Hands-On Report--The iPhone on a Long Airline Flight
We were able to use our Bose QuietComfort3 headphones with our iPhone by using an $10.95 Belkin Headphone Adapter for iPhone. The Belkin model arrived just before our flight and it works fine. There are now lots of other iPhone headphone adapters out with a variety of functionality. iLounge has looked at five: Griffin's Headphone Adapter for iPhone ($10), Belkin's Headphone Adapter for iPhone ($11), Shure's Music Phone Adapter MPA-3c ($40), Monster Cable's iSplitter 200 Headphone Jack Splitter ($20, iLounge rating: B+), and Griffin's SmartShare Headphone Splitter ($15, iLounge rating: A-). Belkin also has stereo and mini-stereo cables for using an iPhone with speakers or stereo systems.
We made a few calls and checked email accounts when in terminals in the U.S. (two) and used the iPod mode during all three segments of a 23+ hour journey. The iPhones Usage setting read nearly 13 hours of use and nearly 24 hours of standby from starting with a full charge at the beginning of the trip. The battery icon was less than 25% discharged (i.e.>75% full) when we put it on a charger at the end of the trip. Based on our three week experience, including usage at sea and during air travel, we think Apple has under-estimated the iPhone's battery life in its ads.
The only disappointment is that AT&T international roaming does not work at our destination, South Korea. And, since the iPhone is locked to AT&T, we can not simply buy a local mobile telco SIM and pop it into our iPhone. However, once again the iPhone is working with the Wi-Fi network to access the internet so we can do everything except make calls. Making internet calls via Wi-Fi with the iPhone may even be possible because SoonR, as yet untested by us, allows one to use Skype and one's Mac as a VoIP bridge.
Check out our iPhone At Sea article. [Bill Fox]
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