Chapter 6. Getting Online
The iPhone's concept as an all-screen machine is a curse and a blessing. You may curse it when you're trying to type text, wishing you had real keys. But when you're online—oh, baby. That's when the Web comes to life, looming larger and clearer than on any other cellphone. That's when you see real email, full-blown YouTube videos, hyperclear Google maps, and all kinds of Internet goodness, larger than life.
Well, at least larger than on other cellphones.
Fortunately, you can use the Internet features of the iPhone as much as you want without worrying about price. Wi-Fi is free, and your AT&T plan includes unlimited use of its cellular Internet network.
A Tale of Three Networks
The iPhone 3G can get onto the Internet using any of three methods—three kinds of wireless networks. Which kind you're on makes a huge difference to your iPhone experience; there's nothing worse than having to wait until the next ice age for some Web page to arrive when you need the information now. Here they are, listed from slowest to fastest.
AT&T's EDGE cellular network. Your iPhone can connect to the data over the same airwaves that carry your voice, thanks to AT&T's EDGE cellular data network. The good part is that it's almost everywhere; your iPhone can get online almost anywhere you ...
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