A few weeks ago, I blogged that I was dying to get an iPhone 4, but was doing everything in my power to resist. 
Despite the new features I so desired, I concluded that I just didn’t need one. Shortly after that, once the phones were in stock, I called AT&T to see if I qualified for an upgrade. I learned that even as a current AT&T customer, it would still cost a whopping $199. Ouch. I wavered back and forth, and ultimately decided to wait — at least until I heard more from people as to whether it was actually worth it.
Boy am I glad I waited; it turns out that the iPhone 4 has major antenna reception issues. According to Wired, it’s so bad that Consumer Reports, which initially ranked iPhone as the best smartphone, has come out and said that it can’t recommend the phone because of this major technical problem. A steel antenna band runs along the edges of the phone. When you grip the phone in a certain way — particularly in the left-hand corner–the phone will lose three or four bars of signal (the problem is humorously called “the death grip”). Apple has even advised consumers to avoid holding the phone in that corner, and I’ve seen some blogs call for a recall. There were murmurs that a new software update would fix the problem, but Mobile Crunch says it doesn’t work.
The moral of the story is I coveted something I didn’t need. I knew it would be a bad investment, but I wanted to be an early adopter and have all the fun new bells and whistles. I was almost willing to pay the price, when reason kicked in and told me to save the $200. Looking back, that’s the smartest thing I’ve done in a while. Purchasing brand new technology is inherently risky. It’s unsure what, if anything, Apple will do to help these down-and-out customers. Has this happened to you?
Read on for my roundup of my favorite credit- and debt-related posts from the personal finance blogosphere from the past week. Many of these cover very important money basics. Enjoy!
1. Christian PF shares how certain aspects of the World Cup can actually teach us valuable debt lessons.
2. Just now getting started? Consumerism Commentary offers a primer on the methods you can use to build credit.
3. Five Cent Nickel explains the recent changes made to your credit card statements due to the new federal regulations.
4. PT Money reminds readers that they have rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and outlines some of the key rules.
5. Money Smart Life discusses how your credit score can impact a multitude of interest rates — it affects more things than you would think!
6. While the new CARD Act goes a long way to protect consumers, it doesn’t cover everything. Cash Money Life explains several situations in which credit card companies can still hike up interest rates.
7. Frugal Dad reveals the one trick that helped get him out of debt: increasing his income.
8. Ask Mr. Credit Card discusses the challenges travelers face with their credit cards when traveling to Europe.
9. Clever Dude warns about when deals aren’t really deals. If you weren’t planning to buy it in the first place, you really aren’t saving money!
10. The Consumerist describes a hilarious new tactic that Chase has employed to try to convince customers to sign up for overdraft protection.
Similar Posts:
- Emily’s list: Resisting the urge for an iPhone 4 edition
- Emily’s list: Going on a spending fast edition
- Prototype iPhone, leaked a second time
- Ways to wealth: Is there an app for cashing in on smart phone applications?
- Emily’s list: Trim your debt and fat edition
Tags: Iphone, Iphone Death
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