivity will just have to suffice. For phone calls and email on the move, I will go another way.

What experiences are the rest of you having? Has anyone else returned their iPhone 3G?

Related

Buying The iPhone: Not Much Easier Two Weeks In

Trials And Tribulations Of Buying The iPhone 3G (Or Not)

Update: iPhone 3G Purchase Successful On Day Two

First iPhone 3G Reviews: Mossberg: Battery ?Significant Problem?; Pogue: Limited 3G, Good Audio