Mommy and Me: iPhone Mom vs. iPhone Teen

Santa arrived a little late this year.  Tonight he came bearing nearly identical iPhones and a snazzy LG Neon for Teen Daughter, Mother-in-law, and I.  Santa didn’t just bring baubles, he brought a bargain.

My dear husband, a/k/a “Santa”, discovered that he could actually save money on our monthly cellphone family plan by switching from Sprint to AT & T, and taking advantage of a work-related discount plan.  Our new plan will have less monthly minutes than our current plan, but the Nation 700 FamilyTalk Plan is double our current use (my husband is on a separate plan.) And, the new plan will include Messaging Unlimited for Families, and data plans on two iPhones.  Yippee!

In addition to all these goodies, we can now afford to upgrade our current aircard to the new Novatel MiFi personal mobile hotspot that provides wireless service for up to five electronics, and still pay less per month for our family plan.  After a year of debating the best cellphone for my needs and waiting patiently for the expiration date on my Motorola Razr contract, I’m not only free to switch, but I’m getting a much better deal too.

Can you tell I’m excited?  I can’t wait to Twitter on the road, or to check out this newfangled Foursquare thing that all the cool kids are talking about.  Oh, and the apps, I’m salivating over the apps.  What will I add first?  So many choices…

While Teen Daughter introduces her grandmother to texting tomorrow, I’m going to be figuring out how fast and how far I can run with my iPhone.   Right now, the only differences between our iPhones are the memory and color.  I have the black 16GB iPhone 3G, and she has the white 32 GB version to handle her greater music and video needs.  By tomorrow night, I guarantee these iPhones will be completely different species.

Moms with iPhones

• The iPhone Mom – “Because it’s not your husband’s iPhone” features app reviews that appeal to moms (heavy emphasis on shopping and organization.)
• Study Reveals More Detail About the iPhone Mom – We’re a demographic, the new Soccer Moms of the 10’s.
• 10 Reasons Why Moms Need An iPhone – Funny, but true.

Teens with iPhones

• Apple Near Saturation Point for Ipod, Itunes Use By Teens – Only 8% of teens own iPhones, probably due to AT & T’s mandatory $30/month data plans (per phone.)
• Hacking iPhones: N.J. Teen Unlocks Apple’s iPhone, Teen iPhone Hacker Interview
• Teen claims 303,398 iPhone texts in one month – Teen Daughter had better not even think of gunning for this record.

Best and Worst Apps, Getting Started with the iPhone

• Getting Started with iPhone
• The Best iPhone Apps of 2009 (Appvee Edition)
• 10 Must-Have, Free Apps For That iPhone 3G
• 10 Best and Worst iPhones for Teens and Parents – Lists “Annoy a Teen” under “Worst Apps” (I was thinking “Best Ever App” until I discovered that it emits that oh-so-painful mosquito ringtone.)
• Time Magazine’s Best and Worst Apps – For dads, moms, students, cheapskates, and porn?

Come Back, Y’all

Gotta hurry now to catch up with Teen Daughter, who isn’t wasting any time reading manuals or reviews.  Check back later, and we’ll see what’s under the hoods.

Are you an iPhone Mom?  I’d love to hear how you’re customizing your phone!  Any tips on must-have applications or other advice about the iPhone would be highly appreciated!

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