AT&T's free hotspot access finally useful with auto-connection in iPhone OS 3.0

Back in the stone age -- iPhone OS 2.x, that is -- men wrestled wild boar to the ground with their bare hands, wore Members Only jackets, and connected to AT&T hotspots using an archaic, ridiculous process involving text messages, websites, and prayer. One previously unpublicized feature of the just-released OS 3.0, though, changes all that: connecting to your rightful WiFi coverage is now a seamless, no-brainer experience, which magically and very suddenly makes AT&T's hotspots useful. If we had to guess, these guys are looking for every reasonable way to get iPhones from the 3G network over to WiFi as often as possible, and this should certainly help. Follow the break to see exactly what it means to have an iPhone in close proximity to a Starbucks, in case you're curious.

[murmermer @ Jun 17th 2009 6:34PM]

why does that guy look like he's going to rape me and steal my iPhone?

[alo8a @ Jun 17th 2009 6:44PM]

In that case, hold on to your iPhone...

[Mitch @ Jun 17th 2009 6:53PM]

Wishful thinking?

[Paul a. Chapel @ Jun 17th 2009 6:53PM]

Is that Saad writing on a piece of paper in the window? I know he said he was going to buy an iPhone now that it has the upgrades he's wanted, but immediately going to Starbucks after your first Apple purchase. Dude, I know it's tempting, but you don't have to become an Apple fanboy overnight!

[Mystic @ Jun 17th 2009 6:56PM]

'Finally useful', it's getting old engadget.

[Rdrunner @ Jun 17th 2009 7:07PM]

well, in that case, say 99 and keep your butthole tight.

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Jun 17th 2009 7:34PM]

This is a totally pointless story. Not directed towards Engadget, but the whole idea and video of it all.

[Ken Weaver @ Jun 17th 2009 7:39PM]

I'm having trouble figuring out which phone to buy PALM PRE or IPHONE 3GS? Can anyone help me out here? As far as I can tell, it looks like this:

IPHONE IS LACKING BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING:
No multitasking
No Physical keyboard
No LED flash

PALM PRE IS LACKING BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING:
8 GB memory limit
No true apps - only webapps (so weak)
No voice and data at the same time (because of Sprint CDMA network)
No voice dialing
No video recording
No voice memos
No movie rentals (over the air or otherwise)
No visual Voicemail
No TV show purchases
No audiobook purchasing
No true app store (so few apps, it's literally one App Page)
No console-quality games (like Resident Evil, Metal Gear, 1000's of others for iPhone)
No Peer to Peer games (the ability to play Texas Holdem with some stranger on the subway)
No VoiceOver (the iPhone can read any screen to you, just like a Mac)
No native in-car integration (iPhone has this with dozens of cars)
No podcasts
Pre screen is too small
Crippled copy/paste (for example - you can't cut or copy a webpage or any part of it)
No universal search (crippled - no e-mail search)
Tiny keyboard (iPhone landscape and portrait keyboards are bigger than Pre's real keyboard)
No auto wi-fi login (just jumps on any open network and remembers them all)
No 7.2 Mbps network speed
No AT&T free hotspots (thousands of them)
No free Starbucks hotspots (tens of thousands)
No Find My Phone feature
Can't function as a Remote for the household stereo (Great for parties, especially with the iTunes DJ feature where people can
request songs)
Weak battery life
More expensive than iPhone
Very scratchable screen
No oleophobic protective screen
No native media player (Apple can break iTunes compatibility at any time and I don't want to take that chance)
No Voice Commands (control music playing by saying "Depeche Mode" for example)
No Compass
No multiple and customizable home screens like iPhone (Pre only has one home screen)
No Parental Controls
No Video Editing
No onboard Ringtone Creation
No 5 person conference calls
No Webclips

Anyone have anything to say about this? Can anyone honestly say the
Pre has more features?

PS - the iPhone CAN multitask - you can listen to music, send e-mails, download files, AND surf the web at the same time. What you CANNOT do is have multiple 3rd party apps open at the same time - for example, I can't play Boggle AND Texas Holdem at the same time. And why would I? However, I CAN play Boggle, listen to my music, answer an email, download a PDF, etc. at the same time.

I would honestly like someone to list several dozen features the Pre has that the iPhone doesn't have.

I guarantee no one will.

[Munan @ Jun 17th 2009 7:41PM]

Because he's going to rape you and steal your iPhone.....

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Jun 17th 2009 7:43PM]

@Ken Weaver, you serious?

What you need to do is, go to both the AT&T and Sprint stores so you can respectively find the iPhone or the Pre.

Try them both out for yourself if you haven't already. Realize you have to make sacrifices in life.

Choose the one which you make you happiest. Don't necessarily go for the phone with the most features if you don't really "like" it.

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Jun 17th 2009 7:44PM]

Edit: Choose the one which will make you happiest.

[Richard Lai @ Jun 17th 2009 7:53PM]

@Ken: buy both phones, so you can stuff them both in your mouth and stop trolling.

[Jubei @ Jun 17th 2009 7:55PM]

@Ken Weaver

Nice list. You left out more though, but I can understand why. It would take up half of this page, perhaps all of it. Good job on the list.

[Joe @ Jun 17th 2009 7:57PM]

@murmermer: Keep your fantasies to yourself!

[maveric101 @ Jun 17th 2009 7:58PM]

I'm having trouble figuring out if Ken Weaver is a prick or a douchebag. Can anyone help me out here? As far as I can tell, it looks like this:
Ken Weaver is a prick.
Ken Weaver is a douchebag.

oh wait he's both lol.

Anyone have anything to say about this? Can anyone honestly say Ken Weaver could be more of an ass?

I would honestly like someone to list several dozen insults to Ken Weaver. I guarantee lots of people will.

[boblobb @ Jun 17th 2009 8:00PM]

You iphone haters don't stop.

@Richard Lai
Don't tell people to stuff things in their mouth. From your picture, you look like the type of dude who enjoys that kind of activity. I mean really. What a suspect picture...

Anyway, is anybody going to refute this guy's list?

Paul Chapel, do you have an opinion??? lol

[slamEVIL @ Jun 17th 2009 8:11PM]

@maveric101:

you're a god!

[sweet greggo @ Jun 17th 2009 8:21PM]

@Ken Weaver

You realize you're trolling an iPhone post, right?

[Paul a. Chapel @ Jun 17th 2009 8:29PM]

What is there to say that hasn't been said? I mean, it's sad to watch the Apple Haters now because even they know the iPhone is superior, but they're so focused on their hatred of what they perceive to be Apple users, mostly the stuff they've watched on TV (Justin Long hatred?), that it's clouded the rational part of their brain.

The only things they have left is the non-removable battery, multi-tasking for third party apps, and real keyboard. Not a lot to complain about. The non-removable battery argument is void because of all the external batteries you can now buy for the iPhone.

The multi-tasking argument is weak because most non-geeks don't even know what it is and Apple's iPhone apps multi-task fine. Apple could change their multi-tasking barrier with a simple software update, if it became a major problem. The keyboard thing is a matter of preference. If you're a long time blackberry user, it will be an issue. If you're not, it won't. And again, if the competition gets really scary, Apple could just release an iPhone with a keyboard and call it the iPhone Pro. It's not like they don't know how to make keyboards. I'm typing on one right now.

So the Apple Haters are screwed as far as the iPhone is concerned. You can't blow away the 50,000 apps available for the store by making fun of the fart apps. That's gotten old already.

[Mike10010100 @ Jun 17th 2009 10:10PM]

@Paul

It's people like YOU that we hate, because of your constant love of the iPhone, and your constant insults at all other products. I don't hate the iPhone. If I had rich parents and an unlimited money flow, I would probably get one. However, I have an unbeatable plan on Sprint. Nothing you say can change that. Therefore, people who refute you aren't iPhone haters, they just don't think it fits them. No amount of trolling can change reality, and the reality is that the iPhone doesn't have certain features that may seem crucial to people. You may be willing to sacrifice 3rd party multitasking, but another guy might not want to. Therefore, I implore you to shut up. Do you honestly think you are making a difference?

P.S. Case in point: I use Windows Mobile because it's on Sprint, works with my plan, and, even though it crashes, it has saved my ass more times than I can count. Forget to print up homework? I can access my home computers for free via Logmein. Same with my mother and GoToMyPC. I can also stream live video for free from my home computers. And during the commercials, I can have the player running in the background while I check some email. Different strokes for different folks.

[murmermer @ Jun 17th 2009 10:31PM]

@Paul

you are the Batman of Engadget, you defend the helpless iPhone users opinion because there are people that hate apple because its not microsoft... and try to shittalk the iphone users till they don't want to post anymore.

I compare you to Batman because the Law (anti-apple people) hate you yet you still bring truth to engadget!!!!!

+1 for apple making a good product

[superhobo @ Jun 18th 2009 1:04AM]

The iPhone isn't that bad. There. I said it. It's still missing some features crucial to me, but other then that it's ok. Took them long enough to get there though.



What is unbearable is Apple's attitude. If there ever was an entire company made of dishonest arrogant pretentious smug snobs, it's Apple. Their fans and a considerably large part of their user base is just like them. That is why I will never buy an Apple product. On principle.

[Mikey @ Jun 18th 2009 10:05AM]

So, I guess Ken Weaver is also murmermer...mer...mer (or however the hell you spell it), because this *exact same post* word for word was on the "Josh on Jimmy Fallon" post a little later. Way to double post as separate people... hmm, I wonder if you're a troll on Apple's dime spreading misinformation.

[William Bennett @ Jun 18th 2009 10:37AM]

@Ken Weaver

I don't understand why people cross post such stupid lists. What an idiot.

[Amrosorma @ Jun 17th 2009 6:35PM]

Apple users at a Starbucks? Why I never!

[BlurMagic @ Jun 17th 2009 6:49PM]

Mmm. Nothing goes together better then Wifi and burnt coffee. I love Starbucks.

[Stewart @ Jun 17th 2009 8:15PM]

Someone's funny today...

[Heshmati4 @ Jun 17th 2009 6:35PM]

Yah!

His head doesn't tilt as much this time.

[Jeff @ Jun 17th 2009 6:52PM]

yeah he was real tilty last time, huh?

[Super-sic @ Jun 17th 2009 6:36PM]

Not saying I'm gonna stop using 3G, but I might lighten up on it now. I live near the starbuck at our mall. AT&T wifi covers the whole mall. Now I don't have to wait the extra 30 seconds on 3G! :)

[Joe K. @ Jun 17th 2009 6:41PM]

You live at a mall?

[waiownsyou @ Jun 17th 2009 8:25PM]

Nice Joe. I lol'd

[Danny P @ Jun 17th 2009 9:40PM]

Yea do u?? Cause malls usually have parking lots around them...

[Teep @ Jun 17th 2009 6:36PM]

Hotpost?

[Teep @ Jun 17th 2009 6:41PM]

Sure. Fix the headline so my post looks like mung.

[Fire Burst @ Jun 17th 2009 7:59PM]

meh at least we have proof.

[Jordan Biffle @ Jun 17th 2009 6:37PM]

Enough with mr. sideway head.

[Cash @ Jun 17th 2009 6:38PM]

Hotpost huh? Why does that just sound dirty and wrong?

[norm @ Jun 17th 2009 6:46PM]

because you are a pervert.

[Derry Quinn @ Jun 17th 2009 6:57PM]

I lol'd so hard, It was such a raging lol, i couldn't get my lol to go down it was such a hard lol

[brandon @ Jun 17th 2009 8:57PM]

"I think I'm getting a clue!"

"Oh, I've got a raging clue right now."

"My clue's pointing this way!"

"Ooh! Good idea! Let's follow your clue!"

[Someperson @ Jun 17th 2009 6:40PM]

Starbucks, eh.

Hmm, is it just me or is the Starbucks logo some kind of subliminal message for sex? Naked lady, with stockings and high heels, spreading her legs??? I need to lay off the Starbucks....

[USAFMech @ Jun 22nd 2009 10:56AM]

It's a two-tailed mermaid. Two-tailed = lady bits instead of fish bits betwixt the tails

[Cash @ Jun 17th 2009 6:41PM]

P.S.

"Three-dot-Oh."

The hell says dot Oh instead of point Oh? Sideways head guy must be Canadian or something.

[Joe K. @ Jun 17th 2009 6:42PM]

Or a fan of Mustangs and remembers it's 5.0

[gregamit @ Jun 17th 2009 6:51PM]

Nope. American. 3 point ZERO here. They are all numerals, not letters.

[Mike P. @ Jun 17th 2009 8:00PM]

Forget that--what was the point of the video? I was expecting a demonstration. Instead I got a guy, talking... which, considering this is a blog, might as well have been text.

[Dale @ Jun 17th 2009 8:41PM]

@ gregamit.. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.. i cannot stand people who do that... ZERO is not the same as the letter O.

[Shenanigans @ Jun 17th 2009 6:42PM]

They announced auto-connect to WiFi. I even think an article here even pointed it out and said it was a 'pointless feature' or something of that nature.

[Burpethead @ Jun 17th 2009 6:43PM]

THANK GOD - It was SO TERRIBLE before. It took me longer to get on their wireless than perform the task that I needed to do.

A TEXT MESSAGE for wireless access to a browser link? WTF?